To make money on YouTube, you need to apply for the YouTube Partner Program. It grants multiple benefits to gear you up to make money using your own channel.

YPP allows you, among others, to set up a copyright match tool that ensures you get the property rights of your content, access to YouTube creator support teams, and access to all of YouTube’s monetization features.

Every day, five billion YouTube videos are watched by users from all over the world. Viewers spend approximately 40 minutes per YouTube session.

But how long does it take to make money on YouTube? The YPP only grants applicants with a certain number of viewers and subscribers. 

REQUIREMENTS TO GET MONETIZED ON YOUTUBE

For you to start making money and receiving the privileges under the YouTube Partner Program, you must at least have 4,000 hours of Watch Time and 1,000 subscribers on your channel. After reaching the said figures, you’ll then need to make and activate your AdSense account.

You also need to agree to all of YouTube’s terms and conditions to successfully process the application. 

For other Youtubers, it takes days or even a week before they get an update on their applications. On the other hand, some applicants are able to get their accounts processed in a matter of hours.

IQ, for example, applied for the monetization of two of their video channels — their Spanish and Russian platforms. After they sent in their request for YPP activation, the vidIQ channel was accepted just within 60 hours. 

Different factors and circumstances could affect the status of your application. Hasty YouTubers usually send follow-up emails to confirm their requests. 

WHY THE MONETIZATION PROCESS CAN TAKE TIME

It may come as a surprise, but some users experience months of waiting before getting a YPP grant. The process has a tendency to take longer than expected even before the platform became the famous online avenue for monetized videos. But with the current pandemic, it now has another reason for processing delays. 

YouTube posted an announcement regarding the status of their operations. It stated that they reduced their staff in their systems department, such as the creator support, which greatly affected the processing of all YPP applications.

YouTube does not solely use algorithms or software to review and manage applications. Human reviewers are utilized to decide which content is viable for brands to place their ads. 

Today, YouTube encourages new applicants to set realistic expectations, as the support team will probably take 30 days to complete their YPP review. 

CASE STUDIES: HOW LONG IT TOOK YOUTUBERS TO MAKE MONEY ON YOUTUBE

To earn the privilege of making money on YouTube, you need to have patience, consistency, and the right strategy. After all, it’s impossible to meet YouTube’s requirements for monetization right away.

It can take a couple of years before your account is verified for monetization. Here are some case studies from YouTubers who were able to make money on YouTube. These periods can help you set your expectations straight in terms of how long it will take before you can make money on the platform.

YOUTUBER 1: 4 YEARS

For one YouTuber who shared his experience on Quora, it took 4 years for him to receive his first paycheck on YouTube. The period begins the moment he became eligible to earn revenue to the time he received his first check from the platform, which was the minimum payout.

The reason it took him 4 years was that meeting the requirements to make money out of YouTube can take a while. It also takes some time before the funds can reach the minimum transfer from YouTube to a connected PayPal account.

These earnings are attributed to 3 of 12 videos that this YouTuber posted on his channel, which shows that trends and user interests can be a factor in determining how much money a video makes and how long it will take for a user to receive the funds.

The lesson here is that monetized accounts need to make the effort to keep up with trends and where possible, look for untapped video potential. However, this can take a long time before the channel can make money. It takes a lot of time and effort that a lot of people may not have the luxury of.

YOUTUBER 2: 2.5 YEARS

For another YouTuber, it took him 2 and a half years before he was able to monetize his YouTube account and receive his first pay from the platform. Around this time, he already had 44.7 million subscribers.

His view on the time it takes to make money out of YouTube reveals that content is an important factor to make a YouTube channel profitable. The most difficult part of it is gaining 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time, which are the minimum requirements for monetization.

He suggests trying out the different tips and tricks available today that can help you grow on YouTube quickly. These include running ads or promoting your YouTube channels on other platforms. And lastly, he leaves with a note that content is the most important aspect of it all.

YOUTUBER 3: 2 MONTHS

Another YouTuber shares that he was able to make money on YouTube as quickly as 2 months after starting his channel. He says that the secret to this is not relying on YouTube ads or partnerships. Instead, he made money through affiliate marketing.

