Millions of people access YouTube every day, looking for videos to inform, educate or simply entertain them. If you are uploading, sharing and viewing video content on the internet’s number one video sharing website, and you’re looking for ways to make money online, perhaps you should think about monetising your YouTube channel…
What is a YouTube Channel?
Once you become a member of YouTube, a channel is assigned to you. It’s basically the equivalent of your Facebook or Twitter profile, with a brief personal description and thumbnails of the videos you’ve uploaded and your YouTube friends and subscribers.
How to Monetise Your YouTube Channel
Step #1 Develop Great Video Content
First things first, you will need to attract an audience if you wish to make money from YouTube. Just as when you develop a website, your primary aim is to produce really great content – the sort of video content which entices people to click on the link, watch it in its entirety and (the cherry on the top) share it with other people.
Step #2 Join the YouTube Partner Program
The YouTube Partner Program is a YouTube initiative which provides creators with resources and opportunities to improve skills, build fan bases and earn money. To become a YouTube Partner, you need to opt in to the programme on your YouTube account and enable at least one video for monetisation. You also need to associate an AdSense account with your YouTube account. Monetising your YouTube videos means that they will display adverts – you will be paid once your earnings reach your local payment threshold (a figure in local currency determined by Google, YouTube’s owners). One other proviso to being part of the YouTube Partner Program – you will need to ensure that you comply in full with YouTube’s Community Guidelines, which means your video content needs to be completely above board and not infringe copyright.
