How to properly monetise your YouTube channel

If you've been putting in hours of effort into creating quality content for your YouTube channel, it's only fair that you get paid for your work. But how do you monetize your YouTube channel? Here are some tips and tricks to get you started:

Enable monetisation

The first step to monetising your YouTube channel is to enable monetization in your account settings. This will allow YouTube to display ads on your videos and pay you a share of the revenue generated from those ads.

Join the YouTube Partner Program

To become eligible for monetisation, you need to join the YouTube Partner Program. This requires you to have at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months. Once you're approved, you'll have access to a range of monetisation features, such as advertising revenue, channel memberships, and merchandise sales.

Create engaging content

To attract viewers and advertisers to your channel, you need to create engaging and relevant content. This could be anything from how-to videos to vlogs to comedy skits. Make sure your videos are high-quality, well-produced, and offer value to your viewers.

Optimise your videos

To increase your chances of being discovered on YouTube, you need to optimize your videos for search. Use relevant keywords in your video titles, descriptions, and tags. This will help your videos rank higher in search results and attract more views.

Use social media to promote your channel

To build your audience and increase your views, you need to promote your channel on social media. Share your videos on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Engage with your followers and encourage them to share your content with their own networks.

Collaborate with other YouTubers

Collaborating with other YouTubers can help you reach new audiences and gain more subscribers. Find other creators in your niche and reach out to them to see if they're interested in collaborating on a video. This could be a joint Q&A, a challenge, or a product review.

Offer channel memberships

Once you have 30,000 subscribers, you can offer channel memberships to your audience. This allows viewers to pay a monthly fee in exchange for perks like exclusive content, early access to videos, and merchandise discounts.

Sell merchandise

Selling merchandise like t-shirts, hats, and mugs can be a lucrative way to monetize your YouTube channel. You can create your own designs or use a third-party platform like Teespring or Redbubble to handle the printing and shipping.

Use affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is when you promote a product or service and earn a commission for any sales made through your unique link. You can use affiliate marketing to monetize your YouTube channel by promoting products relevant to your niche in your video descriptions.

Consider sponsorships

As your channel grows, you may be approached by brands or companies looking to sponsor your content. This could involve creating a sponsored video or promoting a product in your video description. Make sure any sponsored content aligns with your brand and values.

Utilise YouTube's Super Chat and Super Stickers

Another way to monetise your channel is through YouTube's Super Chat and Super Stickers features. Super Chat allows viewers to pay to have their messages highlighted in your live chat, while Super Stickers are animated images that viewers can purchase and send during a live stream. You earn a percentage of the revenue generated from both of these features.

Attend events and conventions

Attending events and conventions related to your niche can be a great way to network with other creators and brands. You can make connections that could lead to sponsorships or collaborations. You could also sell merchandise or offer channel memberships at these events to monetize your channel.

Host live streams

Hosting live streams on your channel can also be a lucrative way to monetize your content. You can use Super Chat and Super Stickers during live streams, and you can also offer special perks to viewers who donate during the stream. Live streams also allow you to engage with your audience in real-time, which can help build a loyal following.

Invest in equipment and software

Investing in high-quality equipment and software can help improve the production value of your videos, which can attract more viewers and advertisers. Consider investing in a good camera, microphone, lighting, and video editing software.