Imagine that, right now, life is a bit chaotic. You've lost your job, your newborn needs medical attention, and you've just moved to a new place, so you're fresh out of money.

Of all the solutions you could try — looking for a new job, starting a business, creating a side hustle — you're pretty sure that going live on YouTube isn't the answer. No one makes real money doing that, right?

, a gaming creator, faced these same challenges and still monetized his way to a full-time income. Starting with just 10,000 subscribers, CGE used a combination of regular videos and livestreams to make money on YouTube (and livestreams currently pay his rent!). Now he has over 70,000 subs who enjoy his 

So, what's the secret to CGE's success, and how did he turn his circumstances around? We'll explore his story, plus highlight the best strategy for monetizing YouTube livestreams.

First, Build an Audience for Your Streams

Before you can even think about monetizing your content, you need to build a loyal audience. Interestingly, CGE says that live streamers should build a community 

"And that was always my focus, not millions and millions of views," CGE says. "It was always a dedicated, tightly-knit community. If you have a community backing you up, that helps with numerous things on YouTube."

Once you're part of a community, you have a built-in audience for your topic of choice. So before you start steaming, CGE recommends three things:

Build a niche community to grow your influence.

Finding your passion is the best way to kick off a YouTube channel because it helps you connect with the right viewers. So, what's your thing? Is it Zelda gaming? Peanut farming? Ballet dancing? No matter what you're doing, it helps if you're 

Once you've identified your passion, look for communities of people interested in the same thing. You can check spaces like Discord, Twitter, and even different Facebook groups to find your tribe. But once you're there, CGE says to engage with others genuinely and make real connections.

"Don't even think about your channel," he says. "Be involved in the community for the sake of being involved."

Once you're well-known in a community, it's time to build something of your own. Create an online group that aligns with your passion and YouTube channel, preferably somewhere outside of YouTube. That could be Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or another platform. 

Nurture that audience, and soon enough, you'll begin to stand out for your niche. 

This creates one more place for people to discover your channel.

For example, CGE created "Spyro Community Day" on Twitter to meet new people and expand the topic beyond YouTube.

"We talked about the community and spent all day retweeting stuff, talking to people, and just speaking about the franchise," he says. "If that builds the community [you're streaming for], inevitably, your channel's going to grow."

If you've made it this far, you've found your passion, plus a community of people who share your interests. Now it's time for the fun part!

When you're ready to stream, CGE suggests you

and not daily. After all, you have to let people miss you. This builds anticipation for your content and keeps the spark alive on your channel.

"People then realize, 'Hey, I want to tune into that because it's not like he streams every day. He only streams on Thursdays and Fridays, and I want to catch him live,' " CGE explains.

In each livestream, CGE says you should advertise other communities you've built online. Tell people to follow your Twitch, TikTok, or Twitter, especially if that content aligns with your streams. 

It's a fantastic way to boost engagement.

For example, imagine what would happen if:

People from YouTube come to visit your Twitter.

Those same people engage with your tweets and 

Twitter blasts those tweets to more people, helping new viewers discover your channel.

Most likely, some of those people will find your livestreams, and another portion will decide to watch them. When this cycle repeats a few times, 

Phone showing the YouTube logo and sitting on paper money

If you have a healthy viewership, now's a good time to monetize your streams. Here's how to approach it from a genuine place, according to CGE.

6. Set a Donation Goal for Each Livestream

, you're more likely to achieve them? CGE does this by setting a monetary goal for each stream. He uses a donation progress bar

that everyone can see, which motivates more people to give! This typically happens through 

, which viewers purchase for $1-$500 and display a message of their choice at the top of the live chat.

"I have a donation bar on the bottom that tells everybody what it's for: monthly rent. It's set to $1,800. Nine times out of 10, the bar gets filled every month," CGE says.

 to earn Super Chats, so work on achieving that goal first!

7. Be Transparent About Where the Money Is Going

Once you've set a donation goal, tell viewers how you'll spend the money. Are you buying new camera equipment? Do you need help moving to a new city? Be as transparent as possible, and viewers will respect your request.

"For example, when my son was born, the donation bar said rent, and in brackets, it also said, 'And diapers,' " CGE says. "Because diapers are expensive, right?"

Let's say your viewers are highly engaged, and they reach your donation goal before the original deadline. What happens next? Should you stop accepting donations, or should you set a new goal?

