 hit the Internet on May 17, 2009, so after more than 16 years, you’d think there’d be less demand for the game and asking yourself: “Is it too late to start a YouTube channel focused on Minecraft?”. Spoiler: Absolutely not! 

This timeless game continues to thrive, with over 200 million active players building, exploring, and surviving in its limitless universe. In fact, Minecraft’s enduring popularity makes it one of the best niches to break into on YouTube, even in 2026.

Why It’s Never Too Late to Start a Minecraft YouTube Channel

To all the Minecraft fans out there, we’ve got wonderful news. No matter how many creators are flooding YouTube with Minecraft videos, 

That’s because it’s never too late to cash in on a game with frequent updates and a passionate community. 

Those are just two reasons to share your love of Minecraft on YouTube, but you’ll find a few more reasons in our video tutorial, “


However, among all the reasons to start a Minecraft channel, these three might be the strongest:

Minecraft’s Modding Community is Thriving. 

Modders are continually reinventing Minecraft, adding new mechanics, visuals, and challenges. These mods spark endless opportunities for video content, think reviews, tutorials, and gameplay showcases.

Frequent Updates Keep the Game Relevant. 

Minecraft is kept alive with regular updates that introduce new features, biomes, and mobs. These updates create buzz in the community, giving you fresh topics to cover on your channel.

With merchandise, educational editions, and spin-off games like 

, the franchise has become a cultural phenomenon. You can build content around these extensions, reaching broader audiences.

With all those benefits, the content possibilities around Minecraft are endless. Your content could include things like Minecraft news, game updates, new mods, how-to-build tutorials, and showcases of popular Minecraft mods, maps, or texture packs.

If you want, you can follow the community and explore trending challenges, such as Minecraft bed wars. And of course, there's always the classic 

, where you and your audience have fun exploring Minecraft.

What Minecraft Videos Should You Make to Stand Out?

In some form, most Minecraft video ideas have been covered by creators. If you want to stand out, try to create high-value content people are always searching for.

The best way to do this is by answering questions any Minecraft gamer would ask. Spend some time creating tutorials and reviews about popular assets, such as maps, mods, and texture packs.

Believe it or not, people are still discovering Minecraft for the first time, and these newcomers will be searching for answers to specific questions. As a Minecraft veteran, you could help them survive their first night in the game, use the best texture pack, or find the best mods.

When you create this kind of content, it's smart to title your videos the same way people will search for them on YouTube. For example, if we were using the content ideas above, we’d go with these titles:

How to survive your first night in Minecraft

Also, thanks to Minecraft updates, you can create newer, updated videos about these topics in the future. New texture packs and mods are always being released, and as those change, so will your ‘best of’ lists.

If you’re worried about standing out as a Minecraft YouTuber, don’t sweat the competition. There are countless ways to break through the noise and snag an audience of your own.

Want To Get More Views as a Gamer on YouTube?

If you want to take your YouTube gaming channel to the next level and 

 then make sure to download vidIQ. Join over 1 million other users (many of them gamers!) and use vidIQ to help you research YouTube, analyze videos, audit your own channel, and take the next actionable steps to creator success. 

Man holding Minecraft figure with YouTube play button and "Too Late?" text background

It is not too late to start a Minecraft YouTube channel, as long as you have a unique angle. 

Is it Too Late to Create a Minecraft Channel on YouTube? 

YouTube monetization application process showing the YouTube Partner Program interface

Congratulations! If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve reached the two important milestones you need to 

Now that you’ve reached those goals, it’s time to take the next step. 

Keep reading for a comprehensive guide on how to apply to the YouTube Partner Program and start making money online.

1. How to Apply to the YouTube Partner Program

If you want to earn revenue from ads run against your content, you'll need to apply to the 

. Luckily, you can do that via your YouTube Studio; just follow the steps below to start the process:

On the YouTube homepage, click your profile icon and select ‘

Find the left navigation bar and click ‘

If you need real-time guidance, watch our latest video about how to apply to YPP:

The monetization page will track your progress toward reaching

Once you've met the requirements, you'll see this glorious blue ‘apply now’ button:

Click it, and you'll be asked to complete the following three steps:

Set up and connect a Google AdSense account to your channel.

Wait for YouTube to review your channel and inform you of its decision.

But before you do any of this, you need to take care of one crucial thing.

2. Check the Location Settings on Your Channel

The first step of applying to YPP is checking your 

Basically, you need to make sure your channel is set to the right country so your application is processed smoothly.

