YouTube is a goldmine for content creators looking to take their craft online. But while it's super easy to create an account, upload footage, and publish those creations in minutes, there are some things that might be trickier if you're just starting out.
For example, what happens when you want to add text or annotations over your video clips? Or perhaps play around with overlays or filters to enhance your material before uploading? How can you easily integrate other services like PayPal into your process so you don't have to scramble later? If all of this sounds difficult, fear not — we've got answers!
We'll cover everything from the basics of setting up your first mobile-friendly channel, to advanced tips for getting paid by brands, plus industry secrets about making extra cash through sponsored posts and viewer donations. And remember, these aren't complicated processes at all. Anyone can master them after watching our step-by-step breakdown below. Let's dive right in.
The first thing you should consider doing is creating a separate profile for your personal YouTube channel and one specifically for professional purposes (like YourDailyVid). This will help keep your work organized along with any associated branding efforts such as avatars, stickers, etc., which you may choose to use across social media platforms.
To set up a new channel, simply click the + Create New Channel button under My Channels " Add Subscribers. After choosing a username and password, select Mobile/Tablet Support and then tap Next. Make sure that you check off Allow viewers to subscribe via email here. Then hit Continue again.
From here, YouTube will prompt you to enter information regarding the topic of your channel. Select something related to your niche, i.e. "funny cat" instead of "pets." Once done, select Save Changes and wait until the page redirects you back to your dashboard screen. Now go ahead and name your new channel. From here, you can continue adding videos and subscribers.
If you'd rather skip the whole signup process entirely, you can also link your existing Google Account to your YouTube channel. Simply scroll down to the bottom of your main homepage and look for the Sign In option. When prompted to log into your account, follow the steps to grant access. Hit Finish once you see the confirmation window pop up.
Once you've logged in, you can head straight to your Dashboard where you'll find basic info about your channel, including analytics, followed channels, subscriptions, comments, likes, dislikes, watch time, demographics, and even recommendations. To start publishing content, simply type in whatever title you wish to display. For now, let's say you want to call yourself "Funky Fun Facts," and you want people to know who you are and what you specialize in. So long as you enable location data tracking, YouTube will automatically pull relevant images based on your region. It will ask you whether you would prefer to show local imagery, but feel free to switch between both options.
Now, you're ready to begin posting! Just press Play on whichever clip you want to share and enjoy sharing knowledge freely.
While you could always post random stuff to your personal channel without worrying too much about branding, why stop there? There’s no reason you can't try to turn your hobby into a business. That means optimizing your content to maximize views and engagement.
In addition to using hashtags, keywords, and captions, another way to optimize your video titles is to utilize YouTube's built-in keyword tool. Just search for “keyword tool” in the Search bar and select Keyword Suggestion Tool from the results. Type in your preferred term and hit Enter. The resulting list includes suggestions like #1sttime, #firsttry, #newbie, #n00dle, #baby, #babysitting, #parenting, #kids, #homeworkhelp, #fearlessfemale, and many others. Use these terms sparingly to avoid spamming your audience, however.
You can also leverage YouTube's Trending tab located on the left sidebar menu. Click on Trends to view popular topics trending near you. This section allows you to quickly scan past trends and figure out what kind of content you should produce next. While these tools won't guarantee success, they certainly can't hurt.
Mobile users spend roughly twice as much time browsing YouTube compared to desktop users, according to research published earlier this year. With increased usage comes opportunity to generate income, especially since most advertisers only reach consumers through mobile devices.
So far, the best solution has been to partner directly with companies seeking to advertise on your channel. However, this often requires jumping through additional hoops, such as reaching out to representatives within certain departments, requesting specific products, negotiating rates, managing inventory, etc. These tasks can sometimes prove overwhelming for beginners. Thankfully, there are two ways to streamline the entire process for maximum efficiency.
First, you can connect your YouTube channel with Patreon. By leveraging its community platform, creators can set donation tiers ranging anywhere from $2 per month to $50 million per month. All funds are collected securely behind Patreon's endowment fund and used solely for creator needs. Donors receive perks depending on their tier status, and there are plenty of rewards available to encourage repeat contributions.
