5 Proven Ways to Make Money on YouTube (Ultimate Guide)
If proven ways make money is on your radar, this short guide cuts through the noise. Here is what is worth knowing, and how to put it to work today.
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It’s not fast, and it’s definitely not as simple as it seems, but if you’re a creative person with a message to share and an interest in video content, you can learn how to make money on YouTube.
Written by Lindsay VanSomeren Last Updated: April 1, 2025 Reviewed by Jana LynchSome of the links on DollarSprout point to products or services from partners we trust. If you choose to make a purchase through one, we may earn a commission, which supports the ongoing maintenance and improvement of our site at no additional cost to you. Learn more.
Every day, you hear about YouTube stars making millions of dollars from sharing their videos.
There’s Ryan Kaji, an eight-year-old boy who made $26 million in 2019, just by reviewing toys on his YouTube channel.[1] Actors like Darren Criss and Rachel Bloom have also found their way from YouTube fame to movies and TV.
If you love to explain topics, interview people in person, or just enjoy being on camera, you might want to consider starting your own YouTube channel.
YouTube can be a excellent way to make money. It’s not fast, and it’s definitely not as simple as it seems. If you need to make money in a week, there are better options.
But if you’re a creative person with a message to share and an interest in video, you can learn how to make money on YouTube.
Topics that Make Money on YouTube
One of the first things you’ll need to decide when starting up your own YouTube channel is what type of videos you’ll be producing. You can pick whatever you’re comfortable with, but there are a few popular types of videos that have an simple entry point.
Product reviews
If you have expertise in a certain topic and can objectively assess products, this can be another popular way to create videos. You can do this with all kinds of products like digital cameras, eyeshadow palettes, or dog toys.
The key is to pick a certain niche and stick to that. If you review educational kids’ games one week and a book the next, you probably won’t be able to build the following necessary to make money.
Related: 8 Ways You Can Get Paid to Test Products at Home
Tutorials
Tutorials are another popular way to help others with your expertise. You can walk people through common problems like how to sew a button, curl your hair, do your taxes, or cook a roast. People are constantly turning to YouTube tutorials for the simplest to most complicated DIY projects.
Make a list of your interests, skills, and credentials to figure out what kinds of tutorials and how-tos you can create.
Vlogging
If you’re constantly telling interesting stories, having exciting experiences, or just have a knack for discussing mundane observations, you might consider starting a vlog. Rather than writing down your thoughts, you’ll record and share them with your audience. This can be a excellent way to make money from your everyday life.
How to Start a YouTube Channel and Make Money
It’s simple to start a YouTube channel, but making videos and building a loyal following is harder.
Step 1: Create your YouTube channel
Creating a YouTube channel is as simple as logging in to YouTube and selecting the “Create Channel” link under your profile picture. From there, you’ll be taken to the Channel dashboard where you’ll find tools and tutorials for creating, uploading, and sharing your videos.
You will need to provide an email address so you have two options. You can create a separate channel using your personal email address, or you can create a separate email address to use just for your channel. If you like the peace of mind of having separate accounts so that you don’t accidentally cross-post personal with business, then choose the latter.
Remember to fill in all of the details in your profile, including the About section. Upload a catchy channel header image, and make sure it looks good on mobile and in a web browser.
Related: How This Teacher Turned YouTuber Makes $39,000 per Month
Step 2: Decide on a strategy
You could post videos on a random schedule with topics that don’t relate to each other, but if you’re trying to make money on YouTube, you need a specific strategy.
“Honestly, I’d say quantity and making sure you hit the fan favorites is the biggest part,” said Joseph Hogue, of the YouTube channel Let’s Talk Money. “One video a week used to be the baseline, but I feel like somebody really trying to grow their channel needs to be producing two a week now.” Hogue advises creating a schedule with a set time and day for each video that you put out. Once you set a schedule that you feel comfortable with, consider these factors as well:
- How numerous videos will you produce each month?
- What day and time will you post them?
- What information will you include in your video descriptions?
- Will you include details from your personal life or will it be more formal?
- What will your video thumbnails look like?
- How will you choose what video topics to produce?
To get an idea of what strategy will work for you, check out other popular channels in your niche. Don’t copy them, but use them as an inspiration for what’s working. If you see several channels repeating the same elements, that’s a clue you should consider doing it too.
Step 3: Develop a method for creating and uploading videos
To simplify and streamline the process, it’s key to develop a system or method for your videos.
Numerous successful YouTubers advise shooting several videos in one session and batch-processing them. That way, you can do all the work at once and then schedule them to be released in advance.
You can also develop things like step-by-step checklists to streamline the process even further. The popular tool TubeBuddy offers this feature and other helpful resources such as keyword research. Learning how to use keyboard shortcuts in your video editing program can also speed up the editing process. As you grow your channel and income, you can hire an editor or virtual assistant to help you with these tasks.
The main idea is to develop a system that works for you so you can almost run on autopilot. This frees up your energy for other things, like writing scripts, creating engaging videos, and other strategic planning.
Step 4: Adapt and revise
Take a step back every so frequently and assess whether you’re meeting your goals. You can look at your analytics to see if you’re reaching your target audience, how numerous views you’re receiving, which topics connect or don’t, and other metrics to help you figure out your channel’s performance. If what you’re doing isn’t working, you might need to step back and make some changes.
It also lets you to join a community of other YouTube creators, especially ones in your own niche. They can provide feedback on your channel, and you can ask questions about what works for others, what systems or programs they use, or help with promotional strategies. This allows you to network with other creators, and you can learn and grow your channels together.
Related: 29 Best Work-From-Home Jobs for 2025
5 Proven Ways to Earn Money from Your YouTube Channel
There are numerous ways you can earn money from your YouTube channel once you have an established following.
1. Adsense
This is the most popular way to make money on YouTube. However, you’ll need to hit two specific milestones before YouTube allows you to place ads on your videos:
- Have at least 4,000 hours of watch time on your videos in the last 12 months
- Have at least 1,000 subscribers
Given these strict requirements, numerous people are finding that ads a
Final Thoughts
The bottom line: a little research on proven ways make money goes a long way. Compare your options, watch for seasonal offers, and never pay full price when a better deal is one click away.
Originally published at dollarsprout.com.
Lindsay VanSomeren
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