How to Make Money with YouTube Shorts in India (2025 Guide)

01 Sept, 2025By Team MakeMoney

YouTube Shorts have taken the internet by storm, and for creators in India, they represent a golden opportunity to earn money in 2025. Short, snappy, and highly engaging, these vertical videos are YouTube's answer to TikTok and Instagram Reels. If you think you need long, elaborate videos to make money on YouTube, think again. The platform is heavily promoting Shorts, and you can capitalize on this trend.

This guide will walk you through the exact strategies to turn your creative 60-second videos into a reliable income stream. We'll cover everything from the official YouTube Shorts Fund to clever monetization tactics that top creators are using right now. Whether you're a dancer, comedian, educator, or just someone with a smartphone and a good idea, you can start earning from YouTube Shorts today.

1. YouTube Shorts Fund

The most direct way to earn from your Shorts is through the YouTube Shorts Fund, a $100 million fund created by YouTube to reward creators for their contributions. You don't need to be in the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) to be eligible, which makes it incredibly accessible for new creators.

To qualify, you need to create original and engaging Shorts that adhere to YouTube's Community Guidelines. YouTube contacts thousands of creators each month to let them know they've qualified for a bonus from the fund. Payouts can range from $100 to $10,000, depending on your channel's performance and audience location.

Eligibility: Create at least one eligible Short in the last 180 days.
How it Works: YouTube reviews your channel's Shorts performance and notifies you if you qualify for a bonus.
Pro-Tip: Focus on creating high-quality, original content consistently to increase your chances of getting noticed.

2. Affiliate Marketing in Your Shorts

Affiliate marketing is a powerful way to monetize your Shorts, even with a small audience. It involves promoting a product or service and earning a commission for every sale made through your unique affiliate link. You can place these links in your video's description, a pinned comment, or your channel's "About" section.

For example, if you create a Short about a new smartphone, you can include an Amazon affiliate link to the product. When a viewer clicks that link and makes a purchase, you earn a percentage of the sale. This works for almost any niche, from fashion and beauty to tech and gaming.

Getting Started: Join affiliate programs like Amazon Associates, Flipkart Affiliate, or Cuelinks.
Earning Potential: Varies widely based on your niche and audience size, but can become a significant passive income stream.
Pro-Tip: Only promote products you genuinely believe in to maintain your audience's trust.

3. Brand Deals and Sponsorships

Once you've built a loyal following, brands will start approaching you for paid promotions. This is where the real money is. Brands are always looking for creators who can authentically integrate their products into their content. A brand deal could involve a dedicated Short about a product or a more subtle placement.

You don't need millions of subscribers to land a brand deal. Many brands prefer working with micro-influencers (10,000 to 100,000 subscribers) because they often have a more engaged and trusting audience.

Getting Started: Create a professional media kit that showcases your channel's stats and audience demographics.
Earning Potential: ₹5,000 to ₹50,000+ per sponsored Short, depending on your reach and engagement.
Pro-Tip: Be proactive and reach out to brands you love and believe would be a good fit for your audience.

4. Selling Your Own Products or Merchandise

As your personal brand grows, you can create and sell your own products. This could be anything from merchandise like t-shirts and mugs to digital products like e-books, presets, or online courses. Your Shorts can act as a powerful marketing tool to drive traffic to your online store.

For example, if you have a fitness channel, you could create and sell a workout guide or a diet plan. Use your Shorts to offer valuable fitness tips and then direct your viewers to the link in your bio to purchase your guide.

Getting Started: Use platforms like Shopify, Gumroad, or Teespring to create and sell your products.
Earning Potential: Highly scalable, with no ceiling on how much you can earn.
Pro-Tip: Start with a simple digital product, as it requires no inventory and can be sold an unlimited number of times.

5. Driving Traffic to Your Long-Form Content

While Shorts can be monetized directly, they are also an excellent tool for driving traffic to your longer, ad-revenue-generating videos. Think of your Shorts as trailers for your main content. You can create a compelling Short that teases a topic and then directs viewers to the full video for more information.

This strategy helps you grow your main channel, increase your watch time, and ultimately boost your AdSense revenue. It's a win-win situation: you get to engage a new audience with Shorts while also nurturing your existing subscriber base with in-depth content.

Getting Started: Create a Short that highlights the most interesting part of your long-form video.
Earning Potential: Indirectly increases your AdSense revenue by growing your main channel.
Pro-Tip: Use YouTube's "Related Video" feature to link your Short directly to your long-form video.

FAQ – Your Questions on YouTube Shorts Monetization

How many views do I need to get paid for Shorts?

There is no specific view count that guarantees a payout from the Shorts Fund. YouTube looks at a variety of factors, including overall channel performance and audience location. The key is to create engaging content that people love to watch and share.

Can I use copyrighted music in my Shorts and still get paid?

Yes, you can use music from YouTube's audio library or from other videos using the "Remix" feature. However, using copyrighted music without permission may make your Short ineligible for monetization from the Shorts Fund.

Do I need to show my face to make money with Shorts?

Not at all! There are many successful "faceless" YouTube channels that create Shorts using stock footage, screen recordings, or animations. As long as your content is original and valuable, you can build an audience and earn an income.

How often should I post Shorts?

Consistency is key on YouTube. Aim to post at least one Short per day when you're starting out. This increases your chances of one of your videos going viral and helps you build momentum.

Ready to become a YouTube Shorts creator? The potential is massive, and there's no better time to start than now.

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