YouTube is a popular video-sharing social media application. It is an amazing platform for creative video content creators as it supports original creative content by monetizing it based on YouTube monetization policies. So, what kind of videos can you monetize? For example, will slideshow videos get monetization on YouTube? Let’s find out!
The YouTube monetization policies mention that “Image slideshows or scrolling texts with minimal or no narrative, commentary, or educational value” are not eligible for monetization. Hence, if you post basic slideshows videos with static images or just scrolling text on the screen, it will not be considered eligible for monetization.
Slideshow videos are read as reused content by YouTube with no educational and entertainment value, so it does not pass the monetization. However, you can do a voiceover and add motion pictures or transitions to make your video more engaging to monetize your slideshow videos. You transform the contents into your original one, for which YouTube approves monetization.
This article will discuss what a slideshow video is, what type of slideshow videos can be and cannot, and how you can monetize your slideshow video channels.
What Is A Slideshow Video?
A slideshow is a gallery of photos placed together into a presentation. For example, creating a video using the slideshow photos as a video album becomes a slideshow video.
A video that shows many photos one after the other with certain background music is said to be a slideshow video.
Slideshow videos are easy to create. First, you need many pictures you want to make the video about, relevant background music, and a title card. Then, you can get the pictures easily from other posts or browsers, edit them, and put them together in a single video. Doesn’t seem so hard. But will YouTube pay you for it?
Will Slideshow Videos Get Monetization On YouTube?
When it comes to monetizing a YouTube channel or video, it is very hard i) to reach the criteria set by YouTube and ii) to convince the advertisers.
Before the big changes in monetization policies, most of the channels on YouTube got monetization abiding by the policies’ terms and conditions. However, with the new policy in place, many creators face problems monetizing their channels, especially the slideshow channels.
Let’s see what YouTube monetization policy has to say about the slideshow videos and channels:
- Go to your browser, type YouTube monetization policies, find the official article from Google Support, and click on it.
- Then, please scroll down to find Follow AdSense program policies and expand it.
- After that, among the various articles you see, find Examples of what’s not allowed to monetize.
You will find a non-exhaustive list of content types that YouTube doesn’t monetize. The last point mentions “Image slideshows or scrolling text with minimal or no narrative, commentary, or educational value.” Thus, it clearly shows that your Slideshow videos will not monetize on YouTube if they include many stills, static images, or simple text scrolling across the screen.
YouTube supports creative content and requires original content that is entertaining and informative. So, simple slideshow videos will not match the standards of the YouTube monetization policies. Hence, it doesn’t get monetization.
Why Does YouTube Demonetize Slideshow Videos?
Most slideshow video creators take pictures from the internet or other common creative websites, which are not their original content. Instead, such slideshow videos appear as a simple compilation of images to create a video.
YouTube AI analyses such videos as reused content, with basic editing work and no original input. Moreover, stitching pictures together to create a video doesn’t portray it as educational or entertaining content. For these reasons, YouTube demonetizes slideshow video content or channel.
Best Ways To Monetize Slideshow Videos
I hope the information did not startle you about your existing slideshow video channel or your startup idea. But, even if it did, there is nothing to worry about. Even though YouTube doesn’t first hand monetize slideshow videos, there are some practical ways to bend the rules. In addition, there are certain necessary steps that you can carry out to implement or monetize your channel.
First, let us discuss what you should not do while making a slideshow video content.
Do not keep a single static image throughout your video with background music.
YouTube is a video streaming platform. In such a case, if you create content with one static image throughout your video, it becomes less engaging, which is not favored by high-end advertisers.
Moreover, use a single image taken from the internet in your entire video. YouTube Artificial Intelligence will easily detect the source and flag your content as reused content, thus leading to the demonetization of your video.
Both YouTube advertisers and AI look for highly engaging, original video content rather than stock photos and music, which provides additional value to the audience.
Do not add scrolling texts in images
Most channels copy texts from the Internet to a video editor with background music. But, again, YouTube will not consider this as original creative content, leading to the demonetization of your video.
Similarly, adding a compilation of both text and images will not solve the problem. Your content still won’t be engaging and original, so your video will not get monetization.
Do not add Text to speech or synthetic voice in the video
It would seem like a great idea to add a synthetic voice to the photos in your video to make it more engaging. It sounds interesting but still doesn’t work out.
YouTube monetization policies’ list of examples on what not to be monetized also includes “Templated, mass-produced, or programmatically generated content.” YouTube considers text to speech as automatically or programmatically generated content that does not fall under the content list to be monetized on YouTube.
These are some things you shouldn’t do to implement monetization on your slideshow channels. But what should we do?
Here is the list of Do’s that will help your slideshow videos get monetization on YouTube:
Do a voiceover
We understand that not all creators want to reveal themselves in their videos. So, when you use static images from the internet, make sure you explain what the image is about and why it is important in your video. That way, you create original content from reused content.
Add video transition and motion effects
Another way to boost your slideshow videos for monetization is not to use static images. But if you have to, add transitions or graphic motions to transform your still image into a motion picture.
Hence, if you are planning to start a channel that contains lots of photos and images, try to make it a motion picture so that your slide show videos get monetization on YouTube.
What Kind Of Content Can I Monetize?
According to Google Support for YouTube, you must own rights to all its elements for your videos to be eligible for monetization. Therefore, create all of the elements for your videos yourself. Likewise, follow the YouTube Community Guidelines.
The kinds of content you can monetize are Daily vlogs, DIY videos, Tutorials, Original music videos, Short films, etc.
For the content you did not create, make sure you understand the YouTube copyright policies and spam policies.
FAQs
Can You Monetize Gameplay Videos?
As this article discussed above, you can monetize any video if it carries original content and educational value. So, if your gameplay videos have commentary with additional educational information, you can certainly monetize it.
Can Your Videos Easily Get Monetization On YouTube?
For your channel or videos to monetize on YouTube, you must satisfy the criteria set by the monetization policies. Your channel should have at least 1,000 subscribers with 12,000 watch hours for you to start getting paid for your channel.
Conclusion
Consequently, video monetization has encouraged many YouTubers to create fun, educational, original content. It plays a great role in keeping YouTube videos authentic.
As for slideshow videos, since it uses already existing content like images, music, texts, etc., it is slightly difficult to get monetization for such videos. For slideshow videos to get monetization on YouTube, try to make them as original as possible by doing a voiceover, using graphic transitions, and moving images to make them more engaging and educational than the YouTube monetization policies suggest.
