Okay, ad revenue is the almost obvious way to make money on YouTube. Only information technology's non the only way—or, to be honest, the best way.

(Spoiler: the best way to make money on YouTube is all the ways.)

YouTube is half the internet: that'due south one.9 billion users logging in every month. But at the aforementioned fourth dimension, 500 hours of video are uploaded to the site every minute.

Then you already know this article is non going to be about how like shooting fish in a barrel it is to buy a Swiss watch with the advertising revenue from your YouTube views. (Though if y'all take millions of video views, y'all could probably at to the lowest degree hire one. Wait, don't.)

Read on, and nosotros'll lay out 7 means to earn income from your YouTube channel, complete with step-by-step instructions.

Bonus: Download the free 30-day plan to grow your YouTube following fast , a daily workbook of challenges that will help you kickstart your Youtube channel growth and track your success. Get real results afterwards one calendar month.

How to make money on YouTube

ane. Bring together the YouTube Partner Program

The YouTube Partner Program is how regular YouTubers go access to special features on the platform.

You don't need to be a partner to make money on YouTube (just setting up an AdSense account and getting views is enough to handle that), but being a Partner makes it a lot easier.

YouTube Partners have access to multiple income streams: non only video ads, merely YouTube Premium subscription fees, and features that tap your loyal fans' wallets direct like Super Chat, channel memberships and the trade shelf (more on these later.)

Stride one: Offset a YouTube channel

Don't worry, we have a handy guide for this. Information technology's called 'How to create a YouTube channel.'

Step 2: Brand your aqueduct successful enough that it meets the YouTube Partner Plan requirements

To join the program, you need a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 sentry hours in the previous 12 months.

Hither are some ideas for how to get more of those precious YouTube views.

Step iii: Prepare an AdSense account

This is simple. Merely follow YouTube'southward official guide to AdSense accounts.

Step four: Explore your new monetization features

Each monetization channel has different eligibility requirements. For instance:

  • Advert revenue: to earn advertizing revenue, you must be at least 18 years former, and you must create content that is advertiser-friendly. Basically, the less controversial your videos, the more YouTube advertisers will be comfortable running ads on them, and the more than money you brand.
  • YouTube Premium revenue: if a YouTube Premium member watches your video, y'all get a portion of their subscription fee. (This one is automatic, which is nice.)
  • Channel memberships: in club to sell aqueduct memberships to your subscribers (i.e., your fans opt in to pay y'all an extra amount), you lot demand to be at least 18 and have more than than 30,000 subscribers.
  • Merchandise shelf: in club to sell merch from YouTube's merchandise shelf, you must be at to the lowest degree 18 years erstwhile, and take at least 10,000 subscribers.
  • Super Chat payments: if you want your fans to have the ability to pay to have their messages highlighted in your live chats during your live streams, you must be at least eighteen (and live in a country where the feature is offered).

Step 5: Submit to ongoing reviews

As a YouTube Partner, your channel will be held to a higher standard, according to YouTube. You have to follow non just the YouTube Partner Program policies, merely the Customs Guidelines. Not to mention staying on the right side of copyright constabulary.

2. Sell your own merch

Perchance you identify every bit a content creator first, and entrepreneur 2d. (Just call back that even Drake sells t-shirts.)

Alternately, you lot're an entrepreneur beginning and video creator second, which means you probably already have a product, and you're designing your YouTube marketing strategy to sell it.

Either manner, merchandise is a viable way to earn money from YouTube.

Stride 1: Imagine and design your product

Merchandise for your channel is meant to both represent and feed your audience's connection with you. That means your merch should be unique.

Hawaiian YouTube star Ryan Higa launched his milk-based energy drink Ninja Melk to leverage the popularity of his viral comedy, Ninja Melk. While he also sells t-shirts and other merch from his online shop, Ninja Melk's appeal is wide enough information technology has its own website.

Pro tip: You might have more ideas for merch than y'all can peradventure stock. And then starting time by dipping your toes in the water with one or two items. But make certain you engage your audience in the decision-making procedure. Poll them as to what they desire. Or build buzz by offer one-off products related to big subscriber-count milestones.

Footstep ii: Source and/or build your product

In about cases, yous'll need a manufacturer, supplier or wholesaler to brand and deliver your product. Some suppliers will deliver information technology to you, and some will spare y'all the headaches of inventory, shipping and returns by handling it themselves.

If you're not certain where to start, cheque out Shopify's how-to on the topic of finding a brick-and-mortar company to make your dream a reality.