A few weeks ago, we applied to monetize a Russian language channel. We'd previously set the channel’s country to Russia, but of course, this doesn't apply to the monetization aspects of the channel.

If you need to change the country listed on your channel, you can do that via the settings menu in the YouTube Studio, as shown below:

YouTube channel location settings menu for monetization application

3. Review YouTube’s Terms and Guidelines

The next step in applying to YPP is carefully reviewing the terms of the program. Essentially, you are entering a business contract where both you and YouTube have responsibilities to make the partnership work.

If you’re under 18, get a parent or legal guardian to go through the application with you. This is extremely important because if you try to do the application alone, you’ll eventually get stuck in later steps (such as creating an AdSense account).

Next up, be aware that the documents YouTube presents you with don’t cover everything you need to know. There’s a collection of YouTube policies and guidelines, and you may agree to them 

To cover your bases, you should definitely watch this overview of YouTube’s community guidelines, and if you can, take the entire video course from the 

 (the platform you’ll get paid through)

To get paid by YouTube, you have to create a 

. When you connect this account to your channel, YouTube will send earned revenue from your AdSense account to your bank account.

Return to YouTube’s monetization page (click your profile icon on the YouTube homepage > YouTube Studio > Monetization).

Navigate to step two of the YPP application, which is setting up a Google AdSense account. Click ‘

For security reasons, you’ll be prompted to log in to your Google account. After you do that, you’ll be asked whether you currently have an AdSense account. If you’re creating a new one, follow all of the on-screen instructions.

If you already have an AdSense account, all you have to do is confirm that to move forward. You'll be asked to sign in to the account and connect your current AdSense account to your YouTube channel by clicking ‘

You may temporarily land on an AdSense page that wants to redirect you back to the monetization page. Go ahead and click ‘

And that’s it! You've successfully applied to the YouTube Partner Program, and now you just need to wait for YouTube’s decision.

Prepare for the YouTube Monetization Review Process

So, exactly how long will YouTube take to review your application? According to YouTube’s 

, the official answer is ‘about one month.’ 

Read the platform’s statement below for more details:

YouTube Partner Program review process timeline information

Despite this waiting period, most creators get an answer much quicker. That was certainly true in our case when we monetized the 

This Is how long the whole process takes on YouTube

Important Facts About YouTube Monetization

Once you’ve met the requirements for YPP, the application process isn’t too painful. 

However, there are some things to be aware of before and after your channel gets monetized, such as:

If your channel was rejected from YPP, you haven't 'failed' forever. You can reapply in 30 days, which is enough time to fix any problems on your channel.

When it comes to AdSense revenue, you’ll earn 55% of all advertising profits while YouTube takes the other 45%.

 is a 70-30 split. You’ll get 70% while YouTube keeps 30%.

You need to make at least $100 before YouTube sends funds to your bank account, and it takes up to 60 days for that money to arrive.

YouTube doesn’t deduct local taxes from your revenue, but your revenue is most likely taxable. We highly recommend speaking to a tax expert in your region for guidance.

Now you know all the important details about applying to YPP and monetizing your channel. We wish you a speedy application, and as always, more views and subscribers!

YouTube offers more ways to earn money now. These options go beyond standard AdSense revenue. Check them out to help you monetize your YouTube channel:

 Creators who qualify can share ad revenue from the Shorts Feed. Accept the Shorts module in YouTube Studio to join.

 Link your store to YouTube. With 1,000 subscribers, you can promote your own products. If you meet all requirements, you may also earn by promoting other brands.

 Viewers can buy one-time animations and highlighted comments. This shows extra support for your videos.

 When Premium members watch your content, you earn a share of their subscription fee based on watch time.

After you join the YouTube Partner Program, review the terms in YouTube Studio. Each option has its own rules and revenue model. They are great additions if you want to learn how to apply for YouTube monetization in different ways.

How to Get 500 YouTube Subscribers and Unlock Fan Funding

How to Strengthen Your Monetization Application

If your YouTube monetization application is turned down, don't lose hope. You can make changes before you try again. Here are some clear steps:

 Check that all your videos stick to YouTube rules. Remove or update any that might cause issues.

 Ensure your content is a good match for advertisers. Avoid heavy profanity, touchy topics, or adult content.

 YouTube looks for your own creative input. If you use clips, add useful commentary or editing to set them apart.

 Avoid posting too many similar videos. Offer fresh and interesting content instead.

 Better video quality shows you care about your channel.

 Upload often to show you are serious about growing your channel. This helps when you plan your next YouTube partner program application.

