Did YouTube’s email make me angry or confused? I can’t decide. Both emotions fused into one. If you are a small creator with low subscription and watch time you may receive the same letter from YouTube. What was your first reaction? Here’s a small quote from my email.
” Under the new eligibility requirements announced today, your YouTube channel, Focus Positives, is no longer eligible for monetization because it doesn’t meet the new threshold of 4,000 hours of watchtime within the past 12 months and 1,000 subscribers. As a result, your channel will lose access to all monetization tools and features associated with the YouTube Partner Program on February 20, 2018unless you surpass this threshold in the next 30 days. Accordingly, this email serves as 30 days notice that your YouTube Partner Program terms are terminated.”
It will be nearly impossible for me to reach the threshold by next month and the odds of loosing all the monetization tools and features are great. I know a lot of small creators like me who received the email from YouTube are upset and have many worries. One that stood out for me was the possibility of loosing the custom thumbnails feature. A custom attractive thumbnails is absolutely essential in building audiences. We definitely don’t want to loose that. We will know by the deadline. I don’t want to lament on YouTube’s disrespect for small creator and just get straight to a solution that will help and ease small creator’s worries. Here’s my video tutorial to stop YouTube from taking the custom thumbnail feature away from you.
My Video Experiment Update
I think I have outdone myself! After I uploading my video ALL THREE default thumbnails are showing my customized thumbnails. Rest assure you can definitely keep your customized thumbnails if YouTube takes it away on 2.20.2018! You won’t need to upload a single custom thumbnail again. Show some love and encouragement. Support small creators in reaching YouTube’s new threshold of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000hrs of watch time! A subscription or simply watching some videos is much appreciated.
This screenshot is from my YouTube Dashboard.
This screenshot is from my iPhone.
The default thumbnail is slightly blurry compared with the other customized thumbnail. It may have something to do with the quality of the video. My earlier default thumbnails were very clear. I will have to experiment more on the export settings and update you. If we do end up loosing the customized thumbnail feature all default thumbnails would be the same resolution. I’d choose a blurry customized thumbnail over no customization any time.
Updates From Me & YouTube (1/21/2018)
The answer to my question about loosing the custom thumbnails feature is:
Custom thumbnails: You don’t need to be part of YPP to use custom thumbnails, you just need to have a verified account (by phone).
My Conclusion About This Post
The good outweighed the bad. This was not a total lost cause.
The Good
- I created a great solution to a nonexistent problem. (Hey it might help someone.)
- People can have a custom thumbnail without uploading one. (Yay!)
- My first time to
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- upload two videos within two days.
- create a video with related posts content & graphics in one day. (I am dead tired.)
- share opinions on a forum and other YouTube Channels.
- I am proactively working to save my channel.
- I didn’t ask for a “Sub4Sub”. (Read the the forum and you’ll know why)
- I clarified my goals for my YouTube channel. (I have been procrastinating for years)
The Bad
- This post topic may not be as useful for small creators as I originally intended. (Oh well, live and learn)
Next Step
I am going to follow YouTube’s suggestion below to keep growing my channel. Good luck everyone!
How am I ever going to make it to 1k subs?
“There’s a creator academy lesson about growing and keeping your subs and how to use cards and end screens to drive subscriptions. We’ve also introduced new mobile features to help people find channels to subscribe to including a subscribe button in search results and recommended channels (available on both Android and iOS). These have helped drive more subs site wide!”
If you don’t meet the threshold yet, keep working to make original content and build your audience. Here are some resources that can help you grow your channel:
- Get tips from top creators in the Creator Academy.
- Learn solutions from other YouTube users in the YouTube Help Forum.
- Go to the Creator Site to learn, grow, and be connected to programs, resources, and events.
- Check out our YouTube Help channel and YouTube Creators channel to watch tutorials, troubleshooting, and tips videos from the YouTube Help team.
- See all the resources available to you as a creator.
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