Can I make money on YouTube without subscribers?

I've been thinking about the best way to earn on YouTube. Should I focus on growing my channel or should I start focusing more on making videos that will bring in revenue through ads and sponsorships?  And what if I have less than 100 subscribers yet?

If you're just starting out as a vlogger who wants to grow your audience then it's important that you think of ways to increase awareness for yourself and your brand while also building an income stream -- even before you hit the big numbers like 1 million subscribers!

But where do you begin when there are so many options available today? And what if you don't have any subscribers yet? Can you still be successful? How would you know? It all depends upon which strategy works best for YOU.

So let me give you some advice based on my own experiences and observations. If you want to learn how to make money from YouTube then follow these steps below:

1) Focus On Building Your Audience & Growing Your Channel

It goes without saying that content is king. The most popular content creators tend to post consistently great material (whether they upload daily/weekly etc). This gives viewers plenty of opportunities to watch over time and build up loyalty.

2) Create Content That Is Relevant To Your Niche

You need to create engaging, entertaining, informative and creative content that people love watching. If you take the same approach across every single one of your videos, then chances are your fans won't stay tuned long enough to see them all. So try to mix things up by creating different types of content within your niche. For example, if you're interested in fitness tips, then maybe you could create short workout routines, workouts using household items, fun dance moves, inspirational quotes, funny workout fails, etc.

3) Share Your Own Personal Story As Much As Possible

People connect better with others rather than brands. By sharing personal stories, you establish rapport with your audience faster because they relate to you more personally. They feel connected to you, and therefore trust you more. When you share real life stories, your followers will become emotionally invested in your content.

4) Give Away Freebies

This doesn't necessarily mean giving away products. Most of us already get free stuff anyway, right? What you must offer is something valuable that has intrinsic value such as knowledge, inspiration, motivation, entertainment, information, humor, wisdom, passion, etc.

5) Use Social Media Marketing Tools

Social media marketing tools include social bookmarking sites, social networking websites, photo-sharing website, blogging platforms, streaming services, email newsletters, online advertising networks, search engines, etc. These tools allow you to reach millions of potential buyers 24 hours per day 7 days per week.

6) Start A Blog Or Website

Blogging is another effective tool for driving traffic back to your site. There are lots of reasons why blogs work well. First off, blog posts typically rank higher in Google searches because keyword density plays a huge part. Secondly, people often find comfort reading longer articles that provide relevant information. Thirdly, since your readership is likely to come from other sources too, having a blog helps position you as an expert in your field. Plus, you may attract new visitors via guest posting opportunities.

7) Get Traffic Through SEO Techniques

Search engine optimization techniques involve optimizing your web pages so that users can easily find your page among thousands of competing ones. Search engines use keywords to determine relevance. Therefore, you must optimize your pages around those keywords. Also write unique titles and headings.

8) Promote Yourself With Online Advertising Networks

Online advertising networks include Facebook Pixels, Twitter Ads, AdWords, LinkedIn Sponsored Updates, Banner Exchange Network, etc. These help promote your business while generating leads. All major online ad networks require payment upfront.

9) Be Active On Forums Related To Your Field Of Interest

Forums are excellent places to interact with likeminded individuals. Post quality comments on threads related to your topic of interest. Answer questions asked by forum members. Provide helpful feedback to fellow posters. Engage in conversations and ask insightful questions. Always add value to discussions.

10) Start An Email Newsletter

Email newsletter allows you to communicate regularly with your target market. Subscribers can opt into your emails whenever they wish. Sending periodic updates provides consistency and continuity. People appreciate being notified and updated about upcoming events, product launches, sales offers, special promotions, discounts, etc.

11) Offer Paid Services

Offering paid services means offering your expertise and helping people solve problems. Some examples include consulting services, live coaching sessions, workshops, teleseminars, etc. Offering paid services requires planning and executing tasks efficiently. However, the payback comes quickly once someone pays for your service.

12) Sell Merchandise Via EBay / Etsy

Selling merchandise involves selling physical products either directly or indirectly. Selling merchandise directly entails buying wholesale goods and reselling them for retail price. Selling merchandise indirectly refers to promoting branded merchandise sold by third parties.

