Creative Ways to Earn from YouTube
Without AdSense
In today's digital
economy, it's hard to imagine the creative landscape without YouTube. From
viral cat videos to in-depth tutorials, YouTube offers something for everyone.
This extensive reach is why many talented creators flock to the platform.
According to a study on professional creators, nearly half of the respondents
mentioned that YouTube is their primary platform.
One reason for
this dominance is that YouTube began paying its users early on through its
Partner Program. YouTube partners earn money from ad revenue generated by ads
displayed on their videos. The simplicity of this model has attracted millions
of creators and led to numerous success stories. However, it didn't take long
for creators to realize the risks of relying solely on ad revenue for their
income. Ad revenue can fluctuate significantly, with channel owners having
little control over it. Furthermore, YouTube has the final say on who can and
cannot monetize their content. This means many talented video creators may
spend hours making videos only to have their monetization disabled or their
videos removed entirely from YouTube.
Fortunately, there
are alternative ways to make money on YouTube. In fact, you'll find that the
most successful creators rely on ad revenue as little as possible. This article
will present seven additional income sources that real creators use to make money
without relying on ads.
1. Earning Money
on YouTube by Selling Products
Merchandise is
often the first alternative income source creators add to their channels. With
tools like Spring, it's easy to print your channel logo on a wide range of
products, such as:
- T-shirts
- Hoodies
- Tote bags
- Mugs
- Pillows
- Hats
- Leggings
- And more!
Additionally,
YouTube has made it easier for creators to sell their merchandise by adding
their own merchandise shelf. This tool allows certain platforms (Spreadshop,
Spring, and Suzuri) to integrate directly with YouTube, so you can display your
products right under your videos.
Selling
Products on YouTube to Make Money
Offering a
physical product to your audience, whether it's a shirt or a mug, is a great
way to deepen your relationship with them while providing them with a way to
advertise your brand.
One channel that
has taken their merchandise strategy to the next level is TeamRICHEY, a fitness
vlog run by Craig Richey and Jasmine Cabourn. Together, they used their online
audience to build a brand called HSTL. Made, which sells everything from T-shirts
to weights. To ensure the quality of their products, they work directly with a
manufacturer and host periodic launches instead of the more common
drop-shipping model used by most creators.
Pros and
Cons of Selling Products
Pros:
- Easy to set up with available
tools.
- Can lead to free advertising
from the audience.
- Low-cost way for the audience to
support the creators they enjoy.
Cons:
- Often expensive to produce with
low profit margins.
- Risk of low-quality products.
- No recurring revenue.
To foster a strong
relationship with your audience through selling physical products, ensure
product quality by working with reliable manufacturers. Using innovative
marketing models like periodic launches can help you stand out in the market.
2. Earning Money
on YouTube by Selling Digital Products
A natural
evolution from physical products is digital products. These products are
usually in the form of informational products such as e-books and online
courses, as well as paid private communities.
YouTuber Gillian
Perkins is an excellent example of a channel using this model effectively.
Perkins offers videos for aspiring entrepreneurs on topics like productivity,
creativity, and online business. In addition to the free videos available on
her channel, Perkins invites audience members to learn more through interaction
with her products:
- The e-book "Sorted,"
available on Amazon.
- Online courses on topics like
starting a YouTube channel, creating a business plan, and attracting an
audience.
- A private membership community
called Startup Society.
Not all digital
products need to be educational. Other examples include templates, printables,
recipes, music, fonts, and pre-set filters.
Pros and
Cons of Digital Products
Pros:
- Free to reproduce with higher
profit margins.
- More control over pricing,
distribution, and quality.
Cons:
- May require significant time or
a high level of technical knowledge.
- Less opportunity for free
advertising (audiences can't "wear" digital products in public).
- Creators need to allocate time
for customer service to support the products.
Considering
digital products as a way to enhance income can be a smart move for any creator
looking to diversify their revenue streams. Instead of relying solely on ad
revenue, creators can offer valuable content that benefits the audience in
different ways, strengthening the relationship between the creator and their
followers.
3. Earning Money
on YouTube Through Direct Support Our Top Pick: Direct Support
Direct support is
one of the fastest-growing areas in creator revenue. This method gained
popularity through Patreon, where fans can fund their favorite creators for a
few dollars a month in exchange for additional content or exclusive access.
