YouTube is one of the biggest and best ways to get exposure online, but being successful at becoming an influencer depends largely on how visible you are in real life.
If you're shy about opening up in front of cameras, it might be difficult to become popular enough to build a brand -- let alone turn that into profit. But there are other options for earning income than creating content yourself. You could use someone else's work instead.
Here's everything you should know if you want to start profiting off your own clips rather than uploading others' material.
The short answer is "it depends." The longer answer is...kinda? It all comes down to what kind of advertising you plan to pursue as well as the type of channel you have (more on this later). While some channels may require fewer subscribers than others before they'll accept new uploads, most will take any number of fans.
According to analytics company SocialBlade, while more than 1 billion people visit YouTube every month, only around 40 percent of those actually subscribe to YouTube Premium. That means that even though there are over 2 billion active users who watch each day, only 840 million actively engage with creators regularly through subscriptions, likes, comments, shares, etc.
That leaves us with roughly 960 million regular watchers. If we assume half of them create their own original content, that still puts the average user watching 5 minutes per clip. So, if you had 100,000 followers, you'd likely see somewhere between five and 10 cents per view. Let's round up to ten cents per view since it makes math easier. This would put your monthly earnings anywhere from $500 to $1,000.
But wait! There's more. According to Digital Music News, the median revenue generated by music streaming services such as Spotify ranges from $0.0012/play to $0.0027/play. Again, assuming 50% of those listeners create their own original content, anyone with 100,000 followers could potentially generate $5,000 to $10,000 per year. And that doesn't include ad revenue from major brands like Coca Cola, which reportedly spent nearly $6.3 million on digital ads during Super Bowl LIII earlier this year.
So why don't more people try profiting off their vlogging skills? Well, there are several reasons. For starters, there isn't much support when it comes to monetizing non-creator accounts. A lot of big names aren't too keen on letting outsiders steal away their audience. They also worry that having another person behind the scenes will eventually cause conflicts, especially once they begin sharing responsibilities like editing footage together. Plus, it takes time to grow an established following.
All of these factors mean that until you've built up a significant subscriber base, you won't find success doing so directly. However, there are plenty of opportunities out there where you can leverage existing audiences to help boost your income. Some examples follow below.
Yes, sort of. When you first sign up for YouTube, you can set your profile to private mode. Private profiles allow viewers to access your account, but keep your name hidden unless you click the "My Channel" tab. By default, however, your profile remains public so anyone can stumble upon your videos.
To change this setting, go to Settings & Privacy " Your Content Preferences " Profile Visibility. Select either Public, Closed, or Only Me then save changes.
This option allows you to keep your vlogging separate from your personal identity. After all, you wouldn't necessarily want everyone knowing the specifics of your daily routine, right?
It's worth noting that anyone with a basic knowledge of HTML can edit your profile page. As such, if you were worried about privacy issues, consider using a service like Hootsuite to manage multiple social media platforms at once. With Hootsuite, you can choose to post publicly or privately on various sites including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Discord, Reddit, Snapchat, Pinterest, Foursquare, Tumblr, Vimeo---the list goes on and on.
As mentioned above, you can also share your account information with trusted friends or family members so they can easily track updates on your behalf. Just head back to the same settings menu described above under "Profile visibility," scroll down to "Allow Others To Post On My Behalf", and select Yes.
You can also opt to add certain individuals to your Google+ circle so they gain access to your posts via Google+. In addition, you can grant someone permission to invite guests onto your livestream. Lastly, you can give someone limited control over your account to perform tasks like deleting videos.
However, no matter how you slice it, maintaining a fully anonymous profile requires quite a bit of effort. Which brings us to...
While we touched upon this briefly above, it bears mentioning again here because it's important. One way to increase your chances of getting noticed is to avoid talking altogether. Instead, focus on visual elements like captions, graphics, slideshows, infographics, or photos.
A study published last year found that visuals garner double the engagement rate compared to text-only posts. Another 2018 report revealed that videos receive two times as many clicks as links. What does that mean for you? Simply put, using images and GIFS can often lead to higher viewer numbers.
Of course, you don't always need professional photography equipment to pull this off. You can simply download stock pictures from websites like Unsplash, Pixabay, Pexels, Canva, Picjumbo, and Creative Commons. Or, you can purchase high quality royalty-free templates from sources like Adobe Stock.
Whatever you decide, remember that less words equals greater attention spans. Aim to reduce long passages of texts to maybe three sentences max. Less is more.
Also, think twice before posting screenshots. These types of posts tend to attract trolls who enjoy mocking others, and they never look good regardless of whether they come across as funny or offensive. Consider asking someone to screencap anything that appears interesting before publishing. Then, ensure that they send you a copy before releasing it to the public.
