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Nov 29, 2024
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YouTube Monetization: 6 Best Ways and New Tendencies

It’s no secret that almost anyone can monetize a YouTube channel. Overall, YouTube monetization is an entire marketing program through which creators can monetize their YouTube videos. As more and more companies, experts and brands are turning to YouTube for advertising and new leads, understanding the ins and outs of YouTube monetization becomes essential. In this guide, we will tell you about the various aspects, requirements, methods and future trends of YouTube monetization.

YouTube Monetization Guide

Understanding YouTube Monetization

Before applying for monetization, you need to learn its intricacies and features. In this part of the article, we’ll talk about YouTube monetization in a simple way and why you definitely need it.

What is YouTube Monetization?

What’s it like to monetize YouTube? How does YouTube monetization work in general? Simply put, YouTube monetization is all the activities on both the creator and video hosting side that allow content creators to generate revenue from their videos. Monetizing YouTube is definitely not just about the few-second adverts we see every time we watch content. 

Generally, monetizing a YouTube channel can combine both directly earning from the platform’s internal advertising, as well as sponsorship and other sources of income. We will talk about them a little bit later. At its core, monetization turns a creative activity into a potential source of income, giving creators the opportunity to earn money based on viewer engagement and the popularity of their content.

New YouTube Monetization Requirements

New YouTube Monetization Requirements

Of course, to start monetizing YouTube videos, creators and their channel must meet some criteria set by the platform. Fortunately, every year, these requirements become more and more loyal to novice YouTubers. In 2024, the main requirements in YouTube monetization include:

  1. 500 subscribers: a creator’s channel must have at least 500 subscribers. Based on this requirement, only creators with a significant number of subscribers can receive income, which helps maintain the quality of content on the platform. However, the number of subscribers still does not determine how successfully you can monetize a YouTube channel.
  2. 4000 hours of viewing: To get monetized on YouTube, the number of views over the last 12 months must be at least 4000 hours. Overall, this indicator proves to the public and YouTube in particular that viewers are genuinely interested in your content, which is crucial for monetization. 
  3. Compliance with the rules: To be monetized on YouTube, creators must comply with YouTube’s monetization policies and community guidelines. This includes a 100% guarantee that the content is not only original but also meets community standards regarding hate speech, violence and explicit content.
  4. AdSense Account: You need an AdSense account to monetize your YouTube channel and receive payment. In fact, creating an AdSense account is a simple process. However, it must be performed carefully to ensure the accuracy of the payment details.
  5. Two-step verification: Since 2024, two-step verification of your Google account is mandatory for those who want YouTube channel monetization. By the way, this increases the security level of your account and protects it quite well from unauthorized access.

These criteria are set so that only responsible and decent creators of high-quality content can effectively monetize YouTube. By the way, more information about YouTube Shorts monetization is already in our article.

How to Enable Monetization on YouTube

How to Enable Monetization on YouTube

If you are wondering how to get monetized on YouTube, here are several steps:

  1. Meet the Requirements: Be sure to fulfill all the criteria mentioned above. This includes keeping your number of subscribers and watch time stable.
  2. Apply for the YouTube Partner Program: After receiving the appropriate permission, go to YouTube Studio, click “Monetization” and follow the instructions to apply. This is an important step in the process, as it signals to YouTube that you are ready to monetize your YouTube videos.
  3. Review Process: At that point, YouTube will review your channel to ensure it meets all the requirements, and you’re ready to have a monetized YouTube channel. This process may take several weeks, during which your channel will be evaluated for compliance and overall quality.
  4. Enable Monetization Features: After your channel has been approved, you can enable monetization features for your videos. This includes choosing the types of ads you want to show before/during/after your videos and activating other monetization options available on the platform.
  5. Regularly Monitor Your Metrics: Once you’ve received monetized YouTube analytics, you should keep an eye on it. Monitoring indicators such as audience engagement, retention levels and income sources, and so on, will help you refine your strategy and increase your income.

By the way, to make the way to monetization even easier, you can always join Mediacube’s partner program.

Top 6 Ways to Monetize on YouTube

All in all, there are several methods to monetize your content on YouTube. Not so long ago, we already explained YouTube monetization methods (for example, that YouTube does NOT pay for likes). Here, we will cover the most popular and functional options:

  1. YouTube Ads
1. YouTube Ads

Probably the most common way to make money from videos is through monetized YouTube ads. YouTube adverts come in many different formats, these include:

  • Display Ads: This is the kind of banner ad that appears next to your video and looks like a recommendation feed video, usually on the right side of the screen.
  • Overlay Ads: These are a great way to monetize YouTube videos. They look like semi-transparent ads that appear at the bottom of the video and can be closed by viewers (if suddenly the ad doesn’t fit or annoys a person).
  • Skippable Video Ads: The same types of ad where viewers can skip ads after a few seconds, which can lead to better viewer retention. At the same time, this factor can affect YouTube channel monetization.
  • Non-skippable Video Ads: A favorite among creators, as these ads need to be viewed from start to finish. These videos are added before the main video plays, allowing creators to earn more per view and better monetize their YouTube channel.

