Your A-Z guide to making 💰 on YouTube

You asked for it, so here it is – the ultimate breakdown of YouTube monetisation strategies.

Grab a coffee (or your beverage of choice) and let's get into the nitty-gritty details that can turn your channel from a hobby into cold hard cash.

Q: “How do I get into the YouTube Partner Program?”

The YouTube Partner Program (YPP) is more than likely going to be your first step. You need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months to apply.

When you apply, YouTube uses an algorithm to evaluate your channel for advertiser-friendliness. They're looking at things like content quality and originality, adherence to community guidelines and terms of service, and the types of videos you're uploading. Once you're in, you'll need to link an AdSense account. This is where your money will be paid out.

Pro tip: make sure your AdSense account is set up correctly from the get-go. Mistakes here can delay your payments.

Now, let's talk about ad types.

You've got display ads, overlay ads, skippable video ads, non-skippable video ads, bumper ads, and sponsored cards. Each of these appears in different places and formats within or around your video.

Your earnings will depend on factors like ad engagement, video length, and your audience's location. Generally, you can expect to earn between $0.01 to $0.03 per ad view but remember, not every view results in an ad view.

Q: “Cool, I'm in the YPP. What's this Channel Membership thing I've been hearing about?”

Channel Memberships are like your channel's VIP club.

You need at least 1,000 subscribers to enable this feature. Once you do, you can offer tiered memberships with different perks at each level. YouTube allows up to 5 tiers, priced between $0.99 and $99.99 per month.

YouTube takes a 30% cut of your membership revenue. So if you're charging $4.99 per month, you're getting about $3.49 per member. Not too bad, right?

Inside your channel’s membership, you can offer things like custom emojis and badges, members-only posts in the Community tab, exclusive live chats, and early access to videos.

Pro tip: Use YouTube's analytics to track which perks are most popular. This can help you refine your offerings and potentially increase your conversion rate.

Q: “I've seen these colourful messages during live streams. What's the deal with Super Chat and Super Stickers?”

Super Chat and Super Stickers are like your live stream's tip jar on steroids. Here's how they work:

During a live stream, viewers can pay to have their messages highlighted. The amount they pay determines how long their message stays pinned and how colourful it is. Prices range from $1 to $500 per chat.

Super Stickers work similarly, but instead of text, viewers send animated stickers. These can be general designs or themed around specific events or celebrations.

Again, YouTube takes 30% of Super Chat and Super Sticker revenue. But the real power is in the engagement. These features can turn your live streams into interactive events, boosting overall watch time and viewer retention.

To maximise your earnings, acknowledge Super Chats and Stickers in real-time, create special events or challenges tied to Super Chat goals, and use pinned Super Chats to drive discussion. You'll need to enable Super Chat in your live stream settings before going live.

Q: “How can I start selling branded stuff through my channel?”

Merch is a great way to monetise your brand and let fans show their support but it's best to dive into this once you've built a really strong, recognisable brand with a dedicated fan base.

If you’re there already, or for when that time comes: YouTube has a built-in merch shelf feature that integrates with approved third-party merchandising platforms. Currently, these include Teespring, Spreadshop, and others depending on your location.

To enable the merch shelf, you need at least 10,000 subscribers, your channel must be monetised, you must be over 18 years old, and your channel can't have any active Community Guidelines strikes.

Once set up, your merch shelf will appear below your videos on desktop and in the description on mobile.

Pro tip: Use YouTube Analytics to track which products are selling best. You can find this under the 'Transaction Revenue' report in the Revenue tab.

When designing merch, consider print-on-demand vs. bulk ordering, product quality (cheap merch can damage your brand), and profit margins (factor in production costs, shipping, and platform fees). Successful merch often ties into inside jokes or catchphrases from your channel. Don't be afraid to get creative!

Q: “Affiliate marketing seems complicated. How can I do it effectively?"

Affiliate marketing can be a goldmine if done right.

You promote products or services and earn a commission when your viewers make a purchase through your unique link. Commission rates can vary widely, from 1% to 50% or even more for digital products.

To get started, join affiliate programs relevant to your niche. Amazon Associates is popular, but also look for programs specific to your content area. Get your unique affiliate links for products you want to promote and disclose your affiliate relationships clearly in your video and description.

You'll want to use link tracking to understand which videos and products are performing best. Most affiliate programs offer built-in tracking, but you can also use link shorteners with analytics for more detailed data.

To maximise your affiliate earnings, create dedicated review or comparison videos, include links in your video descriptions and pinned comments, use timestamps to direct viewers to specific product mentions, and consider creating a resource page on your website with all your recommendations.

The key to successful affiliate marketing is trust. Only promote products you genuinely believe in and that add value to your audience.

Q: “How do I land sponsorship deals and make them work?”

First, you need to understand your channel's value. Key metrics to track include subscriber count, average views per video, engagement rate (likes, comments, shares), and audience demographics. These metrics will help you negotiate fair rates for sponsorships. As a rough guideline, many creators charge $10-$50 per 1,000 views, depending on the type of integration.

To land sponsorship deals, you can utilise influencer marketing platforms, reach out directly to brands that align with your content, and create a media kit showcasing your channel's performance and audience demographics.

When negotiating deals, consider exclusivity clauses (will you be prevented from working with competitors?), usage rights (how and where can the brand use the content you create?), and payment terms (upfront payment, performance-based, or a combination?).

For the actual sponsored content, you have several options: dedicated videos (entire videos focused on the sponsor's product or service), integrated mentions (naturally incorporating the sponsor into your regular content), and pre-roll or post-roll mentions (brief sponsor segments at the beginning or end of your video).

Pro tip: Use YouTube's built-in 'Includes Paid Promotion' feature to disclose sponsorships. This adds a small disclosure message to your video for the first few seconds.

Remember, authenticity is key. The best sponsored content feels natural and adds value to your viewers.

And that’s a wrap!

Keep this in mind:

The key is diversification. Don't put all your eggs in one basket – experiment with different strategies to find what works best for your channel and your audience.

Until next time,

Jeremy

P.S.

Your feedback so far has been incredible. You’ve helped me deliver exactly what you need guidance with.

So this week, I’d like to ask: