YouTube Partner Program: How To Make Money On YouTube

I have exciting news. I’ve been accepted into the YouTube Partner Program! Today, I'm going to talk about what this means and how it can help you monetize your channel. Over the past 18 months, I’ve built my channel, and now I can take advantage of the features available in the YouTube Partner Program.

Navigating the YouTube studio, I'll explain how to enroll in the program and explore different ways to earn income. From memberships and super chats to linking a physical store for merchandise, there are multiple options. My journey includes achieving certain milestones, such as subscriber and watch hour requirements. I’m eager to share these insights and strategies with you.

Key Takeaways

• The YouTube Partner Program offers several monetization features.
• Meeting subscriber and watch time criteria is mandatory for participation.
• Additional revenue can be generated through memberships, super chats, and linked stores.

Overview of the YouTube Partner Program

In the YouTube Partner Program, you can monetize your channel and create additional income streams. After 18 months of building my channel, I finally got invited to the program. Let me walk you through what this means.

Application Process:

1. Reach 500 subscribers and 3,000 public watch hours to apply.
2. Reach 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 public watch hours for the second level.

Once you meet these criteria, you need an AdSense account and a verification of your identity and channel. Your channel goes through a manual check.

Monetization Options:

• Memberships: Viewers can pay for access to exclusive content. I haven't activated this since my YouTube channel is mainly for audience growth.
• Supers: Viewers can pay for features like super chats, super stickers, and super thanks. This can enhance community engagement and generate some revenue.
• Shopping: You can link your channel to an online store like Shopify or Spreadshop to sell merchandise. This is useful if you have physical products.

Future Goals: The main target is to reach 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 public watch hours. This unlocks ad revenue opportunities. Although the ad revenue might not be substantial, it adds another income stream. I aim to use YouTube as a tool to grow my audience and drive traffic to my website.

I will update my progress once I hit 1,000 subscribers. If you're part of the YouTube Partner program, share your experience in the comments.

Criteria to Join the YouTube Partner Program

Initial Requirements

To start, you need 500 subscribers on your channel and 3,000 public watch hours. These must be from the last 365 days.

Advanced Requirements

The next step involves reaching 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 public watch hours in the past year. It’s crucial to have an AdSense account linked and undergo a verification process.

Future Goals

Once you hit 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours, you unlock ad revenue. You can also explore memberships, super chats, and shopping features to increase your earnings.

Navigating to Monetization in YouTube Studio

To start monetizing your YouTube channel, head over to YouTube Studio. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Go to the "Earn" tab: On the left-hand side, click on "Earn." This tab will take you to the monetization options.
   
   
2. Apply for the YouTube Partner Program: If you're new, you’ll see an option to apply. There are two levels to the program:
   
   
• First Level: Requires 500 subscribers and 3,000 public watch hours.
• Second Level: Requires 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 public watch hours within the last 365 days.
3. Register for AdSense: You’ll need to set up an AdSense account. You’ll get a manual review of your channel to confirm your eligibility.
   
   
4. Activate Additional Features: Once approved, you gain access to features like memberships, supers, and shopping:
   
   
• Memberships: Let viewers pay for exclusive content.
• Supers: Include super chats, super stickers, and super thanks to boost engagement.
• Shopping: Connect a store to your channel, ideal for selling merchandise like T-shirts or mugs.
5. Future Milestones: Focus on increasing your subscribers and watch hours to unlock more monetization opportunities, such as ad revenue.
   
   

When you're ready to monetize, simply follow these steps to get started.

Extra Ways to Make Money

Membership Options

By offering memberships, I can provide my audience with special content for a fee. This could be behind-the-scenes videos or other exclusive material. Members pay to access these perks, creating an additional income stream. I haven’t activated this feature yet, as my current strategy focuses on using my channel for audience growth.

Super Features

The Supers feature allows fans to show support by purchasing super chats, super stickers, and super thanks. This not only increases engagement but also generates a small amount of revenue. It’s an easy way for viewers to make their comments or stickers stand out during live streams.

Shopping

By connecting an online store, like Shopify or Spreadshop, I can sell physical products directly through my YouTube channel. This could include merchandise like t-shirts and mugs. Linking products in my videos and descriptions offers a seamless shopping experience for viewers and another revenue stream for my business.

Process of Enrollment in the YouTube Partner Program

To start the enrollment process in the YouTube Partner Program, head to your YouTube Studio. On the left-hand sidebar, select "Earn". Here, you'll see options for applying to the program. You will find there are two tier levels for becoming a YouTube Partner.

First Level Requirements:

• Subscribers: 500
• Public Watch Hours: 3,000 (within the last 365 days)

Second Level Requirements:

• Subscribers: 1,000
• Public Watch Hours: 4,000 (within the last 365 days)

Once you have met the first level, you can apply for the program. This will involve:

1. Opening an AdSense account.
2. Verifying your identity.
3. Undergoing a manual review of your channel by YouTube.

After acceptance, you gain access to additional features like memberships, super chats, and shopping.

• Memberships: Allows your audience to pay for exclusive content.
• Super Chats: Viewers can pay to have their messages highlighted during live streams.
• Shopping: Link your channel to an online store (e.g., Shopify, Spreadshop) to sell merchandise.

Reaching the second level with 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours unlocks the opportunity to earn ad revenue. You can earn revenue from long-form content, as well as shorts, focusing on growing your audience and driving traffic to your website or other business ventures.

What You Need to Know About YouTube Ad Revenue

When I first got into the YouTube Partner Program, I had to meet specific requirements. Initially, you need 500 subscribers and 3,000 public watch hours. The next step requires 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past year. This process is vital for earning ad revenue on YouTube.

Once these criteria are met and you're accepted, you need to set up an AdSense account. This involves some verification steps such as confirming your identity and the legal status of your account. After approval, you can start earning from ads that run on your videos.

Key Income Sources:

1. Memberships: Fans can pay to access exclusive content.
2. Supers: This includes Super Chats, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks, where viewers pay to highlight their messages.
3. Shopping: You can link online stores like Shopify and Spreadshop to sell merchandise directly through your channel.

While ad revenue may not be huge initially, it is still a significant part of the overall income streams you can generate on YouTube. It also adds credibility to your channel and opens up more features that can help grow your audience and income potential.

Extra Details About Channel Income Approach

Leveraging YouTube for Expanding Viewer Base

With the YouTube Partner Program, my channel unlocked new ways to grow and make money. The first step was reaching 500 subscribers and 3,000 public watch hours. Gradually, I moved to the next milestone of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. Now, I have access to features like memberships, supers, and shopping.

Memberships

Memberships let viewers pay for exclusive content. Though I haven't activated it yet, it's a great way for creators to offer behind-the-scenes material or specialized content.

Super Chats and Stickers

Superchats, super stickers, and super thanks are additional revenue sources. They allow viewers to pay to highlight their messages or show support. This boosts engagement in my community.

Expanding Money-Making Methods

Increasing the number of income streams is crucial when you want to have a steady online business. My YouTube channel isn't my main money source, but a tool to grow my audience.

Shopping Integration

YouTube shopping lets me link to my online stores, like those on Shopify or Spring. For those with a merchandise line, this feature is a smart addition. Linking directly to products in videos or descriptions can enhance brand visibility and sales.

I’m excited to add more ways to earn as my channel grows. Getting revenue from ads, even if small, is another piece of the overall strategy.