Earning money on YouTube generally involves two main paths: joining the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) to unlock platform-native monetization features, and using external strategies that leverage your audience.
Here is a breakdown of the key ways to earn money on YouTube:
1. Join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP)
The YPP is the primary way to earn money directly from YouTube’s features. To be eligible for the full range of features (including ad revenue), you need to meet minimum criteria and follow all YouTube monetization policies.
Current Primary Eligibility Requirements for Full Monetization (Ad Revenue, etc.):
- Have 1,000 subscribers.
- Meet one of the following public watch time criteria:
- 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months, OR
- 10 million valid public YouTube Shorts views in the last 90 days.
- Have an active Google AdSense account linked to your channel.
- Be in good standing with YouTube (no Community Guideline strikes).
- Live in a country/region where the YPP is available.
Monetization Methods through YPP:
- Ad Revenue: Earn a share of the revenue from ads displayed on your long-form videos, Shorts, and during live streams.
- YouTube Premium Revenue: Earn a portion of a YouTube Premium subscriber’s fee when they watch your content.
- Channel Memberships: Offer exclusive perks (badges, custom emojis, members-only content) to viewers who pay a recurring monthly fee to join your channel as a member.
- Super Chat, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks (Fan Funding):
- Super Chat/Stickers: Viewers can pay to highlight their messages or use animated stickers in live chat streams/Premieres.
- Super Thanks: Viewers can pay to show a fun animation and get their comment highlighted in your video’s comments section.
- YouTube Shopping (Merchandise Shelf): Promote and sell your own official branded merchandise (or products from other brands) directly on your channel pages, videos, and live streams.
2. External Monetization Strategies
You don’t need to be in the YPP to use these methods, but a larger, engaged audience will increase your potential earnings.
- Affiliate Marketing: Partner with brands or companies and include unique affiliate links in your video descriptions or pinned comments. You earn a commission when viewers click the link and purchase a product or service. (Amazon Associates is a common program to start with).
- Brand Sponsorships / Influencer Marketing: Companies pay you to feature, review, or talk about their product or service in a dedicated or integrated video. Your payment is based on your audience size, engagement, and niche.(Crucially, you must disclose sponsored content to your audience and YouTube.)
- Sell Your Own Products or Services:
- Merchandise: Sell your own branded t-shirts, mugs, hats, etc. (separate from the YouTube Shopping shelf).
- Digital Products: Sell things like e-books, online courses, downloadable guides, or coaching services.
- Crowdfunding / Fan Funding (External Platforms): Use platforms like Patreon or Buy Me a Coffee to get recurring or one-time donations from your most dedicated fans in exchange for exclusive content or perks.
- License Your Content to Media: If one of your videos goes viral or captures a newsworthy event, news organizations or media companies may pay you a fee to use the footage.
Tips for Success
- Find a Niche: Focus on a specific topic (e.g., tech reviews, cooking tutorials, DIY, finance) to build a targeted and engaged audience.
- Create High-Quality, Engaging Content: Invest in good audio/visual quality and focus on providing value (entertainment, education, inspiration) to your viewers.
- Be Consistent: Upload regularly so your audience knows when to expect new videos and to keep the YouTube algorithm favorable.
- Optimize for Search (SEO): Use relevant keywords in your video titles, descriptions, and tags to help people find your videos through search.
- Build a Community: Interact with your viewers by responding to comments and incorporating their feedback to foster loyalty.