How Can You Make Money on YouTube in 2024? Proven Strategies for Creators

YouTube has transformed from a simple video-sharing platform into a global stage for creators and a powerful engine for earning income. Today, YouTube creators are modern-day entrepreneurs, building audiences and careers by sharing their passions, knowledge, and entertainment.

If you’re looking to tap into the potential of this platform, understanding how to monetize your YouTube channel is crucial. Whether you’re just starting out or have already built a following, there are diverse strategies to turn your content into revenue. This guide explores proven methods for how to make money on YouTube, going beyond basic ad revenue to uncover lucrative opportunities for creators in 2024.

7 Key Strategies to Monetize Your YouTube Channel

Making money on YouTube involves a multi-faceted approach. While joining the YouTube Partner Program is often the first step, diversifying your income streams is key to maximizing earnings. Here are seven effective strategies to consider:

1. Join the YouTube Partner Program and Leverage Ad Revenue

Example of an in-video YouTube ad for a bicycle brand

The YouTube Partner Program (YPP) is the foundational step for most creators looking to monetize their content directly on the platform. By joining the YPP, you gain access to various monetization features, with ad revenue being the most common starting point.

How Ad Revenue Works:

Once accepted into the YPP, you can enable monetization on your videos. YouTube will then place ads – display, overlay, and video ads – on your content. These ads can be pre-roll (before the video), mid-roll (during videos longer than 8 minutes), or post-roll (after the video).

Key Benefits of the YouTube Partner Program:

Ad Revenue Sharing: Earn a portion of the revenue generated from ads displayed on your videos and Shorts.
YouTube Premium Revenue: Get a share of revenue when YouTube Premium subscribers watch your content.
Fan Funding Features: Unlock tools like Super Chat, Super Thanks, and channel memberships for direct audience support.
YouTube Shopping: Integrate your products and merchandise for sale directly on your channel.
Creator Support and Copyright Tools: Access YouTube’s creator support resources and the Copyright Match Tool to protect your content.

Eligibility for the YouTube Partner Program:

To qualify for the YPP and unlock monetization, your channel needs to meet these requirements:

Subscribers: Minimum of 1,000 subscribers.
Watch Hours or Shorts Views: Either 4,000 valid public watch hours in the past 12 months or 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days.
Compliance with YouTube Policies: Adhere to YouTube’s Community Guidelines and monetization policies.
Geographic Eligibility: Reside in a country or region where the YPP is available.

Maximizing Ad Revenue:

While straightforward, relying solely on ad revenue can be limiting. YouTube retains 45% of ad revenue from standard videos and 55% from Shorts. Furthermore, YouTube’s advertiser-friendly guidelines can sometimes lead to content demonetization. To optimize ad revenue:

Create Engaging Content: Higher viewership and watch time lead to more ad impressions and potential clicks.
Utilize Mid-Roll Ads: For videos over 8 minutes, strategically place mid-roll ads to increase ad frequency without disrupting viewer experience excessively.
Understand YouTube Analytics: Track your audience demographics and video performance to refine your content strategy and appeal to advertisers.

Beyond Ad Revenue: To build a sustainable income, consider ad revenue as one piece of a larger monetization puzzle.

2. Empower Your Audience to Support You Through Fan Funding

The Patreon page of YouTube channel Wait But Why.

Directly engaging your audience for financial support can create a more sustainable and personal revenue stream. Fan funding allows your viewers to contribute directly to your channel, recognizing the value they receive from your content.

YouTube’s Fan Funding Features (within YPP):

Super Chat & Super Stickers: During live streams and premieres, viewers can purchase Super Chats and Super Stickers to highlight their messages in the chat, directly supporting the creator.
Super Thanks: Viewers can send one-time tips directly on uploaded videos as a gesture of appreciation.
Channel Memberships: Offer tiered memberships with exclusive perks in exchange for recurring monthly payments from fans. Membership benefits can include:
- Loyalty Badges and Custom Emojis: Members get unique badges next to their names in comments and live chats, along with custom emojis for use in chats.
- Members-Only Content: Exclusive access to posts, Shorts, and videos visible only to members.
- Early Access: First access to new videos.
- Members-Only Live Streams: Exclusive live streams for members.
- Member Recognition Shelf: Display of member avatars on your channel page.

