Queries like how to make money on YouTube and how much creators are paid per 1000 views are all over the web, especially on social media sites like Facebook and Q&A platforms like Quora and Reddit. This guide has everything you need to know about how YouTube pays.
Like bloggers and Facebook influencers, you can create multiple income streams and be your boss within a few months or even days. Creators out there have done it, and you can too.
But making money shouldn’t be your ultimate goal when starting your vlog – creating an audience should be. That way, money will follow you, especially if you share quality videos. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t explore more opportunities to earn money online.
Here are the top 9 ways that creators like you are earning on this video-sharing platform:
- Join the YouTube Partner Program
- Supplement a Vlog with a Blog
- Become an Affiliate Marketer
- Promote your Services
- Create & Sell Online courses
- Work with Sponsors
- Get Support Through “Fan Funding”
- Crowdfunding your Next Project
- Become a Social Media Influencer
Making money on platforms like Facebook and YouTube requires hard work, consistency and patience. Focus on creating an audience and generating quality leads for your business.
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How to Make Money on YouTube in 2023
Wondering how much YouTube pays creators? Or how can you diversify your income beyond their monetization program? This article answers all your queries.
Hint: The best way to make money as a YouTuber is to adopt all or majority of these strategies.
1. Joining YouTube Partner Program
You’ve probably heard of the term YouTube Partner Program (YPP). If not, YPP gives creators different monetization features and resources. It gives you access to revenue sharing from ads shown on your content, a copyright match tool, and one-to-one chat and email support.
Who is Eligible? To be enrolled in the YPP, according to YouTube, you need to “have 4,000 valid public watch hours in the previous 12 months, and at least 1,000 subscribers.”
You should be on good terms with YouTube, comply with the monetization policies, live in a country where YPP is available, and link your AdSense account to your channel.
The benefits of being in the YPP: Creators enrolled in the YouTube Partner Program start getting revenue shares from ads placed on their content. More so, they are paid when YouTube Premium subscribers watch their content.
There are at least eight ways to make money on YouTube through the YPP.
i). Ad Revenue
Advertisers pay YouTube, through Google Ads, to place ads on the platform. And as long as you’re in the YPP and have turned on the ads (you have to do it manually), YouTube places the ads in your content, giving you a share of the ad revenue. The requirements include the following:
YouTube doesn’t pay creators per 1000 video views. It pays per 1000 ad impressions (CPM or cost per mile), which depends on many factors, like the location of your viewers, topic, and time. You’ll make more money if your audience clicks the links or watches full ads.
The CPM is higher if you focus on high-paying niches like insurance, loans, and mortgage. But of course, only select a niche you’re comfortable and interested in and have some expertise on.
ii). YouTube Premium
If you’re hearing the term YouTube Premium for the first time, it simply is a subscription service by YouTube that offers ad-free access to content and premium YouTube Originals. However, you can only purchase it if you reside in these countries.
So, how do creators make money with YouTube Premium? The revenue is available for creators whose viewers (not necessarily the creators themselves) are subscribed to YouTube premium. YouTube gives creators a portion of the subscription fee and then keeps the rest of the earnings.
iii). Sell merchandise
You can make money with YouTube shopping by selling merchandise directly to their fans. But to be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old and have over 10,000 subscribers.
If you have met the requirements, you can sell branded merchandise like caps, hats, hoods, or T-shirts and place them where people watch your videos. But to earn even more, you can market the merchandise on your blog or social media platforms.
iv). Channel Memberships
Another alternative to making money is to enable channel membership, where your fans can pay for subscriptions, and then you can share member-only content or updates.
Viewers who have purchased your channel membership can enjoy benefits like loyalty budges and emojis. You can decide what features your members will enjoy at every membership level.
v). YouTube BrandConnect
YouTube BrandConnect is a monetization feature that connects YouTube creators with brands available for branded content campaigns. So, through Google’s technology, YouTube studies a creator’s audience and matches the creators with the brands that suit their needs.
