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YouTube isn’t just for viral cat videos anymore. It’s a legit income source for anyone willing to be consistent and strategic. Whether you're looking to earn your first $100 or scale to six figures, YouTube has several monetization paths—and not all of them require showing your face.
Creators like Ryan Trahan, Marques Brownlee, and faceless channels like TopThink or Looper are proof that you can turn views into income. What matters is the value you bring and how you guide viewers to take action.
Start Your YouTube Journey!
Quick Look: 5 Real Ways To Make Money On YouTube
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YouTube Partner Program (AdSense)
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Affiliate Marketing
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Sponsored Content and Brand Deals
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Selling Digital Products or Courses
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Channel Memberships and Patreon
1. YouTube Partner Program (AdSense)
This is the most well-known way to earn on YouTube. Once you qualify, YouTube runs ads on your videos, and you get a cut of the revenue. To qualify, you’ll need at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the last 12 months, or 10 million YouTube Shorts views over the past 90 days.
Creators like MrBeast and Ali Abdaal earn tens of thousands per month just from AdSense. CPM (cost per thousand views) varies based on niche. Finance and tech channels tend to get $8 to $20 CPM, while entertainment might get $1 to $5.
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Pros: Passive income once you qualify. Scales with views.
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Cons: Requires consistent content. Not instant.
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Startup Cost: Free to join.
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Where To Start: YouTube Studio > Monetization tab.
2. Affiliate Marketing
This method doesn’t require YouTube to pay you directly. You add links in your description and earn a commission when someone buys through them. It works great for review, tutorial, and list-style videos.
Creators like Think Media thrive here by linking to cameras, microphones, and gear they already use. If you’re in fitness, promote supplements or workout gear. In gaming? Link to controllers or Steam gift cards.
A 10-minute video reviewing 3 budget-friendly cameras can pull in affiliate sales for months if optimized well.
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Pros: High earnings potential. No monetization threshold.
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Cons: Requires trust and smart content strategy.
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Startup Cost: Free to $50 for link tools.
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Where To Start: Amazon Associates, Impact, ShareASale, Digistore24.
3. Sponsored Content and Brand Deals
Once you start building a loyal audience, brands will pay to be featured in your content. This could be a 60-second ad read, a full review, or a shoutout.
Even creators with just 5,000–10,000 engaged subscribers are landing deals through sites like AspireIQ, BrandConnect, and even direct outreach. Fitness creators might partner with supplement companies. Creators in productivity or tech can attract app and SaaS sponsorships.
Rates vary. Small creators can charge $100 to $500 per video. Larger creators often charge thousands. Keep your audience engaged and your niche consistent.
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Pros: High-paying. Builds long-term partnerships.
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Cons: Takes time to build credibility. Brands expect results.
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Startup Cost: Free.
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Where To Start: AspireIQ, Billo, influencer platforms.
4. Selling Digital Products or Online Courses
This is a powerful way to control your income. If you teach, coach, or create, package that into a digital product or course. You can sell templates, eBooks, Notion docs, video training, and more.
Channels like Ali Abdaal and Justin Welsh earn six figures per year with courses alone. Let’s say you’re good at Canva. You can create a “Canva Template Pack” and plug it in your video description. If just 50 people buy at $15, that’s $750 in passive income.
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Pros: High profit margin. Fully yours. Scalable.
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Cons: Requires time upfront. You need something valuable to sell.
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Startup Cost: Free to $100.
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Where To Start: Gumroad, Stan Store, Teachable, Podia.
5. Channel Memberships and Patreon
Once your audience starts showing up regularly, offer them exclusive content or perks in exchange for a monthly subscription. YouTube’s Membership feature unlocks this at 1,000 subscribers, but you can start earlier with Patreon.
You could offer bonus videos, early access, private Q&As, or even Discord access. Tech YouTuber EposVox does this well. Even if just 100 people pay $5/month, that’s $500 every month in recurring revenue.
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Pros: Predictable monthly income. Deepens community.
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Cons: You need to constantly provide value.
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Startup Cost: Free.
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Where To Start: Patreon, Ko-fi, YouTube Memberships tab.
FAQs: How To Make Money On YouTube
How many subscribers do I need to start earning on YouTube?
To join the YouTube Partner Program, you need at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months or 10 million Shorts views in the last 90 days.
Can I make money on YouTube without showing my face?
Yes. Faceless channels using voiceovers, animations, or slideshows can still drive traffic, affiliate clicks, and ad revenue.
What are the best niches for YouTube monetization?
Finance, technology, education, fitness, and productivity have higher CPMs and are often easier to monetize through products, courses, and brand deals.
Final Thoughts: YouTube Pays the Committed
The biggest earners on YouTube didn’t go viral overnight. They stayed consistent, learned what worked, and kept going. Pick one monetization route and get started. Don’t wait to be perfect. Even one video a week, done right, can lead to income within months.
Make your content helpful. Give your audience a reason to come back. Use smart monetization tools. And if one video flops, the next might take off. YouTube still gives new creators a real shot.
Stay focused. Keep learning. And post with purpose.
Edited by TannerT, 12 April 2025 - 01:02 PM.
