For many, making money on YouTube is the dream. After all, YouTubers appear to have a great life and the adoration of their fans to bask in. And since creating a YouTube channel is easier than ever, there’s no harm in thinking big and aiming high.
But, while creating a YouTube channel is simple, turning it into a cash machine isn’t as straightforward. You may earn your first hundred dollars by selling something or landing a sponsorship deal, but maximizing earnings requires understanding all your options before you dive in.
We’ve created this article to walk you through all of the information that you’ll need to know if you want to know how to make money on YouTube. At the end of this article, you’ll know the different ways to make money on YouTube, and you’ll be able to grow your own business with one of the biggest Internet platforms in the world.
It's time to call your own shots. Build your ecommerce business with Shopify.
SELL YOUR VIDEOS ONLINECan You Make Money on YouTube?
The short answer is yes. Thousands of people are doing it. And not all of them have millions of subscribers to boot. Contrary to popular belief, YouTube isn’t just a numbers game – your earning potential also depends on the niche you cater to, the level of engagement you generate, and the revenue streams you tap into. That’s not to say subscribers and views aren’t important – check out our easy tips to get more views on YouTube.
Do You Get Paid for Uploading Videos on YouTube?
YouTube doesn’t pay creators for uploading videos on YouTube. Also, the videos aren’t monetized by default. In order to start earning money on YouTube, you have to enable monetization from your account settings. YouTube gives you the option to join its Partner Program or have your videos featured on YouTube Premium (more on this later).
How to Make Money From YouTube
If you’ve been looking for new ways to generate income, you may be wondering how to make money from YouTube. Well, there are a variety of different ways that you can start earning on the platform, most of which revolve around creating compelling video content. Here’s a look at some of the popular YouTube income streams available:
1. Join the YouTube Partner Program
If you’ve been wondering how to make money from YouTube, then it’s essential that you’re aware of the YouTube partner program and how it works. YouTube content creators won’t be able to monetize any of their videos until they’ve been accepted into the YouTube partner program.
When your YouTube channel has 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 public views, it’ll be reviewed to join the Partner program. This means that you won’t be able to generate any revenue until you’ve hit these numbers, so it’s essential to continue creating content and increasing your channel’s reach. You can apply for the monetization once you meet the program’s criteria.
How to enable monetization on YouTube:
-
Log in to the YouTube account you intend to monetize.
- Click your account’s icon in the top right corner, then click YouTube Studio.
- From the left-hand menu, choose Other Features > Monetization.
- Go through the Partner Program terms and click agree.
- Connect an existing AdSense account or create a new one for your channel.
- Define your monetization preferences.
After taking these steps, go back to the dashboard and open the Analytics tab on the left. On the next screen, select Revenue from the top and then scroll down until you see the chart Monthly Estimated Revenue. The chart will give you an idea of your predicted monthly revenue. .
How many views do you need to make money on YouTube?
The number of views your videos get doesn’t correlate to your YouTube earnings. If you get thousands of views, but no one clicks your ads or consumes content, you won’t earn any money.
YouTube even has criteria for paying publishers running ads on their channel: a viewer must click the ad or watch it in full for you to earn money.
That said, there is good news for people learning how to make money off YouTube: You’re no longer solely dependent on advertisers to earn revenue. Programs like YouTube Premium now exist to help you make money without ad clicks or consumption.
2. Get Featured on YouTube Premium
How do you make money on YouTube besides running channel advertisements? YouTube Premium is the answer.
YouTube Premium is a paid membership service that enables people to watch ad-free videos. Creators don’t have to do anything, as they’ll automatically get a second revenue stream when YouTube Premium members play their videos.
As with YouTube monetization rules for advertising-based revenue, most of the revenue generated via Premium membership fees will go to creators (total revenue distribution is based on how much Premium members watch your content).
Premium members will also get the opportunity to download and watch your videos offline and play them in the background, which contributes to your watch time.
3. Offer Channel Memberships
When your YouTube channel gets more than 30,000 subscribers, you can add another income stream by leveraging channel memberships. This is where fans pay $4.99 a month for a membership package that includes perks like early access to videos, members-only live chat, exclusive emojis, and more. Members will be highlighted in comments, live chat, and the Community tab through special members-only badges.