 According to statistics from YouTube, creators can earn between $0.01 and $0.03 per 1 view on advertising, depending on factors such as audience location and ad engagement. In fact, this figure can vary depending on the type of content and audience demographics. This forms the famous CPA (cost per action), which will partially influence your decision of how to monetize your YouTube channel.

  1. Affiliates
2. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is another quite lucrative way to monetize your YouTube channel. How to monetize YouTube videos through this method? By promoting products or services in your videos, you can receive payments (percentages) for each sale made through your affiliate links. In fact, many creators use platforms such as Amazon Associates or ShareASale to find suitable affiliate programs for this purpose. Often, such offers come directly from advertisers to each user individually.

For example, if you do a review of a gadget or some other product/service and include an affiliate link in the description, you can earn a commission for every purchase a person makes after clicking on that link. Overall, this method provides an impressive additional income and increases the value of your recommendations to your audience. Of course, only if you are recommending something that you could potentially use yourself.

  1. YouTube Premium
3. YouTube Premium

A pretty standard way of how YouTube monetizes your videos. Nevertheless, let’s describe your benefits from this cooperation. YouTube Premium allows subscribers to watch videos without adverts and get access to exclusive content. As a creator, you receive a portion of the subscription fee based on how many of your videos are watched by Premium users. And YouTube gets new users in Premium. It’s a pretty simple win-win situation. 

There’s no doubt that this feature incentivizes creators to produce high-quality new content that attracts viewers. In any case, more views from Premium members means higher earnings and higher YouTube channel monetization.

  1. Channel Membership
4. Channel Membership

What is the benefit of this monetization format on YouTube? Channel memberships allow creators to offer exclusive benefits to their subscribers in exchange for a monthly fee (so-called membership). This can be literally anything: badges, emoji, or even access to members-only chats and videos. 

However, there is one ‘but.’ Channels must have at least 30000 subscribers to enable this feature. In our opinion, providing unique content or special privileges may encourage loyal viewers to become ‘paid subscribers’.

  1. Paid Sponsorships
5. Paid Sponsorship

Let’s talk about this pretty important kind of YouTube monetization. Brand deals can be a very significant source of income for creators. This means promoting a brand’s product or service in your video for a fee. 

Overall, the success of such sponsorship deals often depends on how well the target audience of a product or service matches the content and audience of your channel. For example, it is completely organic and logical for a beauty blogger to cooperate with a makeup brand to show its products, and for a tech blogger who reviews new products from Apple to get a deal with the gadget manufacturing company. Based on the new YouTube rules, transparency in communicating with the audience about sponsored content is crucial to maintain trust and credibility. Therefore, such videos receive a special mark.

  1. Crowdfunding
6. Crowdfunding

How to make money beyond YouTube? It’s not that hard, actually. Platforms like Patreon or Boosty allow creators to receive financial support directly from their fans who subscribe. This model works well for creators who make consistent and engaging content by providing the opportunity to contribute in exchange for exclusive content or perks. 

Each creator independently invents subscription levels and their content, which makes this method quite profitable for every YouTuber. This way, you don’t force anyone to watch ads on YouTube or buy goods/services. Instead, you literally earn money from YouTube by making the content you love in your spare time.

Other Tips to Make Money on YouTube : Merch, Affiliate Marketing

Other Tips to Make Money on YouTube

Many monetized YouTube channels find other ways of YouTube monetization. Of course, we will also tell you about the most popular of them now:

  • Merchandise 

What could be better than the merch from the creator whose content you watch every day? Not every viewer has the opportunity to attend a meet-and-greet or a show. However, anyone can order merch to any country in the world without leaving home.

Selling branded T-shirts, bags, hoodies and other goods can be a great way to monetize a YouTube channel. In some countries, even YouTube itself offers a “Product Shelves” feature for eligible channels, allowing creators to showcase their merch directly on their channel.

Therefore, if you haven’t thought about your unique products for fans yet, consider this article a sign that it’s time to start making merch!

  • Super Chats and Super Thanks

This is a great way to monetize a loyal audience. With the ‘Super Chats’ feature, every viewer who bought this add-on will be highlighted in the chat, and that includes all of their messages. At the same time, with ‘Super Thanks’ viewers can thank the creator for their efforts with a small donation.

  • Selling Content or Services

Who said that you can only sell other people’s goods or services through advertising? Be bold and create your own courses, textbooks or other educational materials and promote them via YouTube. Unsurprisingly, viewers like to learn from people who make the content they watch.

  • Licensing Content

This is quite an unusual way to additionally monetize YouTube videos. With the development of other websites, many representatives may offer to purchase a license to show your videos on another website. As was the case for Mr. Beast and Amazon, for example.

  • YouTube Shorts Fund

Few creators know that they can get additional rewards for creating Shorts. Overall, payouts depend on views and the degree of involvement in your content. Read more about it here.