External Fan Funding Platforms:

Patreon: A popular platform allowing creators to offer memberships and exclusive content outside of YouTube. Patreon is ideal for building a community of dedicated fans who support your work with recurring contributions in exchange for exclusive content or rewards.
Alternatives to Patreon: Platforms like Buy Me a Coffee, Ko-fi, and Memberful offer similar functionalities for fan funding and membership management.

Integrating Fan Funding:

Promote Fan Funding Options: Clearly explain your fan funding options (YouTube Memberships, Patreon, etc.) in your videos and descriptions.
Offer Value for Support: Ensure your membership perks or exclusive content are genuinely valuable to your audience to incentivize support.
Engage with Your Supporters: Acknowledge and engage with your members and patrons to build a strong community and show appreciation for their contributions.

3. Sell Merchandise and Products Directly to Your Fans

t-shirts on a website category page

For creators with a strong brand and engaged audience, selling merchandise can be a highly profitable revenue stream. Merchandise allows you to extend your brand beyond the screen and offer fans a tangible way to support you while expressing their fandom.

YouTube Shopping:

YouTube Shopping provides built-in tools to sell merchandise directly on your channel:

Channel Storefront: Create a dedicated storefront tab on your YouTube channel to showcase your products.
Product Shelf: Display products directly beneath your videos.
Product Tagging: Tag products within your videos and live streams, making them directly shoppable.

Types of Merchandise to Sell:

Branded Apparel: T-shirts, hoodies, hats, and accessories featuring your channel logo, catchphrases, or designs.
Physical Products: Products related to your content niche, such as cooking utensils for a food channel, or fitness equipment for a workout channel.
Digital Products: E-books, guides, templates, presets, or online courses that offer additional value to your audience.

Setting Up Your Merchandise Store:

Connect Your Shopify Store: The most seamless way to integrate YouTube Shopping is by connecting your Shopify store. This automatically syncs your product catalog and manages sales directly through Shopify.
Print-on-Demand Services: For apparel and merchandise, consider print-on-demand (POD) services like Printful or Teespring. POD services handle production and shipping, reducing your upfront costs and logistical burden.
Promote Your Merch: Actively promote your merchandise in your videos, end screens, and community posts. Use engaging visuals and highlight the value and uniqueness of your products.

4. Collaborate with Brands as an Influencer for Sponsorships

Brands are increasingly recognizing the power of influencer marketing, and YouTube creators are highly sought after for sponsorships and brand partnerships. Collaborating with brands allows you to leverage your audience’s trust and loyalty to generate significant income.

Types of Brand Sponsorships:

Sponsored Videos: Create videos dedicated to featuring a brand’s product or service. This can include product reviews, tutorials, or incorporating the brand into your regular content format.
Product Placements: Subtly integrate a brand’s product into your video content without making it the primary focus.
Brand Mentions: Simply mention or endorse a brand verbally within your videos.
Affiliate Marketing (also covered in Strategy 7): Promote products and earn a commission on sales generated through your unique affiliate links.

Finding and Securing Brand Deals:

Build Your Brand and Audience: Focus on creating high-quality content and growing an engaged audience. Brands seek out creators with a relevant and loyal following.
Network and Outreach: Actively reach out to brands in your niche that align with your content and audience. Use platforms like AspireIQ or Grapevine to connect with brands seeking collaborations.
Create a Media Kit: Develop a professional media kit showcasing your channel demographics, engagement metrics, and previous collaborations (if any).
Negotiate Fair Rates: Understand your worth and negotiate rates that reflect your audience size, engagement, and the scope of the sponsorship. Industry benchmarks and tools can help determine appropriate pricing.
Transparency is Key: Always disclose sponsored content clearly to maintain trust with your audience, adhering to advertising guidelines and YouTube’s policies.