Because audiences are well aware that it can be a real challenge to get a YouTube creator’s attention, it makes sense to offer channel memberships. And voila, you’ve got another answer for how to make money from YouTube.
Pro tip: Use your videos to remind people that they can become exclusive members by clicking the “Join” button on your page.
4. Endorse Affiliate Products in Your Videos
Businesses are well aware of the potential which YouTube channels with a large following have, and they’re always looking to exploit this to grow their own business.
Once you’ve garnered a substantial following on the platform, you’ll likely experience businesses reaching out to you and requesting you to promote their products in exchange for cash. Consider becoming an affiliate of these brands and including product placements in your videos. You can also sign up for popular affiliate programs to expand your affiliate network.
It can be a great way to generate some extra revenue, but be careful when doing this, as viewers are well aware when something is being advertised.
Pro tip: Only promote products that you think will be valuable for your audience, and disclose the partnership to your viewers — that’ll help you comply with YouTube’s policies.
5. Monetize Live Streams via Super Chat
Super Chat is a popular new way to make money from YouTube. The feature lets your audience buy chat messages that stand out and, in certain instances, pin them to the top of the comments section of a live stream. So, when you go live on YouTube, you can use Super Chat to monetize your stream.
YouTube monetization rates for Super Chat range from $1 to $500, and the company takes a 30% cut from the revenue. For anyone wondering how to make money from YouTube Super Chat, the key is to organize and promote live streams.
Promote them in videos, on other social media platforms, and anywhere else where your audience loves hanging out.
6. Become a YouTube Influencer
With influencer marketing on the rise, there’s a big opportunity for you as a creator to get in on the action.
But where do you start? According to YouTube marketing expert and influencer Brendan Gahan, creators should establish a flat fee by taking the number of views their videos typically receive and multiplying it by 15 cents per view.
Digital marketing agency WebFX listed the following figures for how much YouTube influencers can expect to earn:
- $20,000 per video for a creator with a million subscribers
- $2,000 per video for a creator with 100,000 subscribers
- $200 per video for a creator with 10,000 subscribers
The key to earning more is to partner with brands whose products are valuable to your audiences.
Here are some influencer marketplaces for being discovered by potential partners:
- Channel Pages – Partner with brands as well as other YouTubers
- Grapevine Logic – Requires just 1,000 followers to join
Some influencer marketing platforms will connect you with big brands willing to pay high, while others will get you free products. Agree to opportunities that best suit your needs.
7. Lead Viewers to Your Products
It doesn’t matter whether you’re already running an ecommerce business, or you’re just looking to learn how to make money from YouTube, it’s a great idea to promote your products on your channel. You can promote the items in both your videos and your descriptions — it’s a great way to generate more traffic to your website.
If you haven’t already set up your store, you can use Shopify to set up your own store with ease. Once you’ve got your store up and running, you can sell products that make sense to promote to your audience, be it merch, products that you’ve mentioned in your videos, or just items that you think your viewers will be interested in. If you’re exploring how to make money from YouTube, this is a great opportunity.
How to Make Money From YouTube Videos
If you’ve been wondering how to make money from YouTube videos that you post, there are a few great tips that you’ll need to keep in mind when you’re creating content.
1. Try to Make Your Videos 10+ Minutes Long
When you create videos for YouTube that are longer than 10 minutes, you’ll have a higher chance of generating more money through ad revenue. YouTube videos that are longer than 10 minutes will likely have a higher watch time, which positively contributes towards the amount of ad revenue that said videos would generate. Also, videos that have a higher average watch time will appear higher up in YouTube’s search results, which means there’s a higher chance for users to view your content.
2. Collaborate With Other YouTubers
One tactic that you can use to make money from YouTube videos is to collaborate with other YouTubers. This is a great method that will allow you to grow your YouTube presence, add unique content to your channel, and open up your content to a whole audience. Do some research on YouTubers who are active in your niche and reach out to them with a great video idea — they’ll more than likely be interested in collaborating.
3. Create Engaging and Informative Content
This is vital for the success of your YouTube channel. YouTube users are always searching for videos that will entertain them or will give them value. If you can provide your audience with video content as such, they’ll be likely to watch the whole video, and come back for more video content in the future. Pro tip: Dive into YouTube analytics to see which demographic is paying more attention to your videos. Doing so will give you a better idea of what type of content to create. For example, if you find that your videos are more popular with Gen Z, you can try using a few of their favorite slang words in your videos.
