You’ve mastered the YouTube algorithm. Your channel’s SEO is in tip-top shape. You’ve even decoded YouTube’s analytics. Now comes the moment you’ve been waiting for—it’s time to make some money doing what you love. YouTube’s monetization policy changes from time to time and that can seem scary. We promise you have nothing to fear—we’re here to walk you through the ins and outs of the entire YouTube monetization process. Equipped with knowledge straight from YouTube’s amazing community of creators, you’ll be ready to grow your channel in no time. But first, let’s go through some of the basics of monetization. How do you even start?
How do
I qualify for YouTube Monetization?
First, to qualify for monetization, your
channel has to have at least 4,000 hours of public watch time within the last
year and at least 1,000 subscribers. This policy went into effect at the
beginning of 2018 and is another way for YouTube to prioritize watch time (as
opposed to view count, which was the platform’s previous focus). Since
YouTube ultimately wants to keep users on the platform for as long as possible,
watch time has become more and more valuable to creators. Luckily, we have
a guide
to help you start and grow your YouTube channel. Based on conversations in the r/youtubers and r/youtube subreddits, the 1,000 subscribers/4,000 hours of watch
time benchmarks are actually pretty manageable! Plus, once you’ve implemented
an effective
SEO strategy, it won’t be long before you hit those magic
numbers.
What
counts as “Public watch time?”
“Public watch time” is the total number of
hours users have spent watching your channel’s public videos. Private, unlisted, or deleted videos do NOT count toward this number.
Tip: Do
NOT try to game the system
As we’ve said before, do not try to
game the system. Your monetization application could be denied if your
channel shows any signs of engaging in “sub4sub” or “view4view” strategies. In
other words, if you’re subscribing to other people’s channels in exchange for
subscriptions to your channel, or watching other channels’ videos in exchange
for watch hours on your own channel, YouTube could find out and deny (or
disable) your monetization. So don’t do it. YouTube is a search engine, just
like Google, so sure, there are ways to improve your visibility, but if you do
anything to game the system, YouTube’s
advanced algorithm will catch it and
penalize your channel. Engaging in shady YouTube tactics is a risky move and a
waste of your time. Trust your creative instincts and focus your efforts on
producing content that you love, and you’ll get the subscribers you deserve.
Prep Your
Channel for Monetization
Before you hit the “Enable” button to monetize
your channel, there are a few things you can do to make sure that your channel
has the best possible chance of getting approved for
monetization. It can take up to 30 days for YouTube to review your channel, and
you have to wait an additional 30 days to apply if your application is denied,
so don’t take any chances—you want revenue to start coming in as soon as
possible. One of the most common reasons that YouTube doesn’t approve monetization
applications is duplication. (By the way, if your application is
denied, YouTube will provide a reason on your monetization page, but the
explanations can be a little vague). Now let’s talk about how to avoid this
issue. When using stock footage and audio, make
sure that you have all of the right licenses in place. If you’re using
Storyblocks content, this is actually very easy because each audio or video
clip or comes with a license that you can download at any time. It’s important
to know where to have and understand these licenses even if you’re not
monetizing your channel.
3 Easy
Steps To Enable Monetization on YouTube
You’ve reached the required number of
subscribers and watch hours, and you’ve checked your channel for red flags—now
what? It’s time to learn how to enable monetization on YouTube.
- Click
on YouTube Studio in the dropdown after you click on your
icon in the top right corner of the screen.
- Once
you’re in YouTube Studio, find the Channel menu on the left-hand side of
your screen, and click on Monetization.
- Finally,
in the Monetization window, click Start.
Once you’ve done this, you’ve accepted the
YouTube Partner Program terms. You just have to sign up for AdSense or connect
an existing account. This is what ultimately allows your channel to earn money.
YouTube will then prompt you to set your monetization preferences. Don’t worry
too much about this step—you can change your monetization preferences later and
customize it so that you’re only monetizing certain videos.