The platform gives content creators options for deciding which brands to work with. So, YouTubers must include advertisers’ content while creating their videos and get paid. But to be eligible, your channel must meet the following requirements:
- The creator should be at least 18 years old
- Be in the YouTube Partner Program
- Be based in the U.S., Canada, or the United Kingdom.
- Have zero active Community Guidelines strikes
vi). YouTube Shorts MonetiZation
YouTube introduced a Shorts Fund, giving creators access to $100 million in 2021 and 2022. And what is more interesting is that as of February 1, 2023, creators can earn from ads viewed between videos in the Shorts Feed. The new model replaces the Shorts Fund.
To make money online on YouTube with shorts, find a niche first. Then create incredible videos, adopt a consistent posting schedule, and grow your channel. You can apply for monetization when you reach 1000 subscribers and 10M views in the last 90 days.
vii). ‘Super Chat’ and ‘Super Stickers‘
During live streams and premiers, your viewers can purchase live chat messages that stand out and sometimes pin them to the top of a live chat feed.
Creators get 70% of the Supers revenue (after deducting local taxes and App store fees on IOS), while YouTube incurs the transaction costs and keeps the balance. To be eligible, you’ll need 1,000 subscribers, be at least 18 years and reside where this feature is available.
viii). Super Thanks
Super Thanks, just like Super Chats and Stickers, is another revenue source that enables fans to express their gratitude to their creators.
The feature allows viewers to buy a fun ‘clapping’ animation only shown to them on top of your channel’s videos. Thus, it is a special way that creators connect with their viewers who want to show appreciation for their content.
The feature also gives purchasers colorful comments in the video’s comment section, helping creators connect with their biggest supporters. To be eligible, you’ll have to meet the following:
- Available for monetized channels
- You’re in one of the available locations
- You’re not a music channel under SRAV
The available locations include:
Additionally, the feature is not available in the following types of content;
- Age-restricted videos
- Unlisted content
- Private videos
- Videos made for kids
- Live streams and Premiers
- Videos with Content ID claims
- Videos with YouTube Giving fundraisers
Now that we’ve exhausted the eight income streams the YouTube Partner Program offers, let’s explore alternatives beyond YPP.
2. Create a Free Business Blog
Did you know you can start a Blog for Free and Make Money? Buy your domain and hosting from Bluehost, install WordPress, choose a theme for your blog and customize it, and start blogging. And like YouTubers, as a blogger, you’ll have a wide range of monetization alternatives.
For instance, this blog is monetized with Google Adsense. And most interestingly, I applied for monetization on April 25 and got accepted four days later.
Though if you want to improve your chances of being accepted into the Google Adsense monetization program on the first attempt, like me, and get a message like:
- Publish original and quality content
- Categorize your articles
- Publish 10-20 articles before applying
- Follow the monetization policies
- Publish terms and conditions page, privacy polity, and contact page
But if your site is declined, Google Adsense will give you the reason(s). So, don’t panic; make the necessary adjustments on your site, as advised, and reapply.
Now, Google Adsense has started showing ads on my blog, and if someone clicks the ads, I get paid per click. And also, I will be paid per 1000 ad impressions. So, Adsense has two payment models, Pay per Click and Pay per Impressions; the former being more than the latter.
And you can monetize three major types of content; blog site, forum site, or free online tool. So, all you have to do is create a blog related to your YouTube channel and embed your videos while writing your articles (like I have done in this blog).
You can also promote your blog by including the relevant links in your YouTube video description or comment section. Alternatively, you can still monetize your blog and Youtube channel using affiliate marketing. Here are more options to make money as a blogger.
3. Make Money on YouTube as Affiliate Marketer
What is affiliate marketing? It is a marketing strategy or arrangement where “an online retailer pays commission to an external website for traffic or sales generated from its referrals.” And to get started as an affiliate marketer, you’ll need to;
- Decide on a niche (like digital marketing)
- Chose a platform (like a blog or vlog)
- Explore relevant affiliate programs based on your audience
- Publish amazing content – articles and videos.