Second, you can sell advertising space through Amazon Associates. Not only does this program allow creators to promote different brands on their own accounts, but it's extremely simple to accept payments. Creators simply need to install the Associates app onto each device displaying their channel. Then, whenever someone clicks on an advert featuring said product, they're redirected to the advertiser's website. Since it's managed exclusively through the Associates app, creators retain 100 percent of every sale.
Additionally, you can offer sponsorships to influencers willing to endorse a particular company or product. Companies interested in partnering with YouTuber can send requests via DM through Twitter, Facebook Messenger, Gmail, or direct message. Sponsorship packages range from standard monthly retainer fees, to flat annual costs, to royalties for merchandise sales, among others. Brands must submit proof of authenticity prior to moving forward with negotiations.
As mentioned previously, keeping track of various marketing campaigns can become quite messy. Fortunately, software developers have created apps designed to simplify the process. One of the easiest programs to download is Ad Manager 360, which allows you to manage multiple advertising networks simultaneously. Other helpful utilities include Brand24, Branded Content Ads Creator [Broken URL Removed], and SmartAdCreator.
With all of this being said, the biggest challenge facing mobile creators today isn't necessarily lack of demand — it's finding effective solutions to fill that demand. Luckily, there are several innovative startups popping up daily to solve the problem.
One of the leading names is LiveStream Networks, whose flagship property is Livestream. Every day, millions of livestreamers broadcast themselves live on the site, interacting with viewers, conducting Q&A sessions, presenting workshops, playing games, streaming music concerts, and hosting trivia nights. Livestream offers creators the ability to grow audiences, build communities, and interact directly with fans.
Another major player is Skylum. Its patented technology helps protect copyright holders' intellectual property rights, allowing them to control distribution and ensure revenues stay safe and secure.
Skylum recently partnered with StreamUnlimited, a service offering high-quality streams on a variety of subjects. Users can expect to discover original programming, celebrity interviews, comedy specials, news commentary, musical performances, documentaries, sports highlights, and more. Best of all, StreamUnlimited doesn't charge anything upfront. Instead, they acquire commissions from providers every time a subscriber watches a stream.
Also worth mentioning is SocialCam, which lets users record live broadcasts and convert them into short, loopable GIF files.
Finally, Vimeo On Demand provides producers with royalty-free licensing for their creative works. As a result, anyone can distribute video content directly to customers without having to worry about copyright infringement claims.
All told, there's never been a better time to pursue a career as a freelance videographer. Whether you decide to focus strictly on producing or editing, or combine the two skillsets, freelancing gives you complete freedom to explore your passions wherever you please.
Unfortunately, the answer to this question depends heavily upon where you plan to host your content. Some areas of the world require higher payout percentages than others.
According to Statista, YouTubers worldwide earned an average yearly salary of $5,000 during 2016. Of course, this number varies widely depending on factors like popularity, length of tenure, viewership levels, and the country in which the vlogger resides. Interestingly enough, Latin America actually pays significantly less than North America.
That said, the United States takes home approximately 80% of the pie, whereas countries like Japan, Germany, Brazil, Canada, France, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Spain, and Turkey each bring in 20%. Unfortunately, despite earning slightly lower wages overall, Asia Pacific markets tend to provide larger profits due to higher consumer spending power.
YouTube is one of the biggest social channels out there with over two billion monthly users. The platform has become a go-to place for content creators looking to create original video series or upload their work in short form.
But what happens when you make an entertaining clip that goes viral — or worse yet, gets taken down by copyright infringement? How does someone who makes popular clips keep earning income off them after they've been removed from YouTube? Well, it's time to learn about the ways you can generate income through your own YouTube channel. Let's dive right into some of the best practices that will help turn your subscriber base into profit.
Before we begin, let's talk about why most people use YouTube as opposed to other platforms like Vimeo or Facebook Live—and why these tools are so important to creating online content that earns real cash. While many smaller alternative social media sites have less traffic than major networks like Twitter and Instagram, the fact remains that millions of people spend hours scrolling through their feeds every day. With this kind of engagement comes the chance to reach potential customers and increase sales.
People also find comfort using the same apps that they're familiar with. This means that YouTube isn't just beneficial because of its massive userbase but also because it offers creators a way to connect directly with audiences while maintaining control over their personal branding. But perhaps even more importantly, the company was founded by three former PayPal employees (Evan Spiegel, Chad Hurley, and Steve Chen) which provides plenty of incentive for any creator to start uploading ASAP.
