In 2026, MSN is a solid distribution option with real money behind it. But it’s also selective.
Not every creator gets in. Not every video works. And not every niche benefits the same way.
After distributing dozens of creator libraries across Microsoft’s ecosystem, we now have clear data on who MSN is ideal for in 2026, what content performs best, and why some creators add up to ~30% extra revenue with the same videos (while others don’t get approved at all).
Let’s break this down.
First: What MSN Actually Is (and What It Isn’t)
MSN is a video distribution network embedded across Microsoft’s ecosystem:
- Bing search results
- Microsoft Edge new tabs
- Windows news feeds & widgets
- The MSN app
- Microsoft Copilot
That ecosystem reaches 700M+ monthly users, generates ~1B daily page views, and drives ~700M minutes of video watched per day.
Creators don’t upload directly. Distribution on MSN is invite-only, and access happens through official publishing partners.
AIR Media-Tech is one of the first official MSN partners, handling:
- Fit checks & approvals
- Rights verification
- Metadata optimization
- Distribution across Microsoft surfaces
- Monetization and payouts via MilX
The benefit for creators is simple:
Same videos. Second paycheck.
Monetization starts from day one, with no thresholds and no extra production.
The Big Question for 2026: Who Is MSN Actually For?
After a full year of scaled distribution and performance tracking, MSN’s ideal creator profile (ICP) is now very clear.
In short, MSN is built for creators who have:
- A back catalog that can work again
- Evergreen, visual-first content
- Proven traction outside MSN
- Consistent publishing habits
- Clean rights and brand-safe packaging
But let’s go through the points one by one.
1. Content Type That Works
Best-performing content on MSN is:
- Non-news, non-time-sensitive
- Entertainment-first or utility-driven
- Broad and globally understandable
- Visual-first (works even without sound)
- Evergreen or long-tail
This is why categories like these are a priority:
- Food & drink
- Travel & attractions
- DIY & crafts
- Science & technology
- Business & personal finance
- Health & wellness (no extreme claims)
- Fashion & style
- Evergreen sports formats
- IP-driven entertainment (games, shows, TV)
Important: MSN is not built for breaking news or short-lived trends. It’s built for content that stays useful for weeks or months.
AIR case:
A DIY creator hit a discovery wall on YouTube in late 2024. Impressions dropped by ~25%, views fell by ~40%. We distributed their existing back catalog to MSN. No edits, just optimization for MSN surfaces.
Within three months, those same older tutorials generated 17.2M views, over 7.1M engaged views, and nearly 9,800 days of watch time on MSN.
Looking for extra revenue without extra work?
MSN monetizes the videos you’ve already made, with no thresholds and no new production. Reach out to us for a quick fit check.
2. Short-Form Is a Big Advantage in 2026
Short-form video has become a priority format on MSN.
What performs best:
- Vertical Shorts under 90 seconds
- Quick tips, highlights, mini how-tos
- Strong hooks in the first seconds
- Clean visuals and good editing
Works great for:
- Life hacks
- DIY tricks
- Cooking shortcuts
- Visual tech demos
AIR case:
This life hack channel was stalling. Despite a healthy 6.5% CTR, views plateaued around 134K per month. We added MSN as a second distribution lane in early November.
In less than two months, the channel generated 1.83M views, over 700K engaged views, and more than 1,100 days of watch time on MSN alone.
Old content. New money.
3. You Don’t Need to Be Huge, But You Need Proof
MSN is not a “zero-history” platform.
Strong fit signals:
- 10,000+ subscribers (best case)
- 7,000+ subscribers with strong views (acceptable minimum)
- 100+ videos in the library
- Clear niche and creator identity
- Proven engagement on YouTube
MSN works best when there’s already external traction. It uses that signal to scale the distribution safely.
AIR case:
This action comedy channel already had a massive reach on YouTube, pulling in over 125M views per month. But they wanted to reduce dependency on YouTube ad revenue alone.
Once approved for distribution on MSN, we posted their existing videos across Microsoft surfaces. In just one month, the channel generated 677K views and 226K engaged views.
4. Consistency Matters More Than Frequency
MSN favors creators who publish reliably, not necessarily daily.
Ideal:
- 2–4 videos per week for the last 3 months
Acceptable:
- 1 video per week
- Or 4+ videos per month without long pauses
Long gaps, irregular uploads, or abandoned channels signal risk and often block approval.
5. Geography & Language Still Matter
MSN prioritizes creators based in (or natively producing for):
- US, UK
- France, Germany, Italy, Spain
- Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden
- Mexico, Brazil
- India, Japan, Korea
- Australia
Local creators in these languages perform better than translated-only channels.
Who Is Not a Good Fit for MSN
Just as important: who doesn’t get in.
Low-priority or rejected content includes:
- News-driven or time-sensitive videos
- Heavy local context that doesn’t travel
- Audio-dependent formats (podcast clips, static visuals)
- Reused, scraped, or compilation content
- UGC libraries without a clear creator identity
- Copyright-unclear content
- Weak thumbnails, vague titles, thin descriptions
Short-form red flags:
- Vertical videos under 20 seconds
- Low-effort Shorts
- Poor filming, weak hooks, unclear visuals
MSN is selective because advertisers are selective. Brand safety and rights clarity are non-negotiable.
Why These Creators Make Money on MSN (Revenue Cases)
Views are nice. Stability is better.
What makes MSN different is how quickly existing videos turn into income without thresholds.
Below are the clearest cases where MSN distribution added real revenue on top of YouTube, using the same videos.
Cooking Channel: 3× Revenue in Month One
This cooking creator had a strong YouTube performance, but revenue didn’t match the effort. Despite quality production and consistent views, fluctuating CPMs capped earnings.
Once their existing recipe videos were distributed to MSN, monetization started immediately.
Month one on MSN:
- ~$1,300 earned on MSN
- Compared to ~$410 from the same content on YouTube
That’s nearly 3× the revenue from identical videos simply by placing them in a different ecosystem with premium advertisers and built-in discovery.
Handmade Jewelry Channel: $1,300 in 6 Weeks from Old Videos
This handmade wire jewelry creator had accumulated ~1.5M lifetime YouTube views over several years. Growth was slowing, and new uploads were fighting heavy competition.
We distributed their existing back catalog to MSN.
In just 1.5 months, the channel generated:
- 1.3M MSN views
- ~$1,300 in MSN revenue
The creator matched their lifetime YouTube view count and generated four figures in income without filming or editing anything new.
Technology Channel: +$1,500 in Incremental Revenue
This large technology channel was already monetized well on YouTube, earning ~$5,800 over a two-month period.
After adding MSN distribution through AIR, the same videos generated:
- ~$1,500 in MSN revenue
- 3.5M MSN views
- 1.3M engaged views
MSN added a parallel revenue rail that paid immediately and diversified income.
How Getting on MSN Works
We keep this simple.
- You send your channel to AIR
- We check MSN fit and rights
- Videos get distributed across Microsoft’s ecosystem
- Monetization starts immediately
- Payouts run through MilX - a secure finance hub for creators (10+ payment methods, 40+ currencies)
That’s it.
You keep creating. We handle everything else.
If you want to know whether your channel is a fit, send it in for a quick review. MSN is still invite-only, and early movers are the ones benefiting the most.