Now, all his videos are monetized. However, he makes 60% of his revenue from affiliate marketing efforts. He recommends that YouTubers seek out affiliate marketing first and then explore YouTube Ad revenue after 6 months to a year of being monetized.

YOUTUBER 4: 12 MONTHS

One YouTuber shared that it took her 6 months just to generate more than 10,000 views per video, which she was able to earn through social media marketing and forum participation, promoting her channels on these platforms.

Once she was able to garner frequent visitors and subscribers, she was then able to get more views for the following videos she uploaded. And in another 6 months, she earned $300, which was her first pay from YouTube.

YOUTUBER 5: 4 MONTHS

With hard work and consistency, one YouTuber shared that he was able to earn money from YouTube in a matter of 3 to 4 months.

This was made possible through his efforts of monetizing his channel through AdSense and getting approached by brands for promotions and advertisements because of the quality of his content.

He says that the period will also differ depending on the type of channel, its nature, the niche and industry, etc.

YOUTUBER 6: 3 MONTHS

One YouTuber was also able to make money on YouTube in as early as 3 months from the time he built his channel. However, the money was not made through YouTube’s ad revenue.

Instead, he put his own unique marketing system in place that allowed him to make up to $5,000 from 1 out of every 1,000 viewers. This was in payment for a coaching package for business training that he set up and promoted in his videos.

As can be seen from these case studies, how long it takes to earn money from YouTube can greatly differ depending on a lot of factors such as the channel’s niche, the quality of the content, the effort put in by the YouTuber, and the strategies that they use to make money.

There is no straightforward answer to how long it takes to make money on YouTube. But there can be opportunities here as long as you know what particular steps you need to take and you are smart about how you take them.

HOW MUCH DO YOUTUBERS EARN PER VIEW?

As per a report from the Influencer Marketing Hub, a YouTuber can earn anywhere from $0.01 to $0.03 per view. Through AdSense, the users can use the monetization features of the platform. An average earning falls at $0.18 per view.

YouTube.com will pay according to various factors or conditions including:

  • Video length
  • Adblockers
  • Ad quality
  • The number of clicks an ad receives
  • The number of views your video receives. 

Here is a short guide to YouTube earnings:

  • Rates per advertiser vary. Generally, they pay $0.30 down to $0.10 per view. The average rate is still at $0.18 per view.
  • Google pays $68 to the publisher for every $100 that an advertiser pays. 
  • Since the average rate is $18, it means that per 1000 video views, it costs advertisers $3 to $5.

HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOUTUBERS MAKE EVERY 1,000 VIEWS?

Forbes’ feature on Highest-Paid YouTube Stars 2018, Markiplier, Jake Paul, PewDiePie, And More revealed that top talents receive $5 for every 1,000 video views.

This clearly classifies that YouTubers who rooted their place in the content-creating hustle earn higher than most users. Known for producing fresh and unique content, some of these YouTube stars earn millions within the short span of releasing a video. 

Starters, however, make an average of $18 per 1,000 ad views. To break it down, these users earn $3 to $5 per 1,000 video views.

Experts of YouTube monetization see more potential earnings in such a platform when creating engaging content is considered. It is found that content with appealing presentations ignites a spark in large audiences. Hence, this explains the tough work that most YouTubers put on. 

HOW MUCH MONEY DOES A YOUTUBER MAKE PER SUBSCRIBER?

YouTube does not pay users according to the number of subscribers. However, companies that may like to place ads would probably check the figures of your followers, commenters, or likers. That is why having many subscribers is still a prime goal of being a YouTuber. 

Aside from that, subscribers are highly valuable as they are the key for you to gain more views and money, especially when the right ads are placed. Subscribers are your allies in gathering likes, comments, and views on your videos.

These are people who chose to follow your channel to get updated on your fresh releases. As you post a new video, it will automatically show up on your subscribers’ YouTube home page. 

HOW MUCH MONEY CAN A YOUTUBER MAKE PER VIDEO?