"When the bar is filled, and let's say there's still two streams left, I just call it the Bonus Bar," CGE says. "I've been streaming for five years, and there were only three or four times the bar didn't get filled."

Your Blueprint Summarized: How to Monetize Live Streams

To quickly wrap up, here's the game plan if you want to make decent money as a YouTube live streamer:

Be transparent about where the money is going.

These are simple steps, but they require dedication, patience, and a strong focus on community building. Remember, it's about more than views or making money; you're building a community to support your journey.

If you want to see what that looks like, learn more about CGE's journey as a full-time creator below.

And if you're new to streaming, here's what to do before your first livestream.

Unlock the secret to making real money from YouTube livestreaming, just like gaming creator Canadian Guy Eh.

Going Live on YouTube: 8 Genius Hacks for Monetizing Your Streams

While scrolling Twitter, we noticed a shocking tweet about how much (or more accurately, how little) you can make from YouTube Shorts ad revenue. 

, who has nearly 2 million subscribers, wrote:

"YouTube Shorts monetization update [for] one Short. 14 million views, 0:49 average view duration, $0.01 revenue per mille = $122.78. Good bonus money, not enough to make a living out of it."

," a viral Short on Pucky's channel. Surprisingly, a payout of $122.78 for this video translates to just 

Considering how low that is, we decided to follow up with Pucky and ask more questions. For one, why is his YouTube Shorts ad revenue so low? And second, how does this payout compare to the now-canceled 

, which awarded the top creators up to $10,000 monthly?

YouTube Shorts Monetization: How to Profit from Short Videos

“The most I made from the Shorts bonus was $3,000 in a month,” Pucky says. “That’s not the amount I’m getting right now…it’s pushing me to experiment and try different things.”

While some creators earn $900 per Short — according to Pucky — others don't make nearly as much. Sometimes where they live or even the language they speak affects the advertising revenue on their channel. In Pucky's case, he makes cosplay-style videos in mostly Spanish, and the Latin American market is smaller compared with other locations.

Are you struggling to monetize your Shorts properly? Here’s what Pucky is doing to boost his income (and what you should do too).

1. Turn Your Shorts into Compilation Videos

According to Pucky, AdSense revenue for long-form videos is much higher than AdSense revenue for YouTube Shorts — at least right now. So why not take all of the 

 on your channel, string them together, and create a compilation video? That way, you're using old content to make new money.

, but few creators use the hack to repurpose their Shorts.

“If you have a series of Shorts that are doing well, turn that series into one long-form video," Pucky says. "Put the Short with the most views at the beginning of the compilation and the one with the least views at the end. That will keep your audience retention high.”

As you build a compilation, don’t forget to create an eye-catching thumbnail for the video. Pucky says his 

 (people who saw the thumbnail versus those who clicked on it) when there’s an attention-grabbing image.

 is when a company pays a creator to advertise a product or service on social media. That could be anything from meal kits to vacuums to cleaning solutions that can be used around pets; it just depends on a creator's audience and what they're willing to buy. 

If your channel gets decent views, you can either pitch yourself to brands or have a talent agency find brand deals for you. You may have to "prove yourself" a bit more when it comes to agencies, but signing with one may be easier than you think. In fact, Pucky got signed after networking with Corey Tonge, another creator in his YouTube niche.

"I saw that he was signed with ViralCollab, and I said, ‘Hey, I want more information about your agency and what you guys offer,’ " Pucky says. "The co-founder saw my content and my channel and wanted to talk to me ASAP.”

According to Impact.com, micro-influencers on YouTube make between 

 per branded video. So brand deals are well worth the effort, especially if you have anywhere from 10,000 to 75,000 subscribers.

A man using a phone and DSLR to record at the same time

YouTube Shorts are popular right now, but it's not the only thing you should focus on when it comes to making money.

“I see a term that’s going around a lot: 

," Pucky says. "I think that's the future now with this new monetization program. The more you do, the better off you are. If you do long-form, Shorts, Instagram, and Snapchat, it's better for you money-wise.”

Multi-format creators earn more because they monetize videos on several apps. Plus, they’re attractive to brands that want to advertise to customers on various platforms outside of YouTube. From Instagram to TikTok, these creators reach 

 of a brand’s audience for a much higher payout.

4. If All Else Fails, Embrace Longs and Shorts

mobile screen options to create either a Short a regular YouTube video

If Shorts don't produce a viable income for you, it’s time to consider longs. These traditional, horizontal videos give creators the highest payout possible, so posting them alongside your Shorts can never hurt.