If your first try is turned down, you can reapply in 30 days. For later rejections, wait 90 days. Use that time to improve your channel and learn the YouTube monetization steps.

If you want to take your YouTube channel to the next level and 

 then make sure to download vidIQ. Join over 1 million other users and use vidIQ to help you research YouTube, analyze videos, audit your own channel, and take actionable steps. 

YouTube monetization steps apply, review, and accept with a man pointing at the list

Ready to monetize your YouTube channel? Follow our complete guide on how to make money through the YouTube Partner Program and start earning.

How to Apply for YouTube Monetization: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

The ability to screen-record your computer, smartphone, or gaming console simplifies the YouTube journey - especially for gaming or reaction-style channels.

For these types of creators, what takes place on 

 screens is exactly what viewers want to see. They’re looking for action-packed gameplay and visual tutorials that add more context to a video. 

If that perfectly describes your channel, watch our video highlighting the best screen recording software right now:

Now that you have some background knowledge, it’s time to take your video content to the next level. But before you do that, answer this one simple question: 

What type of videos do you produce for YouTube?

Keep your answer in mind as you read this guide. There’s a wide variety of screen-recording apps and products, and it’s important to choose the best software for your content.

If you have a Nvidia graphics card, you may already unknowingly have this screen recording software. ShadowPlay

is built into modern graphics cards, and once you set it up, all you have to do is issue a quick keyboard command to activate it. From there, ShadowPlay will start capturing your screen.

If you discover that you do have ShadowPlay, don’t get rid of it. This fantastic software yields the highest frame-rate footage you’ll ever see.

Just keep in mind that it doesn’t work with every program and can sometimes fail when you’re using it. We don’t know why it happens, but maybe it’s just a sacrifice of capturing high-quality video on a PC.

With OBS Studio, you may have to adjust your settings to get the highest video quality from screen captures. But don’t worry - there are plenty of tutorials to help you do that. OBS is free, open-source, and definitely worth the learning curve.

 if you’re into live streaming. It’s the same thing as regular OBS, except it’s strongly tailored toward gamers. For example, you can use Streamlabs OBS to go live on Twitch, YouTube, or Facebook within minutes. You also get personalized streaming overlays, 46 handy apps, and fun alerts when viewers send monetary donations during live streams.

Let's shift gears for a minute and talk about screen recording on a mobile device. First of all, consider yourself lucky if you have an iPhone. iOS users don’t need to hunt for screen capturing software because it’s already built into their devices. If you're an Android user, capturing your screen isn’t always easy. Certain versions of Android have a built-in screen capture, and some don't.

If your device doesn’t, our top recommendation for screen capture software is AZ Screen Recorder. It’s a great choice because the free version doesn’t add a watermark to your captures. Plus, there's no limit on how much footage you can record.

Capturing Video Footage on a Gaming Console

Compared to PC recording, capturing the screen of your gaming console is a different process. Gamers ask us how to do this all the time, so we’re happy to finally share an answer.

The PS4 and Xbox One both feature built-in screen capture software. Of course, a new generation of consoles is on the horizon with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, but there’s a good chance they’ll both have that feature. As far as the Nintendo Switch goes, there's a built-in screen capture software, but it only grabs 30-second clips.

Purchase a Capture Card to Record Gaming Console Screens

If you haven’t bought a capture card yet, it may be time to invest in one. This wonderful device lets you record and stream content from your video game consoles - and honestly, it’s the mark of a serious gamer.

Dan, our executive producer here at vidIQ, uses the 

 from Elgato. There are newer, fancier capture cards out there, but it does a great job for him.

And guess what? Even if you’re using a PlayStation or Xbox with built-in screen capture, it’s still a good idea to use a capture card. You’ll get high-quality clips that you can quickly drag from your desktop to any video-editing software. From there, you can work your magic and upload the finished video to YouTube.

That about covers it for screen capture software! Here’s a quick recap of all your options:

Capturing your desktop or your mobile screen is free and produces high-quality recordings.

Capturing your console's screen is trickier. It requires some money, but in the end, you'll get high-quality footage. And that’s totally worth it.

So, which will it be for you: Nvidia's ShadowPlay, OBS Studio, AZ Screen Recorder, or a capture card for your console? We always love hearing from the vidIQ community, so tweet us your thoughts 

 then make sure to download vidIQ. Join over 1 million other users (many of them gamers!) and use vidIQ to help you research YouTube, analyze videos, audit your own channel, and take actionable steps 

Man pointing at text "Record Any Screen?" with YouTube logo and vidIQ watermark

Want to take screen recordings of your computer, smartphone, or gaming console? Here’s a list of free and paid software to try.

