How to Make Money on YouTube by Starting Your Channel

Want to make money on YouTube by starting your successful YouTube channel? Or, are you looking for a way to start a money-making YouTube channel that could generate over $1000 per month?

So, this post is really for you.

There are various money-making side hustle ideas to make money online, such as affiliate marketing, freelancing, blogging, and many more.

YouTube is another one of the best and most popular ways to generate steady online income.

As a video platform, YouTube offers the best opportunities to content creators who love creating video content.

And the good news is that using YouTube is free. Anyone can use it to start their own YouTube channel and earn from the channel.

YouTube has now become more than just a video-sharing platform. It is a global sensation that has turned ordinary people into internet celebrities and entrepreneurs.

If you’ve ever dreamed of making money doing something you’re interested in, starting a YouTube channel could be the best opportunity. In this blog post, I will guide you through the steps to kickstart your YouTube journey and eventually monetize your channel.

Before starting anything, first, we will take a look at why we need to choose YouTube —

Why Choose YouTube?

Videos play a crucial role in expanding the reach, enhancing engagement, and boosting the impact of your business.

There are many platforms for publishing videos online, but none can beat the popularity and uniqueness of YouTube.

Picking YouTube to create and share your videos has various good reasons, making it a popular choice for individuals and businesses. Here are several compelling reasons why you might want to choose YouTube:

• Global Reach: YouTube is one of the largest and most popular video-sharing platforms globally, with billions of users. This massive audience provides an opportunity to reach people from all corners of the world.
• All Types of Content: Here, you can make all types of videos. Whether you want to teach, have fun, show cool stuff, or share your daily routine, there’s a place for you here.
• Free Hosting and Bandwidth: YouTube provides free hosting and bandwidth. You don’t have to worry about the technical aspects of video delivery, allowing you to focus on content creation.
• Easy to Use: YouTube is easy to use. It provides user-friendly tools for content creation, editing, and uploading. You don’t need advanced technical skills to get started, making it available to a broad audience.
• Monetization Opportunities: YouTube offers several ways to make money from your content, including ad revenue, channel subscriptions, merchandise shelf integration, and more. As your channel grows, you can explore these income streams.
• Free Marketing and Popularity: YouTube is free to use, making it an excellent platform for free marketing, allowing you to promote a wide range of offerings.

All this sounds promising, but how do we start a YouTube channel and make it a source of income?

Now, let’s see how to start a YouTube channel.

How to Create a YouTube Channel From Scratch

Starting a YouTube channel is simple, and for people who enjoy creating engaging videos, it can be a great way to earn extra money.

On YouTube, you can watch your favorite videos, like them, and even subscribe to your favorite channels to have their upcoming videos automatically arrive on your feed.

This can only be done using a Google Account.

But what if you want to upload videos, comment, or create a playlist? Here, you have to make a YouTube channel to do this.

Now, let’s see how to create a YouTube channel.

Ready? So let’s get started.

To make the process super easy, here I’m referring to the official video of YouTube to create a YouTube channel.

If you don’t like the video or need more instructions, keep reading.

You can create your YouTube channel by visiting the YouTube website or YouTube mobile site.

And it will only take a few minutes.

Step 1: Create a Google Account

Creating a YouTube channel requires a Google account, so if you don’t have a Google account, you’ll need to create one.

To create a Google Account:

• Go to accounts.google.com and tap Create account.
• Fill in all your details and choose your preferred new email address.
• Now, your Google account has been created successfully.

Step 2: Create a YouTube Account

To create a YouTube account:

• Go to YouTube.com and click Sign in in the upper right corner.
• Sign in to YouTube using your Google Account.
• Tap your profile icon in the upper right corner and select Create a channel.

Step 3: Set Up Your YouTube Channel

To set up your YouTube channel:

• Upload your preferred channel image that you want to show up.
• Provide the desired channel name and YouTube handle.
• Now tap on the Create channel button.

Creating a YouTube channel is a straightforward process, but it is essential to do it from the beginning to establish a strong brand presence. So it’s up to you whether you want to use it as a brand channel or set up your personal branding.

Now your channel is ready.

However, additional customization is required to provide a unique and brandable feel.

To do this —

• Tap on the Customize channel button.
• Click on the Layout tab.