Pace 3: Create your shop and landing page

Y'all'll need a separate website to handle purchases. If you want to link information technology directly from your videos (and you do), refer to YouTube's list of approved merchandise sites.

Step four: Enable your YouTube Partner merchandise shelf

YouTube Partners can also utilize the shelf characteristic to sell their channel'due south trade. If you're eligible, follow YouTube'due south instructions to enable it.

Bonus: Download the free 30-day programme to abound your YouTube following fast , a daily workbook of challenges that volition help you kickstart your Youtube aqueduct growth and track your success. Go real results after one month.

Get the free guide right now!

Step five: Promote your product in your videos

This is where your charm comes in. Vesture or use your merch in your videos. Feature viewers who take bought and are using it. (If nosotros were on another platform, we might call this 'user-generated content,' or possibly 'solid gold').

And don't forget to add together your store's link to your video descriptions, and include end screens and cards with compelling calls to activeness.

Ryan Higa showing clips of people using his product on YouTube
Source: Ryan Higa


Pro tip: Don't forget to say give thanks you. Because information technology's polite. Simply too considering information technology's an excuse to remind people how great and popular your product is, i more time.

3. Create sponsored content

You don't have to be on Instagram to be an influencer. The advantage of the #sponcon strategy is that y'all don't have to give YouTube a cut of your earnings. You lot negotiate straight with the make, and they pay you directly. No wonder it's a pop way for YouTubers to make money.

If you can offer brands a large and/or engaged audience—and your content is relevant to their target market place—they probably want to hear from you.

For instance, YouTuber Aaron Marino, a.k.a. Alpha M, is large in the men's lifestyle space. How big? Then big that even his videos that explain his brand partnerships have brand partners.

Step 1: Find a brand to partner with

Quality is important, when it comes to the names you lot work with. You probably already have a wish list of dream brands. Whether you lot're aiming for the stars or building yourself up grassroots-style, brand sure you perfect your brand pitch before you lot transport it.

Also consider signing upwards with an influencer marketing platform. These are intermediary websites that help marketing teams observe advisable influencers to work with. FameBit was one of the first to focus on YouTubers, for instance.

Step 2: Brand a deal

Co-ordinate to this recent written report past influencer marketing platform Klear, YouTube videos are, on boilerplate, the most expensive type of sponsored content brands can buy from influencers. Basically, YouTube influencers are able to accuse more than for their videos than they would for Instagram Stories or Facebook posts, because video is just more expensive to produce.

While your rate volition vary on your audience'south size, engagement and relevance to your potential partner, know your worth earlier y'all sign a contract.

Step 3: Exist transparent well-nigh your #sponsored #ad

Sponsored content is advertising. That means y'all demand to make certain you're in step with Google's Ad policies. The FTC (U.Southward.) and ASA (U.K.) both have guidelines of which you should be aware, too, if you're American or British.

Transparency is practiced for your legal health, only also for your relationship with your audience. YouTube has a visible disclosure characteristic to assist you make sure your audience is aware that you're advertising to them.

Sponsored content disclaimer on video
Source: YouTube

iv. Become an affiliate partner

If your YouTube audience is loyal and engaged, merely not quite in that location yet headcount-wise, expect for companies investing in affiliate marketing.

YouTubers affiliated with businesses encourage their viewers to visit the brand'south online store or specific product pages. They and then get a percentage of sales made through their — yous guessed it — affiliate links.

In terms of setup and logistics, affiliate partnerships are similar to sponsored content deals, and then follow the steps from tip #3 to get started.

five. Go your fans to pay yous directly

This strategy for making money on YouTube includes a few unlike income streams, but they all have one thing in common: you have to get in piece of cake for your fans to prove their appreciation with their credit card.

Pace 1: Host live chats where people tin can apply Super Chat

In early 2017, YouTube replaced their previous Fan Funding characteristic with Super Chat. This is a feature that is only available to YouTube Partners while they live stream.

Essentially, your viewers can make their comments more visible—they're highlighted and pinned for a gear up corporeality of fourth dimension depending on how much they pay—in the live conversation stream.

YouTube Super Chat

Step 2: Encourage your fans to become aqueduct members

Join button on a YouTube Channel
Source: YouTube

YouTube offers the ability to let your viewers pay y'all to become members of your channel. In exchange, they get custom emoji, badges, and admission to members-just exclusives like Live Chats with you.