With all this said, here are some tips on how to monetize your YouTube channel...
In 2016, Google announced that certain types of content would no longer be affected by the "skip" button feature that had previously allowed viewers to bypass advertisements. In order to gain access to premium services like live TV streaming, music streams, and high quality downloads, companies now require payment. If you want to take advantage of these perks then you'll need to sign up for Google Preferred advertising.
The service costs $119 per month ($9.99 per week), but that price jumps to $299 per month ($19.99 per week) once you add additional subscribers to your account. As such, if you don't plan on growing too large of a following, consider skipping the Preferred subscription option altogether. However, this doesn't mean that you won't see ads at all. Instead, those viewing low-quality views will still encounter sponsored posts within the app. To avoid seeing random ads pop up during playback, simply tap on the screen before starting playback to disable autoplay.
If you choose not to pay for the Preferred package, you may notice that the app defaults to showing non-preferred content. Luckily, there are options available to change this behavior. Under Settings & Ads Preferences, select either High Quality Video Mode, Low Resolution Video Mode, or Auto Skip Content.
It only takes a few minutes to set up your YouTube Channel Ad preferences. Simply head to youtube.com/settings and click Account Management. Scroll down until you see the Advertising section under Personalized Ads and follow the prompts to complete setup. Once done, you can check out how much you earned from last year! Keep in mind that different advertisers offer differing rates depending on where you live. For example, you might receive better prices in Europe than you'd get stateside. Also note that you should expect to receive lower earnings compared to larger channels with higher viewer numbers.
As far as actual methods go, you could try partnering with brands with similar interests to yours, asking them to sponsor specific episodes or even whole seasons of your show. It's worth noting that YouTube offers several sponsorship packages tailored specifically to various industries. For instance, the company has partnered with big names ranging from fashion labels like Burberry and H&M to food producers like Nestle and Tyson Foods. There are also multiple tiers of sponsorships aimed at individual creatives, influencers, and celebrities alike. Brands interested in sponsoring shows via YouTube can contact us for further details.
You could also look into affiliate marketing. Basically, you promote products and services related to your niche without receiving commissions based on the sale itself. Affiliate programs usually provide detailed instructions regarding setting up banners, links, and promotional materials for distribution around the site. When a visitor clicks on one of these links, you receive credit based on the advertiser's choice. Some popular affiliate marketers include Amazon Associates, Commission Junction, Linkshare, ShareASale, Clickbank, PayDotCom, and CPA Empire.
Finally, another method to consider is selling merchandise associated with your channel. By adding items like t-shirts, hoodies, stickers, mugs, blankets, bags, posters, and pillows to your shop, you can collect customer information and sell them physical goods like books, DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, vinyl records, and electronics. On top of giving fans something fun to buy, it allows you to track metrics like total orders placed and average transaction amounts.
When you first launch your channel, you'll probably feel overwhelmed by all of the features offered by YouTube. One of the key elements to remember is that you don't necessarily need to build a huge audience in order to make money. Many successful vloggers were able to kickstart their careers with minimal followers thanks to strategic decisions made early on.
For starters, think about whether or not your personality matches that of the typical YouTube watcher. Are you funny, quirky, informative, or dramatic? Or maybe you prefer being serious, straight-forward, or relatable. Whatever approach you decide to take, stick to it consistently regardless of fluctuations in popularity. Don't fret about losing subs due to a controversial edit or absence from screens. Remember that you always have full control over your material since you created it yourself. And if you ever run into legal trouble, having a dedicated team of lawyers prepared is essential.
Another thing to consider is whether or not you want to share your experience with others. Do you enjoy teaching lessons, reviewing new gadgets, or discussing current events? Perhaps you're passionate about politics, sports, technology, travel, or history. Think broadly and allow yourself room to grow. After all, success is rarely achieved overnight.
While building an authentic identity is certainly a great step towards becoming successful, it's not enough to solely rely on likes and comments alone. Take extra care to ensure that your vlogging style reflects the type of person you actually are. People naturally gravitate toward creative personalities. They tend to trust authenticity rather than trying to impress others with elaborate edits and flashy production value. So instead of wasting energy focusing on looks, focus on sharing meaningful conversations. Your audience will end up appreciating both sides of things.
