In 2005, Chad Hurley and Steve Chen introduced YouTube as a solution for sharing videos. It started with simple videos, but it didn’t take long for people to discover how to make money on YouTube. Today, YouTube is the second most visited social media platform, based on a survey by Statista in 2022.
YouTube is one of the most popular sources of passive income, but it’s hard to know how to get paid on YouTube without a little guidance. In this article, we’ll tell you how to become a YouTuber and how many followers you need to get paid. With a solid YouTube channel, you’ll have a great revenue stream in no time.
How Much Do YouTubers Get Paid?
According to the salary review by ZipRecruiter, someone working for a YouTube channel gets paid $52,806 per year in the United States. The amount you earn on YouTube depends on whether you’re a registered YouTube Partner, how many videos you have, and how many subscribers you have.
Other factors include the number of ad clicks your videos generate and how long your videos are. Video creators who sign up with Google AdSense generate advertising revenue from video ads, with an average of $3,372 from 50,000 monthly views.
How Many Subscribers Do You Need to Get Paid on YouTube?
To qualify for YouTube’s monetization method, you need at least 1,000 subscribers to qualify for YouTube’s Partnership Program. As a YouTube creator, you also need to have generated up to 4,000 hours of video views on YouTube, before you can receive payments in exchange for your quality videos.
How to Make Money on YouTube
The major revenue streams for YouTube are advertising and YouTube Premium subscriptions. Other forms of income come from collaborations with its content creators and affiliate programs. To create a profitable YouTube channel, you need video content that will drive viewers to watch advertisements or pay for a subscription.
1. Choose a niche
To make money on YouTube, you either need to make viral videos or cultivate a loyal subscriber base. Your YouTube channel has to promote information that will draw people’s attention. Some of the most popular and lucrative niches on YouTube are “how-to” videos that teach viewers how to make things out of wood or how to cook.
2. Be consistent
The more views you get, the more opportunity you have to monetize your channel. One way to attract more views is to be consistent. Upload new videos regularly on your channel, either daily or weekly. If a viewer comes to your channel and sees that your videos are sparse, it can discourage them from subscribing.
3. Ensure your videos are engaging
Successful content attracts views, sponsorships, and sales. If you want to make money on YouTube, your videos have to be engaging because YouTube will pay you based on the number of videos views. Plan your production ahead of time, keep your audio and visuals simple, make videos based on viewers’ requests, and have a clear video description for every video.
4. Fact-check your content before sharing
Sharing truthful content is an ideal way to generate income on YouTube. Providing viewers with real, verifiable information can help you attract clients and sponsors. Don’t share false or misleading content because YouTube could block your channel.
5. Encourage viewers to subscribe and share
As an upcoming YouTuber, ask viewers to subscribe to your YouTube channel in every video you post. Your earnings depend on the number of your YouTube subscribers. YouTube only gives you access to monetization features when you have a thousand subscribers or more.
6. Take a social media marketing course to improve your skills
Take an optimized YouTube marketing course or attend a social media marketing bootcamp.
These courses will help you develop a solid strategy to generate more views using YouTube SEO. With a good marketing strategy, you can turn your YouTube channel into a real business.
7. Optimize your YouTube Studio
You can learn a lot from your YouTube Studio. If you want to become a top-earning content creator, then learn to use the insights from your YouTube Studio. You can manage multiple accounts from your studio app and review your channel’s analytics to optimize your content.
8. Become a YouTube Partner
You need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of views to join the YouTube Partnership Program. Once you become a YouTube partner, you gain access to YouTube monetization features. These features allow you to generate income from your video content. You’ll also get access to copyright tools and creator support teams.
9. Provide incentives to viewers
If you want to build a loyal audience, you need to provide incentives. This could be product giveaways or even a video series to keep your target audience hooked on your channel. An engaged audience can crowdfund your projects or even sponsor your next video. If you have a loyal audience, give them exclusive rewards to show you appreciate them.
