How to Make Money With YouTube

Create a YouTube Account

Before you can begin making money via YouTube, you need a YouTube account. Because YouTube is a Google company, it requires a Google email, or Gmail, to register. Once registration is complete and the YouTube account is active, it's time to populate your account, also known as a channel, with content.

Creating an account does not automatically qualify you to earn revenues from it. YouTube account holders must follow certain guidelines, such as building an audience and maintaining a specific level of engagement. Amassing a group of followers validates why your channel should earn revenues.

Make Videos

To build an audience and gain views, YouTube content creators must consistently develop content that followers enjoy watching. Therefore, the next step is to create videos. There is no universal model for what works and what doesn’t work on YouTube. Some of the most popular content include professionally produced music videos and impromptu family videos recorded with a smartphone.

Using a smartphone is convenient and effective as most are outfitted with quality cameras. Recording in HD will produce a better quality video, so be sure to use the highest quality setting on your phone. If you want an even more professional video, you can use a DSLR camera and an external microphone.

You can edit your video with a desktop program like the free Windows Movie Maker, iMovie, or a paid program like Adobe Premiere for more robust features. YouTube also has a free editor with basic features. As you edit your video, be sure to not use copyrighted music. If you do, your videos won’t be eligible for YouTube advertising.

Upload to YouTube and Configure for SEO

Now that your video is complete, it is time to upload your video to the YouTube servers. You can drag and drop videos from your computer into the uploader, or you can add them individually by clicking on the upload arrow. Depending on the size of your video and your Internet connection, uploading could last anywhere from a few seconds to a few hours. You can upload multiple videos at a time as long as you do not close the upload page in your browser.

When your video is uploaded, or while it is uploading, you can fill out the information about it. Be as detailed as possible when creating a title, description, category, and tags. YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world, and good search engine optimization (SEO) can be the difference between a few views and a few million views.

Promote Your Video

Now that your video is online, it’s time to get the word out. Share your video on social networks, blogs, forums, message boards, and anywhere else you can online. You can embed your video on other sites or link to the video so viewers can watch it on YouTube. Just be careful to avoid spamming because that would result in fewer views for your videos.

Promoting your videos helps you to gain subscribers and views. Increasing your audience base gets you closer to being able to earn money on your content. Once your channel is active and you have a catalog of content and a captive audience, you are ready to monetize your videos.

Other YouTube Revenue Sources

Sponsorship

YouTube content creators have additional ways to earn revenues besides through ads and subscribers. Brands often look for influencers to promote their products and services. With the massive number of users YouTube attracts, its platform is great for advertising. Third parties can capitalize on YouTube's user base through sponsorship agreements with its account holders.

Becoming a brand sponsor can be a lucrative option for YouTubers as companies pay them to act as brand sponsors, promoting the company, product, or service in their videos. The YouTuber often promotes the product without guarantees, and the sponsorship is usually incorporated into videos of unrelated content.

Endorsement

Much like sponsorships, endorsements are secured by agreements between a third party and the YouTube influencer. In contrast to sponsorship where the YouTuber solely promotes an offering, an endorsement is a promotion with the YouTuber's stamp of approval. They stand by their claims on the product and issue a form of guarantee to their viewing audience. In exchange for endorsing a product, company, or service, the influencer receives a fee.

Merchandise

YouTube influencers with a popular channel and a strong fan base can earn additional revenues by offering merchandise, also known as merch. Branded merchandise, such as t-shirts and hats, connects fans to YouTubers and can create a deeper sense of loyalty among them. It's another way of supporting the influencer beyond watching their content and subscribing to their channels.