Maintaining Authenticity:

Choose Relevant Brands: Partner with brands whose products or services genuinely align with your content and audience interests.
Only Endorse Products You Believe In: Authenticity is paramount. Only promote products you genuinely like and would recommend to your audience.
Balance Promotion with Content Value: Ensure sponsored content still provides value and entertainment to your viewers, rather than being solely promotional.

5. License Your Viral Content to Media Outlets

a woman in a chewbacca mask on youtube video

If you create a video that goes viral and captures widespread attention, you have the opportunity to license your content to media outlets for use in news broadcasts, online articles, or other media formats.

How Content Licensing Works:

Media organizations (TV news, online news sites, morning shows, etc.) often seek user-generated content to supplement their reporting or programming. When a video goes viral, these outlets may reach out to the creator to obtain the rights to use the video in exchange for a licensing fee.

Maximizing Licensing Opportunities:

Create Shareable Content: While virality is often unpredictable, focus on creating content that is unique, timely, emotionally resonant, or newsworthy, increasing its potential to go viral.
Be Responsive to Inquiries: If your video gains traction, be prepared to respond to media inquiries promptly and professionally.
Use Licensing Marketplaces: Platforms like Jukin Media act as marketplaces where you can list your videos for licensing, making them discoverable to media buyers.
Understand Usage Rights and Fees: Negotiate licensing agreements that clearly define the scope of usage, duration, and compensation. Licensing fees vary based on the video’s reach, media outlet, and usage terms.

Example: A funny or heartwarming video featuring pets, an unexpected event captured on camera, or a unique talent demonstration are types of content that often attract media attention and licensing opportunities.

6. Crowdfund Your Creative Projects with Your Audience

a kickstart campaign for Kung Fury movie with preview

Crowdfunding empowers you to directly solicit financial contributions from your audience to fund specific creative projects. This approach is ideal when you need upfront capital for production costs, equipment upgrades, or ambitious content endeavors.

Popular Crowdfunding Platforms for YouTubers:

Kickstarter: Well-suited for project-based funding, particularly for creative projects like films, documentaries, or product development. Kickstarter operates on an all-or-nothing funding model.
Indiegogo: Offers flexible funding options (fixed or flexible funding goals) and is suitable for a wide range of projects, including creative works, tech innovations, and community initiatives.
GoFundMe: Primarily used for personal causes and charitable fundraising, but can also be utilized for creative projects, especially those with a community-focused or impactful theme.

Creating a Successful Crowdfunding Campaign:

Define a Compelling Project: Clearly articulate your project vision, goals, and why it requires crowdfunding.
Set Realistic Funding Goals: Calculate your budget accurately and set a funding goal that is achievable yet sufficient for your project.
Offer Attractive Rewards: Incentivize contributions by offering tiered rewards to backers, such as early access to content, exclusive merchandise, shout-outs, or personalized experiences.
Create a Promotional Video: Develop a compelling video explaining your project, showcasing your passion, and outlining how the funds will be used.
Engage Your Audience: Actively promote your crowdfunding campaign across your YouTube channel, social media, and email lists. Regularly update backers on project progress and express gratitude for their support.

When to Consider Crowdfunding:

Ambitious Projects: For content that requires significant upfront investment, such as short films, documentaries, animation projects, or channel upgrades.
Community-Driven Initiatives: When you want to involve your audience directly in bringing a creative vision to life.
Testing New Content Formats: Crowdfunding can be used to gauge audience interest and secure funding for exploring new content directions.

7. Generate Revenue Through Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing strategy where you earn a commission by promoting products or services from other companies. As a YouTube creator, you can integrate affiliate marketing into your content by recommending products relevant to your niche and audience.

How Affiliate Marketing Works on YouTube:

Join Affiliate Programs: Sign up for affiliate programs offered by companies whose products align with your content. Platforms like Amazon Associates, ShareASale, and individual brand affiliate programs are common.
Create Product-Focused Content: Develop videos that naturally incorporate product recommendations, such as product reviews, tutorials, best-of lists, or comparison videos.
Include Affiliate Links: Add your unique affiliate links in your video descriptions and potentially in end screens or cards. When viewers click these links and make a purchase, you earn a commission.
Disclose Affiliate Relationships: Transparency is crucial. Clearly disclose your affiliate relationships in your video descriptions and within the video itself, adhering to advertising guidelines.