Now, here, you can customize the following elements of your channel:

• Channel trailer for people who haven’t subscribed.
• Featured video for returning subscribers.
• Now, don’t forget to press the Publish button.

If you don’t have these elements ready to show, you can set it later any time.

Step 4: Update Channel Branding

Now go to the Branding tab to update channel branding and customize it for a better look.

• Update the profile picture and use a PNG or GIF (no animations) file. That should be at least 98 x 98 pixels and 4MB or less.
• Update the banner image, and for best results on all devices, use an image that is at least 2048 x 1152 pixels and 6 MB or less.
• Add a video watermark. The watermark will appear on your videos in the right-hand corner of the video player. For the best results, use a PNG, GIF (no animations), BMP, or JPEG image of 150 x 150 pixels.
• Finally, hit the Publish button.

Step 5: Complete Basic Info and Description

Tap on the Basic Info tab to update details —

• Create a compelling channel description that tells potential subscribers about your channel and why they should subscribe.
• Set your preferred language.
• Add external links to your audience. They will appear on your channel profile and About page.
• Add contact info to let people know how to contact you for business or any inquiries.
• And publish.

Step 6: Customize Channel Settings

Now, play with your YouTube channel settings and customize it.

• In YouTube Studio, go to “Settings” and then Channel.
• Adjust advanced settings such as country, language, and default license.

Further, in the Settings tab, you can allow people to upload, comment, and take other public actions on your channel.

Step 7: Add Some Content to the Channel

Add some videos you’ve already made to your YouTube channel. If you haven’t completed this step, you can skip it and upload it when ready.

Create attractive headings (titles) for your videos, write better descriptions, and use tags. This information is crucial for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and helps viewers understand your video content.

Now, let’s take a look at the best ways to make money from your YouTube channel.

How to Make Money on YouTube

Advertising revenue is the most common way to make money on YouTube. However, there are many ways to make money from YouTube.

Without further delay, let’s guide you on monetizing YouTube videos and turning them into a source of income!

Making money on YouTube involves taking advantage of the different revenue streams available on the platform. Here are five popular ways to monetize your YouTube channel:

1. Ad Revenue through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP):

YouTube Partner Program is the most common and widely used monetization method for your YouTube channel.

To participate in the YouTube Partner Program, your channel must meet specific criteria, including having at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months.

Once approved in YPP, you can enable ads on your videos. You earn money based on factors like ad engagement, audience demographics, and types of ads displayed.

2. Affiliate Marketing:

Another popular way to earn money from your channel is affiliate marketing.

Promote products or services in your videos and include affiliate links in the video description. Whenever viewers use your affiliate links to make a purchase, you earn a commission.

Select products or services that fit your content and audience to increase your chances of conversion.

There are various affiliate marketing networks like MaxBounty, ShareASale, and others to earn money by recommending products and services.

3. Sponsorships and Brand Partnerships:

Partner with brands or sponsors willing to pay you to promote their products or services in your videos. This often includes creating dedicated content, mentioning a sponsor, or integrating their products into your video.

As your channel grows, companies may approach you for partnerships. You can also reach out to relevant brands yourself.

4. Sell Merchandise:

Eligible content creators can utilize the opportunity to showcase their products and official branded merchandise directly on YouTube through the platform’s Shopping feature.

If you have a brand or logo associated with your channel, consider selling merchandise like t-shirts, mugs, prints, or other accessories.

5. Channel Memberships:

Viewers can become members of the channel by paying a monthly fee. In return, they get creator benefits like exclusive content, badges, and emojis. This gives you an additional source of income while rewarding your most dedicated fans.

To encourage individuals to join as members, it’s essential to develop a promotional plan that may involve the possibility of offering multiple membership tiers.

Conclusion

Starting a YouTube channel to make money is an exciting journey that combines passion and entrepreneurship.

To make money on YouTube, you can start by making engaging videos, getting people to watch them regularly, and earning money from ads, sponsorships, and other ways. It’s important to know that it takes time and hard work to succeed on YouTube, so keep at it, be yourself, and have fun while you do it.

By putting in the time and effort, you can achieve more than just financial gains; you can also grow a community centered on your common passions.

So, don’t hesitate to pick up your camera, share your unique story, and enjoy your journey toward success on YouTube.