Before I show you how to earn money from YouTube, here’s are some interesting bits of trivia about YouTube, the world’s most popular video-sharing online website.
DID YOU KNOW?
- At an average, over 300 hours of video are uploaded onto YouTube, – every minute
- YouTube has over a billion users & each day those users watch a billion hours of video.
- YouTube was ranked as the 2nd most popular site by Alexa Internet.
- 6 out of 10 people prefer YouTube & other online video platforms to live TV.
- YouTube is also the world’s 2nd largest search engine (after Google) and the 3rd most visited site on the internet.
Amazing isn’t it! It’s also one of the many reasons while this Google-owned online video platform is such a darling of advertisers ever since they started accepting ads from 2007.
What you perhaps didn’t realise is these facts also make YouTube one of the best platforms for you to make money online
How much money can you make from YouTube?
In one word – EXCELLENT. Sample this, the reputed Wall Street Journal newspaper had once reported that PewDiePie, which is a popular albeit controversial YouTube channel, made an estimated USD 4 Million in 2013 alone.
Charlie Bit My Finger, a simple 55 second video is making more than a million dollars per month.
Popular YouTubers like AIB, Nisha Madhulika, Bhuvan Bam, Technical Guruji are making millions every month. Even many small YouTubers make lots of money from YouTube.
Now think about it – wouldn’t it be great if you could earn money from YouTube; even 1 per cent of this amount, by starting your own channel on YouTube.
Hmmm… food for thought, isn’t it?
How to Earn Money from YouTube
So here are the exact steps you need to make money from YouTube-
- Start Your YouTube Channel
- Create Videos
- Upload Videos
- Apply for YouTube Partnership
- Promote your video
- Make money from Your Videos
1. Start your YouTube channel
It’s not rocket science really. All you need to do is…
- Go to YouTube and signup with your gmail account.
- Once done, click on the bar in the left corner beside the YouTube logo.
- So far so good, now gently click on My Channels (from the drop-down menu).
- You will see a box appear with your name highlighted and the heading – Set up your channel on YouTube. Select it.
- And now for the last step. Just update your channel with your relevant personal info – and VOILA! You are good to go…
2. Create Videos
For a beginner, the easiest (and cheapest) way to create a video would be via your smartphone or your PC webcam. To be fair, it’s an excellent option for freshers in the initial days when you’re still finding your way around, not earning any money from YouTube (videos) and have limited supply of cash.
However, there will come a time when you will need to invest in a Good Webcam and when your channel starts making some money – Hire a Professional Videographer.
Other than a camera you need following things to make your videos-
- Tripod
- Good Microphone
- Screen Recorder
- Video and Audio Editing Tools
Tips to Create Engaging And Viral Videos!
So can you guarantee that the video you upload will go viral? Well, you can’t – since there is no winning formula to use here.
But what you can do is follow some of these “Tips to Create a Viral YouTube Videos” to give yourself a good chance!
Tip no 1: Don’t Engage In Mindless Promotions
Focusing too much on features, pricing and benefits of a product or service is a strict no-no. Creating brand awareness should be your first priority and not jumping to the sale directly.
Tip no 2: Try to Tell a Story
Ever thought about why the most popular ads on the telly always try to weave a story around the product? That’s because of our sensory cortex – which is said to light up whenever we hear a story. It also helps people to relate to your brand and keep them coming back for more.
Tip no 3: Evoke some Emotions
Happy, sad, motivated or flabbergasted – emotions have the power to keep people engaged all the way through. If you can manage to do this, they will be hooked and get more people to watch it too.
Tip no 4: Do the Unexpected
The whole point of a viral video is to get people talking about it, so don’t hesitate to move out of your comfort zones at times. Feedback will not always be positive but as long as you’re getting lots of it – you’re doing it right.
3. Upload videos in your YouTube channel
It’s quite simple, really. Just log on to YouTube and click the upload (arrow) button on the upper right-hand corner of the page which will take you directly to the Upload page.