For instance, Wintergatan is a Swedish ring that likewise makes elaborate marble machines and posts videos most information technology to their YouTube channel. They regularly thank their channel members in their videos. They also make information technology clear what the money from memberships supports:

Wingarten Join this channel page description
Source: YouTube

You'll need to build out a promotion strategy to convince people to get members, which may or may not include several tiers of membership. Similar Super Chat, this characteristic is simply bachelor to YouTube Partners.

Footstep 3: Encourage your fans to become YouTube Premium subscribers

This step is the last on our listing for this strategy considering it benefits your channel only indirectly. That said, when YouTube Premium members lookout your aqueduct, yous go a cutting of their subscription fee. (Then does every other channel they watch.)

6. Use crowdfunding

Soliciting donations online is at present commonplace. Whether yous're looking to build ongoing revenue from a pool of pocket-sized monthly donations, or looking to fund a personal, channel-related project, crowdfunding is how many YouTubers make money.

Step 1: Set a crowdfunding account

YouTube has a list of approved crowdfunding sites to choose from.

For recurring funding Patreon is a top choice. Meanwhile, sites like GoFundMe or Kickstarter are best for one-off campaigns to go a new mic, or new laptop, or new … spleen.

Even household names like Walk Off the World or Veronica Mars (ok, she's a fictional graphic symbol) take used Patreon to fund their projects, be they music videos or feature-length films.

walk off the earth crowdfunding page
Source: Walk Off the Earth

Step 2: Promote your campaign in your videos

Detail your specific goals so that people know exactly what they can look when y'all've succeeded.

Also, offer enticing perks that stack as your fans choose how much they want to donate.

For more data and inspiration, check out this detailed guide to crowdfunding strategies.

Step 3: Get beyond YouTube

A successful campaign is a multi-platform affair. We have some advice on how to promote your YouTube aqueduct (and by extension, your crowdfunding campaign) everywhere else.

7. License your content to the media

When a video goes viral, every news outlet wants to get their hands on a re-create in order to replay information technology for their audience. Fortunately, established media companies are well aware that they need to pay for what they employ. And voila, you lot've got yourself another way to make coin on YouTube.

As a content creator, licensing your almost successful work to the media can be as simple every bit making sure you're like shooting fish in a barrel to find.

Stride 1: Keep your contact details updated on your About page

You never know when lightning will strike. Even if you lot don't accept a business organisation manager, gear up upward a generic e-mail business relationship that yous can point to for business organisation inquiries.

Lilly Singh About page
Source: Lilly Singh

Step 2: Sign up to a video rights marketplace

Jukin Media is a cracking place to get-go. Even if yous don't have a viral video like the Chewbacca mask lady (see below), media outlets often need timely footage to circular out their reporting.

For instance, Jukin has an entire catalogue of 'newsworthy' videos that you can contribute to, if you happen to have sectional footage of a major natural disaster, aeroplane crash, or plague of locusts.

Jukin Media video package
Source: Jukin Media

How much money can y'all brand on YouTube?

Sadly, this age-sometime question has one infuriating respond: it depends.

The heaven is the limit, every bit ix-year quondam YouTuber and multi-millionaire Ryan Kaji's story proves. But getting into vii-digit territory takes a lot of time, consistent work and luck.

YouTube revenue relies heavily on AdSense. In elementary terms, YouTubers get paid for each advertizing view on their channel. Merely rates vary across geographies, demographics, and even industries (software ads may have a higher CPM than, for instance, clothing ads).

On average, YouTubers make betwixt $iii and $5 per 1,000 video views through AdSense. If your channel is reaching a lot of people, this can stack upward to a pretty paycheck. It's not uncommon for big creators to cash out up of $200,000 each month from AdSense alone.

But even if your channel is trending and AdSense revenue is filling up your bank account, remember that YouTube fame depends on many factors, some (or almost) of which are out of your control — the YouTube algorithm can alter, as can your audience'south tastes and needs.

To brand sure that the money you lot make on YouTube turns into a healthy and consequent income, follow our seven tips and co-operative out. Merch, branded deals and crowdfunding can brand you lot coin even if, for whatever reason, your AdSense paychecks go down.

With Hootsuite, y'all can easily upload, schedule, and promote your YouTube marketing videos across multiple social media networks from one dashboard. Try it free today.

Get Started

Grow your YouTube channel fast with Hootsuite. Easily moderate comments, schedule video, and publish to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Endeavour it for Free