13) Affiliate Programs

Affiliates refer prospective customers to merchants' offerings. Merchants compensate affiliates for each referral brought about by affiliate activities. Popular programs include Amazon Associates Program, ClickBank Products, Commission Junction, LinkShare Product Tours, etc.

14) Become A Brand Ambassador

Brand ambassadors represent a company by representing its image and goodwill. Their job description includes public relations, event management, promotional campaigns, etc. Companies usually reward brand ambassadors with incentives including cash rewards, gift cards, trips, free meals, etc.

15) Join Influencer Marketing Platforms

Influencer marketing platform companies enable influencers to receive compensation when consumers purchase certain products promoted by the influencer. Such companies include Vevo, Collective Bias, Viral Launch, iSpot.tv, Chikita Stix, MOO, Scentbird, etc.

16) Write Articles & Guest Posts

Writing articles and publishing them online helps generate targeted traffic back to your site. Article directories are good places to publish your article. Once published, link your article to your profile page to boost visibility. Writing articles for ezines and magazines are also beneficial. Ezine publishers look for fresh original content.

17) Build Partnerships

Partnerships are relationships between two organizations working together toward common goals. Partnering up with bloggers, podcasters, experts, entrepreneurs, authors, coaches, speakers, trainers, consultants, mentors, celebrities, journalists, etc. builds credibility and increases exposure.

18) Do Video Interviews

Video interviews are very useful for establishing authority and boosting credibility. Doing video interviews with notable personalities creates hype and attracts eyeballs. But keep in mind that doing video interview takes courage and confidence. Don't worry though, practice makes perfect!

19) Ask Questions

Questions are extremely powerful. Whenever possible, ask questions during presentations, seminars, meetings, conferences, lectures, classes, etc. Taking notes and asking questions after the presentation is crucial. Take down everything said and repeat it later until it sinks in. Then go home and reflect upon it.

20) Have Fun While Learning

Learning never stops. Keep learning and improving yourself. Never stop evolving no matter how old you are. Every person grows older. We age and our needs change accordingly. However, the only thing we cannot control is ourselves. Control what you can control. Learn something new everyday.

21) Enjoy Life More Fully

Life is full of ups and downs. Sometimes we face difficulties and challenges that seem impossible to overcome. Yet, nothing seems difficult anymore when we tackle them step by step. Remember to enjoy life fully. Afterall, life is meant to be enjoyed.

22) Help Others Find Solutions

Helping others find solutions is a fulfilling experience. Whether it's solving someone else's problem or providing guidance, taking action to resolve issues helps improve self esteem. Moreover, helping others boosts your reputation as an expert and motivator.

23) Stay Positive

Positive attitude is key to success. No matter how challenging situations may appear, always remain positive. Look forward instead of backward. Live in the present moment. Focusing on past failures puts unnecessary pressure on future endeavors. Instead, visualize desired outcomes and believe that you deserve them.

24) Follow Inspiration

Follow your inspirations. Let inspiration lead the way. Trust your instincts. Listen to your heartbeats. Surround yourself with positivity and surround negativity with light bulbs.

25) Make Time For Self Care

Self care is essential to maintain balance and happiness. Schedule regular date nights with your partner. Treat yourself to occasional spa treatments. Go hiking, swimming, biking, playing sports, cooking, gardening, etc. Set aside time for hobbies and interests.

26) Simplify Your Lifestyle

Simplicity is beauty. Living simply means enjoying simple pleasures in moderation. Minimize clutter and simplify living spaces. Reduce stress levels and eliminate distractions. Eliminate nonessential items and spend time simplifying your lifestyle.

27) Work Harder Than Ever Before

Work harder than ever before to achieve greater results. Prioritize your goals and dreams. Stop procrastinating. Develop healthy habits and stick to them religiously. Put forth maximum effort and discipline yourself. Commitment and persistence yield lasting results.

28) Laugh Often & Easily

The biggest mistake people make when they create a channel on YouTube is to give up too soon. They don't want to put in the hours it takes to build an audience and instead just start uploading videos for fun. The problem is that if you're new at this, there's no way your content will be interesting enough to keep viewers' attention long enough to earn any revenue from advertising or affiliate sales.

