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Sponsors Are The Best Way To Monetize A YouTube Channel

Anyone who has researched ways to make money online will inevitably come across using social media platforms as a source of income. For example, many of the top YouTubers routinely make thousands of dollars a month. But therein lies the question, how do YouTubers earn their income?

The Size Of A YouTube Channel Matters

Regardless of the method that you intend on using to earn money through YouTube, the size of your YouTube channel plays an important role. Smaller channels with negligible engagements are likely to be overlooked, and they may not qualify for monetization. Many people opt to buy YouTube views to help them earn money or attract the attention of sponsors. This may seem like a drastic measure, but it is highly effective when using a legal service that does not break the terms and conditions of use (for YouTube).

Ad-Generated Revenue Through YouTube: Basic Monetization

By far the simplest way to earn money on this platform is through ads. YouTube places ads (from companies that want to advertise through Google Ads) in and around videos that are uploaded on its server from channels that have signed up for monetization. The revenue generated from these ads is shared between YouTube and the entity (person or organization) that owns the channel. Of course, YouTube gets a larger portion of the revenue, and different ads generate revenue in different ways. Some are pay-per-click, whereas others are based on a pay-per-view. The amount of money you earn through this method depends entirely on the number of people who actually watch your videos and see the ads (or click them). 

Affiliate Marketing: A Blogging Staple That Moved To YouTube

For years, bloggers have been using their audience size as a way to earn money by placing affiliate links within their articles. They are able to generate income this way by signing up for an affiliate program with a company that provides it. There is usually no contract involved in affiliate programs, and there are very few restrictions on the type of content you can include the links in. Basically, this is akin to placing ads within your video and hoping some of your audience will buy the products you advertise for. When someone uses the affiliate link you provide in your YouTube video (or any other content), you earn a portion of the sale. There are no limits as to the number of affiliate programs you can sign up for, and you can keep earning so long as people buy the products. This is slightly more difficult than ad-generated revenue, but the pay is generally considered better. 

Sponsorship: The Most Lucrative Option

YouTubers that are able to attract the attention of sponsors can earn enough steady income to justify quitting their regular jobs. In fact, many have – such as Adam Ragusea and Joshua Weissman. The problem with sponsorships, however, is that you need to wait for sponsors to approach you. There is no way to sign up for sponsorship. Instead, channels with enough growth and engagement are usually contacted by sponsors, and a contract is drawn up. The contract can be very specific – even giving the sponsor some control over creativity of the ads, and usually specifying the frequency of ads that need to be read on YouTube. More details may be added depending on the company sponsoring, In this case, a larger channel can negotiate a better contract, and will usually receive regular payments that are substantially higher than any other method of earning through YouTube. It truly is the easier method to earn money on YouTube, albeit difficult to get into on your own. 

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