4. Make the Most of Your Descriptions
Descriptions are another valuable answer to how to make money from YouTube videos. They help people discover your content and decide whether to watch or skip it. When writing descriptions for your videos, follow the age-old journalistic writing approach: mention the most obvious things first, then work towards the less crucial. Also, try explaining what viewers will gain by watching the entire video and try mentioning at least a few of their pain points (pain points get people to click!). Lastly, use language that your prospective audience will understand and relate to.
5. Build Your Following With Consistent Posting
When you’re running a YouTube channel, it’s a great idea to post content consistently. When you maintain a steady stream of content for your viewers, they’ll remain engaged with your channel. This means that they’ll be much more aware of your online presence, and the properties attached to it, like your ecommerce business.
How to Make Money on YouTube Without Making Videos
The only way to make money from YouTube without creating videos is to re-use other people’s content. Not many people know this, but YouTube has a library of videos that fall under the “Creative Commons license.”
Some forms of the license enable you to publish other people’s videos on your channel and make money from them. For example, if you find a video that’s published under the CC-BY license, you can use it and even make adaptations to it to reflect your own input.
How to Get Paid on YouTube?
Anyone exploring how to make money from YouTube may also want to learn how to get paid by YouTube. As per my knowledge, you’ll need to set up a few things to receive payments from the company.
Firstly, sign up for a Google AdSense account using your Gmail ID, then select your choice of payment from wire transfer, Western Union Quick Cash, EFT (electronic funds transfer), SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area), and checks.
Depending on your location, you may also need to submit your tax details while creating your AdSense account. Once AdSense is set up, you can request payment after you meet the minimum payment threshold. Below is a table from Google showing the threshold value per currency.
Since Google never issues payments for less than the above thresholds, you won’t be able to choose a form of payment until your earnings have reached the stated amount in your local currency.
How to Make Money From YouTube Despite The Competition
When you’re researching how to make money with YouTube, remember that you won’t be competing solely with other entrepreneurs for traffic and revenue. There will also be full-time YouTubers who are fighting for the attention of your audience.
It’s important to keep this in mind when you’re creating content for your channel. You can stand out from the crowd by creating enticing video thumbnails and titles. Remember, YouTube is a heavily visual-oriented platform, so nailing these will help you to draw in more users to view your videos.
The audio and video quality of your content can also play a major role in your success. You’ll want to portray your brand in a positive, professional light, so your video content will need to be high-quality.
You can also beat the competition by taking advantage of YouTube SEO. Creating SEO content for your video descriptions is a great way to generate organic traffic for your YouTube channel. You can find a guide to YouTube SEO here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Earning Money from YouTube
When do you start making money on YouTube?
You can monetize your YouTube account as soon as you’re accepted into the Partner Program. Before that, you can try landing sponsorships from brands that pay creators to make good content. If you run an ecommerce store, you can start making money on YouTube the same day you create an account by promoting your items through the platform. Just make sure to spread the word beforehand that you’ll be showcasing your products and leaving links through your channel.
How many subscribers do you need to make money on YouTube?
You need 1,000 subscribers to apply for the YouTube Partner Program, which allows you to monetize your channel and earn revenue from ads.
How many YouTube views do I need to make $100?
Several factors determine how much you can earn from YouTube. Video creators get paid per click on in-video and banner ads. So you could get 10,000 views or 10,000 views and make $100. It depends on how relevant the ads are to your audience and whether they click or ignore them.
How much money does 1 million YouTube views make?
According to the earnings data collected by Business Insider, a video creator with 1 million YouTube views will net between $3,400 and $40,000.
Summary: How to Make Money on YouTube in 2021
There are several ways to make money off YouTube. The proven ways are:
- Join the YouTube Partner Program and earn from ads.
- Get your videos up on YouTube Premium.
- Sell channel memberships to your audience.
- Create promotional videos for brands.
- Monetize live streams through YouTube Super Chat.
- Earn money as a YouTube influencer.
- Sell products to your YouTube audience directly.
Are you making money on YouTube? What monetization method works best for you? Let us know in the comments section below.
Want to Learn More?