A successful
example of this is the channel Gone with the Wynns. As of now, they have over
1,400 supporters paying between $2 to $250 a month to fund their videos.
YouTube entered
the direct support field in recent years by offering two options for creators
to receive money from their audience. The first is memberships, which give
audience subscribers extra perks during live chats. Here's an example from
Graham Stephan's channel.
Memberships
Memberships are a
great way for creators to boost their income by offering exclusive content or
additional features. Creators can also provide special badges or custom emojis
for subscribers, enhancing interaction and engagement with the audience. This method
provides creators with a more stable and predictable income source compared to
the fluctuating ad revenue.
In addition,
creators can use other tools like Super Chat and Super Stickers during live
streams. These tools allow viewers to purchase highlighted messages or stickers
that stand out in the chat, increasing interaction and contributing to higher
revenue.
Direct support
represents a fantastic way for creators to turn their passion into a
sustainable income source while building a strong community of supporters.
YouTube
Applause
The second option
YouTube added is called applause, which is essentially a donation jar built
into the YouTube platform. Here's an example from the Psych IRL channel.
One of the biggest
caveats with direct support is the fees associated with each platform:
- Patreon takes 5-12% of total
earnings.
- Donation jars like Buy Me A
Coffee take 5%+ of each transaction.
- YouTube's built-in options
(memberships and applause) take 30%.
For this reason,
many creators are turning to platforms like Ghost, which take 0%, allowing
creators to keep most of the money they earn.
Pros and
Cons of Direct Support
Pros:
- More stable and predictable
income.
- Closer connection with the
audience.
- No need to manage products.
Cons:
- High platform fees.
- Need to continuously provide
value to supporters.
4. Earning Money
on YouTube Through Content Repurposing
Content
repurposing is one of the most effective ways to maximize the return on
investment for every piece of material you create. Authors do this by turning
book chapters into SEO-friendly articles. Artists and photographers practice
this strategy by reposting their images with different arrangements and filters
on multiple platforms.
One way video
creators can leverage this tactic is by converting their video content into
written and audio formats.
Shelby Church, a
YouTuber known for home tours and Tesla videos, transcribed one of her most
popular videos and posted the article on Medium. That article alone made over
$6,000.
Content
repurposing allows you to reach potential fans outside of YouTube while taking
advantage of monetization opportunities on other platforms.
Tools for
Content Repurposing
A tool that can
simplify this process is Descript, a video editor that can automatically
produce audio for podcasts and written transcripts from your video files.
Pros and
Cons of Content Repurposing
Pros:
- Reuses content, reducing the
need to create something new constantly.
- Opportunity to attract fans
outside YouTube.
- Digital tools can make this
process relatively quick.
Cons:
- Requires adherence to the rules
and limits of other platforms.
- Takes time and patience to grow
a new audience.
- Monetization options can be
unreliable.
Content
repurposing can be a great way to expand your reach and enhance engagement with
a broader audience. By diversifying the ways you present your content, you can
increase opportunities for monetization and enhance your presence across
multiple platforms.
5. Earning Money
on YouTube Through Affiliate Marketing
One of the
benefits of growing your online audience is that they start trusting your
expertise and knowledge. This trust can then be leveraged in the form of
recommendations for tools, products, and experts.
Affiliate
Marketing
Affiliate
marketing is a system where creators find products they enjoy using and earn a
small commission when recommending them to their audience.
Nick Nimmin is a
great example of using this strategy to support his channel. Nimmin creates
content for fellow aspiring video creators, especially those interested in
mobile video and live streaming. The description section of each video he
offers contains a series of links directing the audience to recommended tools
such as:
- TubeBuddy, a video tagging tool.
- StreamYard, a live streaming
solution.
- Videoleap, a mobile app for
editing videos directly from an iPhone.
Nimmin ensures to
include 5-8 recommendations in each video description so fans can easily find
the products mentioned in the videos. Additionally, he also creates content
about the recommended tools themselves, such as tutorials on how to use them
properly.
Pros and
Cons of Affiliate Marketing
Pros:
- No need to manage products
yourself.
- Works with both high-ticket and
low-ticket items.
- One of the most
beginner-friendly methods.
Cons:
- Less control over the
product or service.
- Some programs offer
very low percentages.
- Potential for some
audience