Once you’ve acquired a decent amount of followers, it’s time to focus on how to make money from YouTube. Product reviews, tutorials, and ads are a few examples.
YouTube is one of the most lucrative online platforms that you can take advantage of. In fact, top creators often earn thousands of dollars per video.
But it’s not always obvious how you can use the platform to generate income.
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about how to make money from YouTube.
Ad Revenue
One of the most basic and straightforward ways to make money on YouTube is through ad revenue. But you won’t be hitting the astronomical levels that top YouTubers do in the beginning.
In fact, you may find that you only make a few dollars per month in the early stages of your channel. As your audience grows, though, you’ll be able to increase your number of views that you receive on each video.
This will directly translate into more ad revenue.
It’s important to note that you won’t be able to monetize your channel until you hit certain metrics. You’ll need to have at least 1,000 subscribers and have had over 4,000 hours of watch time in the past year in order to make money on YouTube.
Since YouTube’s algorithm prioritizes quality content, you’ll need to put as much effort and care into your videos as possible. For those without the recording and editing skills necessary, hiring a video service is often the best method.
Promote a Product
Once your audience is big enough, companies will be able to see potential in you as a product promoter. Depending on your niche, this can come in many different forms.
For example, someone who creates concepts related to beauty and self-care may find that makeup brands reach out to them. Those who make content related to coding and development will experience the same thing from software providers.
You may be asked to create a video that showcases the product’s features or to briefly mention it within your content. How thoroughly you explore the product will often correlate with how much you get paid.
But you can expect to get paid exponentially more as your audience grows and more people see the products in your videos. While product promotion often doesn’t bring in enough cash on its own to be sustainable, it’s great to use when combined with other methods.
Fan Support
Receiving donations from fans is another common way that YouTubers can utilize the platform to generate income.
In general, though, this method only works if you frequently showcase your personality on your channel and through your content. For example, people are far more likely to donate to an individual who they’ve grown to like personally than they are to a large company.
While most donations will often end up just being extra cash, they can sometimes be a primary source of income. This is especially true for those who have millions of subscribers.
It’s a common practice to illuminate those who donate to you each month and show your appreciation. Not only will this make those individuals feel valued, but it will also encourage others to do the same.
Additionally, it’s a good idea to provide your benefactors with some sort of perks or rewards for donating. This could come in the form of gaining access to exclusive content, early access to your channel’s content, etc.
Affiliate Marketing
This form of marketing involves having your audience click a link on your channel that leads them to a product. If they purchase this product, you’ll receive a small commission.
But these commission numbers can add up over time and can prove to be a significant number for those who are able to drive many sales each month. For example, having 1,000 people make purchases each month on an item you receive a $2 commission for can be a fairly significant form of income.
A common example involves placing Amazon links to products that are a part of your setup in the description of your videos. For example, you might have a group of links that direct users to the microphone that you use, your computer monitor, etc.
From here, you’ll be able to generate income if people follow those links and make purchases.
Sell Your Own Merchandise
Leveraging your audience to sell your own product allows you to keep 100% of the profit. The difficulty here, though, is developing a product that your audience will want to purchase.
For this reason, clothing is what Youtubers most often shoes to sell. It’s simple, cheap, and has nearly unlimited potential when it comes to design.
You’ll also find that you have a relatively easy time selling things like T-shirts and coffee mugs that have references to your channel’s culture.
Many people take pride in watching quality content on YouTube and often have favorite YouTubers. So they often go out of their way to support them, especially if it means getting something of value in return.
Collaborations
While this may not work for everyone, charging money upfront for collaborations can prove to be a significant source of income for those with fairly popular YouTube channels.
For example, those who create podcast-like content can charge other brands or individuals a fee in order to appear in one of their videos. As your change grows, you’ll be able to raise your asking price even higher.
This will also have the added benefit of exposing your brand to the other party’s audience, allowing you to grow your following more efficiently.
Understanding How to Make Money From YouTube Can Seem Difficult
But it doesn’t have to be.
With the above information about how to make money from YouTube in mind, you’ll be well on your way toward getting the most he platform has to offer.
Want to learn more tips that can help you out in the future? Be sure to check out the rest of our blog.