Various factors can affect your video monetization on YouTube. Two pay the greatest impact, namely:

  • The number of Google ads displayed throughout your video
  • The number of views your video accumulates.

Based on the conversion stated in Forbes, your video with 1,000,000 views can earn you $5,000 or more. However, these are only estimates, and some YouTube users may receive a little less or more than the expected numbers. 

YouTubers may have to consider the click-through rate and the quality of the ad. More often than not, these factors determine how much money you’ll receive in your videos.

eMarketers forecasted $14.89 billion worth of social video ad spending in the United States in the year 2021. It will grow 44% more compared to 2019. 

HOW MANY VIEWS DO YOUTUBERS NEED TO MONETIZE THEIR CHANNEL?

You need at least $100 or more from views for you to be eligible for a payout from YouTube. So on average, you need to get approximately 20,000 views to get a payout from YouTube, assuming you earn a CPM of $5 (per 1,000 views).

This is where the YouTube Partner Program becomes significant. The program is realized to allows users like you to get paid through the advertisements on your YouTube home page. 

If you haven’t applied for the YPP yet, all you need to do is to complete the following requirements:

  • Have 4,000 valid public watch hours from the past 12 months
  • Have at least 1,000 subscribers
  • Agree and sign the YT terms and conditions
  • Activate an AdSense account
  • Get reviewed and approved.

Monetization can be done in two ways. One would be the cost per click or CPC and the other one is the cost per thousand views (CPM). 

WHAT OTHER WAYS DO YOUTUBERS MAKE MONEY?

SPONSORSHIP

YouTube, as the most widely-used video-viewing outlet these days and reaching 1 billion hours of watch time per day, can easily attract companies for sponsorship.

Big-time YouTubers are more likely to be noticed by many companies. If you’re quite a shot in YT, brands will contact you for sponsorships, whether for service or product endorsements. Famous content creators using YouTube earn tenfold compared to ordinary users because of brand sponsorships.

As of today, the number of brands spending money for a product review or promotions through YouTubers is continuously rising. They’re very much happy to pay more just for their products or services to increase in sales.  YouTube promotions or endorsements contribute to the magnifying effect of digital marketing.

The study of AudienceProject, Insights 2019 Traditional TV, Online Video & Streaming shows that YouTube dominates all top online platforms by 90%. 

MERCHANDISE

Day-to-day vloggers or popular gamers usually put up shops or online apparel markets for their fans to purchase. YouTubers with a great number of followers often start a brand of their own or start a lineup of merchandise that relatively represents the niche they broadcast on their channel. 

These merchandise items can be in the form of accessories, hats, bags, shirts, etc. This is a way for YouTubers to generate income other than the money they get from clicks and the number of views.

Similar to how they inject promotions for other companies in their videos, they advertise their own products by mentioning or using them while making the content. Also, they can collab with other content creators to produce merchandise.

Not all merchandise is successful on its first release, but YouTubers who persevere in combining their entrepreneurship and creativity could go a long way. 

AFFILIATE LINKS

Reviewing a product or mentioning a ‘trusted brand’ is another way of making money on YouTube. Influencers or content creators will mention or review a service or product and link to the purchase page.

The promoted merchandise can be anything. Some of them are usually marketing software, a service, make-up set, food, new appliance, new mobile phone model, and many others. 

The YouTuber will then tell the viewers to click the link in the description if they want to try the product or service themselves. Every time the user clicks on the link, their channel will earn a percentage of the purchase.

You might want to try this way of YouTube monetization as it hits two birds with one stone. The money now will be coming from the number of views and the count of link clicks. 

YOUTUBE PARTNERSHIP/ ADS

The YouTube Partner Program itself can help you earn money. This is through Google AdSense banner ads, channel memberships, and the raw ads that reached you for promotions. But these are just privileges you are yet to indulge in if you are fully accepted to YPP.

Having amassed 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 video watch hours within 12 months is the most solid qualification for getting your application granted. 

