7 Ways to Monetize YouTube Videos

As a content creator, we know you probably want to do more than just put your content out into the world. Ideally, you’d probably like to make money from that content. While there are plenty of ways to make money through digital marketing, it’s always a good idea to focus on video content in the current climate. Statistics show that 88% of people would like to see more video from brands in 2022. And that’s why it can be so lucrative to monetize YouTube videos.

Luckily, making money from your videos on YouTube is not nearly as difficult as it may seem. We’ve got all the tips you need to get started.

7 Ways to Monetize YouTube Videos

1. Join the YouTube Partner Program

The easiest way to start making money on YouTube is by joining the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). It’s pretty simple to join as long as you meet a couple of basic requirements. In order to qualify for the YPP, you need to have 4,000 watch hours over the last 12 months and at least 1,000 subscribers on your channel.

If you meet those requirements, then all you have to do is apply to the YPP. You can do so by going to the YouTube Studio and clicking Monetization in the left navigation bar.

2. YouTube Ads

Once you’ve been accepted to the YouTube Partner Program, the quickest and most traditional way to monetize your YouTube videos is by taking advantage of YouTube ads. As a member of the YPP, you can easily turn on ad monetization for one or more videos on your channel and control the placement of ads on your videos. Remember that your videos have to meet advertiser-friendly content guidelines in order to run ads.

3. Affiliate Marketing 

Another easy way to monetize YouTube videos is simply by sharing affiliate links. When you sign up for an affiliate program (like Zubtitle’s), you’ll get custom product links to share across social media and throughout your digital marketing. If someone follows your link and makes a purchase, your earn a commission from the sale.

And YouTube is a great place to put your affiliate links. Just place any relevant affiliate links in the description of your YouTube video. If you want to get started with affiliate marketing, we’ve put together a list of the best affiliate programs for content creators.

4. Sponsorship/Brand Deals

With sponsorship and brand deals, you have the opportunity to get paid for featuring or demonstrating a product/service in your video. And, unlike the YouTube Partner Program, you don’t necessarily need 1,000 subscribers to land a good paid sponsorship. It’s obviously good to have a decent following. But you’re probably in a good spot to start seeking out sponsors if you have a solid collection of videos on your channel and consistent views.

If you’re interested in getting a sponsorship or brand deal, focus on pitching to brands who are in your niche and explaining to them how you can bring value to their business. Be ready to show any relevant brands your YouTube analytics, past work, and engagement rates.

5. Channel Memberships

Did you know that you can actually offer memberships for your YouTube channel? Fans of your YouTube channel can become members and pay a monthly subscription fee in exchange for exclusive content and perks. You can choose to offer members anything from exclusive videos, one-on-one live chats, and even product discounts.

You’ll need at least 1,000 subscribers to enable this feature. If you meet that requirement, channel memberships can be a great way to monetize YouTube videos since they’re fully customizable. You as the creator control all of the details, including the price. You’re allowed to charge members anywhere from $0.99 to $100 per month.

6. Merchandise

Creating and offering merchandise to your followers is another great way to make money with your YouTube videos. Of course, you always have the option to create your own ecommerce store on a website and link to products and merch in your YouTube video descriptions. But you can also choose to actually sell your merchandise directly on YouTube.

You will need over 10,000 subscribers to qualify for that option but, if you have a large audience, this feature can be a great way to sell merch without the hassle of setting up your own ecommerce platform. If you choose to go directly through YouTube, your products will display on a merch shelf that appears on each video page.

7. Patronage

Another extremely popular way to make money with your YouTube videos (and across other social media platforms) is by setting up some type of patronage. You’ll need a pretty loyal fanbase to find success with this option. But if you have enough fans who are willing to pay for premium content and exclusive perks, Patreon is a great option.

Setting up a Patreon is very similar to setting up a YouTube channel membership. The main difference is that, with a system like Patreon, you can choose to set up a tiered membership, offering more perks for higher-priced subscriptions. Plus, unlike YouTube channel memberships, you’re not limited by your subscriber count.

What is your favorite way to monetize YouTube videos? Tell us in the comments!

And don’t forget — if you want to use Zubtitle to optimize your videos for social media, you can sign up for a free account today and start creating!