Here’s a practical, step-by-step guide to earning money on YouTube — what’s required, how revenue works, and the fastest paths for new creators.
Ad revenue (YouTube Partner Program, YPP): ads placed on your videos. Requires meeting YPP eligibility (see next).
Channel memberships: paid monthly perks for members (once eligible).
Super Chat / Super Thanks / Super Stickers: viewer payments during live streams or on videos.
YouTube Merch Shelf & Shopping: sell merchandise directly on your channel (eligibility required).
YouTube Shorts Fund/Shorts Monetization (varies): Shorts have special programs, and monetization rules differ from those of regular videos.
Off-YouTube income: brand sponsorships, affiliate links, Patreon, online courses, consulting, licensing viral clips, selling stock footage.
YPP eligibility (what you need to start earning ad revenue)
Common paths (verify with YouTube Help for updates):
1,000 subscribers AND 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months, OR
1,000 subscribers AND 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days.
Also: compliance with YouTube policies and an approved AdSense account.
How much you can earn (realistic ranges)
CPM (what advertisers pay) varies widely by niche, country, season (e.g., $1–$20+ per 1,000 ad impressions).
RPM (what you as creator earn after YouTube’s cut and other factors) is typically lower — many creators see $0.50–$7 per 1,000 views depending on niche/audience.
Example: 100,000 views at $2 RPM ≈ $200. Niche topics (finance, software, B2B) often pay more.
Fastest ways for small/new channels to earn
Affiliate marketing: promote products and include tracked links — works before YPP.
Sponsorships: micro-sponsorships for niche audiences (you can pitch brands once you have engaged viewers).
Sell digital products or services: courses, ebooks, one-on-one coaching.
Patreon / Ko-fi / Buy Me a Coffee: fan funding.
Repurpose Shorts + long-form: Shorts grow subscribers fast; use long-form for watch time and higher ad revenue.
Grow your channel — key tactics that increase revenue potential
- Niche + audience: choose a specific audience and solve their problems or entertain them consistently.
- Hook viewers fast: first 5–15 seconds must grab attention.
- Focus on watch time & retention: YouTube rewards videos viewers watch longer.
- Optimize metadata: clear, searchable titles; keyword-rich descriptions; relevant tags.
- Thumbnails & CTR: create bold, readable thumbnails that stand out; test variations.
- Consistency & schedule: regular uploads build momentum.
- Cross-promotion: collaborate, use social media and playlists to increase watch time.
- Use end screens/cards and CTAs to drive to other videos or to subscribe.
- Study Analytics: monitor traffic sources, retention graphs, and top-performing topics; iterate.
- Production basics (don’t overcomplicate early)
- Good audio matters more than perfect video. Use a decent mic.
- Clean framing and adequate lighting go a long way.
- Edit tightly: remove filler, keep pace, and add captions.
- Start with simple equipment; upgrade as revenue grows.
- Legal & practical notes
- Disclose sponsorships and affiliate links (FTC rules).
- Use licensed music and footage or YouTube’s Audio Library to avoid strikes.
- Keep business records and set aside money for taxes.
- Quick action plan (first 30–90 days)
- Pick a niche & define 3–5 content ideas that solve audience problems.
- Script/outline and produce 10 videos (practice and learn fast).
- Optimize thumbnails, titles, descriptions, and add captions.
- Upload consistently (e.g., 1–2×/week or daily Shorts) and promote across socials.
- Monitor analytics weekly and double down on what works.
- Add one monetization avenue beyond ads (affiliate link, Patreon, or digital product).
- Want help?
I can:
- Suggest niche ideas based on your interests/skills.
- Review a video title + thumbnail and give optimization tips.
- Create a 30/60/90-day video plan for growth and monetization.