Do remember to set the privacy level before uploading your video on YouTube. You can choose from:
- Public – Anyone can see your video.
- Unlisted – Only people who have a link to your video will be able to view it.
- Private – It can be seen by you and the users you select to watch the video.
- Scheduled – It can only be viewed at the specific date and time set by you.
Once you have chosen your level of privacy, click on the arrow button again to select the video you wish to upload.
Alternately you can just drag and drop the file directly. You can track the video being uploaded to the status bar provided.
Post the upload the video has to process – which can also be viewed in the status bar.
Useful Tip: HD videos (1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720) convey a very professional message to viewers and are hence best suited for upload on YouTube.
Tips to Write Title, Tags and Descriptions
Your TITLE is by far the BIGGEST CHERRY ON THE CAKE! – which in this case is your video.
Its title has to be catchy and relevant to what potential viewers might be searching for. It also matters makes a massive difference in terms of your ranking on the search results page.
Vague and convoluted titles rarely get any traction and consequently defeat their very purpose.
Tags and Descriptions are also an essential ally of your videos. The inclusion of keywords and a relevant description can help ensure your video is ranked a lot higher on Google’s search results.
Once done you can now redirect to the channel’s dedicated page to access the settings, audio, annotations, closed captions and enhancements.
It also allows you to view the video analytics or access the channel video manager. With its own unique URL, your video is now ready for viewers who are free to LIKE, COMMENT and/or SHARE it with others.
4. Apply for YouTube Partnership Program
The YouTube Partner Program (YPP) enables video creators to earn money from their content posted on the channel.
This is usually via advertisements seen on their content and from YouTube premium subscribers who watch their videos.
You can apply to join the YouTube Partner program directly from your individual account in the creator studio. On January 16, 2018, Google announced new eligibility requirements for its YouTube Partner Program.
Once a channel reaches 4,000 watch hours in the preceding 12 months and has a minimum of 1,000 subscribers it is reviewed to join the program.
How to Apply:
There are 2 possible scenarios for this.
- The first involves channels which have already been in YPP, in which case the channel will automatically be reassessed when it qualifies under the new terms.
- Channels owners also have the option of checking their monetisation status at Creator Studio/Channel/Monetization.
Those whose channel is yet to gain entry into YPP need to understand the four steps mentioned in their Creator Studio account. Once the channel meets the qualifying criteria, it will be reviewed to join.
5. Promote your YouTube videos
So far so good. Now here is the slightly tricky part. Making sure your video has what it takes to attract viewers is not “child’s play”. It needs a customised promotional strategy and a lot of hard work.
To begin with, you first need to make sure that your video is fully optimized in terms of updated SEO parameters.
Ensure the use of adequate keywords within your meta-description and URL before uploading the video to your landing page.
Once done, you are now ready to share it on your social media platforms to woo an audience.
You can also use tools like hashtags, paid for pre-roll ads (available on YouTube) and post at the most opportune time to maximize the reach.
You can also leverage the reach afforded by social media influencers, forums and bloggers to garner more traction and gain a wider audience.
Top YouTubers From India
YouTube stardom is a comparatively new trend in India. Chefs, doctors, musicians and comedians – you will find them all on YouTube. And they all have two things in common.
They are all Indians and are a massive hit with the millennial generation.
According to Statistica, with an Estimated 460mn Internet Users, India is already the second largest online market behind China.
Some of the most prominent YouTubers are :
- Tanmay Bhat – A real motivator for all those who genuinely want to earn money from YouTube and build their career in this field – the co-founder of All India Bakchod (AIB) and possibly India’s biggest YouTube star. Known for his oversized body and wicked grin, Bhat made it to the 2016 Forbes list of wealthiest celebrities, rubbing shoulders with the likes of megastars Amitabh Bachchan and King Khan.
- Sahil Khattar – Chandigarh’s top RJ who tasted success at 17 with his programme – Love Guru. The face of the popular YouTube – Being Indian – Khattar is now a familiar face for people on the streets of Mumbai, thanks to the popularity of his show.