“If you're like me and you're not seeing a lot of revenue from Shorts, they’re still worth posting because people are discovering who you are,” Pucky says. “The views you get from Shorts might transfer into long-form views, merchandise, brand deals, or all those things.”

But if you’re new to YouTube, Pucky’s advice is clear: 

“If you think Shorts will get you monetized quicker, go hard on that until you're monetized,” he says. “Then transfer over to long-form. Or, do both because, at the end of the day, 

long-form pays better than Shorts right now.

When Shorts revenue is low, one creator uses innovative solutions to boost his earnings.

YouTube Shorts Not Paying the Bills? 4 Solutions to Boost Your Revenue

Earning 4,000 hours of Watch Time is the dream for most creators, but it isn’t easy. Gaining 100 hours, sure. But thousands? That’ll test your determination to keep going on YouTube. Essentially, you have to post multiple videos and hope people watch them for long enough.

But once you have 4,000 hours, everything gets easier. You’ll be one step closer to applying to the YouTube Partner Program, which lets you monetize your channel with advertisements. Having those valuable hours allows you to focus on other things, too, like 

. That’s the second  requirement for earning ad revenue.

YouTube Partner Program – How to Monetize Your Channel

When you’re collecting watch time hours, it’s easy to overlook certain parts of the process. The biggest, most understated part, is that 

These 5 Videos Aren’t Eligible for YPP Watch Time

Before you start earning watch time, know which videos are in your best interest to create. There are five videos that make it hard — in most cases, impossible — to reach 4,000 hours.

Years ago, private and unlisted videos counted toward YPP watch time. 

 when YouTube decided that public videos, not partially viewable content, could accumulate watch hours.

prioritize public videos over private or unlisted ones.

 Unlisted videos can only be watched if certain people have the link. This privacy option benefits creators with specific content plans. They may want to send videos to friends and family or create a webinar for a limited audience.

But if you’re trying to monetize your channel, unlisted and private videos aren’t helpful. Make sure videos that need to be public are, in fact, set to public. That’ll help you reach 4,000 hours and apply to the YPP.

How to set private or unlisted videos to public on YouTube

YouTube Studio option is below the Your Channel option

Content option is below the Dashboard option

3. Find the video you want to make public, then go to the 

 column. Click the eyeball symbol to reveal a menu of options: private, unlisted, members only, and public. Choose 

 from your total count. For example, imagine your channel has 2,000 watch hours. If you delete a video that contributed 500 of those hours, you’ll be left with 1,500. Before you delete anything, check to see how many watch hours your content has earned.

Sometimes deleting a video is inevitable. Maybe you’ve grown as a person since it was first published and want to clean up your image. Or perhaps someone appeared in your video without prior consent, and they want you to take it down. Whatever the reason, make sure it’s worth deleting a video and losing precious watch hours.

Have you created video ads for YouTube? If you were hoping these would help you apply to the YPP, unfortunately, they won’t. Watch hours from advertising campaigns don’t count toward YouTube monetization. Even if you’ve earned 10,000 hours, none of it will go toward the 4,000 hours you need.

This seems fair because ads can get millions of views. If YouTube counts them for YPP acceptance, that’ll create a shortcut to monetization.

 contribute to a creator’s 4,000-hour goal, so rely on long-form videos when you're racking up those hours!

Live streams are a great way to increase your watch time. These videos are usually lengthy, and if people stick around until the end, you can add several hours to your overall count.

According to YouTube, live streams that aren’t converted to video-on-demand content won’t earn YPP watch hours. The information around this is pretty vague, so we'd suggest making sure your live streams are public when they've ended. Don't archive a live stream by setting it to unlisted or private. 

Just to be sure, we asked YouTube if this advice made sense for creators. 

We didn't get a straightforward answer, but creators chimed in with their personal experience. A few of them said they earn watch time both during and after a live stream, which includes video-on-demand viewing.

Whether these hours were recorded for YPP watch time is another story. That's why, as soon as possible, we'd recommend checking to see if your live stream is public after it ends. If it's unlisted or private, switch it to public.

How to Get 4,000 Hours of YouTube Watch Time

To reach 4,000 hours of watch time, create a diverse set of content. Be intentional with the videos you upload, and go for quality over quantity. Once you've covered those areas, the six tips above will help you maximize your watch hours.