So what should you do? How can you grow a successful YouTube channel without having 1k+ subscribers yet? This article explains how to achieve success by following these three simple steps.

1. Grow Your Audience Through Content Creation & Sharing

Building a loyal subscriber base isn't easy -- especially for those who are brand-new to YouTube (or even social media). But once you've established yourself as someone worth watching, people will naturally seek out more of your work through word-of-mouth recommendations, which leads them back to your channel where they can subscribe and watch all future content.

2. Drive Traffic With Video Marketing Strategies

If you really want to take advantage of organic growth over time, then you need to actively promote your channel online. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to use video marketing strategies like paid ads, guest posting, influencer marketing, etc. These methods allow you to attract targeted traffic to your channel while simultaneously building awareness about your brand so that potential fans know exactly why they should join your list!

3. Use Affiliate Programs To Make Money From Every Viewed Video

YouTube has several great affiliate programs available today, including Amazon Associates, Google AdSense, Rakuten Supermarket, ShareASale, ShopStyle Collective, and others. When you upload a video featuring one of your sponsors products, you simply tell viewers "hey guys check out [insert product name here]" and link back to whatever site you got the item from using a special code during the end credits of your video that only your viewers see. Then whenever anyone clicks on your hyperlinked text within your video description box, you get credit for every single sale made. It's super easy, free to set up, and it doesn't cost you anything extra unless somebody purchases something via your website. If you're interested in learning more about making passive income on YouTube, read my other blog post detailing how to earn $10K per month with YouTube.

Now let's talk specifics...

Is 100 subs on YouTube good?

In order to answer this question properly, we must first define what constitutes "subscribers" on YouTube. A true subscriber is someone who watches your entire feed (in case you have multiple playlists), plus all subsequent uploaded videos after he/she subscribes. Nowadays many users tend to subscribe to large channels with hundreds of playlists because they find it easier to navigate than smaller ones. However, since we're trying to figure out whether or not you can make money on YouTube without having 1k+ subscribers, we'll focus solely on subscriptions from individual creators.

It's important to remember that most popular channels receive thousands upon thousands of views everyday. So if your goal is to reach 10 million total views before retiring off of YouTube, then yes, you absolutely CANNOT afford to rely on getting lots of subscribers right now.

But if you're looking into growing a small channel with less than 500 views, then it may be possible. Let me explain further...

Can I go live on YouTube with 100 subscribers?

Yes, in fact, some big personalities such as Jake Paul started out doing just that. Why did they do this? Because they knew that by going live on camera with zero followers would help boost their exposure tremendously. After all, if nobody knows who you are, how could they possibly consider subscribing to your channel?

However, due to recent changes implemented by Facebook, now ANYONE can go live on YouTube and broadcast their own personal stream straight onto their profile page. While this sounds amazing, it also means that you won't be able to leverage this strategy until AFTER you've built up significant traction under your current username.

That being said, you still have options...

How do you get 100 subscribers on YouTube fast?

Here are 3 proven tips that helped me gain almost 200 subscribers overnight:

Tip #1 - Posting Subtitles On Other Channels

One effective technique I used was to take full screenshots of existing videos posted on other high-traffic channels like TikTok and Instagram Stories. Since people often scroll down past subtitles anyway, I figured there'd be little harm in adding relevant titles below each clip. And guess what? People found value in viewing these clips along with their captions!

For example, say I took a screenshot of this TikTok user @_shelbywilson's latest Instagram Story. Instead of captioning it myself, I chose to copy her original title and paste it underneath my picture. As seen above, I added additional information based around my niche topic ("how to become a better dancer"). What's more, some folks actually commented on my post asking questions related to the material covered in my subtitle -- proof that they were genuinely interested in hearing more.

To save time, I recommend creating a spreadsheet with headings for both the screengrab image itself AND its corresponding caption. This allows you to type in key details like headline, photo source, and date published much quicker than manually typing everything out. Once finished, simply search for similar accounts on Twitter and Instagram and grab their stories/screenshots. Paste them into your spreadsheet, add relevant hashtags, and voila! Instant results.

