Yes, You Can Actually Make Money From Your YouTube Videos
Whether it's by reviewing products, teaching people a specific skill, or playing video games, hundreds of people have figured out how to make money on YouTube.
These days, making a career on YouTube is a viable option because more people are choosing to stream videos on their phones rather than watch network television. And although it’s not the norm, Forbes reports that some YouTube celebrities, like Jeffree Star, rack up to $18 million a year just from their YouTube channels.
Though it may not be worth quitting your job over, you can still use YouTube as a side hustle. This all depends on how you manage your channel and if you take advantage of all the ways that YouTube can increase your revenue.
How Do You Make Money on YouTube?
It all starts with great content. Similar to any job, you have to think about what makes you stand out from other people uploading content. Are you a great knitter? Do you love to travel the world? Are you really good at video games? If so, start recording and get every one of your friends to support you by subscribing and watching your videos.
Additionally, YouTube notes on the site that it has a partner program which helps creators monetize their content. In order to be considered a partner, you need to have at least 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months and 1,000 subscribers. Being a partner will help you make money off the amount of people who watch or click on the ads that run in your videos.
Are There Any Other Ways to Make Money Besides Ads?
Once you’ve gathered a following, Shopify recommends setting your channel up so viewers pay a monthly fee to get unique features, if they want to. Some of these can include unique emojis and badges, along with special perks that regular viewers won’t get. You can also partner with brands to create sponsored content. With sponsored content, you get paid by the brand to feature their products in your videos. You can also add affiliate links to your videos, and you'll get paid if the audience buys products through those links.
You also shouldn’t be ashamed of fan funding - when your viewers “tip” you for your videos – because some people can be quite generous.
How Many Views Do You Need to Get Paid?
It doesn’t really matter how many views your video gets if your audience is skipping the ads that pop up with your video, reports VerticalSight. You only get paid by YouTube if your audience watches an ad for more than 30 seconds or if they click on it. This is why monetization and sponsored content works as a safety net in the industry.
Creating content for YouTube and actually getting paid for it are two completely different things. But if you are dedicated and deliver content like no other to your audience, you can start making a couple of extra bucks.
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