How to Make Money on YouTube in 2025
Key Takeaways
- Monetizing on YouTube requires meeting eligibility for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), including minimum subscriber and watch hour thresholds, and adhering to platform policies.
- Top income sources include ad revenue, Super Chat, channel memberships, affiliate marketing, and product promotion—each offering scalable opportunities for earnings with or without showing your face.
- Creators can also make money using other people’s content legally by following copyright rules and using proper attribution or voiceovers.
- Additional strategies include licensing videos, podcasting, creating online courses, and brand partnerships, all of which diversify income and expand reach.
- Building a website with a secure domain enhances credibility and supports growth, especially when integrated with platforms like YouTube and social media.
Want to make money on YouTube fast, with or without showing your face? The potential for earning extra income from videos is significant, given the widespread use of YouTube. However, making money isn’t as easy as just posting videos or promoting your channel. As a beginner, you need a strategic plan. That’s why we made this guide on how to make money on YouTube with or without making videos. We cover the 11 best actionable strategies, providing you with insights to help you make a lot of money on this platform.
What Do You Need to Make Money on YouTube?
What do you need to know before starting?
Don’t let the initial zero subscribers discourage you. Delve into the realm of content creation with genuine passion and authenticity. Recognize that building a subscriber base is a gradual process, so stay patient and persistent. Once you’ve met all the required thresholds, seize the opportunity to monetize your channel.
YouTube is a popular platform for turning passions into profitable ventures. To monetize your channel, you need to meet certain prerequisites like eligibility for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), quality content creation, a Google AdSense account setup, and a consistent upload schedule. By uploading videos, refine your metadata including titles, descriptions, and tags, using relevant keywords to enhance discoverability and attract a wider audience.
To meet YPP eligibility, you must attain a specific threshold of followers and accumulate a minimum number of watch hours in the last 12 months. To enable this feature, link your YouTube account with a Google AdSense account. Understanding how many subscribers are needed and YouTube’s policies, including community guidelines, usage terms, and copyright, is essential for maintaining a good standing on the platform and ensuring successful monetization.
Now, how do YouTubers make money, and is it hard? How old do you have to be? Much info is covered below. However, if you’re interested in learning how to earn so much money using other people’s videos, without showing your face, talking, or being in front of the camera, you have to ensure proper attribution and seek permission when necessary. Instead of appearing on camera, use voiceovers as the easiest method to make the content more engaging and unique.
6 Ways on How to Earn Money Using the YouTube Partner Program
Discover 6 impactful ways to earn money within the YPP, each serving as a powerful tool to elevate your earnings:
- Turn on Watch Page & Shorts Feed Ads
- Enable the Super Chat and Super Stickers
- Get support from subscribers with a channel membership
- Turn on Super Thanks
- Get part of a YouTube Premium revenue
- Promote products through the YouTube Shopping affiliate program
Embark on a detailed exploration of these avenues, unlocking the full potential of your YouTube channel and fostering a thriving online venture.
Turn on Watch Page & Shorts Feed Ads
Enabling Watch Page and Shorts Feed Ads is a pivotal step in unlocking the full earning potential of your YouTube videos. These ad formats allow you to monetize your uploads and capitalize on the vast viewership of your content.
To activate Watch Page Ads for long-form content, navigate to YouTube Studio, click on “Monetization,” and select “Ads.” Here, you can enable and customize the display of ads on your video’s watch page. Try out various ad positions and formats to discover the most effective options for your audience, finding the right balance between viewer satisfaction and the visibility of advertisements.
For Shorts Feed Ads, designed for short-form content, access the monetization settings in your YouTube Studio. Ensure your Shorts adhere to community guidelines and are eligible for monetization. Since Shorts are a rapidly growing content format on YouTube, integrating Shorts Feed Ads can significantly boost your earnings.
Enable the Super Chat and Super Stickers
Super Chat and Super Stickers are standout features in the YPP that empower you as a creator to earn money while enhancing your interaction with viewers. Super Chat enables your viewers to highlight their messages during live streaming by making a monetary contribution, ensuring their comments grab attention. To enable Super Chat, navigate to YouTube Studio, activate the feature, and set eligibility criteria. To maximize earnings, encourage usage by explaining benefits, offering incentives, and actively acknowledging your contributions.
On the other hand, Super Stickers introduces animated images that your viewers can purchase and send throughout live sessions to express emotions or show support. Activating Super Stickers is simple: access YouTube Studio, navigate to “Monetization,” and enable the feature. Create a lively environment, consider themed stickers, and express gratitude to your viewers for a positive and engaging community.
Get Support from Subscribers with a Channel Membership
Channel memberships offer a special way for your subscribers to provide direct support while enjoying exclusive perks within the YouTube Partner Program. When activated, subscribers become paying members, gaining access to benefits like custom badges and emojis. To enable a channel membership, navigate to YouTube Studio, access “Monetization,” and set up tiers and perks, specifying monthly fees.
Create an exclusive community by offering unique perks and engaging with members through dedicated spaces like a members-only chat. Promote a channel membership in your videos and social media, clearly communicating the advantages and how it contributes to supporting your channel. This feature goes beyond financial support; it helps build a close-knit community around your content, fostering a sense of connection and engagement through watching videos.
Turn on Super Thanks
Within the YPP, Super Thanks emerges as a distinctive feature allowing you to receive direct monetary appreciation from your audience. Activating this option is straightforward: navigate to YouTube Studio’s “Monetization” section and enable the feature for your channel. Super Thanks empowers viewers to express gratitude and support by making a financial contribution directly linked to specific videos. Encouraging its usage involves clear communication about the feature in videos and live streams. Expressing appreciation to users who utilize Super Thanks fosters a positive and supportive community.
To maximize the impact, regularly promote gratitude, ensure your content provides value, and consider offering incentives such as exclusive content or acknowledgments for consistent Super Thanks contributors.
Get Part of a YouTube Premium Revenue
YouTube Premium offers content creators the chance to earn a portion of revenue from subscribers who opt for an ad-free experience. To become eligible, ensure your channel reaches a minimum of 1,000 subs and accumulates 4,000 public watch hours on long-form content within the last year.
To maximize your YouTube Premium revenue, focus on creating quality, longer content to boost watch time. Actively encourage subscriptions and engage with your audience to build a loyal community. To activate YouTube Premium revenue, navigate to YouTube Studio and enable the option in the “Monetization” section.
Promote Products Through the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program
The YouTube Shopping affiliate program emerges as a compelling feature, specifically catering to eligible creators based in the US and KR with a substantial following of over 20,000 subscribers. This program serves as a lucrative avenue for content creators to earn commissions by strategically tagging products in their videos and Shorts. What makes it unique is that creators can showcase a diverse array of products from other brands and fellow creators within their content.
When viewers make purchases through these links, the creator earns a commission. The revenue potential is flexible, varying based on the product category, and provides creators with a scalable income stream.
Tip
To qualify for the program invitation, ensure your channel is part of the YPP. It shouldn’t be a music channel, an Official Artist Channel, or affiliated with music partners. Your audience shouldn’t be designated as “Made for Kids,” and a substantial portion of your videos should not be categorized as content made for kids. Furthermore, your channel must be free of any active Community Guideline strikes.
5 More Ways to Make Money on YouTube
If you’re keen to broaden your financial horizons beyond the strategies discussed earlier, the following innovative approaches also offer unique avenues for bolstering your income on YouTube. Read on to discover other ways to turn your passion into profit.
License Your Content for Media
Licensing your content for media provides a lucrative avenue for earning money by allowing your creations to be used in various media outlets. When media platforms, television, film, or online publications pay for the right to use your content, you receive compensation beyond the typical revenue streams from YouTube.
Be a Brand Ambassador You Trust
Becoming a trusted brand ambassador on YouTube involves forming authentic partnerships with brands that resonate with your content and values. As a brand ambassador, you can earn money through various avenues, including compensation, receiving free products, and engaging in affiliate marketing, where you receive commissions for driving sales through your unique affiliate links. This strategy not only offers a diversified income stream but also relies on building credibility with your audience.
Put Promo Links in Your Video Descriptions
Incorporating promo links in your video descriptions is a smart way to leverage affiliate marketing and boost your earnings on YouTube. By strategically placing links to relevant products or services in your video descriptions, you create opportunities to earn commissions for every sale or action generated through those links. This form of monetization capitalizes on your influence as a content creator, allowing you to authentically recommend products to your audience.
Record Podcasts
Recording podcasts offer creators a dynamic way to diversify content and generate income. By repurposing existing content into engaging audio formats, you tap into a growing audience interested in on-the-go and long-form content. Podcasts allow you to reach new listeners and strengthen your brand. Monetization strategies include sponsorships, ad placements, and promoting products or services within episodes.
Create Online Courses
Turning your expertise into structured courses adds value to your audience and establishes you as an expert in your field. YouTube can be used to promote your courses to your existing subscribers. Your income is generated as people purchase your courses, allowing you to monetize your unique insights and skills. This approach also provides a scalable and potentially passive income stream, as users pay to access your specialized content. Additionally, YouTube may place ads on your course when featuring it on the platform.
We've got you covered
Establishing and maintaining a dedicated website is crucial for online success, providing a central hub seamlessly linked to YouTube and social media. This enhances your online presence, diversifying income streams and building brand credibility. A website presents a professional image, fostering trust and allowing audiences to learn about your offerings. Registering a domain with Trustname provides free lifetime WHOIS privacy protection, DNSSEC security, and more. Get hosting, email, and SSL solutions for a robust online presence. Secure your business against bad actors and fortify your digital stronghold with Trustname.
Earning Money on YouTube: Fast FAQ & Facts
Before diving into YouTube monetization, it’s important to understand the core requirements. This quick FAQ section breaks down the key numbers—how many subscribers, views, and what age you need to start earning money—so you can track your progress and stay focused on hitting YouTube’s monetization milestones.
Sum Up About Making Money on YouTube
In conclusion, the realm of making money on YouTube offers diverse revenues for exploration, particularly for those seeking opportunities on how to earn money on YouTube at home. Whether you’re leveraging the YouTube Partner Program or examining alternative revenue streams, success hinges on creativity, consistency, and a deep understanding of the intricacies of the platform. Consistency should become your ally, fostering a dedicated viewership that eagerly anticipates your next upload. Stay informed and adapt to the changing dynamics to transform your passion into a reliable source of income on YouTube.
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