- Build an audience
- Follow regulations and start making money
For instance, I include the following affiliate links in my YouTube videos and blog articles:
So, when someone purchases a product through my links, I’ll get a commission, which varies based on the affiliate marketing platform you chose. It’s also worth noting that some affiliate programs pay per click while others pay per sale.
But I want you to be patient and focus on creating an audience first, because it’s only then that you’ll manage to earn more money with this option.
4. Promotes your Services
If the statistics by Semrush are to go by, YouTube beats Google as the most visited website in the world as of March 2022.
Having a YouTube channel is a sure way of getting some customers to purchase your services, especially digital ones. You can promote your services on YouTube through the following:
- Community tab (only if you have at least 500 subscribers)
- While creating your videos
- In the video description
- In the comment section
And some of the services that you may offer include video editing, transcription, digital marketing, content writing and training, social media marketing, and the likes. Discover a service you can offer, boost your skills using online materials or courses, and start promoting your services online.
5. Create and Sell an eBook/Course
Like how you can promote your services on YouTube, you can advertise your products like eBooks and Online courses and make money. The good thing is that you don’t have to seek publishers or editors – self-publishing have you sorted.
According to Statista, paid digital content like Tv Streams, music downloads, and e-publishing are the most sought by internet users in the United States. Yet the trend is not different globally.
You can sell your products on your blog and earn all the revenue. Imagine writing an article and earning from it for the rest of your life? Amazing, right? Enough of the imagination. Find a topic you’re comfortable with and prepare your first eBook or online course.
And market the products on YouTube and blog, then grow your audience and start making good money. You can also self-publish your eBooks with Amazon Kindle Publishers, so you don’t have any excuses. Do you?
6. Work with Sponsors
As long as you have an audience, brands will start approaching you to promote their products on your channel. For instance, if you have a food channel, Coca-Cola or KFC may approach you to create a video about their products and pay you handsome money.
But I want to caution you – don’t be greedy and accept to market ‘any product.’ Make sure you endorse and promote brands that are relevant to your audience. After all, they come first, and then money follows, right?
The amount you’ll charge depends on the value you estimate to provide to your clients, their business size and the value of their products, and the following you have. And some may not want just a one-time promotion deal. Brands can as well request that you be their ambassador.
You can also approach the brand yourself and offer to promote their products on your YouTube, and in turn, make a good amount of money.
7. Get Support Through “Fan Funding”
You can as well ask your audience to donate money to enable you to keep providing them with quality content. And as long as people enjoy your content, they’d be willing to donate a few bucks to promote your hustle.
For instance, you can include a Paypal donation link on your youtube video description or about section and use the donation widget on your blog.
Creators out there have managed to collect funds through this option, and you can too. Give your audience enough reasons to donate by satisfying their interests and wants.
8. Crowdfunding your Next Project
Other than asking for donations, you can initiate a crowdfunding campaign to collect funds to facilitate your next project. So, you can get funds for a new product, project, or charity or even promote a nonprofit through crowdfunding. The most loved platforms include:
Just find the best for you and get started. And give your audience enough reasons to support your project. Otherwise, your crowdfunding campaign may not be very successful.
9. Become Social Media Influencer
Social media usage has gradually increased, especially with increased access to smartphones and the internet. And as of April 2022, there are over 4.65 billion social media users globally.
So, being active on social media and growing your following is another surest way to make money online as a YouTuber. And you can monetize most of the social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. I will surely get back to this.
You can charge brands per social media post and make some passive income.
Conclusion
Like on Facebook or blog, there are unlimited ways to earn money on YouTube. So, go ahead and create a vlog for your business, strategies on the type of content you’ll be posting, and start building your community. However, don’t focus on making money first and find an audience.
Then, you can start exploring these opportunities to create more passive income:
- Joining the YouTube Partnership Program (YPP)
- Starting a business blog
- Start affiliate marketing
- Offering digital services
- Selling ebooks or courses
- Working with sponsors
- Fan Funding
- Crowdfunding campaigns
- Being a social media influencer
Adopting most of these monetization alternatives can make even more money on YouTube. So, are you ready to start a YouTube channel? Leave a comment.
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