Make Money on YouTube – How to Get 4000 Hours Watch Time

But don’t stop there. Your next goal should be applying to the YPP, which you can learn how to do 

A phone showing the YouTube logo while positioned next to money

You need 4,000 hours of watch time to monetize your YouTube channel with ads. But did you know these 5 videos will slow you down?

YouTube Monetization: Which Videos Count Toward 4,000 Hours of Watch Time?

From Pink Guy to iShowSpeed, YouTube has had fantastic creators with not-so-mannered mouths. And if you want to take that route as a creator yourself, you don’t need to worry about getting demonetized anymore!

strict regulations around the usage of profanity in videos

With little distinction between "strong" and "moderate" cursing, the original policy would flag any video that contained foul language in the first 7 seconds as being unsuitable for advertising. Also, it appeared that the regulation was retroactive, as many creators complained that their older videos were no longer eligible for advertising.

The creator community wasn’t happy with this change and there was a lot of backlash. They didn't like how videos featuring any kind of profanity were automatically demonetized, and as a result, YouTube revised the rules.

At present, creators who use coarse language in the first 7 seconds of a video are still eligible for advertising, unless used throughout the entire video. According to 

, if the profanity is "moderate," the video won't be subject to any limits; nevertheless, if it contains strong language in the first few seconds, the video may only receive "limited advertisements."

And here's more info about the March 2023 update:

What Are the Consequences of Using Profanity Then?

There is undoubtedly still some ambiguity about this. As profanity cannot be used in the "majority of the video," it's unclear what will happen if you swear more often. However, there are a few things we know for sure:

Not all kinds of profanity will be treated the same. Words like "f**k" are now classified as "stronger profanity," while "b***h," "d***ebag," "a**hole," and "s**t" are all considered "moderate" profanities.

Videos containing “moderate” profanity will be eligible for complete monetization. Those containing “stronger” profanity in the first 7 seconds will receive limited monetization.

You won't be demonetized for using profanity in background music, backing tracks, or intro or outro music.

Profanity in thumbnails or video titles will lead to demonetization

The new rules are in effect as of right now. With this policy, YouTube wants to make it simpler for the majority of creators to continue monetizing their videos without having to make significant modifications, even though it doesn't fully address all of the issues creators had. It’s a step towards encouraging and inviting more creativity on the platform, and focusing less on the words we use.

Is video more your thing? Then watch Rob cover this topic with a healthy dose of quality memes!

If using profanity has stopped you from earning more money on YouTube, then worry no more! This YouTube update will benefit you.

Swearing Moderately on YouTube Won't Demonetize You Anymore

 that will give creators more flexibility in how they monetize videos. Instead of funneling everyone through one path, the program will have four contract modules:

These changes come with new YPP terms. So if you’re already monetizing on YouTube, you can retain your partner status by 

. If you haven’t joined the YPP, these new terms will appear in the application process.

. If you reach either milestone, you can apply to monetize your videos:

1,000 YouTube subscribers plus 10 million public 

With today’s news, we can officially add the new modules to the list. So here’s a deeper explanation of what they are and when you need to accept them to make money.

The most significant change to the YPP is that you’ll need to accept the base terms for 

. All monetizing creators must do this going forward, whether they’re joining the YPP for the first time or trying to maintain partner status.

Within the base terms, you’ll learn how YouTube plans to pay you, its content policies, and other finance topics, such as taxes and sharing revenue with copyright holders.

. If you don’t accept at least the base terms by then, you’ll get removed from the YPP. That erases all your future income (unless you re-apply to the program), so get it done ASAP!

Earning through watch pages is a common way to make money on YouTube. These pages are all over the platform, including the “regular” side of YouTube, YouTube Music, YouTube Premium, and the YouTube Kids app.

So if you want to make money from watch pages — the home of long-form videos and live streams — accept the Watch Page Monetization terms. That allows you to earn revenue from advertisements on a watch page or within the YouTube video player.

 You don’t have to accept these terms. You can remain a YouTube partner or become one without doing so; it just means you 

let Shorts creators earn advertising revenue

 from their content. This money will come from ads shown in the Shorts feed and YouTube Premium, and creators will split the revenue with YouTube. 

 that "from the overall amount allocated to creators, they will keep 45% of the revenue, distributed based on their share of total Shorts views."

To start making money, accept the Shorts Monetization terms before February 1. If you miss the deadline, revenue will accrue whenever you accept the new terms in this module.

