Your Guide to YouTube Content ID
Everything you need to know about YouTube Content ID and how it can help avoid copyright claims.
YouTube Content ID is a fingerprinting system that allows copyright owners to register their tracks with YouTube, in order to track and claim copyright on videos which use the sound belonging to the copyright owner. Once a track is registered for Content ID, YouTube will scan its entire library of uploaded content to identify videos which may be using the sound.
If the fingerprinting system detects any matches, the views on the detected video will be attributed towards the artist's royalties.
In order to opt into YouTube Content ID, the owner of the track must have full ownership, including both recording and publishing rights. In addition, the artist's repertoire must meet the criteria set together by the YouTube platform to claim the Content ID for their tracks.
Some of the included criteria are:
- Confirm this music does not contain any public domain content, samples, beats or loops made with sample libraries such as GarageBand or purchased via marketplaces such as BeatStars etc.
- Confirm this music does not have a YouTube monetization deal with third parties.
- Grant SoundOn the exclusive right to collect the advertising revenue on your behalf.
Most importantly, the song being delivered to YouTube Content ID must be distinctly unique.
Typically, YouTube Content ID is only granted to artists and tracks who have a significant and notable repertoire on the YouTube platform and who can prove full ownership of the tracks they are registering for Content ID.
Eligible artists who are full copyright owners and believe that their content meets the criteria, can opt in their tracks using SoundOn.
- During the upload process, tracks for which the artist controls 100% of the publishing rights will have an option to opt in.
- Select the YouTube Content ID Monetize option in the Additional Monetization Options section.
- Please note that all tracks opted-in will go through an additional moderation process that will confirm the track meets the criteria listed above. Tracks that do not meet the criteria will not be opted in.