The Best Screen Recording Software for YouTube

 is something most creators aspire to. While YouTube’s basic tools are helpful for any user, YPP grants 

 for building a career on the platform, such as:

access to all of YouTube’s monetization features

access to YouTube’s creator support teams

a copyright match tool to ensure your content isn’t stolen

Of course, these perks aren’t granted to just anyone. 

1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of Watch Time

 on your channel. And even then, you need to set up an AdSense account and accept all of YouTube’s terms and conditions to move forward with the application.

But once you’ve achieved those milestones and clicked apply, how long does it take YouTube to review an application? Is it a matter of days, a fast turnaround few creators would complain about? Or is it closer to weeks, perhaps months?

If you want the answer with a bit of entertainment, watch this video about our experience applying to YPP for the first time in eight years:

On the other hand, if you want to read the full story of what really happened - plus the time period for YPP’s acceptance - keep reading.

How Long It Takes to Get Monetized on YouTube

OK, here’s the truth: We had a relatively short and seamless experience applying to the YouTube Partner Program. We had two channels that qualified for the program, which were our 

 vidIQ channels. So we found the application screen in the YouTube Studio, clicked apply, and crossed our fingers. 

Luckily, we weren’t kept waiting for too long. Actually, we hardly had to wait at all.

After applying to YPP on Friday, October 16, the Spanish vidIQ channel was accepted just 60 hours later!!!

We couldn’t believe it. In just a few days, YouTube gave us permission to monetize our channel with every advertisement type. We had the power to display pesky banner ads, which viewers have to click just to get rid of. We even had access to pre-roll ads, which play before a video begins.

Even more surprising, the Russian vidIQ channel got monetized too. We’re not sure when that happened because YouTube hasn’t sent us a notification email. But that’s OK. Maybe emails take longer to send from Moscow. The important thing is that all the monetization features were there, and we could finally take our Russian channel to the next level.

Why the Monetization Process Can Take a While

Now, some of you who’ve applied to YPP may be saying to yourselves, “It took me weeks, months even, to be accepted into the program!” And that’s true. Years ago, the process did take much longer.

But today, there’s another reason your application could be delayed, and it has to do with COVID-19.

 that with reduced staffing in their buildings, things like creator support and applications for YPP could take longer than usual. View their statement below:

As you can see, YouTube doesn’t primarily use software or an algorithm to review applications. Instead, it uses human reviewers. They decide whether your content is viable for companies to place advertisements on them. And with less in-office staff, that could slow down the entire process.

However, YouTube hasn’t cited COVID-19 as an application delay for a couple of months now. Their support page still says YPP reviews could take a month, but that’s probably just a safety net for YouTube. It ensures that creators don’t have unrealistic expectations of monetizing their channels, even if some are getting approved in just three days.

As long as you hit the requirements for YPP, it seems as if the reviewers will process your application as fast as possible. That’s what happened in our experience, but as always, each creator is on a journey of their own.

Man pondering YouTube monetization process with text "Less than 72 hours" countdown timer.

How long does it take to get accepted into the YouTube Partner Program? Well, the answer may shock you...

This Is How Long It Takes To Get Monetized on YouTube

When you created your YouTube channel, you probably had an idea of what your videos would be about. Whether you wanted to create Fortnite gaming tutorials, comedic sketches, or hours upon hours of pranks, you at least had 

But here’s a question worth asking yourself: 

Does your audience know what your channel is about? 

It almost seems silly to ask, especially if you’ve been pumping out very specific content. Nonetheless, it’s worth answering to make sure you’re on the right track. For example, if you think your channel is about one topic while your audience thinks it’s about something totally different, that tiny misconception could block your channel’s growth.

Fortunately, a new panel within the YouTube Studio can help. To see if you and your audience are on the same page about the content you create, just keep reading.

YouTube’s ‘Audience Watched’ Panel Is a Data Goldmine

Most likely, your audience watches a wide variety of YouTube videos within your niche. To get a glimpse of what that content is - and whether that proves you have a clear, concise channel by comparison - make your way to YouTube’s new audience panel:

From most YouTube desktop screens, click your profile image in the top right corner and go to the YouTube Studio.

You should arrive at the main analytics screen. In the uppermost menu, click on the ‘Audience’ tab.

About a third of the way down the screen, probably on the right side, you’ll see a panel called ‘Other videos your audience watched’.

