How To Make Money On YouTube
An overview of ways creators earn money on YouTube. The original 2014 article has been updated, as YouTube's rules have changed a lot since.
The basics
YouTube is the largest video platform, and some creators earn a full-time living from it. What matters most is consistently making original content people want to watch: tutorials, tips, entertainment, reviews. Use YouTube Studio's analytics (views, subscribers, audience retention, revenue) to see what's working, and upload on a regular schedule to keep viewers engaged.
Never upload copyrighted material you don't own, and stay within the community guidelines. Strikes can get your channel removed.
Ways to earn
- Ad revenue (YouTube Partner Program)
- YouTube shares ad revenue with creators who join its Partner Program, paid via a linked AdSense account. Joining requires meeting subscriber and watch-time thresholds (historically 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 watch hours in a year, with an alternative route for Shorts views); check YouTube's current requirements. Earnings per view vary widely by topic and audience country.
- Affiliate marketing
- Review or feature a product and put your affiliate link in the description; you earn a commission on sales. Videos can also rank in Google search, bringing extra traffic. Disclose affiliate links clearly.
- Sponsorships
- Brands pay creators to mention or feature products, a major income source once you have a loyal audience.
- Memberships, Super Chat and merchandise
- Fans can support channels directly through paid memberships, live-stream donations and merch.
- Selling your own products
- E-books, courses or services promoted through your videos.
A warning about "CPA" and "pay-per-download" schemes
The original article suggested sending viewers to CPA offers (getting paid when viewers complete sign-up "offers") and pay-per-download sites (locking a file behind surveys). These "content locker" schemes are widely seen as spammy, often break YouTube's policies on misleading links, and can get a channel penalised. Stick to transparent methods.
See also
- Kill Your Day Job
- How I became financially independent in 5 years
- Strong Identity (building a personal brand)
Summary of a 2014 article on YouTube monetisation, updated for current YouTube policies.