How To Make Money By Starting A YouTube Channel
Starting A YouTube Channel: YouTube is definitely one legit way to make money online using what you know how to do best and a lot of people are tapping into it.
If you are a content creator or wish to be, if you are looking for a means to make money online by using what you know how to do, then you should consider YouTube.
You want to be a YouTuber. You have a story to tell. Or, maybe a hack to share or a recipe to demonstrate. Maybe you just want to share your thoughts, expertise, and/or lifestyle with the world.
But, you might not have any idea how to start a YouTube channel. Well, whatever your goal, we’ve got you.
If others can make money from YouTube, so can you. The highest-paid YouTuber is Jimmy Donaldson (a.k.a. MrBeast), who uploads bizarre stunts on his YouTube channel, which made him $54 million in 2021. Another high earner is Jake Paul, who’s made $45 million on YouTube by sharing high-energy prank videos and boxing content. His YouTube (and boxing career) fame helped him use his influence to make money online beyond his YouTube earnings.
Your YouTube channel should focus on a single niche so you can build a strong, loyal audience. For example, you can create makeup tutorials, stream video games, review products, teach skills, create prank videos, or anything else you think there’d be an audience for.
The secret to making money on YouTube is to create content that people want. Create witty headlines to entice people to watch your videos and use keywords in your description to optimize for YouTube search. Once you’ve reached the 1,000-subscriber milestone, you can officially monetize your channel with YouTube ads.
What do you need to start?
Basically, you need gear. You need graphic and motion assets. You need quality music. But first, and most importantly, you need a point of view.
1. What’s your purpose?
What’s the purpose of your YouTube channel? Are you passionate about this purpose? Because passion’s going to help.
Passion comes through to potential subscribers. Even better, a passionate point of view is going to keep you engaged when your YouTube channel is no longer new. So, make sure your topic—whether it’s travel videos, filmmaking video essays, gear hauls, you name it—matters to you.
Whatever you decide your Big Idea is, work to keep it your singular focus. Support that focus with consistent title graphics and music cues. Define your point of view as definitive and tell your story like only you can—your subscribers will follow.
2. Get your gear ready
Even if you won’t spend any money to get your channel started, you will still need to buy some stuff to help. You definitely need gear and creative assets for sure. You will need:
A. Camera – First of all, you likely have a high-powered camera and there are plenty of tips and tutorials out there to help you capture solid footage with your smartphone. So, if you think a camera can get you the quality you need and not a phone, then go for it.
B. Lights – No matter what you’re pointing your camera at for your new YouTube channel, lighting matters. A thoughtful approach to lighting can instantly up your production value and help your clips stand out.
C. Audio – Perhaps one of the more overlooked elements when starting YouTube is audio. Poor audio is immediately noticeable. And, the same can be said for YouTube. Someone presenting in a room with an echo makes for a poor viewing experience.
D. Location – You need to take this into consideration unless you already have a set background or nice backdrop or even a place like your room, office, or somewhere nice.
E. Editing Software – Your edit is where the magic happens. It’s where your story comes together. A solid grasp of editing techniques is a definite “level up” for anyone interested in living the YouTube life, so watch every video tutorial you can find.
F. Music – Excellent visual storytelling depends on sound. When employed thoughtfully, music completes the narrative experience you’re sharing, of which footage is only half. When it’s time to build your YouTube channel’s soundtrack, you can check out Shutterstock, with an annual music subscription that gives you the freedom to download as many tracks as you need, whenever you need them, for one low yearly price.
If you are starting a YouTube channel in 2021, you must also have a strong social presence on at least one of the major platforms. You need to decide based on your target audience. If you are doing something like DIY home makeovers, then Facebook and Instagram make more sense. If you have a very music-centric channel, then you need to be on TikTok.
Just be sure to link all your accounts together. TikTok has direct links to YouTube in your profile. On Instagram, you can use a link in the bio app to link out to your YouTube, and to other sites and channels.
The goal in all of this is to find an active community where you will engage with your viewers and community. Interaction is key. It’s not just answering YouTube comments. You need to be proactive in engaging on social, as well. If people can’t talk to you or follow your journey, they’ll likely forget about you.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is It Free to Start a YouTube Channel?
Yes. Creating a YouTube channel is free.
2. How Profitable Is a YouTube Channel?
Very. Or not at all. Or a little. It depends. You can indeed make money after starting a free YouTube channel, but only if you’re enrolled in the YouTube Partner Program, which gives creators greater access to YouTube resources, support, features, tools, and, yes—monetization.
3. How Do I Become a YouTube Partner?
Here are the minimum eligibility requirements to join the YouTube Partner Program.
– Follow all the YouTube monetization policies which, according to YouTube, are: “a collection of policies that allow you to monetize on YouTube. If you’re a YouTube partner, your agreement including the YouTube partner program policies requires compliance with these monetization policies in order to potentially earn money on YouTube.” (Definitely take a minute to dig deeper into YouTube’s monetization policies. Adhering to them diligently is the only way you’ll ever potentially see even one cent from your YouTube channel!)
– Live in a country or region where the YouTube Partner Program is available.
– Have more than 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last twelve months.
– Have more than 1,000 subscribers.
– Have a linked AdSense account.
Take a closer look at the application and review process, and pay special attention to YouTube’s tips for improving your chances of approval.
With their guidance, the right gear and music, a unique point of view, and a little passion, hustle, and luck, you’re well on your way to seeing your YouTube dreams come true!