Lydia Sweatt is a writer who loves balancing her article/blog time indoors with a healthy dose of nature. She bikes, hikes, and identifies edible plants along the way.

Lydia Sweatt

Close-up of a smiling woman with curly hair wearing a green sweater indoors

Darryl is a writer with years of experience in online video software, combining technical expertise with a passion for educating audiences. When not writing, he’s tending to his farm surrounded by horses, chickens, dogs, and somehow cramming more plants into his garden than it could ever reasonably hold.

Darryl Rentz

a gamer celebrating in front of a tv screen

Gamer with braided hair wearing headphones celebrating victory while holding controller indoors

Gaming channels face monetization risks beyond standard YouTube rules: publisher content policies (Nintendo and Atlus restrict certain titles), in-game music copyright claims that strip your revenue without demonetizing the video, loot box and gacha content flagged as gambling-adjacent, and M-rated gameplay that triggers limited ads when violence is editorially emphasized. Made for Kids misclassification kills personalized ad revenue on family-friendly-looking games like Minecraft and Roblox. Appeal yellow dollar sign flags within 24 hours via YouTube Studio. Stream VODs inherit all the same copyright risks as uploaded videos.

How to Get Full YouTube Monetization for Gaming Videos

Pattern of red YouTube play button logos and black YouTube text on white background

YouTube AdSense is Google's ad-revenue program that pays creators a share of ad income earned on their videos. Creators keep 55% of long-form ad revenue and 45% of Shorts revenue. To qualify, channels need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours (or 10M Shorts views in 90 days) to join the YouTube Partner Program. RPM ranges from $0.10 (Shorts) to $20+ (finance/tech long-form), driven by niche, audience geography, and seasonality. Once approved, link AdSense in YouTube Studio, complete tax info, and Google pays out monthly once you cross the $100 threshold.

What Is YouTube AdSense? How It Works & How to Earn

Carla Marshall has 10+ years of experience in video marketing, social media management, content marketing, DRM, and SEO. She was previously Editor in Chief at ReelSEO.com, and as a journalist and video marketer, she's covered news stories, creator journeys, and digital-first publishing initiatives across all the major online video platforms. She is YouTube Certified and a judge for the Shorty Awards, as well as the UK, US, Canadian, Global, and EU Search Awards.

Carla Marshall

Middle-aged woman with glasses and curly brown hair, smiling in blue blouse indoors

graphic that shows mid-roll ads are available on videos over 8 minutes long

Checkbox for mid-roll video ads set to 8 minutes with vidIQ and YouTube logos.

YouTube videos must be at least 8 minutes long to run mid-roll ads. Creators in the YouTube Partner Program place mid-rolls manually at chosen points or let YouTube auto-insert them at natural breaks. Videos under 8 minutes can still run pre-roll, post-roll, and overlay ads, only mid-rolls require the 8-minute minimum.

YouTube Mid-Roll Ads: The 8-Minute Minimum and How to Use Them

YouTube logo with gaming controller and dollar signs representing making money gaming

Gaming channels earn through six stacked revenue streams: AdSense (RPM ranges from $1–$8 depending on sub-niche), affiliate links (game keys, peripherals), channel memberships (unlocks at 1,000 subscribers for gaming), Super Chats from live streams, brand sponsorships ($150–$50,000+ per video by tier), and Patreon. Content format determines CPM ceiling: tutorials and reviews earn the most; Let's Plays and compilations earn the least. YouTube Shorts drives subscriber growth but generates negligible ad revenue. Build on YouTube over Twitch for searchable VODs and integrated monetization that compounds over time.

How to Make Money with a Gaming Channel on YouTube

Close-up of a fluffy tabby cat with green eyes looking upward in natural light

Pet channels earn $3-7 CPM on average, with product reviews hitting $6-12 CPM. Stack your revenue: affiliate links for pet products (Chewy, Amazon, fresh food brands), pet brand sponsorships starting at 10K subscribers, channel memberships for exclusive pet content, and merch featuring your animals. Use Shorts (viral pet clips) as your subscriber growth engine, then convert viewers to long-form content where affiliate links and sponsorships generate the real money.

How Pet Creators Make Money on YouTube

crafts and headphones arranged on a table surface

Flat lay of art supplies, stationery, and headphones on wooden desk background.

Arts and crafts channels earn $3-6 CPM on average, but product-review content hits $8-12 CPM. Stack your revenue: affiliate links on every video (5-15% on supplies), an Etsy or Gumroad shop for patterns and digital downloads, paid courses on Skillshare or your own site, YouTube Shopping tags, and Patreon for extended tutorials. Use Shorts (time-lapse art completions) to grow subscribers fast, then convert them across your monetization stack.

How Arts & Crafts Creators Make Money on YouTube

someone making a cake with an eggbeater and broken eggshells

Hand mixing egg whites to stiff peaks with electric beater in a glass bowl on blue surface

Cooking channels earn $4-8 CPM on average, with kitchen equipment reviews hitting $8-14 CPM. Stack your revenue: affiliate links for every tool and ingredient (Amazon, Williams Sonoma, Thrive Market), meal kit and kitchen brand sponsorships starting at 10K subscribers, a self-published recipe ebook or online course, YouTube Shopping for tagged products, and channel memberships for exclusive recipes. Use recipe Shorts as your subscriber growth engine, then convert viewers across your monetization stack.

How Cooking Creators Make Money on YouTube

Set of makeup brushes with powder residue on a dark textured surface.

Beauty is one of YouTube's highest-paying niches at $5-12 CPM, driven by cosmetics and skincare brand advertiser demand. Stack your revenue: affiliate links for every product (Sephora, Ulta, Amazon Beauty), brand sponsorships starting at $500-$2,000 per video even at 10K subscribers, YouTube Shopping for in-video product tagging, and channel memberships. Use GRWM Shorts and transformation reveals to grow subscribers fast. The path to maximum earnings: affiliate links, then sponsorships, then your own product line.