Tips for Successful Affiliate Marketing:

Choose Relevant Products: Promote products that are genuinely useful and relevant to your audience’s interests and needs.
Focus on Value: Provide honest and informative reviews or recommendations. Your primary goal should be to offer value to your viewers, not just to push products.
Utilize YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program: YouTube’s official Shopping affiliate program simplifies the process of finding relevant products and tagging them directly in your videos.
Track Performance: Monitor your affiliate link clicks and conversions to understand what products resonate best with your audience and optimize your affiliate marketing strategy.

Affiliate Marketing Niches on YouTube:

Product Review Channels: Technology, beauty, gaming, and consumer goods review channels are naturally suited for affiliate marketing.
Tutorial and How-To Channels: Channels teaching skills or processes can recommend tools or materials through affiliate links.
Lifestyle Channels: Fashion, home decor, travel, and food channels can incorporate product recommendations into their content.

Getting Paid on YouTube: Understanding the Numbers and Maximizing Revenue

How Many Views Do You Need to Make Money on YouTube?

It’s a common misconception that views directly translate to revenue. While views are important for channel growth, earnings on YouTube are primarily tied to ad engagement – specifically, ad clicks or completed views.

Key Metrics for YouTube Earnings:

RPM (Revenue per Mille – per 1000 views): Represents the revenue earned for every 1,000 monetized views. RPM fluctuates based on factors like audience demographics, ad formats, and content niche.
CPM (Cost per Mille – per 1000 impressions): Reflects the cost advertisers pay for 1,000 ad impressions. CPM is relevant to advertisers but less directly indicative of creator earnings.

Average YouTube Earnings:

Industry averages suggest that YouTube creators can earn approximately $1 to $5 per 1,000 views based on ad revenue. However, this is a broad estimate, and actual RPM can vary significantly.
Data from sources like Influencer Marketing Hub indicates an average of around 1.8¢ per view, translating to $18 per 1,000 views.

Factors Influencing YouTube Earnings:

Audience Demographics: Viewers from countries with higher advertising rates (e.g., US, UK, Canada) generally lead to higher RPMs.
Content Niche: Some niches are more advertiser-friendly and attract higher CPMs than others (e.g., finance, business, technology).
Ad Formats: Different ad formats (skippable, non-skippable, display ads) have varying payout rates.
Video Length and Mid-Roll Ads: Longer videos with strategically placed mid-roll ads can significantly increase ad revenue potential.
Engagement Rate: Higher audience engagement (watch time, ad clicks) generally correlates with better monetization performance.

How Much Money Do YouTubers Realistically Make Per Year?

YouTube earnings vary dramatically, from supplemental income for hobbyists to multi-million dollar businesses for top creators.

Earning Potential Examples:

Small to Medium Channels: Channels with tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of subscribers can potentially earn a livable income, especially by diversifying monetization methods beyond ads.
Large Channels (Millions of Subscribers): Top YouTubers like MrBeast can earn tens of millions of dollars annually through a combination of ad revenue, merchandise sales, sponsorships, and business ventures.
Justine Leconte Example: A channel with 1 million subscribers focused on fashion, estimated to earn around $259,000 annually from ad revenue alone, demonstrating the potential of niche channels with engaged audiences.

Maximizing Your YouTube Revenue:

Diversify Monetization Streams: Don’t rely solely on ad revenue. Explore fan funding, merchandise, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and other methods.
Build a Strong Brand and Audience: Focus on creating valuable, engaging content that attracts and retains viewers. A loyal audience is the foundation for all monetization strategies.
Engage with Your Community: Foster a strong community around your channel. Engaged viewers are more likely to support you through memberships, merchandise purchases, and brand collaborations.
Analyze YouTube Analytics: Regularly monitor your channel analytics to understand audience demographics, video performance, and revenue metrics. Use these insights to refine your content strategy and monetization approach.

Tips for Effectively Selling and Promoting on YouTube

Monetizing your YouTube channel often involves promoting products, services, or fan funding options. However, it’s crucial to do so in a way that maintains audience trust and enhances, rather than detracts from, the viewing experience.

