Attempting to determine how one can generate profits on YouTube?
As a result of there’s a giant window of alternative for monetizing movies.
To not point out YouTube’s staggering $8.6 billion in advert income in the course of the fourth quarter of 2021.
Factor is, translating views into money doesn’t occur accidentally. That is very true given how aggressive the platform is. You want a method.
That’s why we wrote this breakdown of how one can generate profits on YouTube and what to anticipate alongside the best way.
5 methods to generate profits on YouTube (that really work)
Monetizing content material on any platform as a creator is hard. YouTube isn’t any exception.
Creators shouldn’t sacrifice leisure worth or authenticity for {dollars} and cents.
The excellent news? There isn’t a “right” or “single” solution to monetize your movies. You may have a number of choices based mostly in your content material, viewers and promotional technique.
Let’s dive into 5 alternatives to generate profits on YouTube and the way they work.
1. Be a part of the YouTube Accomplice Program
No surprises right here! The YouTube Accomplice Program permits creators to earn income with adverts run on their movies.
Let’s have a look at a fast snapshot of YouTube’s Accomplice standards. Assuming you’re consistent with the platform’s monetization insurance policies, you want:
- 4,000+ genuine public watch hours inside the previous 12 months
- 1,000+ subscribers
- An lively and linked Google AdSense account
Chances are high you’ve seen your justifiable share of YouTube adverts. Provided that YouTube noticed a 25% YoY enhance in advert income final 12 months, you’re not alone.
From in-video to pre-roll, adverts are a comparatively hands-off solution to generate profits on YouTube.
By way of how a lot cash you may make from adverts, there are too many variables for a straight reply. These variables embrace:
- Your viewers’ demographics comparable to location and age
- Whether or not there are related advertisers in your movies
- Your content material and trade
In keeping with YouTube themselves, there are “no guarantees” for payouts or income share. Most info floating round is completely anecdotal.
Whereas “$1 per 1,000 views” was once the norm, instances have modified. Because the YouTube algorithm has developed, so have the Accomplice Program and advert insurance policies. For instance, the platform has express restrictions for promoting on YouTube Youngsters. Many main advert classes and focusing on options are faraway from movies meant for youngsters.
You’re primarily taking a look at a numbers sport regardless. It’s essential be incomes 1000’s (or hundreds of thousands) of views per video to see any significant income.
Undecided about operating adverts in your channel? Completely comprehensible. Once more, monetizing movies shouldn’t maintain again your channel’s progress.
Stuffing your movies with unskippable adverts makes them borderline unwatchable. That mentioned, a number of adverts right here and there’s completely truthful sport.
2. Earn assist from subscribers with a Channel Membership
YouTube’s Channel Memberships are particularly designed to assist creators seeking to generate profits.
Consider Memberships like a Patreon or Twitch subscription. Subscribers pay a month-to-month price in change for channel-specific perks. This may embrace unique content material, chat badges and extra. These advantages differ based mostly in your Membership tier.

This function is most related to creators that primarily submit content material to YouTube moderately than deal with it as a secondary channel. For those who’re doing common dwell streams or posting each day, Memberships make good sense. At present, the eligibility for Channel Memberships is nearly equivalent to the Accomplice Program.
3. Put promotional hyperlinks in your video descriptions
Promo hyperlinks are a low-hanging solution to generate profits on YouTube with out operating adverts.
Your video descriptions are worthwhile actual property and YouTube provides you 5,000 characters to work with. Funneling your YouTube viewers to related hyperlinks is a no brainer. For instance, a creator may hyperlink to:
- A lead magnet (comparable to a free course or downloadable useful resource)
- Their web site
- Their merchandise or ecommerce store
Beneath is an instance of how creators can promote their very own merchandise in a video description. If nothing else, hyperlinks can flip YouTube site visitors into on-site site visitors.

You’ll additionally generally see creators put affiliate hyperlinks of their video descriptions. The concept right here is easy. You focus on merchandise in your movies after which present a direct means for viewers to verify them out.
This tactic is extraordinarily standard amongst overview channels and creators making “how-to” content material. For instance, this video from MyLifeOutDoors breaks down suggestions for getting higher sleep whereas tenting…

…and offers affiliate hyperlinks to the merchandise talked about within the video.