Tip #2 - Guest Post For Top Influencers

Another useful tactic I employed to increase my subscriber count quickly was to write articles for top bloggers. By offering informative pieces on topics of interest to their readership, I received positive feedback from these sites. Some bloggers even reached out directly to ask for permission to feature my posts on their pages, resulting in another substantial influx of new subscribers.

You can easily apply this method to your own situation. Here's how to find blogs and websites that accept guest posts: Simply perform a keyword search on platforms like Reddit, Quora, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Medium, and Twitter. Next, browse through their featured sections and look for publications whose audiences align with yours. Finally, contact the owner(s) directly to offer your services as a writer. Most likely, they'll agree if you provide compelling writing samples and show a genuine desire to contribute quality content.

Tip #3 - Engage With Others Online

Last but certainly NOT least, another powerful way to drive tons of new subscribers to your channel is to engage with other active members on various social networks. There are certain individuals who seem to always come across as incredibly friendly and helpful, and therefore they garner massive followings.

I personally try to emulate this behavior myself by interacting with fellow redditors, commenters, and forum posters on forums like /r/videos, /r/youtube, /r/creativity, and /r/entertainment. Also, stay connected with friends and family members whom you trust and respect. Ask them to share your content with their own circles and encourage them to comment on your videos. You never know who might stumble upon your channel and fall in love with your talent.

By implementing these tactics consistently over time, you'll eventually experience exponential increases in your follower count. Just think of it as gradually increasing the number of sprinkles on ice cream rather than dumping giant handfuls of sugar in hopes of reaching millions instantly.

Once you've achieved critical mass, you can begin experimenting with different types of content in preparation for monetization later on. Don't worry though, as there are plenty of ways to generate income on YouTube regardless of whether or not you ever hit 1k subscribers.

Overall, patience is required for any kind of internet business venture, particularly if you aren't accustomed to working hard day in and day out. Be patient, continue producing valuable content, and stay consistent. Eventually you WILL succeed!

Are you struggling financially right now? Have you tried starting your own YouTube channel already? Or perhaps you're thinking of quitting your job to pursue a career in entertainment. Whatever stage you're at currently, please feel free to leave comments below regarding this article. I'm happy to chat with aspiring entrepreneurs like ourselves! :)

Thanks for reading, everyone! Please SHARE this article with family and friends to inspire them to greatness. We MUST stick together! Take care and NEVER GIVE UP!! 🙏🔥

We hope you enjoyed our tutorial on how to grow a successful YouTube channel without having 1k+ subscribers, Justin! Enjoy your newfound fame, bro! :D

Wishing you continued success!

YouTube has become the second-largest search engine in the world. It's a platform that allows ordinary people like you and me to create content, share our ideas, and build an audience of millions -- all for free!

There are two ways to make money from your channel on YouTube: through advertising or by getting paid per view (CPV). But if you don't have any subscribers yet, then which option do you choose?

In this article we explain whether you can actually earn money on YouTube without having 1k+ subscribers, and what options are open to you.

Can I earn money on YouTube without subscribers?

If you're reading this article right now, chances are that you already know the answer to this question. After all, you've probably seen countless videos about making money online with zero viewers.

Unfortunately though, there isn't much truth behind these claims. The reason why is because most "money-making" advice out there is based around one simple rule: get as many subs as possible before trying to start earning.

But here's the thing: there's no guarantee that more subscribers will translate into higher earnings. This is especially true when you consider the other elements involved in building up a successful channel.

For example, some producers may be better at producing quality content than others simply due to natural talent. Then again, maybe they weren't given enough time to practice. Or perhaps they didn't receive proper training from their mentors.

Another common problem is that creators often underestimate the importance of promoting themselves properly. As such, they end up doing things like buying cheap views or using automated software to grow rapidly. Unfortunately, neither method works very well.

So while there is definitely a possibility that someone could make a killing off a new channel with little to no effort, it doesn't happen too frequently. And even if it did, it would only last briefly. At least until the producer got bored and moved onto greener pastures.

