Becoming a YouTuber and getting paid to post videos is a dream that many people have. YouTubers make it look easy by posting funny, informational, and even heartfelt content on the internet for millions to see. Unfortunately, the job is sometimes much harder than that.
There are a lot of elements that go into being a YouTuber and making money from it. YouTubers actually tend to make their money from many different places besides just YouTube ad revenue.
Either way, you may be wondering how many subscribers do you need to make money on YouTube?
Keep reading for our guide on how you can make money off of YouTube and how many subscribers you will need.
So How Many Subscribers Do You Need To Make Money On YouTube?
Over the years YouTube’s policies on monetizing a video to make money have changed drastically. It all started when companies were upset that their ads were being shown on videos that were racist, didn’t support their views, or just low-quality videos altogether.
To make money on YouTube in 2020, you will need to have at least 1,000 subscribers and at least 4,000 hours of watch time in a twelve-month period. Luckily for you, YouTube will notify you once you’ve reached these numbers!
Besides subscriber count, you will also need to be accepted into the YouTube partner program which can be a difficult task.
One way you may think to get that watch time is by putting your YouTube videos on a loop. YouTube has tried to work around this constantly because they don’t want creators who make money off their videos to cheat the system and put videos on loop. There are many other reasons you may want to loop a video if it’s a song you enjoy or a meditative video, so you can check out the link below for help.
https://setapp.com/how-to/loop-a-youtube-video
YouTube Partner Program
To make money on YouTube you need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time, but you will also need to be accepted into the YouTube Partner Program. The partner program will be your ticket to getting monetized and also opens more ways for you to make money from YouTube.
In your YouTube studio under monetization, you can click to let YouTube know that you want to be notified once you’re eligible to apply for this program.
When you apply, YouTube will actually review your channel and make sure that it is a good channel to monetize. When making your videos before being monetized you may want to follow all of the rules of a YouTube channel that is monetized.
YouTube holds YouTubers in the partner program to a higher standard because you’re making money from the platform. They want these creators to uphold good values and they will even continue to check your channel once you’ve been accepted to make sure you’re following all of their policies.
There are a few guidelines that you should check out right away if you’re looking to apply to the YouTuber Partner Program once you hit the required numbers.
Connecting An Adsense Account
When you apply to become apart of the YouTube Partner Program you will want to make sure that you can connect an Adsense account to your YouTube channel as this is apart of the application process.
You can create your Google Adsense account with your Google account, but if you don’t have one already then you will need to create one as well. Once you’ve created your account there will also be a list of tasks that you need to complete before it is officially set up.
Creating your Adsense account can be a quick process but sometimes takes up to two weeks so make sure you do this in advance.
How Do I Get My Watch Time Up?
So you want to be monetized but you’re concerned about the 4,000 hours of Organix watch time that you need from viewers. Watch time has become very important to YouTubers in recent years and it just means the number of hours that your channel has been watched by viewers. YouTube wants to keep people on the platform as long as possible which is why this number is so significant.
While the large number seems pretty intimidating getting 4,000 hours of watch time is actually pretty manageable. That is if you have a good SEO strategy, time to create and upload videos, as well as time to market your channel to new viewers.
You may start to think of shady ways to gain more watch time like subscribing to other channels and asking people to subscribe or watch your channel. YouTube could catch onto this and then deny you from participating in the partner program.
Overall, you want all of your subscribers and watch time to be organic. Figure out the best ways to work YouTube’s algorithm without shady tactics. Make sure your content is creative and something that people will want to watch and you will see the numbers roll in.
How Do I Get More Subscribers?
While your watch time is important, you will also need to make sure that you can gain 1,000 subscribers and keep gaining more once you’ve hit that milestone. The need to gain more subscribers on YouTube never really ends so you’re going to want to make sure that you’re able to be dedicated to your channel.
When you’re first starting out on YouTube you will want to find your niche. Ask yourself a few questions such as who is going to watch your videos? Are you going to post makeup videos, lifestyle videos, comedy videos, or even informational videos?
With YouTube, the possibilities for your channel are endless and there are many different places that you can fit in. One important way to grow your subscriber count is to find your community.
Overall, you want to make sure that you’re posting good content that people will want to watch. You should also make sure that you’re spending time creating the titles, thumbnails, and descriptions for each of your YouTube videos. YouTube is the second largest search engine so spend some time figuring out how to use SEO for each of your videos.
How Long Will It Take Your Channel To Get Monetized?
So you’ve finally hit the required numbers, connected an Adsense account, and applied to be apart of the YouTube Partner Program, but how long will it take for your channel to get monetized? Unfortunately, it could take 30 days for you to start earning revenue from YouTube once you apply to the partner program.
During that wait time, you should still be focused on growing your channel and making awesome content for your viewers to watch. Having more subscribers and watch time is going to be great when it comes to monetizing your channel and generating more revenue.
Make sure you’re also focusing on marketing your YouTube channel on other social media platforms. Social media like Instagram, Twitter, or even Facebook are great places for new subscribers to find you.
Spend some time expanding your brand and crafting content on these platforms as well. You might be surprised to know but you can also make money by having a large audience on other social media platforms.
How Else Can You Make Money From YouTube?
Getting your videos monetized is the number one goal that many people have when they start YouTube, but did you know there are plenty of other ways that YouTubers make money through their channels? Before you jump into some of these tactics you will want to check out the FTC’s guidelines for posting ads on social media. If you’re making money from an advertisement, then you will need to disclose that in the video.
Merchandise
Once you’ve built up a steady audience that enjoys watching your videos, then you may consider making merchandise for your YouTube channel. Many YouTubers make merch such hoodies and shirts with their channel name, a quote they say, or even their face on it. This is a great way for YouTubers to make some money and also for their subscribers to show support for their YouTube Channel.
Paid Sponsorships
Another way that YouTubers make money is by having brands reach out to them to promote their products. You and the brand will negotiate a price and what product they want you to market on your YouTube channel.
Sometimes brands will want to see the content before it is posted on your YouTube channel to make sure that it aligns with their values. Paid sponsorships could take a bit of time but they are a reliable source for making money on YouTube.
Affiliate Links
Making money from affiliate links is also something that YouTubers tend to do and it is generally pretty easy to get into an affiliate program. As a YouTuber, all you need to do is talk about a product in your video and then put the correct affiliate link in your description. When a viewer clicks on your link and buys the item, then you will make a commission from the purchase.
Can You Make Money From YouTube?
Overall, anyone can make money from YouTube as long as you have the time and dedication that it takes to grow and build your channel from scratch. Getting to the right milestones is going to take some time and commitment but don’t give up!
If you’re looking for more social media tips and tricks, then make sure to bookmark our page for the awesome advice.