Wait
for Monetization Approval
Unfortunately, monetizing on
YouTube isn’t as simple as clicking a button. It typically takes 30 days for
YouTube to review an application. However, a backlog does build
up from time to time. This
is important to keep in mind since it means that you probably won’t be able to
start generating revenue for at least 30 days. All you can do is continue to
hustle during this waiting period. Keep posting regularly (the YouTube algorithm
rewards channels that post consistently), make sure you’re still focusing on
SEO, and remain engaged with your audience. If you allow your channel to lag
during this time, it could really hurt you in the long run. Your channel can
always benefit from additional subscribers and watch time—both of which can
open up new revenue streams in addition to monetization.
There are Other Monetization Options
Monetizing through YouTube is only one of the ways that you
can make money on YouTube. There are actually several others, but enabling
YouTube monetization is a great, fairly easy entry point. The subscriber and
watch time threshold for YouTube ads is pretty low, so it allows your channel
to pick up steam when it’s still in its infancy. As you continue to gain more
followers and increase watch times, however, you should consider additional
monetization options—especially if you have a very loyal and engaged audience.
1. Patronage
Patreon is one of the most popular online patronage platforms
for YouTube creators. Patreon allows your loyal followers to pay a certain
amount of money each month for access to exclusive content. You can have
multiple tiers of patrons, providing them with anything from behind-the-scenes
footage to completely new content (that non-paying members can’t see). Some
YouTubers give their patrons access to videos a day early, others even throw in
some one-on-one time with the creators themselves. Patreon is a fantastic
option for creators with a loyal fanbase. More often than not, that loyalty is
gained through consistent communication and engagement with your followers.
2. Merchandise
People love merch. But before you start printing 1,000
t-shirts for all 1,000 of your subscribers, test the waters a bit. Ask your
audience if they’re interested in buying merchandise from you. You can suggest
types of merchandise and even ask them to comment with products that they’d
like to buy. Selling merch is especially great if you and your followers use
specific lingo, catchphrases, or have inside jokes. Once you start selling
merch, you can also include it in contests, giveaways, or even add it to one of
your Patreon tiers.
3. Affiliates
The good news is that it’s pretty easy to get into an
affiliate program. The earnings are just lower than what you’d receive with a
paid sponsorship. Once you sign up for an affiliate program with a specific
brand, you’ll receive a unique link or discount code that your followers can
use when shopping with that brand. Every time your link or code is used, you’ll
earn a small commission. Mention the affiliate code in your videos and also
include it in your video descriptions to maximize earnings.
4.
Product Features
Product features are a great stepping stone toward paid
sponsorships, but they may not result in actual cash. As you start gaining a
larger following, brands might send you their products to feature and/or review
in your videos. Free stuff is great, right? You don’t even have to wait for
brands to reach out to you—go ahead and pitch yourself to potential sponsors.
Just make sure that you pitch to companies that make sense for your channel
(although, you may start receiving random product feature requests along the
way).
5. Paid Sponsorships
Paid sponsorships are the goldmine for making money on
YouTube. This is when brands pay you to mention or endorse their product in
your videos. We’re going to be completely honest with you—this is a hard goal
to reach. But it is never too early to start pitching yourself to companies.
Engage with them on social media, show them how you would help their brand, and
provide examples of successful product sponsorships or affiliate programs
you’ve done in the past. Even if you haven’t quite hit the desired subscriber
count yet, you’ll still put yourself on brands’ radars. Again, just make sure
that the companies you seek out make sense for the content you produce.
Hustle, Hustle, Hustle
Monetization can be a tricky game, but just remember to keep
up the hustle! You’re in it for the long haul, so make content that you are
truly passionate about. YouTube creators are some of the busiest people out
there, so set yourself up for success by using high-quality stock footage and After
Effects templates. Don’t skimp on the audio, either—viewers
appreciate sound
effects and music that match the tone of the video (and it won’t cost you
an arm and a leg if you go with stock). In video production, your time is just
as valuable as your money, so save on both with stock media from Storyblocks.
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