10. Promote YouTube Premium Subscriptions
YouTube Premium subscriptions are another potential source of income, aside from advertising revenue and merchandise sales. You should encourage your viewers to become premium subscribers, so you can generate revenue from their premium subscriptions. Premium subscribers get access to exclusive content and ad-free videos.
How Do You Get Paid Through the YouTube Partnership Program?
To get paid through YouTube’s Partnership Program, you first have to have 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of views to qualify. Next, you have to open an AdSense account to receive payments from ad revenue, super chats, merch shelf, channel memberships, and YouTube premium revenue. The advertising guidelines on AdSense allow you to decide the types of content you want to allow to run on your channel.
To get paid through AdSense, you’ll need to get your personal information verified and select a payment method. You can link multiple YouTube accounts to one AdSense account. You won’t get paid until you meet the payment threshold, which is $100 per month in the US.
How to Make Extra Money on YouTube
- Use affiliate marketing: As an affiliate marketer, you get to promote other brands through your channel by providing descriptions of their products and sharing affiliate links. To get started with affiliate marketing, contact brands that align with your channel’s niche and ask to be part of their affiliate program.
- Provide coaching services: You can offer personal coaching services in your area of expertise to your viewers by attaching links to your YouTube videos. For You can charge them a fee for each customized coaching session.
- Sell Your Own Merchandise: You don’t have to be a YouTube partner to monetize your channel. You can promote your own products on your channel for sale on a separate online store. You can ask people who are interested in your products to join an email list and use email marketing software to help you stay connected with your target audience.
- Collaborate with companies and brands: If you are getting millions of views, then becoming an influencer for a brand is a great way to earn more money. You don’t need to share affiliate links, you just need to use your online presence to promote the brand.
- Request donations from fans: Asking for donations from your loyal fans is another form of income. If you have many subscribers or you have lots of interactions with your viewers, you can use it as an opportunity to source funds for your next project. Viewers can fund original entertainment series or live events on your channel.
How to Make Money Fast on YouTube
It takes time to get the 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of views required by YouTube’s partner program. One way to make money fast on YouTube is to use how-to videos to promote physical products that you sell on a separate online store.
Another way to make money fast on YouTube is to have viewers pay you for private lessons or coaching sessions on a subject you’re an expert on. Learn about YouTube SEO to write video titles that drive viewers to your content.
How to Make Extra Money from Home
As a content creator, you aren’t limited to YouTube. There are other digital platforms you can use as a side hustle to earn extra cash. Popular sources of income streams for digital content creators include selling a course on Udemy or Coursera, selling your digital skills on freelance platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, and selling physical products on an e-commerce site like Etsy.
Is YouTube a Good Way to Make Extra Money?
Yes, YouTube is a good way to make extra money. Based on the worldwide YouTube survey by Statista, the highest-earning YouTuber made $54,000,000 in 2021. Having a YouTube account provides an opportunity to make money through ad revenue and an opportunity to promote your products on other platforms that you want to monetize.
The best thing about YouTube is that it is free to post videos and maintain a channel. You might need to spend money to create high-quality content, but you won’t have to pay YouTube to post your videos.
How to Make Money on YouTube FAQ
It’s not hard to make money on YouTube if you approach it as a job. Start by enrolling in a digital marketing program to boost your chances of success. You could also spend some money on good video editing software and audio tools to boost the quality of your videos.
Yes, YouTube pays monthly if you’re enrolled in the YouTube partnership program and your channel generates revenue that meets the income threshold. You’ll need to provide your email address and your billing details to receive your funds by check or by direct deposit.
In 2021 the highest-paid YouTuber was MrBeast, who earned $54,000,000. MrBeast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, is an influencer, YouTuber, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He dedicates his YouTube channel to stunts and gaming videos.
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No, it’s not too late to become a YouTuber. YouTube is an older social media platform, but it is still one of the most used platforms. There are multiple opportunities for growth both within and outside the platform, and you can get started at any age and with no degree.
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