So long as your content stays true to your principles and values, you shouldn't have to worry about alienating anyone. Just realize that there are times that controversy sells. That said, some topics aren't suitable for everyone. Before posting anything, take the time to research your intended subject matter thoroughly. Be mindful of sensitive issues like religion, race, gender, mental health, and sexuality. Not sure where to draw the line? Try experimenting with humor, fantasy, comedy sketches, or animation.
Also, never forget that your channel exists to serve your community. Never hesitate to answer questions, give advice, or point out solutions. Helping others is arguably the greatest source of happiness we humans seek. We often refer to our relationships with loved ones as our "authentic selves." What better way to express that sense of self than through your channel?
If you're already used to making videos on your smartphone, chances are you're eager to know how to maximize profits while keeping everything streamlined. Thankfully, Apple devices come equipped with native functionality designed to streamline editing and exporting footage.
First, open iMovie '14. Then switch to Library mode and select Videos, followed by Camera Roll. Select the title of your project and drag it onto the timeline below. Next, hit File " Export Movie Segment, and choose Create New Project Folder. Enter a name and location for your file. Hit Save, and navigate back to your camera roll to locate the resulting.mov file. Now, open Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2015 and import your footage using Media Encoder. Make sure to enable Render Movie Files Automatically so that you don't waste any time waiting. Lastly, export your final movie file using Media Encoder.
Afterward, transfer the file to iTunes store, Google Play Store, or Dropbox. Launch the respective app, browse to Purchased Films & Shows, scroll down, and select Upload Manually. Choose your exported MP4 file, press Continue, enter your login credentials, and wait patiently for the download process to finish.
And that's pretty much it! Hopefully, you enjoyed learning about effective strategies to monetizing your YouTube channel. Most importantly, don't forget that you don't need to be rich to support your passion. Consider crowdfunding your next projects or researching opportunities for passive income. Alternatively, you could apply for a job at a tech firm or startup. Chances are, your skillset will translate well.
YouTube is an incredible platform that allows anyone with a camera (and even those without) to make money online. But before you start posting videos of cats doing funny things or homemade slime recipes, it's important to know what has changed since 2019 when we last discussed this topic.
In addition to some big changes that will affect the way you use YouTube, there have also been massive updates to the monetization options available for content creators like yourself. Let’s take a look at these latest developments, as well as how to actually go about making money on mobile using your own channel.
If you want to post original content on YouTube, then you'll need to be part of the partner program. In order to become a YouTube Partner, you must first create an account by clicking here. Once logged into your newly created account, click "My Channel" at the top right corner of the screen. Then, select "Partner Manager." You should see a screen similar to this one below:
Once clicked, this opens up a menu of different ways to set up your advertising profile. The easiest way would be to choose "Create New Ad." This option will allow you to upload all necessary information such as name, description, and location. However, if you already have a Google Ads ID associated with your existing email address, feel free to skip ahead to step four. If not, simply follow steps 1-3 under the Create New Ad section above.
From there, you might notice two additional tabs along the left side of the window. One tab reads "Ad Settings," while another says "Channel Details." Since this article focuses specifically on setting up a mobile app presence, we're only going over the latter. So, let's dive in!
The next step involves adding your channel to the Google Play Store. Clicking through any links within your dashboard takes you back out of the portal, so just keep scrolling down until you find the link labeled "Add Your Account." Select this link, and enter your phone number for verification purposes. A few seconds later, you'll receive a text message with a code to verify your identity. From there, it's time to download the official Android app.
Once downloaded onto your device, open the app and log in. Enter your password and tap on the circle icon located directly underneath where it says "Connected Accounts." Tap on the blue arrow in the center of this box, which will prompt a pop-up asking you to add your channel. Simply confirm once again via the confirmation text sent to your registered phone number. Now wait for the app to scan your channels for compatibility. After scanning, tap the checkmark symbol in the upper right hand corner. Finally, tap the green button labeled "Activate."
Next, head straight to the App Management page. On this page, scroll down until you reach the bottom of the list of apps installed on your smartphone. Underneath the title "YouTube," you should now see a small black bar labeled "Google+." Next, pull down from the top of the banner and select the gear icon. Scroll down until you find the option titled "Manage Apps."
