YouTube NextUp returns to Manila to help Bronze-level creators boost their channel’s engagement through a weeklong production development program and competition.
Launched globally in 2011, the program’s framework instructs participating YouTube creators to have a channel that has between 10,000 and 100,000 subscribers in order to enter. Creators must also have their monetization enabled; have a good account standing, with no Terms of Use or Copyright strikes; and have at least three videos uploaded in their channels in the last 90 days at time of entry.
From 200 program applicants in the Philippines, the final 12 creators are: singers Carlyn Ocampo, Janine Teñoso and Alicia Litonjua (Lesha); rock band Kithara; actor and comedian Stephen Flores (InReelLife); spoken word artist Beverly Cumla; vloggers Jam Raquion (Jam-packed) and Benedict Cua; makeup enthusiast Amy Talaboc; celebrity mom Melissa Ricks; interior designer Elle Uy (Elle Uy Décor); and figure skater Joel Minas.
“We really started investing in the Philippines at around 2014 to 2015 when we’ve organized fan fests, Pop-Up spaces and much larger events. It’s one of our main markets. We just wanted to make sure that we’re there with the right program at the right time so that we can maintain that growth,” said Chris Klapwijk, YouTube manager and artist development lead for Southeast Asia, at the launch of the program at the BGC Arts Center in Taguig.
YouTube has 1.9 billion monthly active users and 85 percent of Filipinos use YouTube for watching video content.
“On average we have about three creators per week who go through the 100,000-subscribers mark,” added Klapwijk. He said that the main reason for this upsurge is accessibility, and not just in the consumer segment of the online platform. “Five years ago, you have to invest on an expensive camera in order to produce a good quality video but now you have the average smartphone that can also do that.”
Though the program, YouTube helps creators scale their production operations and assist them in achieving longer audience engagement.
This year’s winners will receive a week of production classes and filming opportunities at the YouTube NextUp creator camp, $2,000 worth of production gear, three-month ongoing support from the YouTube Content Partnerships team, and mentorship from NextUp alumni and seasoned content creators. According to Klapwijk, more than teaching creators to create compelling and quality content, NextUp is primarily aimed at helping people see that “anyone can ‘make it’ on YouTube.”
Having more subscribers and viewership entails more earnings for creators, and aspiring creators, through the YouTube Partner Program. To qualify, a creator must have 10,000 channel views on his/her channel, 1,000 subscribers, and 4,000 hours watch-time.
“There are a lot of ways in which creators can monetize their content: there’s the YouTube advertisement model, and then there’s brand collaborations and YouTubers selling merchandise
on their channels,” said Klapwijk. “Of course they have to turn on their AdSense first; setting up a channel doesn’t mean that you can monetize your views already.”
“We’re doing that to protect the ecosystem. We see monetization as a privilege, wherein we also have to protect our advertisers in putting their investment in quality videos as well,” he explained.
Klapwijk concluded that NextUp is just one of the few programs of YouTube that will enable digital entrepreneurs to build their online presence and their careers.