Best Practices for Promotion on YouTube:

Understand Your Audience Deeply

a youtube video with two info cards and an ad for shoes

Knowing your audience is fundamental to effective monetization. Understanding their demographics, interests, and preferences allows you to tailor your content and promotions for maximum impact.

Key Audience Insights to Track (via YouTube Analytics):

Gender and Age: Understand the demographic makeup of your audience to align promotions with their interests.
Geographic Location: Target promotions and product recommendations relevant to your audience’s region.
Watch Time and Engagement: Identify what content resonates most with your audience to inform future content and promotion strategies.

Utilize YouTube Info Cards and End Screens

Info Cards: Strategically use info cards (formerly YouTube Cards) to add interactive pop-ups within your videos. Link to your merchandise store, Patreon page, relevant videos, or affiliate products at contextually relevant moments.
End Screens: Optimize end screens to promote related videos, playlists, channel subscriptions, website links, and merchandise shelves at the end of your videos to encourage further engagement.

Add Prominent Links in Video Descriptions

Gymshark youtube video with links to follow the brand on social media in description

Your video description is prime real estate for driving traffic to your monetization channels.

Include Links to: Your online store, Patreon or fan funding pages, affiliate product links, social media profiles, and website.
Place Links at the Top: Ensure important links are placed at the beginning of your description for maximum visibility.
Use Clear Calls to Action: Encourage viewers to click your links with clear calls to action (e.g., “Shop my merch here,” “Support me on Patreon,” “Check out this product”).

Promote Your YouTube Offers on Other Platforms

Don’t limit your promotional efforts to YouTube alone. Leverage your presence on other social media platforms to amplify your reach.

Cross-Promote on Social Media: Share new videos, merchandise launches, crowdfunding campaigns, and sponsorship announcements on platforms like X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Engage Your Audience Across Platforms: Build a community beyond YouTube and use your social media channels to drive traffic back to your YouTube content and monetization links.
Email Marketing (if applicable): If you have an email list, use it to announce new content, promotions, and engage with your most dedicated fans directly.

The Creator Economy on YouTube: Turning Passion into Profit

YouTube offers a remarkable platform for creators to turn their passions into sustainable careers. While building a successful and profitable YouTube channel requires dedication, creativity, and consistent effort, the diverse monetization strategies available provide multiple pathways to generate income.

By understanding these strategies, focusing on creating valuable content, engaging with your audience, and diversifying your revenue streams, you can unlock the earning potential of YouTube and thrive in the growing creator economy.

How to Make Money on YouTube: Frequently Asked Questions

How many views do you need on YouTube to make money?

The number of views is not the primary factor. Revenue is generated through ad engagement (clicks or completed views). While higher views increase potential ad exposure, engagement is key to earnings.

How much do you get paid per 1,000 views on YouTube?

Average earnings range from $1 to $5 per 1,000 monetized views, but this varies based on audience demographics, niche, ad formats, and other factors.

Do you get paid for uploading videos on YouTube?

No, YouTube does not pay creators simply for uploading videos. You earn money by enabling monetization and participating in the YouTube Partner Program, which allows you to earn from ads and other features.

How do YouTubers make money on YouTube?

YouTubers make money through various methods, including:

YouTube Partner Program (Ad Revenue)
Selling Products and Merchandise
Crowdfunding
Fan Funding (Super Chat, Memberships, Super Thanks)
Licensing Content to Media
Brand Sponsorships and Influencer Marketing
Affiliate Marketing

How Can You Make Money On Youtube without making videos?

While less direct, you can earn money on YouTube without creating your own videos by:

Affiliate Marketing: Promote products related to YouTube content and drive traffic through your website or social media.
YouTube Channel Management/Consulting: Offer services to other YouTubers, such as channel management, SEO optimization, or video editing.
Investing in YouTube Channels: Potentially invest in existing monetized YouTube channels.

This comprehensive guide provides a roadmap for understanding how to make money on YouTube in 2024. By implementing these strategies and continuously adapting to the evolving YouTube landscape, you can build a thriving and profitable channel.