Lastly, don't forget tips like keeping descriptions simple, adding hashtags, and tagging relevant keywords. All of this will hopefully compel potential viewers to check out your latest creation.
Like we discussed previously, it's possible to make money on YouTube without putting your face forward. However, it will depend heavily on the type of content you wish to produce.
For example, if you happen to possess unique talents---like singing or playing instruments---you may want to explore licensing your performances to companies looking to capitalize on viral trends.
Other creative ideas involve producing themed playlists for different niches, selling merchandise related to your favorite characters, or partnering with clothing manufacturers to sell branded apparel.
In any case, make sure to thoroughly research your chosen business model. Also, stay true to yourself. Don't sacrifice your integrity for quick cash. Remember, authenticity resonates far better than trying to fit into an idealized version of reality.
Good luck!
If this is your first time hearing about the power of YouTube then we're going to explain how you can actually begin earning an income from just watching and listening to other people's stuff.
This won't be a traditional way of doing things but rather something that leverages what makes YouTube so popular in order to create passive revenue streams online.
So can you really make money on YouTube without making any video yourself? Read on to find out...
No. But there are some workarounds. Let's start by explaining exactly why you need someone else (a YouTuber) who has created their own channel if you want to get paid directly through YouTube. The reason being is because YouTube monetization uses complex algorithms that consider factors such as engagement levels, comments, likes, shares, subscriptions, etc., all of which relate specifically to original content. So unless you have already established yourself as one of those creators, you'll have to rely on others (or affiliates).
Affiliates are basically individuals or companies offering products or services related to your niche market. They promote these products via affiliate links placed across various social media platforms including blogs, forums, Reddit, Facebook groups, etc. If you've spent even five minutes browsing YouTube, you will notice many channels linking back to specific items they recommend. These recommendations usually include everything from makeup brushes, shampoo brands, supplements, clothing labels, cookbooks, kitchen appliances, etc. And most importantly, every single item featured within each recommended post comes straight from the company itself.
And yes, like any business owner, when working with affiliates you should expect them to provide support before, during, and after any promotion runs its course -- especially regarding refunds if necessary. In fact, this may be part of the agreement between you two prior to running any campaigns together.
Yes! However, keep in mind that earning money solely off of views alone would take years depending on how much traffic you receive. A better alternative is leveraging product reviews/product comparisons/reviews where you don't necessarily need to talk at all. This type of marketing strategy works best with smaller niches since you must generate enough interest around a particular topic in order to attract more viewers. For example, let's say you run a website dedicated to dog training tips. Instead of writing long paragraphs full of information, you could simply link users over to another page containing short yet informative articles highlighting certain strategies used throughout different stages of the process. Over time, once users realize this site is worth bookmarking and sharing, they might eventually click away from your homepage and onto whatever article caught their eye. Once again, this doesn't require any interaction from you whatsoever.
Another option is using review sites similar to ClickBank mentioned above, except instead of promoting affiliate links you choose to feature actual customer ratings and product descriptions. Essentially, you become a curator for additional revenue streams beyond clicks.
However, while reviewing products is great for building credibility, it becomes more difficult to maintain consistency due to the sheer amount of competition present. Therefore, this method does come with greater risks associated with delivering consistent results month after month. On top of that, you still need to build up your subscriber list in order to see profit margins increase overtime.
You do however gain access to thousands of potential customers right from day 1 without having to spend hours upon hours editing footage, uploading clips, prepping graphics, etc. Plus, since you're essentially selling to existing subscribers, you also help improve retention rates and boost overall revenues.
Absolutely! As previously stated, you can leverage other channels' efforts by becoming an affiliate to grow your earnings. Or alternatively, you can use the aforementioned curation tactic described earlier to highlight high-quality posts rather than random advertisements.
For instance, let's assume you discover another YouTuber posting pictures of food next to a caption describing how good her meal tasted. Then you decide to upload your own version featuring your favorite dish alongside a brief description outlining how delicious it tastes. Now imagine hundreds of hungry followers looking forward to seeing your creation posted side-by-side with theirs. It almost sounds too easy, doesn't it? Well, it kind of is. All you did was share somebody else's original idea and build upon it. No matter whether you made new recipes, edited old ones, or rebranded existing dishes, you didn't technically "create" anything. Which means you aren't responsible for copyright violations.
Of course, if you don't feel confident creating your very own recipe ideas then you always have the option to purchase stock images depicting meals and drinks. Even though this requires spending extra cash upfront, you never have to worry about maintaining quality control. Additionally, you can easily search for free options available on websites such as Pexels and Pixabay.
