How I Got Monetized in 40 Days: My YouTube Shorts Channel Strategy

Let’s get the facts straight. As of 2025, YouTube Shorts monetisation is available to channels that join the YouTube Partner Programme (YPP). That means you’ll need at least 500 subscribers and 3 million valid public Shorts views in the past 90 days, far more attainable than the old benchmarks for long-form video. Once accepted, your Shorts start earning through the new Shorts revenue-sharing system, which runs via your AdSense account just like full-length videos.

If you’re aiming for fast channel growth and Ads revenue, Shorts are the most realistic route for new creators. You don’t need a back catalogue or years of effort, just consistency, relevant topics, and a logical approach to content. In short: YouTube Shorts are the shortcut to quicker monetisation and passive AdSense income, providing you play it smart.

Here’s where you skip the faff and get practical. I published 3-5 genuinely useful Shorts per day for a little over a month, hyper-focused on what works in my niche, no random trends or scattergun ideas. The core principle: volume, but targeted volume. Early on, I tracked which topics performed best with manual spreadsheeting. Frankly, that didn’t scale.

Now, rapid ideation is sorted with ShortTools (https://short.tools). I use the Channel Search to instantly study top-performing Shorts channels in my niche. Then I check out the Trending and Niche Analytics features to see what’s working literally this week, not six months ago. It's all real Shorts data, none of the guesswork or irrelevant full-length results.

For example, If I spot "Mini Keyboard Tricks" trending via ShortTools, I’ll ideate five variations, batch-shoot them, and use that 24-hour window to ride the trend’s crest. The platform's Similar Channels and alerts make sure I'm not missing new patterns or rivals, so I pivot quickly. That’s how I went from 500k to over 3 million views without burning myself out.

Consistency is non-negotiable, but so is operational efficiency. My process now goes like this:

1. **Topic Validation:** Use ShortTools’ Video Feed and Niche Analytics to check that my ideas aren’t yesterday’s news.

2. **Batch Production:** Batch film and edit 5-15 Shorts at a time in one go, using templates to keep branding/titles tight.

3. **Data-Driven Uploads:** I upload at peak times for my audience (studied through channel analytics), monitoring watch time and retention curves. If a Short dips, I iterate fast or bin it.

Don’t sweat complex tools, pick what’s fast and sustainable. With ShortTools, trend tracking is handled in 30 minutes a day, so I can spend real time on shooting and editing. That’s the only way to keep quality high, volume up, and your performance dialled in, without losing sleep or, worse, your motivation.

Let’s be blunt: shortcuts don’t exist, but you can avoid rookie errors that slow growth. Don’t spam unrelated trending topics for quick hits, YouTube’s algorithms are savvier than ever in 2025 and will bury channels that lack focus.

Stay niche-aligned, optimise titles, and always validate trends against data. Monitoring channel health with ShortTools’ Similar Channels and Alerts gives a reality check against real-world competition. Plus, don’t let watch hours or long-form advise distract you, Shorts monetisation is its own discipline, and you should treat it that way.

One more thing, be ruthless with underperformers. If a Short flops, analyse the retention, apply the lesson, and move on. This razor-sharp feedback loop is how you reach monetisation without spending a year grinding in the dark.