Select this option, and you'll be presented with several features including settings, data usage, storage space, etc. At the very end of this long list, you will spot a tiny red dot indicating that your app is currently connected to your YouTube channel. It is important to note that this connection is required for your application to function properly. Therefore, if your YouTube app suddenly disappears, you may lose access to your channel.
Finally, return to the previous homepage of the YouTube Partner manager tool. To finish activating your channel, simply hit the orange button labelled "Complete Activation." Once complete, you will hear a loud noise followed by a notification saying, "Your video channel is ready!"
Now that you've got everything squared away, it's time to move onto the most exciting part: earning money. While many people think they cannot make money on YouTube due to its popularity, nothing could be further from the truth. There are countless successful individuals who regularly generate millions each year from their channels. And the best news is that you too can achieve great success following our simple tutorial below.
So you've finally gotten past all the technicalities involved with getting your channel activated, but now you still don't know what to do next. Well, worry no longer because there's nothing stopping you from starting uploading videos immediately.
However, you must understand that monetizing your channel doesn't happen overnight. As mentioned earlier, you will need to build relationships with brands who are willing to advertise alongside your content. Fortunately, building these partnerships isn't hard thanks to the wide variety of tools that exist today. That being said, there are three primary methods used by creators to promote themselves on YouTube:
1.) Brand sponsorship
Brands often sponsor individual users' videos in hopes of creating awareness around their products. When a company chooses to support specific content creator(s), they agree to pay them certain royalties based upon the amount of views their clips receive. These payments usually occur monthly or quarterly depending on the type of agreement signed between both parties.
To apply for brand sponsorships, navigate to the Partner Center page found on the aforementioned My Channel page. Hit the blue arrow beneath the heading "Sponsored Content" and select "Apply For Sponsorship."
2.) Paid advertisement
When dealing with paid advertisements, companies place ads on other user's videos. Creators either receive a flat rate per clip or a percentage of whatever profit occurs after taking commissions off the top. Some popular platforms include Facebook Audience Network, Amazon Advertising, DoubleClick Digital Marketing Solutions, and Microsoft Bing Ads.
You can submit applications for sponsored posts on the same Partners Center page mentioned previously. Navigate to the "Paid Postings" tab and select "Submit Application."
3.) Affiliate marketing
Affiliates market other people's wares. They typically receive commission fees for referring customers to various merchants. Many affiliates operate independently, although others work collectively in teams known as affiliate networks. Popular examples of major affiliate networks include Commission Junction, LinkShare, ShareASale, and Rakuten Supermarket.
Navigate to the Partners Center page listed previously and hit the orange button labelled "Earn Money Online." Choose "Become An Affiliate" and then fill out the form provided by the website. Once completed, you'll be taken to a third party site called ClickBank.
This site offers numerous opportunities for advertisers to purchase product units, which represent copies of your videos. Each unit represents a single viewing opportunity for a customer. By placing orders with Clickbank, advertisers gain visibility among potential subscribers. Companies looking to sell their goods on the internet prefer partnering with affiliates rather than paying to run commercials.
It goes without saying that becoming an affiliate comes with risks. Not every advertiser will treat you kindly if you fail to convert traffic into sales. Also, working as an affiliate means you won't reap benefits unless someone buys something. Lastly, it requires a significant investment to begin generating income, especially during the early stages of your career. Nevertheless, with enough dedication, perseverance, and patience, you too can eventually earn money on YouTube.
As of July 15th, 2021, YouTube updated its policies surrounding copyright infringement. According to the announcement posted on Reddit, the update includes stricter guidelines regarding copyrighted material uploaded to the network. Violators will face consequences ranging from warnings to removal from the platform altogether. Most importantly, however, is that any future violations committed by the accused party result in permanent bans from the platform.
On a positive note, the policy change does indeed provide artists with greater protection against alleged infringers. Furthermore, the update signals a shift towards embracing diversity in terms of artistic expression. Unfortunately, despite these improvements, there remain many unanswered questions pertaining to the implementation process.
For example, whether or not the crackdown constitutes fair use remains unclear. Artists are understandably anxious given recent events involving John Krasinski, Markiplier, and Logan Paul. Regardless, if you believe you were unfairly targeted, please contact YouTube directly by visiting here.
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.