If you follow or at least know the famous “youtubers,” you've probably wondered how they make money with their videos. Besides the well-known “gifts” they get from various partnerships with companies, these influencers are also paid by the video-sharing platform itself.
In June 2018, YouTube announced a new form of monetization. This latest service, which allows creators to profit from their content, is called YPP, short for “YouTube Partner Program.” With it, you can make money in the following ways:
- Ad placements: Google Adsense is one of the best-known ways to monetize videos. These are the ads that appear at the beginning and in the middle of the video, above the suggestions, or even in the footer.
- Super Chat: A paid feature for users who want their comment highlighted during a live video, with the option to customize the color to catch the attention of whoever is streaming.
- Official merchandise: Another way to make money is through merchandising, selling official products. You can link to a store or a crowdfunding project in your videos, as long as your sales site or “crowdfunding” campaign is approved by YouTube.
- Channel Memberships: In this model, viewers pay a monthly fee to receive badges, exclusive posts, new emojis, and access to custom perks offered by content creators.
For a channel to be eligible to earn money, it needs to have more than a thousand subscribers and at least four thousand watch hours in the last 12 months. In addition, there are several rules about which content is suitable for ads, and advertisers can also choose to target specific content.
Cool, right? Keep in mind that YouTube's goal is for users to build their own audiences, not to get rich right off the first video. Research real cases, learn how to use the tool, and good luck on your journey in the world of videos!