  • Donations

If you don’t need Super Chats and Super Thanks features but you want to support your creator, there is a cool solution. There are many platforms for donating to your favorite creator. For example, PayPal, Streamlabs, or Ko-fi are the most commonly used.

Challenges and Controversies in YouTube Monetization

Of course, as in any other form of earnings, the monetized YouTube channel also has its own nuances and possible crisis situations. To make you ready for each of them, we will tell you about the most popular and at the same time unusual pitfalls of monetization.

Adpocalypse and Demonetization

Adpocalypse and Demonetization

Are you already familiar with the term “Adpocalypse”? No? Then we’ll quickly fill you in on the situation now. In simple terms, “Adpocalypse” is a series of events that have led to the widespread demonetization of YouTube channels, especially those that contain rather controversial content. In short, this is a type of ban in which similar channels are simultaneously put at risk of demonetization. This can happen either accidentally or due to a violation of community rules. Therefore, in order to avoid demonetization, you have to keep an eye on YouTube’s policies.

Recently, more and more creators have reported inconsistencies in how their videos are checked by the YouTube management for monetization, which leads to uncertainty about their income. We believe that adapting to such drastic changes and a clear understanding of the rules of the community will definitely help to maintain the monetization of the channel.

Copyright Claims and Strikes

Copyright Claims and Strikes

This is the very problem with which creators often call on Mediacube to deal with. Copyright claims remain a serious issue for content creators. Using music, other people’s video clips, or copyrighted images without permission can lead to lawsuits and even strikes against your channel. All of this could potentially jeopardize your monetization status and bring you closer to the “yellow icon”.

That’s why you should always use royalty-free music or obtain licenses for any copyrighted materials. Fortunately, many creators use platforms such as Epidemic Sound or Artlist to find music that won’t lead to copyright issues. More and more YouTube creators upload music without copyrights, and the platform itself often replenishes playlists with non copyrighted materials.

Algorithm Changes and Their Impact on Earnings

Algorithm Changes and Their Impact on Earnings

Definitely, the main headache of every creator is constantly changing YouTube algorithms. They determine how videos are recommended and discovered. Unfortunately, changes in algorithms can significantly affect the number of views of the channel and, consequently, on YouTube channel monetization. Therefore, creators should constantly adapt their strategies in line with these changes, including optimizing video titles, descriptions, and tags to improve visibility.

What remains permanent is the importance of audience engagement metrics, such as the number of likes, shares, and comments, which plays a vital role in the promotion of content by the algorithm. How to monetize the YouTube channel in this case? Create a loyal community of viewers around you that will support your content despite the change of algorithms and other temporary difficulties.

Future Trends in YouTube Monetization

Future Trends in YouTube Monetization

Despite all the unpredictability of monetized YouTube, we can still speculate what awaits the creators next in the matter of earning money on the platform. Naturally, we can’t keep this info to ourselves, so we will be glad to share our thoughts with you.

Emerging Revenue Streams

Of course, YouTube is changing. And as the platform changes, new monetization methods are likely to appear. Therefore, creators should remain open to exploring new ways to generate income. For example, virtual reality content, interactive videos and livestreams of events. Moreover, AI offers many opportunities for improving content. Why not monetize YouTube videos of this type?

Also, hosting live Q&A sessions or virtual events can create a unique experience for viewers, encouraging them to donate or purchase access to your exclusive content. Overall, the future definitely belongs to authored content that reveals you as a person, not a celebrity.

AI and Machine Learning in YouTube Monetization

We already got a little ahead of ourselves in the last paragraph. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are becoming increasingly important for analyzing audience behavior and preferences. Thanks to the development of Artificial Intelligence, we can instantly analyze the success of a particular content and, based on this, focus on what is monetized the best.

Overall, technology can help creators refine their content strategies to maximize engagement and monetization opportunities in the future. You just have to take a step in this direction.

The Impact of Web3 on YouTube

We cannot deny that the development of Web 3 can already be felt in many areas of earnings. In our case, blockchain and decentralized platforms can be an excellent source of amazing income for creators.

So, selling virtual art and exclusive items can be a cool way to monetize your channel. When it comes to the withdrawal of profits, the reliable fintech MC Pay application is here to help.

Conclusion

Thanks to the monetization of YouTube, each creator is given a huge number of opportunities to turn a hobby and passion into a source of profit. After learning about all the subtleties, requirements, methods and difficulties, you can gradually start navigating the field of YouTube monetization efficiently. And to make your path to stable income easier and more comfortable, consider using the MC Play app to optimize payment processes and increase your income.

Our large and friendly team will guide you through the world of YouTube video monetization, explain to you all the intricacies of the process, get involved in your case and help you make the most of your content. With the help of our proven strategies and tools, you will be able to successfully monetize your YouTube channel and earn a stable income by sharing your creativity with the whole world. Regardless of whether you are starting your business or want to expand your monetization efforts, choosing fintech applications will be a modern solution to the issue of monetization of YouTube.

By Veronica Kovalenko
Veronica Kovalenko

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