Understanding YouTube Content ID

Modified on Tue, 28 Jul at 4:30 PM

YouTube Content ID is a rights management system that automatically identifies when your registered audio or video is used in other people’s YouTube videos and generates revenue on your behalf.

How Content ID works

You distribute a release to Content ID through Revelator. YouTube receives your audio file and metadata.
YouTube generates an audio fingerprint from your file — a unique digital signature of the sound recording.
YouTube combines the fingerprint, your metadata, and your ownership information into a single asset. That asset continuously scans all newly uploaded videos on YouTube. When the system detects a match, it places a claim on the video.

Asset types

Asset type	What it represents	What it claims
Sound recording asset	The audio of a track	The audio portion of other videos
Music video asset	Both the audio and visual elements of a music video	Both audio and video content in other uploads
Web asset	A video without music	Revelator does not currently monetize web assets
Art track	The static video created when you distribute to YouTube Music	This is separate from Content ID claiming — art tracks are for streaming, not claiming

How claims generate revenue

When Content ID places a claim on another video, that video’s ad revenue — and subscription revenue when viewed by YouTube Premium subscribers — flows to the rights holder who owns the asset. The channel owner who uploaded the video does not receive that revenue.

Note If no videos on YouTube are using your audio, your Content ID assets will generate zero revenue. There is no revenue from simply having an asset registered.

Manual claims

Content ID does not catch every instance of your audio being used. Revelator supports manual claiming for cases the automated system misses. Contact your Revelator account manager for assistance.

Content ID vs. standard streaming distribution

	Content ID distribution	Standard streaming distribution
Revenue source	Claims on other videos	Direct streams of your releases
Required metadata	Full metadata required (ISRC, UPC, etc.)	Full metadata required
Content eligibility	Exclusive ownership required	Must own the content you distribute
Revenue if no one uses your audio	Zero	Still earns from direct streams

Important Distributing to Content ID requires exclusive ownership of the content you deliver. If any portion of your audio is non-exclusive — for example, because it uses a royalty-free beat — the content may not be eligible. See Unauthorized Content for UGC DSPs for the full eligibility rules.