Ian Danskin of Innuendo Studios, who signified one of several YouTubers to recognize the change.
It’s also not clear yet whether or not presently have to have ads allowed on your channel, or if a video will waste its links should it be demonetized, either over a copyright claim or YouTube deeming it “ad-unfriendly.”
YouTube has considering released a briefing to explain the change:
In order to use externally connecting end cards in videos, producers are being asked to join the YouTube Partner program, so that we can assess the validity of the channel, as well as determine whether the current channel is following our association guidelines and advertiser policies. This update is determined to curb abuse and does not affect current YouTube associates or existing end cards. Additionally, channels do not have to really monetize any videos as part of this claim.
The difference does add an extra step for YouTubers wishing to use external links to their own websites and crowdfunding sites, especially if they have no concern in joining YouTube’s Partner Program oppositely. YouTube also killed ads from videos with less than 10,000 channel views earlier this year, anticipating smaller YouTubers may have a harder time drawing followers to their Patrons.
Still, the change seems to have been made to curb the abusive use of external links. By checking the external links to partners, YouTube can make certain the creators aren’t violating its terms of service and community guidelines.
While content creators who aren’t members of the partner program can still put links in their description boxes, some have said to me that very few of their viewers use those links. End cards are much more comfortable as they put the link in the same box the viewer is previously looking at, in an eye-catching bubble. If you’re a producer, you can sign up for YouTube’s Partner Program here to add external link cards to your future videos.
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