- Bhuvan Bam – Hasn’t looked back after his debut on YouTube in June 2015. With an audience comprising mostly of people above the age of 18 years, Bam is today one of India’s most recognizable desi stars of YouTube.
- Nisha Madhulika – a Delhi-based housewife who has now become a household name in India thanks to her YouTube channel which shares her recipes for a slew of famous Indian dishes. Credited with honing the cooking skills of thousands of homemakers who subscribe to her channel and swear by their recipes.
- Shruti Anand – a former New York-based techie who started her own – How To – videos for a lark in 2011. Post her return to India with her husband in 2013, the upload continued, and her popularity kept soaring. Currently, Anand has a five-member team to help her including her husband who has quit his full-time job to join her team.
6. Start Earning Money from YouTube?
Despite the several success stories, doubts still persist with regard to YouTube monetization and its earning potential for a regular YouTuber.
Many people appear confused between –
How much money do YouTubers make?? and….How much does YouTube Pay per view?
Well, there's no point in entering any business if you don’t have a clue about its exact earning potential. Having said that no magic calculator could calculate the money one can earn through YouTube.
At best one can only try to estimate how much YouTube will pay you if you touch 1mn views through the YPP.
So here goes…
According to some estimates, A Pro-Youtuber can earn money from YouTube at an average between USD 3-10 per 100 views – with both CPC and CPI advertisements.
Ergo for a 1mn views, the cumulative earnings from YouTube will be in the region of USD 3,000-10,000 per million views.
One of the easiest and most popular ways to make money from your YouTube videos is to click on the monetization option for your YouTube account and link your channel with your Google AdSense Account.
By doing so, you stand to earn as much as 55 % of the ad revenue your videos generate. Naturally, YouTube keeps the other 45 %. So at an average, you can make between USD1-2 per 1,000 views of your video.
The money you earn from YouTube can vary greatly – depending mainly on your content quality and your ability to market it effectively.
Like we mentioned earlier a top YouTuber like Pewdiepie is said to make approx. USD4mn net income from his YouTube videos, while others like Michelle Chan earn money from YouTube which is around- a cool USD 100k+, according to Business Insider.
Other Ways to earn money from YouTube
Luckily enough, YouTube’s earning potential is not just limited to its CPM (Cost per Thousand Impression).
In fact, there are 5 proven methods using which one help you earn money from YouTube; a decent amount of extra income over and above the money you earn from the ads.
1) Affiliate Marketing
Big marketing agencies are more than willing to pay good money to YouTube channels with an existing fan base. This can be done by linking one of their products to your video description.
For every conversion, it generates you will earn a decent cut, which typically ranges from INR 100-1,000. Thus, affiliate marketing is one of the easiest and best ways to earn money from YouTube.
2) Direct Promotion
In this case, the advertising company gives you a fixed fee to initiate a partnership with your channel.
You have to show a description of their products (in your videos) add in return they fork out a fixed amount, which can vary from INR 5,000-upwards, depending on the reach of your channel.
3) Paid Videos
Another great way to make good money from YouTube where you share valuable information with your audience, by putting a price tag on the video itself. This way you get to keep everything that you make from every video you manage to sell.
4) Licensing Content
Got a video that has just gone viral? Well, you can earn money from YouTube by licensing the content to other companies. Mainstream media outfits are always on the lookout for viral/trending videos which they can use on their various media platforms.
5) Crowdsourcing
There are plenty of non-profit websites out there (like Wikipedia), which share information for free. But they do need money to keep their sites up and running. This is generated from the audience in the form of donations.
You can also initiate a similar method to raise funds. It has been to pay off handsomely for some in the past and currently one of the efficient ways to make money from YouTube.
In Conclusion
So there you have it. A complete, step-by step-guide that explains the entire process on how to earn money from YouTube – from starting your channel to monetizing your videos.
But do remember, like in any other business the money will not start coming from Day One – it’s a marathon and not a sprint. But given time and an effective marketing strategy, it should happen for you – soon enough. GOOD LUCK!