The Commerce Product Addendum is all about fan funding on YouTube. Accepting these terms will unlock monetization tools like 

. However, YouTube says you won’t have to accept these if you've already done so.

New YPP Terms and Timelines: A Quick Summary

To sum up, all monetizing creators must accept the YPP base terms.

If that sounds like you, plan to accept them by 

Otherwise, you’ll get kicked out of the program and have to re-apply.

If you’re primarily a Shorts creator, it’s wise to accept the base 

, so you can monetize your Shorts without delay.

As for the other two modules — Commerce Product Addendum and Watch Page Monetization — you technically don’t 

 to accept these, but we recommend you do! Accepting all four modules is the best way to maximize your YouTube revenue.

If you’re in the YPP, these terms will become available in the next few days. Be sure to look out for an email or notification from YouTube so you can review and accept the terms ASAP!

Need more details? Watch this video announcement from the YouTube Creators channel.

A smartphone showing the YouTube logo next to American currency

Calling all creators! There have been some major changes to the YouTube Partner Program, and if you want to keep making money (or start), take these actions now.

New YPP Terms: Accept Them Now to Keep Monetizing on YouTube [2023]

Are you looking for ways to earn some extra cash on YouTube? One way to do that is by tapping into the 

 and offering your skills to other creators. Many of them need captivating thumbnails, YouTube scripts, and dozens of videos edited for their channel. Landing one of these jobs is the perfect way to start a side hustle for content creation or even seek full-time employment.

While YouTube jobs are posted everywhere, we recommend going to job boards for video creators, such as 

, a YouTube consultant who's helping creators employ 

A list of YouTube jobs from the YT Jobs board

seven popular jobs for YouTube creators. 

You can do them full-time, part-time, or per project:

In this article, we'll share what these jobs require and the pay range according to YT Jobs.

A female thumbnail designer working at a desktop computer

Thumbnail designers create the images that represent YouTube videos. They use tools like Adobe Photoshop and Canva to create thumbnails that are bold, colorful, and engaging enough to make viewers click them.

for getting more views. Some people will only watch a video if the thumbnail stands out, so that image should be highly intriguing.

Proficiency with design tools, such as Photoshop

Image optimization across mobile and desktop screens

A male video editor working at a desktop computer

Video editors turn raw footage into engaging content for YouTube. They're expert storytellers who know which scenes to cut, what text to add, and which special effects will spice up a video. This job covers many skills, so editors often do complex things, like mixing audio tracks and creating animations.

Many YouTube channels won't survive without video editing, so this is an excellent job for a skilled creator. They can turn a so-so video into something much more entertaining, which is the key to growing on YouTube.

Proficiency with video editing software, such as Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro

A range of editing techniques, such as motion tracking, color grading, audio mixing, animation, and stabilization

A man holding a YouTube script he prepared

You may think scriptwriters are responsible for the "spoken words" in a video, but that's just the beginning. They also describe what will happen in different chapters, such as when B-roll appears, what the video's "hook" will be, and how end screen elements should look. In addition to dialouge, all of this is packed into a 

To be a good script writer, you should know how to research video topics and develop storylines.

A female YouTube channel manager placing ideas cards on a content calendar

A channel manager oversees the day-to-day operation and success of a YouTube channel. They upload and schedule video content, manage video collaborations, and engage with viewers through YouTube comments and Community posts.

Attaching YouTube metadata to videos, including titles, tags, and video descriptions

Managing video collaborations, possibly brand deals

A female YouTube strategist writing ideas on a white board

A YouTube strategist is a marketing professional who knows how to grow a channel using the right content. They spend their time 

, analyzing video performance, promoting content, and finding growth opportunities. Many strategists develop and execute plans to reach a specific goal, like growing a channel's subscribers or video views.

Competitive analysis of other YouTube channels

A female YouTube creative director operating a large camera on set.

A creative director on YouTube does many things, but the most important is leading a team of content creators. Creative directors are like editorial managers; they show team members how to reach the brand's creative vision in video scripts, thumbnails, the production set, and more. Because of this, they contribute to a wide range of tasks, such as brainstorming video ideas and titles and establishing a style for editing videos.

Expertise in creative YouTube tasks: scripting, filming, video editing, and more

Looking for a YouTube job to pour your passion into? Here are 7 popular jobs you can do as a side hustle or full-time gig.

How To Make Money on YouTube

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