YouTube monetization
In this blog, you will understand how to go about making money on youtube with a step by step guide. YouTube is a video-sharing platform with over 2 billion users.
Although, you can promote your channel and make it stand out from the crowd but monetizing your channel would require some extra effort.
It is possible to make money on YouTube by earning from ads but the competition is quite fierce. This is the reason why we have put this guide together to help you make money as a beginner on Youtube.
Here, you will learn strategic approaches to execute to generate more income. However, the outcome of your success is dependent on the amount of effort you put into this execution.
How to make money on Youtube.
Having a large audience will allow your channel to reach its earning potential just as influencers and bloggers often do. However, it is through the creation of multiple revenue streams, such as side hustles and businesses, you will make money on YouTube. Let’s examine the processes involved in successfully monetizing your channel as a beginner.
1.The Youtube Partner Program
This is a very common way to make money on YouTube. YouTube ads are the major source of revenue for many YouTubers. However, as a YouTube partner, you have access to other ways to make money using YouTube.
To become a YouTube partner, there are certain requirements you need to have to be eligible for monetization. This includes 4000 watch hours in the past 12 months and 1000 subscribers. Besides that, you need to adhere to youtube’s monetization guidelines and live in an eligible region. Once you meet this prerequisite, the ad doors will open for you to start generating revenue.
How to get started
Step 1: Grow your YouTube channel.
As a beginner, your focus should be promoting your channel to ensure it grows and reaches the right audience. You should create high-quality content that would spark viewers’ interest and keep them glued to your channel.
Step 2: Meet YouTube Partner program conditions.
You must be at least 18 years old to join the YouTube partner program and meet the other requirements we mentioned earlier in the article. Once this stage is cleared, you would become an eligible partner. You can now proceed to the next step.
Step 3: Sign up for an Adsense account.
As an eligible member, you can now apply and link your Adsense account to your YouTube channel. This account helps you generate revenue from ads placed at the beginning, middle, or end of your videos. You can customize how you want the ads to be placed in your videos.
Step 4: Select and configure your new monetization options.
Now that Youtube has accepted you into the Partner Program, you can explore different approaches available to start earning on YouTube. This includes Ads, YouTube Premium, Channel memberships, Merchandise shelf, Super chats, and stickers
2. Promote sponsored content for brands on Youtube.
Another way to make money on YouTube is to become a brand influencer. As a brand influencer, you get to create content for a brand or they could sponsor your video content in exchange for a shout-out or product feature.
Once you have a significant number of loyal audience/viewers, you can reach out to brands that align with your channel and negotiate a deal with them. If they are interested in your channel, they would strike a deal with you to promote their product or even reach out to you first.
Make sure you declare your partnership with brands to your audience and YouTube. You should remain transparent about the sponsorship, just the way you see videos that carry the tag “paid promotion” or “sponsored video”.
How to get started:
Step 1: Grow your audience
To land deals, you need to have a loyal and large audience base. Ensure you drive audience engagement with your content. Brands and businesses are usually interested in YouTube channels with an engaging audience, not just the size.
Step 2: Pitch your deal
Reach out to brands by sending an email pitch telling them how you would love to promote their products and services, your channel growth, audience size, and rate cards. If they are interested in working with you, they would reach out to you and strike a deal.
Step 3: Make sponsored content
Make valuable and engaging content for the brand’s products and services. It could range from a service review to product unboxing or testing. Be sure to state your opinion truthfully without causing the brand any damage as you do not want to lose the trust of your audience while defaming the brand.
Step 4: Disclose your sponsorship and brand collaborations
Be open about your sponsors and deals. It’s ok to not state the value of the deal to your audience but make sure to let YouTube and your viewers know that the video content was sponsored by a brand. It gives you more credibility and makes your viewers see you as a transparent person.
3.Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a marketing strategy whereby a company pays an affiliate a certain commission on sales generated from purchasing customers referred by the affiliate’s advertisement of the company’s product and services. In simple terms, when you join a company’s affiliate program, the company pays you for referring customers to use their products and services.
Just like sponsored content, you get to promote products and services for a brand or business but in this case, you get a unique link that serves as an identity. If your viewers engage with this link and eventually make a purchase from the brand, you get a commission.
If you are a creator that makes product reviews or unboxes content, you should consider this method. Be sure the brand aligns with the content you have on your channel.
How to get started:
Step 1: Build trust with your audience
To be successful at this, you need your viewer’s trust. You need to put out honest video contents that are relevant to your target audience. This will help them trust your content and see you as a reliable resource. Once you have won the trust of your audience, you can proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Find a good affiliate program
Start your research on brands that have good affiliate programs. Once you find a good brand, join and generate your affiliate link.
Step 3: Add your affiliate link to your video descriptions
Be sure to include your affiliate link in your video content and its description whenever you make content that involves the brand. This would ensure that your viewers can find the link if they decide to purchase the brand.
Step 4: Disclose your affiliate partnership
Make sure you let your audience know that you are going to earn a commission when they click your link. This builds trust between you and them as they will not feel tricked when they find out you are promoting affiliate content.
4.Sell your products
As a creator, you can also sell your products via Youtube. This is another common way of making money on YouTube. You can sell physical products like T-shirts, hoodies, journals, and caps or digital products like E-books, templates, photography presets, and courses. Whatever you decide to sell depends on you.
You may require a manufacturer or supplier for some products while others may require some time to put together. Regardless, make sure it is a product that is relevant to your target audience.
How to get started:
Step 1: Have a product idea
Knowing what merch/service you would like to sell is necessary. You may already own a product and use YouTube as an advertising platform. That’s fine. Just make sure you choose a product/service that is relevant to your target audience and viewers. In addition, ensure your product is distinctive and related to your channel.
Step 2: Create a shop for your product/merchandise
The next step is to create an online store or website where people can order your products seamlessly. You should take out time to categorize your product and set up your website for easy navigation. After launching your website, you can add the link to the description section of your videos to ensure your viewers can find it easily.
Step 3: Use Youtube Merchandise shelf
YouTube partners have the privilege to use the YouTube merchandise shelf to market and sell their products. Once you have been accepted into the Partner program, you are eligible to use this option (depending on your audience size).
Step 4: Product promotion using your videos
Promote your products using your YouTube video content. You can also use the community feature. Many YouTubers that sell their products usually find a way to incorporate their products into their video content. Wear that t-shirt you are selling and promote it.
5.License your content
When you create video content and it goes viral, there is a likelihood that media companies and other creators may want to use or replay it to their audience. This gives you another way to make money on youtube as you can license this content for a particular fee.
How to get started:
Step 1: Be available and reachable
Remember to include your email address or any means by which you would like to be reached on your ‘About’ page on YouTube. You can also include this information in your video description. The goal is to keep this information where they can find it.
Step 2: Find a content marketplace
Look for platforms that encourage content licensing and list your viral content for other companies and creators to find them. You can use channels like Jukin media, Trusted media brands, the content Bible, etc.
Conclusions
Making money on youtube requires effort. Now that you know the ways to make money on YouTube besides ad revenue, you can start by taking action. Remember your target audience plays a significant role in your channel’s success so be sure to create video content that appeals to them. Build a loyal audience base and the tips in this article would be very easy to apply.