Regardless of how you go about it, remember that quality is key here. People tend to flock toward content that offers value or solves problems. Since nobody wants to watch boring tutorials, try putting a spin on what you normally view by adding your personal touch. Whether it's cooking shows, beauty vloggers, fitness trainers, gamers, travel guides, etc., everyone loves discovering unique ways to learn something new.
As discussed earlier, you can certainly make money on YouTube without ever speaking a word. That said, this form of monetizing relies heavily on the number of views you accumulate per week. After all, YouTube ads show based on viewership statistics. With that being said, you shouldn't expect instant riches overnight. Remember that it takes months, maybe even years, to establish a reliable stream of residual income. While you may not be able to pull down six figures initially, your goal should remain focused on growing your subscriber count until you reach that point.
But hey, regardless of what happens, don't lose hope. There's no shame in starting small and slowly expanding your audience base. Eventually, as your following grows, you'll soon have the ability to pick and choose which projects you'd like to pursue further.
In addition to learning how to properly set up your account, understand how Google AdSense functions, and utilize third-party tools to maximize conversions, there are several steps you can take to ensure success. First, focus on optimizing your profile settings so that viewers know exactly who uploaded this content. Next, optimize the titles, captions, tags, ad text, etc., of individual videos to draw attention to what matters most. Lastly, place relevant keywords into your description box to aid searches.
Finally, pay close attention to your analytics data. Although it seems simple enough, tracking your progress isn't always intuitively obvious. Fortunately, there's plenty of software designed to assist with monitoring metrics such as total impressions served, average position, conversion rate, cost-per-click, etc. By paying careful attention to your numbers, you'll quickly identify patterns and figure out what types of topics resonate well among viewers. From there, you can continue producing similar material in hopes of attracting more loyal fans.
Whether you prefer to speak openly about your passion online or wish to stay anonymous, we sincerely applaud anyone willing to venture outside of their comfort zone to follow a dream. We believe that nothing holds us back except ourselves. Take action today! Make YouTube your home base, embrace your passions, and live life fully.
YouTube is one of the most popular websites in the world. And while its content creators are typically associated with uploading their own original videos, there have been some notable exceptions over the years. One such exception was The Fine Brothers' "Sh*t My Dad Says" sketch series which started out as an animated skit and went viral thanks to the brothers themselves being funny dads on screen.
But even though they're famous, the pair don't actually upload any new footage -- instead, they use clips from other people's uploaded videos. They then add music and voiceovers before releasing them into the wild. This isn't just limited to comedy sketches either, as YouTuber Sam Tsui used this method to create his hit show about life after quarantine called Quarantine Party.
In fact, anyone who has ever watched TikTok knows that users often copycat others' lip movements by using pre-made soundbites in order to tell jokes or stories more effectively. So if you want to learn how to become a professional comedian, all you really need is a microphone and a lot of imagination... right?
Wrong. While having no video yourself may work well for those looking for ways to earn extra income, you'll still be missing out on something important: targeted traffic. Without viewers watching your video, you won't see much success unless you take measures to drive up engagement and boost viewership numbers. That said, you could always try selling advertising space alongside your channel but we recommend going down another route first.
So what else can you do besides creating your own original videos in order to make money on YouTube? Keep reading!
While it might seem like the easiest way to start earning money from YouTube, it turns out that you only have so many options when it comes to producing original content. In particular, you're pretty much stuck with two choices:
Uploading live streams of gameplay (such as Fortnite)
Recording tutorials or guides based off previous knowledge/experience
The former option works great because you usually keep everything under wraps and receive direct payment through PayPal or Google Checkout. However, depending on where you live, this type of streaming doesn't allow for monetization outside of Twitch ads.
On the flipside, recording tutorial videos allows you to share information without revealing too much. But since these types tend to require a little bit of technical knowhow, they aren't suitable for everyone. If you're interested in finding out more, check out the best online courses worth paying for.
Now let's explore the different methods available to help you turn your hobby into passive income.
This question gets asked quite frequently by beginners hoping to find out exactly how many subscribers they need to reach before getting paid. Unfortunately, it's impossible to provide accurate figures due to countless factors involved. For example, the quality of your audio output will affect whether someone wants to watch your video at full length or stop halfway through. As such, here's a general idea of what kind of results you should expect.
Let's say you've created a 20 minute long vlog focused around cooking. It features simple recipes with step-by-step instructions accompanied by high production values. Assuming you recorded it completely alone and didn't include any background noise, the average viewer would likely consume roughly three minutes per clip. When viewed on desktop computers, the same clip would play back at 30 frames per second (fps). On mobile devices however, things change dramatically -- especially if you choose to record in 1080p resolution.