You’ll know you’ve reached the panel when you see something that looks like this:

Or, if you need some extra guidance and would rather hear and see the instructions in real-time, watch our video tutorial:

Not Seeing Any Audience Data? Here’s Why

While some of you may see the ‘audience watched’ panel above, a lot of you might not because of a lack of data.

There are a few reasons why no data is appearing in this panel. It might be because you're violating YouTube’s Community Guidelines or your content is made for kids, which means YouTube won’t collect any audience information. But most likely, it’s because you don't have enough data on your YouTube channel.

To get a more scientific reason for this issue, we went to our beloved vidIQ community to see what their ‘audience watched’ panels look like. 

After creating a poll on our Community Tab, we discovered that 13% of creators in our community found the panel and could see some data. Unfortunately, another 18% could see the panel but no data. And much worse, 14% said they couldn't see the panel at all. The remaining 55% chose a throwaway option, which said, "I’m going to vote here to spoil your data." I guess we walked right into that one, but still, it kind of hurt. We laughed it off in the end. Sort of.

This poll tells us less than half of our typical vidIQ audience is able to see this panel (with data). Our typical audience includes channels under 1,000 subscribers, less than 4,000 hours of Watch Time, and any channel working toward YouTube monetization. 

So that could be a reason some channels (or yours) have zero data. You might need to increase your channel’s Watch Time so YouTube has enough data to work with.

If You Have Zero Audience Watched Data, Use This vidIQ Tool Instead

If you aren't getting any data from the ‘audience watched’ panel, vidIQ has an alternative. As long as you have vidIQ installed, follow this path to get the data you need:

In your YouTube Studio homepage, go to the left menu and click ‘Channel Audit’.

On the next screen, you should see a huge report card on your channel. Scroll down, look to the right, and find a section called ‘Top Suggested’:

Free users can see this section, but paid users can click on it and get a full list of videos. This is essentially what YouTube’s ‘audience watched’ tool would have shown you.

How to Use the 'Other Videos Your Audience Watched' Panel

OK, back to the YouTube audience tool itself. This panel shows you what your audience watched on YouTube over the last seven days. At the time of writing, it shows you 15 videos split into three pages, and you can click on either the video title or the channel’s name to view the content. These videos aren’t sorted by age, the number of views, or channel size, but it’s worth looking through all of them if you can.

Now, here comes the real question: Why is this so important? The basic premise is that the content your audience watches on other channels should be the content they enjoy watching on your channel. That’s how YouTube encourages you to use this tool. You can use it to find new video topics, title and thumbnail ideas, and collaboration opportunities.

And here’s the most important thing to know: 

No matter what you, the creator, think your channel is about, your audience thinks it’s about the topic in your 'audience watched' panel.

How to Research ‘Audience Watched’ YouTube Data

OK, let’s do an experiment using the vidIQ channel. In our ‘audience watched' panel, we should see a list of videos that reflect our target audience.

How to Get Your First 1,000 Subscribers on YouTube in 2020

How to Stop Haters, Trolls, and Spammers on YouTube

How to Color Grade in Adobe Premiere Pro for Beginners

How to Get 100 Subscribers on YouTube Every Day

Dream & MrBeast Gaming Speedrunning 10 Million Subscribers Live 

It's great to see our friends at Think Media on the list. And YouTube is right on the money with a video about how to get your first 1,000 subscribers in 2020. That's the type of content we make, no doubt. 

Nick Nimmin is also on the list with a video about haters, trolls, and spammers. We recently did a video on 

Interestingly, there’s a video about color grading in Adobe Premiere Pro, a video editor. That's something we don't cover on the vidIQ channel, so YouTube doesn't always get it right when it comes to mixed audiences. And finally, another video we're happy to be connected with is fourth on the list: How to get 100 subscribers on YouTube.

YouTube recently released a new audience data tool. If you’re not sure who your audience is or how they behave, let’s explore all the ways it could get you more views.

Lydia Sweatt

Posts Written By Lydia Sweatt

Is it Too Late to Create a Minecraft Channel on YouTube?

How to Apply for YouTube Monetization: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

The Best Screen Recording Software for YouTube

This Is How Long It Takes To Get Monetized on YouTube

How to Get More Views from YouTube’s Audience Data Tool

6 Honest Reasons You Might Be Losing YouTube Subscribers

How to Blur Anything You Need to in Your YouTube Video

What Happens When You Publish a YouTube Video? [Timelapse]

How To Get More Views as a Small YouTube Channel

Virtual Halloween 2020: Top Keywords on YouTube

How to Find the Right Time to Publish on YouTube

What is Cottagecore and Why is it Taking Over Social Video?