Why Did YouTube Demonetise My Video?

Video monetisation is one of the primary revenue sources for content creators, especially if you aren’t an avid streamer. While it isn’t as lucrative as the past, it still provides a steady, reliable income – unless your videos are getting demonetised.

At MinMxD, we understand the pain and stress demonetised videos can cause, especially when you feel as if you’ve done nothing wrong. So, we’ll help you understand why YouTube demonetises videos, how to avoid being demonetised, and what to do when your videos are being demonetised.

Get in touch today to find out how we can help your channel thrive and prosper.

There are a few key reasons why your YouTube video might be demonetised:

1. Partner Status

   If you’re not a YouTube partner, you’re probably ineligible to have monetisation on your videos in the first place. However, sometimes YouTube changes their policies, which may move the goalpost for becoming a partner. When this happens, your monetised videos could be demonetised if you don’t meet the new requirements – although this is a rather unlikely source of demonetisation.

2. Video Content

   YouTube tends to look unfavourably on content featuring adult themes like swearing or excessive gore and violence. Even if you’re not marking your content as ‘For Kids’, YouTube might stick additional restrictions on your videos such as age restriction or demonetisation. An age restriction is just as bad as a demonetisation, as it massively restricts who can watch your video and also what adverts will appear on it (many advertisers don’t want their ads appearing on age restricted videos).

3. Copyrighted Materials

   If your video contains copyrighted material such as game assets, songs, or clips from other videos, you’re more likely to have your content demonetised. This is typically done in a way that ads remain on the video, but the copyright holder gets the revenue. This is the worst of both worlds for a content creator, as it means you’re not making money while your viewers still have to sit through ads.

4. Content Claims

   People can attempt to make claims on your content, even when it hasn’t been flagged by automated copyright systems. Whether or not these claims are legitimate, they can result in your video being taken down or demonetised. A video take down is bad for other reasons, as it adds a strike to your channel which may have further repercussions down the line.

Check out some important legal considerations for gaming content creators to find out more >

Getting a demonetisation on your video seems to happen all too often, and avoiding them can seem tricky. However, if you do everything you can to ensure your video meets the community guidelines lain out on YouTube, you’re more likely to successfully monetise your videos.

Firstly, ensure you’re not using anything copyrighted in your videos. Some games like GTA 5 have content restrictions that stop certain songs from playing – use these to prevent background noise from flagging your video.

Next, try to limit the amount of graphic content on your channel. Swear less, or censor it when possible (although bleeps can also trigger YouTube’s automatic age filtering, so watch out for that!). Depending on the games you play and your style of content creation, this may seem difficult, but if you want to successfully monetise your videos while reaching a larger audience then it’s a step you’ll need to take.

Finally, fight and appeal against any demonetisation. Not every video demonetisation will be fair, and it is on you to try and get YouTube’s attention to resolve any issues you may be having. It’s not always going to succeed, but trying something is always better than doing nothing.

If you’re still being demonetised, consider other revenue streams with our monetisation ideas for gaming content creators >

To help you get started on your appeal, here’s a useful guide to follow:

1. Go to your channel’s YouTube Studio
2. Locate the demonetised content
3. Press the “Request Review” button
4. Add any additional information that may impact your case – copyright information, video details, and context can all help
5. Submit the appeal

This should get your appeal rolling. However, it may take time to process, or it may still fail when you believe you’re not in the wrong. In these cases, you can also reach out to Creator Support through the YouTube Studio in order to press matters further.

Many creators struggle for years with demonetisation and similar problems on YouTube. Having a partner to fight your corner and help you build a strategy to overcome monetisation issues will ensure you can continue to do what you love for years to come – and that’s exactly what we offer.

Observe and follow YouTube’s guidelines, don’t use copyrighted materials, and keep your content family friendly. Following these steps will ensure you can get the most out of your content and channel, without having to constantly struggle with demonetisation issues.

If you’re looking to build a strategy that stops your videos from being demonetised – or looking for different ways of monetising your content – then get in touch with the team at MinMxD today! We’re always looking for ways to minimise your stress and maximise the returns you see on your content.

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