If you stream your vlogs on YouTube Live, the default setting plays each clip at 15 fps. Even if you set your phone to 720p, playback speed remains constant at 24 fps. To avoid confusion, remember that the number of seconds in a minute depends upon the time zone you're located in. Since US and UK both follow GMT, 1 hour feels longer than 2 hours everywhere else.
When viewed on standard definition televisions, your video will run at 540x480 pixels. By contrast, 4K TVs offer higher resolutions at 3840x2160 pixels. According to YouTube itself, the ideal viewing distance varies between 3 feet and 10 meters. At closer distances, the display size scales proportionally whereas further away it becomes larger.
For reference, 360 degree panoramic photos look good from anywhere within six feet of the subject. Anything beyond that point starts to suffer from distortion.
And lastly, if you decide to go pro and launch your own YouTube channel, you'll also need to consider the following factors:
Your video's title must contain keywords relevant to your niche.
It must feature informative descriptions containing hashtags.
You should strive to publish at least once every week.
As such, the amount of views required to generate revenue is heavily dependent on the aforementioned variables. With that in mind, the key takeaway is to focus less on quantity and more on quality. After all, the goal of your vlogs shouldn't solely be to entertain. Instead, you should aim to teach viewers something valuable that they otherwise wouldn't understand.
One thing that separates successful YouTube personalities from ordinary individuals is their ability to engage audiences despite lacking experience. Some of the biggest names today fall into this category, including Lilly Singh ("IISuperwoman"), Jake Paul ("Team Kayla") and PewDiePie ("PewDiePie").
However, if you're interested in becoming part of this elite group, you'll need to spend some time learning the ropes before trying to break onto the scene. Learning basic editing techniques, knowing how to write engaging captions and understanding SEO terminology are among the top priorities. Once you develop solid skills in these areas, you can move forward toward building a fanbase.
To put it simply, you need to master the art of storytelling. No matter what you end up doing, the foundation of your career rests on whether you can communicate ideas clearly enough for listeners to grasp.
Once you've got the basics covered, you can branch out into areas unrelated to your main skill-set. Just make sure you never forget why you initially began pursuing YouTube in the first place. Otherwise, you risk losing sight of your initial goals and ending up somewhere you never intended to be.
As mentioned earlier, Sam Tsui did not begin his journey towards fame by filming himself playing Pokémon games. He chose to pursue a similar path after he realized that he enjoyed drawing characters during downtime. His decision to draw came naturally to him and allowed him to express his creative side.
What makes Sam stand apart from other aspiring artists is that he knew exactly what he wanted to achieve and followed through until completion. Despite not owning a single piece of equipment, he managed to build a loyal audience of millions thanks to his dedication.
Of course, not everyone shares Sam's passion for illustration. For those who prefer shooting rather than drawing, the process of turning hobbies into careers is slightly easier. All you need to do is get comfortable behind the lens and practice taking pictures whenever possible.
Even if you plan to stick with photography, you should still give videography a shot. Not only will it serve as useful training grounds for future endeavors, but you'll eventually discover hidden gems that you hadn't noticed yet.
Lastly, if you'd like to learn more, be sure to read about the most common mistakes made when starting a YouTube channel.
By now, you probably realize that there's no easy answer to this question. Depending on your level of expertise, you can rely on several sources of income. Among the most lucrative ones are:
Advertising sales
Sponsored collaborations
Affiliate marketing
Some of these opportunities are better suited for newcomers while others benefit established content creators alike. Let's review each in detail below and explain exactly how they work.
1. Advertising sales
This approach offers the highest profit margins compared to other means of generating income. Basically, advertisers pay companies to promote products directly inside the creator's videos. Because of this arrangement, ad placement is restricted exclusively to approved channels.
Since advertisements appear near the beginning of your videos, viewers aren't forced to wait long periods of time before seeing product placements. Furthermore, companies rarely demand exclusive rights to certain video titles. As such, advertising deals tend to favor bigger organizations that can afford large budgets.
Because of the risks involved, this strategy requires plenty of research beforehand. As such, you should prioritize finding clients whose brands align with your personal interests. Additionally, you should stay open to working with smaller businesses since they provide better value for money.
Most importantly, ensure you negotiate a fair rate upfront. Although it sounds counterintuitive, raising fees later on is risky business. Remember that the price tag reflects how much you earned in return. You could potentially lose hundreds of dollars if your client decides to shop elsewhere.
2. Sponsored collaborations
Like advertising, sponsored collaborations involve receiving compensation from third parties in exchange for promoting products via YouTube. Unlike commercials, these partnerships are entirely voluntary. Companies send promotional materials ahead of scheduled events in hopes that your channel receives increased attention.
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.