Therefore, it makes sense to focus on creating high-quality content first and foremost. Once your fans see value in watching your videos over and over again, they might eventually subscribe. By then you should also have built up a strong brand presence so that people trust you enough to give them your product recommendations.

That being said, let's look at exactly how easy it is to make money on YouTube without subscribers. Keep reading to find out more.

Can you make money on YouTube with just views?

It turns out that once you reach 100K monthly views, you can pretty easily turn those eyeballs into dollars. To put it another way, if you want to make money on YouTube, you needn't worry about subscriber numbers. All you really need is traffic.

This means that you can use tools like Google AdSense, Amazon Associates, or affiliate marketing platforms to generate revenue directly from each viewer who watches your content. These types of programs allow publishers to set up paywalls where users must opt-in to watch certain pieces of content. When they do, advertisers display ads alongside whatever piece of content was requested.

As long as you've done everything correctly, the amount of income generated via CPVs should match the actual cost of providing the original content. For example, if you charge $2 per user, and 10% of those viewing your footage click on an ad, you'd break even after serving 50 unique visitors.

However, since most popular creators tend to attract hundreds of thousands of daily views, it takes a lot of work to hit that mark. Producing good content consistently requires dedication, persistence, and patience. Which brings us neatly back to our initial point: the best approach is to produce great stuff, promote yourself effectively, and wait patiently for the results to roll in.

Once you've reached the 100K milestone, you can begin growing your following organically. That's when you should aim to establish yourself as an authority figure within your niche. If you do this successfully, your fan base will naturally expand along with its size.

And remember, nobody cares about the number next to your username. What matters far more is the genuine passion you demonstrate towards your craft. Just think of personalities like PewDiePie, KSI, Lilly Singh, Casey Neistat, etc., whose popularity transcended beyond words and pictures. They were able to achieve success without ever acquiring a thousand followers.

To learn more about starting a career in creative media production, check out our guide on how to become a screenwriter.

Can you make money with views?

While it's certainly possible to make money on YouTube without having any subscribers whatsoever, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep pace with competitors with bigger followings.

After reaching 100K views, you'll likely encounter problems keeping up with your peers. Since growth relies heavily on organic referrals, it won't matter how big your list gets unless you plan ahead. Therefore, it's essential to spend time planning your future strategy early on.

One smart move to help increase your visibility is by leveraging social media websites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, TikTok, Pinterest, Discord, HubSpot Forums, etc. However, it goes without saying that you shouldn't spam anyone. Instead, try to engage with audiences whenever you can.

You can also join communities related to your field of interest and participate in discussions. Not sure where to begin? Check out these sites to discover hidden gems on Reddit. Finally, ensure that you maintain a consistent schedule by scheduling posts across various social media accounts.

When it comes to generating cash from your page, you have three main choices:

Turning existing content into products: There are several apps available today that allow creators to sell digital copies of their old clips. Popular examples include Merchoid, Magewrong, Vintagio, Gearcrafters, etc. Simply upload your clip to the app and add information regarding pricing and availability. Your customers will then buy access to the content straight from your profile.

Creating custom merchandise: Another popular alternative involves selling T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, posters, phone cases, etc., featuring designs created specifically for your channel. Think of companies like Zazzle, Spreadshirt, Redbubble, CafePress, etc.

Offering services: If you prefer not to go down the merchandising route, you can offer consulting, coaching, mentoring, web design, photography, videography, etc.

How many views does it take to make $1?

Now we come to the part everyone loves talking about: how much can you potentially make on YouTube? Well, according to Digiday, a typical creator earns roughly $0.0004 cents per view between May 2017 and April 2018. Of course, this depends greatly on factors like channel name recognition, type of content uploaded, length of clips, etc.

So how many views do you need to reach that level? Unfortunately, we can't tell you precisely. On average, it seems that you'd need approximately 5 million views to make $100 per month. Although this varies depending on your experience, equipment used, location, reputation, etc.

Of course, there are exceptions. Some top earners pull in tens of thousands of dollars every week, whereas others barely crack $10 each year. Either way, it pays to treat your channel seriously and provide fresh, valuable material regularly.