What kind of content can I monetize?

You can monetize content that you created as long as you still hold the rights to the video. However, if you are signed with a music label, you may or may not be able to monetize your video depending on the terms and/or limitations of that agreement. You may need to consult an attorney.

---

If you are asked by YouTube to provide more information about content you created yourself, it may be helpful to provide the following:

For original audio:

• Artist name
• Song name
• Music composer/lyricist
• Music label (if any)
• Describe the relationship between the label and the artist (Please note that documentation proving that you retain all commercial use rights for the content may be necessary)
• Rights owner’s name and contact information
• Your name (first/last)
• If you used an audio-editing software: name of software, URL link to terms of use granting commercial use rights, and whether any samples or music loops were used
• If third-party audio (music originally created by someone else) was used in your own creation (e.g. remixes or mashups), please provide written permission from the original rights holder to commercially use the content.

For original visuals:

• Brief statement explaining how you created the visuals yourself
• If any stock visuals were used, please provide the name of the source and URL link to its licensing terms granting commercial use rights
• If third-party visuals were used in your own creation, provide written permission from the original rights holder to commercially use the content. Simply providing the licensing agreement for the editing software used may not always be sufficient.

You may be able to use audio and visual editing software to create monetizable content, but this depends on the scope, limitations and commercial permissions of the license. If you have used samples or loops, make sure that the license specifically allows for their commercial use.If you are asked by YouTube to provide more information about content you created using an editing software, it may be helpful to provide the following:

• Name of software
• URL link to its licensing terms granting commercial use rights
• State whether or not you used any loops, music samples, or stock images

You can monetize royalty-free or Creative Commons content if the license agreement grants you rights to use it commercially. Sometimes rights owners require you to credit the creator of the content or provide proof of purchase in order to use it in your video for commercial purposes. For more information, please review how to read licenses to understand your rights.If you are asked by YouTube to provide more information about using royalty-free or Creative Commons content, it may be helpful to provide the following:

• Name of the artist
• Name of the track
• Direct URL link to the song
• Direct URL link to the licensing terms granting commercial use rights
• In some licenses set forth by the creator, attribution (or credit) to the original creator may be required for commercial use. If applicable, please include attribution in the description box or within the video itself

You can monetize such content, but you must be able to provide explicit written permission granting you commercial use rights to that content by the rights holder at any time.

Whether you can use video game content for monetization depends on the commercial use rights granted to you by the license from the applicable video game publisher. Some video game publishers may allow you to use all video game content for commercial use and confirm such permission in their licensing agreements.

• Name of the game
• Direct URL link to any applicable licensing terms for that software
• If the license doesn’t grant commercial use rights, you may be be required to provide written permission from the publisher
• If there are any third-party images or audio embedded in the video that is not directly associated with the video game, please include proof of explicit permission granting commercial use rights for such third-party audio and/or visual elements

Whether you can show software user interfaces in a video submitted for monetization depends on the commercial use rights granted to you by the license of the software. In some cases, you may need a contract with the publisher or proof that you have paid a licensing fee. Otherwise, the use of software user interfaces must be minimal unless the associated step-by-step commentary provides instructional and/or educational value and is strictly tied to the action being shown. For more information, please review Video game and software content.

• Name of the software
• Direct URL link to any applicable licensing terms for that software
• If there are any third-party images or audio embedded in the user interface that is not directly associated with the software, please include proof of explicit permission granting commercial use rights for the third-party audio and/or visual elements

In order for content to be in the public domain, the copyright of the work has either expired, been forfeited, or is no longer applicable. If you can prove that the content in your video is in the public domain, you may be able monetize it on YouTube (depending on the scope, limitations, and commercial permissions of the license).

• Type of work
• Date and location of publication
• Death date of the author
• Name of audio and/or visual from public domain
• Direct link to the appropriate primary (scholarly) online source

Some cover songs may be eligible for monetization. In order to be eligible, the music publisher must claim the song through the Content ID system and elect to monetize it. If the song has not been claimed, you may not be able to monetize your video unless you have explicit written permission from the rights owner of the song. The use of any commercial sound recording, such as an instrumental, karaoke recording, or live concert performance by the artist will not be eligible for monetization. For more information, please review Monetizing eligible cover videos.

Although you may have recorded something yourself, usually the original creator or author of the underlying content being recorded (e.g. composer/lyricist of the song being performed at a concert) holds many of the rights needed to commercially exploit this content. If you want to monetize your recording of a performance at a concert or show, you would have to get explicit written permission from the original rights owner of that performance.

Although you may have recorded something yourself, the actual creator or author of the underlying content being recorded (e.g. producer of the TV show being displayed on the TV) may hold many of the rights needed to commercially exploit this content. If you want to monetize your recording of a TV show, DVD or CD, you would need to get explicit written permission from the applicable rights owner of the audio and/or visual elements you recorded.

Although you may have purchased something yourself, usually its actual creator or author holds many of the rights needed to commercially exploit this content. This means you cannot monetize third party content that you have purchased unless its rights owner grants you commercial use rights.

Although you may have found the content online for free, in most cases its actual creator holds many of the rights needed to commercially exploit the content. If you want to monetize such content, please ensure that you have all the necessary commercial use rights for it.

Yes, you can monetize music from the YouTube Audio Library.

• Name of the song used from YouTube Audio Library

Commercial uses are less likely to be considered “fair use”, though it’s possible to monetize a video and still take advantage of the fair use defense in some cases. For more information, please review What is Fair Use?