Should I copyright my song before putting it on YouTube?
You can add your music to YouTube Content ID for free through RouteNote, so should you do that before you upload it yourself?
With YouTube Content ID distribution on RouteNote, you can place your music on their automatic system for detecting any uses of music in all of their videos. This ensures that any time a piece of copyrighted audio is used on the world’s biggest video platform, that the original creator gets credit and earns money from the views.
What does uploading to Content ID mean for your music?
Content ID distribution means that all the uses of your music in videos across YouTube are earning you money. You earn from every view as the eligible copyright holder for any videos detected using your music.
It means that creators can use your music to make their videos sounds great, whilst you get extra exposure with proper credit and another source of income. If that video blows up, then you’re the one who reaps the benefits of the advertising revenue from that video.
These claims are purely on the audio copyright and redirect the revenue flow. They are not copyright strikes so do not affect the video uploader’s channels at all.
Should you still upload your music to YouTube?
What you do with your music is still entirely up to you as you’re the copyright holder. If you want to upload it to YouTube as a simple artwork track, a lyric video, with a proper music video, or just as the soundtrack to your content then that is of course completely up to you.
Uploading to Content ID means that the system will likely pick up your video and monetise it. However, be aware that Content ID has not been made for the use of artists monetising their videos and is meant for the monetisation of other people’s videos using your music.
If you don’t want your video to be claimed for Content ID on your own music, it’s as simple as disputing the claim when it comes through and our team will release your video for you.
How to copyright your music on YouTube
Upload your music to RouteNote and select YouTube Content ID in the stores selection. Wait for the approval email from us to ensure your music has been approved for distribution to YouTube and then we’ll send it to them. It will take a couple of weeks for YouTube to properly implement your music into their Content ID System.
Once it’s been a few weeks after approval, your music should be detectable and you’re good to upload and earn money from the views on your music.
It’s completely free to create an account at www.routenote.com and distribution to any and all of our stores is then free, including YouTube Content ID. Users keep 85% of all the profits, or if they want to keep 100% of their revenues then we offer Premium distribution for a small upfront cost.