Here’s how to make money on YouTube with content creation, even as a beginner.
Content creation is one of the most trendy ways to make money online. Even if you don’t make a career out of it, it’s a great opportunity to earn some cash in these difficult financial times, especially if you are a student in need of income. The highest-paid YouTubers made millions of dollars in 2020 from their content, according to Forbes.
While you can’t get rich in an instant and without hard work, if you play your cards right you can learn how to make money on YouTube, no matter what your level of knowledge is. If you’re new to this domain, you’re in the right place now, because we’ve put together some great tips and information that will give you the basics of how to monetize your video channel.
How to get started making money on YouTube
Before we get into more details of how to make money on YouTube, you need to come up with your idea for the channel. Think of all the things that you’re interested in, but also how your public might react to them. Whatever topic you choose for your channel, you need to keep in mind that besides making your content engaging, it also has to be useful to your community, whether it is entertainment or you’re teaching them something.
If you haven’t yet decided upon an idea for your channel, you can take some time to do research into the most popular topics and channels on YouTube. If you’re into gaming, for example, a study done by Pew Research shows that videos related to video games were some of the most popular, as well as content made for children.
After you decide what type of content your channel will provide, it’s time to show it to the world. Have some videos already in place so you can post regularly until you make more. Engage with your audience and answer their questions if they comment on your videos to build your community. One comment can turn into a subscriber if you’re being nice to them.
Don’t rely only on YouTube to spread the word about your new channel, share it on all your social media platforms and get your friends to do the same. The more people hear about it, the more your chances of having new subscribers grow. Consider making paid posts on social media with a link to your video on YouTube to reach more people outside of your circle faster.
Ways to Make Money on YouTube
You’ve got your channel ready, videos in place, excitement is off the roof, but how can you monetize your hard work on Youtube? Here are some of the things you should know:
1. YouTube partnership program
The partnership program will help you earn money through ads that play at the beginning, during, or at end of your videos. In order to be a part of the partnership program with YouTube, you will need to have at least 4000 hours of watched videos, over 1,000 subscribers and you must be over 18 years old to apply. So, start spreading the word about your channel so you can be eligible for the partnership in no time.
2. Affiliate marketing
Once you have more subscribers, you can also make money on YouTube with affiliate marketing. Partner up with companies and affiliate programs that will provide you with affiliate links to their products. When you promote the products on your channel you’ll get a commission each time a sale is made through your recommendation.
3. Review products and/or software
When people want to buy a product and they do their research, chances are they’ll turn to YouTube for video reviews, so this is one of the more popular forms of content creation. Viewers get to see the product in detail and hear about the pros and cons from someone who has tested it. Get in contact with companies that have products in your niche and offer to review them. You’ll get paid while getting more engagement on your channel.
4. Make money on YouTube with brand partnerships
This one is a great way to make money on YouTube if you have a large number of subscribers that brands can benefit from. The way this works is that your channel will represent the brand, so you’ll have to make videos using the brand’s products. Unlike reviews, where you can show the pros and cons, in brand partnerships you will have to paint their products in good colors.
5. Sell your merchandise on your channel
If you’re a digital artist, for example, you can set up a merchandise store selling tote bags, t-shirts, mugs, and everything you want to have your creations printed on it. Once you have your shop ready, start introducing it in your videos and add a link to each of their descriptions with a powerful call to action. Try not to oversell it, get your audience interested in your products, and mention them when it’s right.
6. Make money on YouTube by teaching a course
A quickly growing category of content creation is online courses. If you’re a professional in your field and you want to teach your audience a course, you can use YouTube to promote it. Make attractive videos showing your audience how the course works and how it can help them. Don’t forget to link it in the description of the videos.
Remember things need time and work to develop, so if you keep on going with your YouTube channel and you adjust your strategy accordingly you can become a successful content creator on the platform. In the meantime, before your channel kicks off, here are some other ways you can supplement your income.