Getting the foundational 4,000 hours of watch time doesn’t have a concrete format or timeline. Depending on your style or technique, you can always aim for 100 views for each of your 40 videos to reach the quota. You may check your Video Manager. If the “$” icon turns green, that means your video is already qualified for YouTube monetization.

FUNDING FROM YOUR FANS

Encouraging your loyal fans to start a crowdfund for you to continue making videos and profit from is not a bad idea for some content creators. Platforms online can help you reach more outlets in the process of getting funds for your content.

With just one dollar, your fans can quickly acquire subscriptions to their preferred channels. Some subscribers can even have special rewards from their favorite YouTubers.

Tipee and Patreon are examples of good services that allow users or content creators to get the combo of one-time and recurring donations. Fan-funding is seen to be more effective when your content is providing value, entertaining, and interesting. Subscribers are drawn to videos that are worth their time and money. 

MASTER YOUTUBE SEO

Starters like you may experience a tough time gathering followers at first. To step up your game, you will need to be smarter with your YouTube SEO and master its full potential. You probably have done keyword research, but this time, you have to consider another factor to increase the traffic of your SEO. 

While performing a keyword search, bear in mind the kind of content that most people search on YouTube nowadays. Then, you have to ensure that you are using keywords that are high-value. Use these keywords in video tags, titles, and descriptions.

After launching your video, you may go to YouTube’s Traffic Source to get an idea of what keywords the people were searching for when your video came out. 

YOUTUBE MARKETING FUNNEL

Users can optimize sales using the YT marketing funnel. It usually starts with choosing your niche, acquiring YPP, and planning the structure of your marketing funnel.

It is found that making use of a blog in unison with your channel can elevate your earnings. This will help you gather more email addresses in your database, which makes it easier for you to sell or promote products. 

After creating a blog post, you can always repurpose the content where your product is greatly affiliated. Create a video after that blog and embed the link to the blog post. This way, you’ll earn money from click commissions, and at the same gather traffic for your blogs. 

TIPS TO MAKE MONEY ON YOUTUBE

BUY THE RIGHT GEAR

If you want to be a successful YouTuber like your favorite content creators, you must invest in having the right gears. The suitable equipment will smoothen your content making from the quality of sound and video down to the post-production or the part where the editing phase takes place. 

The basic equipment in making content on YouTube is a camera, lighting source, and a microphone. For starters, a mobile phone with excellent video resolution or HD format can also get the job done.

DIYs can help noobs kickstart their journey. Some YouTubers gather funds from their first tryout and invest in such equipment to improve the quality and add value to their content. 

FIND YOUR NICHE

Developing a strong channel with solid followers takes a good niche. The considered best niches so far are lifehacks, how-to demonstrations, spoofs or pranks, cooking, product reviews, celebrity gossip, news, and gaming.

Part of choosing the right niche for you is looking for some inspiration online from the previous content made by pioneering YT users. 

In 20️18, the top five YT content creators were gamers. Sometimes, YouTubers find their niche based on their basic hobbies and different expertise. Other users tend to combine the current trends with the flagship of their channel. That way, their content remains evergreen to their viewers. Doing so will also attract more subscribers, likes, and comments for their videos. Necessarily, it also means more money for the YouTubers. 

POST REGULARLY

Another strategy that you can use to earn on YouTube is constant posting. It can help in garnering more money for your YouTube channel. This is manageable through a schedule that would work for you best.

For example, if you are planning to post your content on Wednesdays, you must be consistent in posting so that your audience will know when can they expect your content.

Such a technique is helpful on your part for you can estimate your time in creating your content before the scheduled date. Pick a timeline that would best align with your planning, searching, creating, and editing.

The more people see you consistently posting, the more you attract viewers to your channel. And thousands of subscribers could only mean one thing — more earnings. 

CONCLUSION

Once you’re set with the requirements to get a YPP grant, you can start monetizing your channel and creating valuable content. The challenge could be tough, especially now that more and more people are turning to YouTube to start a side hustle.

But then again, there are so many ways to earn money on YT, as long as you know how to think outside of the box and plan out an effective strategy.