YouTube has developed from a video-sharing site to a massive money-spinning machine for many content creators worldwide. Perhaps the simplest way to monetize a YouTube channel is by adding ads. You might be starting out on YouTubing or you may want to turn your hobby into a business; nonetheless, you need to know how to monetize your content through ads. This step-by-step guide walks you through every single process, from opening your account to maximizing your earnings. Once you have read this article, you’ll have a clear idea about how to make money from your YouTube channel.
UNDERSTANDING YOUTUBE ADS
Let’s discuss them before we proceed to the monetization process. We need to know about YouTube ads and how they work. YouTube accommodates various types of ads, each one being tailored with certain features. Those ads that can be used effectively in a manner so that videos can be monetized are:
Display Ads: They are banner ads that are displayed along with the video player on computers.
Overlay Ads: They are transparent ads which appear at the bottom of playing video.
Skippable Video Ads: These are the ads which can be skipped by the audience after viewing for 5 seconds. They usually appear prior to playing the video.
Non-Skippable Video Ads: As the name suggests, these are non-skippable. They usually last for approximately 15-20 seconds.
Bumper Ads: Brief ads that cannot be skipped and typically are 6 seconds long, played prior to the video.
Sponsored Cards: Mid-roll cards of a video that could be utilized in order to advertise products or product-related content of the video.
By monetizing your YouTube channel, you can earn money on such ads based on the views and interactions of your videos. The more your viewership and interaction, the more you can earn.
CREATING A YOUTUBE CHANNEL
You will need a YouTube channel in order to start monetizing. It is simple to do. This is how you can do it:
Sign up for YouTube: You’ll need to have a Google account to sign up for a YouTube channel. If you don’t, visit the Google sign-up web page and sign up.
Create a Channel: After signing in, click your profile picture in the top right, then click “Your Channel” and select “Create Channel.”
Make Your Channel Personalized: Give a channel name, description, logo, and banner that match your niche. If you have a well-known channel, you’ll get more viewers and subscribers.
MEETING YOUTUBE’S MONETIZATION REQUIREMENTS
You must satisfy YouTube’s requirements for monetization in order to start earning revenue from ads. They are:
1,000 Subscribers: You must have a minimum of 1,000 subscribers so that you’re qualified for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP).
4,000 Watch Hours: Your channels should have a minimum of 4,000 watch hours within the last 12 months.
Comply with YouTube’s Policies: Your videos need to comply with YouTube’s terms of service, copyright policy, and community guidelines. This includes avoiding explicit content, hate speech, and misleading titles.
Two-Step Verification: This provides an extra layer of protection for your YouTube account.
Once you qualify for these, you can join the YouTube Partner Program and earn money.
APPLYING FOR THE YOUTUBE PARTNER PROGRAM (YPP)
The YouTube Partner Program (YPP) is where you actually get paid from your channel. How to sign up is as follows:
Visit YouTube Studio: Once you have logged in to your account, visit YouTube Studio.
Click on Monetization: From the left side navigation menu, you click on “Monetization.”
Follow the Steps: YouTube will also guide you through the steps, i.e., terms of service acceptance and linking your Google AdSense account. AdSense is your earnings processing system for your income on YouTube.
Wait for Approval: After you apply, YouTube will then scan your channel to find out whether or not you meet the qualification requirements. It’ll take you one week or two weeks, so wait.
If your appeal is successful, you will earn money from your videos by means of advertisements.
SETTING UP GOOGLE ADSENSE
Google AdSense is how Google displays and pays for advertisements on your YouTube videos. To earn from ads, you need to link your YouTube channel to a Google AdSense account.
Sign up with Google AdSense: Visit Google AdSense website and sign up for an account if you have not done so already.
Link Your AdSense Account with YouTube: After your YouTube account is verified to monetize, you will be asked to connect your AdSense account to it.
Set Payment Information: Verify your payment information such as address and tax so that you become eligible to receive payments.
Once you have paired your AdSense account, you are ready to earn money through ads.
TYPES OF MONETIZATION OPTIONS
YouTube offers a number of different options for making money from your content, and ads are just one of them. Although ads are the most popular option for earning money on YouTube, there are other monetization options to consider.
Super Stickers and Super Chats: These features you utilize will provide your viewers with access to giving cash donations while they stream live. Subscribers can also send a message or sticker saying thanks as they stream you live.
Channel Memberships: Provided you have more than 30,000 subscribers, you can offer memberships access to your viewers where they will pay the subscription fee and get certain badges, emojis, etc.
Merchandise Shelf: YouTube allows creators with more than 10,000 subscribers to sell and advertise merchandise on the channel. It’s an excellent method of monetizing your brand into a business.
YouTube Premium Revenue: When people watch your video on YouTube Premium, you earn a portion of their subscription. YouTube Premium rewards viewers for watching ad-free content, and you earn a portion of the Premium viewer funds.
These streams of revenue add to ad revenue, meaning that you have multiple sources of income from your YouTube channel.
OPTIMIZING YOUR CONTENT FOR ADS
You will not succeed with YouTube ads by uploading videos to YouTube. To earn the most ad revenue, you need to optimize your videos to get more views and engagement. Here are some tips:
Consistency is Key: Upload videos regularly to keep your audience engaged. The more videos you post, the higher the opportunity to monetize using ads.
SEO Attention: YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world. Placing keywords in your video titles, descriptions, and tags will get your videos discovered.
Produce Quality Videos: Relevant and valuable content will be shared and recommended more. Good-quality content keeps your viewers watching longer, i.e., ad revenue boosts.
Engage Your Audience: Respond to comments, request comments, and request likes and subscriptions from your audience. The more that engages with you, the more YouTube’s algorithm will favor your videos and recommend them.
Know Your Audience: Through YouTube Analytics, you can see who’s watching your videos, where, and for how long. That’ll inform you to make content that will appeal to your audience, earning you more ad dollars.
HOW MUCH MONEY CAN YOU EARN FROM YOUTUBE ADS?
The money you’ll make from YouTube ads will depend on a wide range of factors like:
CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions): Advertisers pay 1,000 impressions of the ads. CPM prices depend on location, niche, and ad format.
CTR (Click-Through Rate): The more clicks your ads get, the higher your earnings.
Watch Time: The greater watch time, the more ads get shown, which equals more money.
Usually, creators make between $1 to $5 per 1,000 views, but it varies based on your channel performance and niche.
KEEPING AN EYE ON YOUR PAYMENTS AND REVENUE
When your ads start earning you money, it’s nice to be able to see how much you’re making and that you’re being paid what you’re supposed to. You can check your payments and ad performance in the YouTube Analytics part of YouTube Studio. You’ll then be able to view how much money you’ve made, what videos are performing best, and what type of ads are being displayed.
You receive payment from Google AdSense once your balance is $100. You receive monthly payments from Google, and you can receive payment via a check, bank deposit, or wire transfer, depending on your geographic location.
CONCLUSION
Making money from your hobby on YouTube with ads is a good time to be making money. While it may take a little while to gain your loyal subscribers and views, adhering to the guidelines within this tutorial will set you on the path of making money from your vids. Remember, success on YouTube does not happen overnight but by hard work, perseverance, and dedication, YouTube success can be achieved.
By being aware of the monetization policies of YouTube, meeting the requirements, and maximizing your content, you are able to maximize your income and create a sustainable income source on your YouTube channel. Enjoy creating!