See how that works? The important thing right here is that the merchandise themselves are not the only topic of the video. Some creators name out their affiliate hyperlinks inside their content material and others don’t. The selection is yours!
Word: Affiliate hyperlinks are completely allowed and don’t violate YouTube’s TOS. Nonetheless, the platform does have an express coverage for exterior hyperlinks. Be certain that to overview YouTube’s tips earlier than dropping hyperlinks in your movies.
4. Characteristic sponsors in your movies
Sponsored YouTube movies are standard amongst huge and up-and-coming creators alike.
Via sponsored content material, you’re particularly selling a model inside your video. These call-outs are usually achieved at first and finish of a video. Since these types of adverts are actually a part of your content material, they’ll’t be skipped.

Within the instance above, Binging with Babish’s Andrew Rea bookends his sponsorship from Money App at his video’s starting and finish. He additionally highlights the sponsorship within the video description.

Audiences are generally important of sponsored movies when the sponsorship is completely irrelevant to the creator, their content material or viewership. The perfect sponsored movies signify some type of artistic tie-in that doesn’t distract from the creator’s fashion. This sponsored video from Magnificence Inside that includes skincare model Whind is an effective instance.

These types of promotions are a win-win for creators and advertisers alike.

5. Publish product-focused promotional movies
Branded movies are created with the particular intent to advertise a services or products. These movies can fall into a number of classes the place:
- A model compensates the creator in change for his or her content material or a overview
- The model has supplied speaking factors and directions to the creator (assume: influencer or model ambassador content material)
- The creator is making a video to spotlight a model and earn affiliate income
Some of these movies are frequent amongst magnificence and skincare manufacturers the place creators unbox PR packages on digicam.

Beneath is one other instance from a creator going into element about Liquid IV and the way it works.

Within the video’s description, the creator’s promotional hyperlink is front-and-center.

Some of these movies aren’t as frequent as a result of they’ll really feel a bit direct on the subject of promotion. That mentioned, they’re related to industries like magnificence, well being and health the place audiences prefer to hunt for merchandise through YouTube.
Being profitable on YouTube: Quick info and FAQ
To wrap issues up, let’s have a look at some frequent questions we get from individuals making an attempt to determine how one can generate profits on YouTube.
What number of views do it’s essential generate profits on YouTube?
There isn’t a set quantity of views it’s essential generate profits on YouTube.
Once more, there are a variety of variables concerned and greenback figures are anecdotal.
Information from Influencer Advertising Hub notes that YouTubers could make $18 per 1,000 advert views which interprets to $3 to $5 per 1,000 video views.
Creator Shelby Church shared an in-depth breakdown of a video that earned 2.2 million views and $743 from adverts. This equates to about 33 cents per 1,000 views. She notes that components like presentation, age and demographics of viewership impacted the payout.

Briefly, extra YouTube views don’t all the time equal extra money in your pocket.
What number of subscribers do it’s essential generate profits on YouTube
There isn’t a actual variety of subscribers it’s essential generate profits on YouTube.
Creators that make careers out of YouTube are those importing persistently and fostering communities.
Piggybacking on the purpose above, a better subscriber rely doesn’t robotically lead to greater payouts.
The interior workings of YouTube’s advert platform imply there is no such thing as a “right” reply right here. We will use YouTube instruments like SocialBlade to provide us a ballpark determine however the vary of estimated earnings is huge. For instance, the month-to-month earnings estimation for a creator with 90,000 subscribers is wherever between $200 and $3,400.

Our recommendation? Don’t have a look at your subscribers as greenback indicators. Give attention to fostering a neighborhood earlier than worrying an excessive amount of about monetization.
The best way to generate profits on YouTube with out posting movies
Whereas it’s technically doable to generate profits on YouTube with out posting movies, it’s positively not the best solution to strategy YouTube.
Give it some thought. Manufacturers don’t develop on Instagram by solely posting on TikTok and vice versa. Each platform has totally different content material sorts, types and expectations. YouTube is similar means.
Certain, there are some steps you may take comparable to repurposing or cross-posting content material to YouTube. This consists of:
- Republishing Reels or TikToks as YouTube Shorts
- Taking webinars, displays or slideshows and turning them into movies
- Taking streams from Twitch or Instagram Dwell and importing them as long-form content material.
Word: Talking of Shorts, creators ought to pay attention to the YouTube Shorts Fund. That is a $100 million fund devoted to encouraging creators to submit unique shorts. The key phrase right here is unique, although! Cross-posting content material doubtless received’t get you there.
If you wish to generate profits on YouTube, it’s essential develop your presence first
Making any degree of earnings from YouTube requires aware effort and consistency.
That mentioned, numerous content material creators are making it occur with their content material. Whether or not via adverts or sponsorships, there are many alternatives to monetize your movies. Hopefully, the following pointers may help you discover a means that is smart for you!
And when you haven’t already, take a look at our in-depth information to YouTube advertising and marketing to take your channel to the subsequent degree.