Do you want to make money on YouTube? Millions of creators are earning a very good living from the platform by uploading content that drives huge views and engagements. Whether that income is from advertising revenue, merch sales, or brand deals, we keep you updated with best practises and ideas.

How To Make Money on YouTube

Do you know how to do keyword research so you understand what videos people are actually searching for on YouTube? Do you know how to create a custom YouTube thumbnail? Do you know how to create a Playlist on YouTube?

vidIQ has a ton of tips that will help every creator maximise their video content. We publish content every week to keep you up to date with all the best practices.

YouTube Tips & Tricks

YouTube Shorts content is set to explode! 

All the latest tips, tricks, and rock-solid advice you need for this new feature.

YouTube Shorts

Ask any YouTuber and they will tell you that generating significant views and subscribers isn't easy. But with the right strategy and tools, any video creator can build an engaged subscriber base when they understand what those subscribers want to watch.

Appealing to an audience to watch content you are passionate about making is just the first step, you need to know how to reach them and get your videos discovered. Our guides to how to guide more views on YouTube will give you the best tips to succeed on the platform.

How To Get More Views on YouTube

Six months ago, we told creators to experiment with YouTube Shorts. We advised them to film vertical videos under 60 seconds (as the requirements suggest), post them to YouTube, and create a featured section on their channel to house the content.

Why did we suggest this? In just a few weeks, we saw channels getting thousands of views from Shorts. They mostly came from the YouTube Shorts shelf, a display area where different Shorts are featured. By the time a creator’s video left the shelf, it would have hundreds, thousands, or millions of views.

That’s how powerful Shorts are. With them, you can gain more subscribers in two weeks than you’ve had all year. Without them, you’ll miss a valuable opportunity to get discovered on the platform.

How to Create a YouTube Short: The Complete Beginner's Guide

If you want to know exactly why that is, watch our latest video about Shorts and the competition that’s quickly surrounding them.

The best time to post a Short was months ago. But if you hurry, you can still reap the benefits of creating content that gets played millions of times.

Need a push to get started? Here are three undeniable reasons to experiment with Shorts.

Reason 1: Creators Are Still Getting More Views and Subscribers From YouTube Shorts

The first reason is a little obvious but worth repeating. Extra views from Shorts have helped many channels grow, and they’ve got the numbers to prove it.

. In September 2020, he had 40k total channel views. After posting original, 3D-animated Shorts, he now has more than 3M subscribers and almost 2B views.

How This YouTube Creator Got 1.5 Billion Views In Just 80 Days

Jake isn’t the only creator to reap the benefits of Shorts. There’s also MrBeast, a popular creator who grew his 

 to 4.79M subscribers. Professional YouTube channels such as 

 have Shorts with more than 200k views each. Members of the vidIQ community have seen explosive growth, and some TikTok creators have successfully transitioned to Shorts.

You could be next if you act now. Shorts are viewed 3.5B times each day, so there are plenty of people willing to watch your videos.

Reason 2: Pretty Soon, You’ll Have to Compete With Creators From the U.S.

Did you hear the news? Beginning in March, U.S. creators will get a beta version of the in-app Shorts camera.

The announcement came from Neal Mohan, chief product officer at YouTube. On Feb. 17, he shared the news in a 

“Currently, Shorts is available in beta in India. Since the beginning of December, the number of Indian channels using Shorts creation tools has more than tripled... In the coming weeks, we'll begin expanding the beta to the U.S., unlocking our tools to even more creators so they can get started with Shorts.”

To be clear, anyone can post a Short today. As long as a video is vertical and under 60 seconds, YouTube will recognize it as a Short. What Mohan is mentioning above refers to a TikTok-style camera that’s only available in India. With it, creators can record, edit, and post Shorts directly inside the app, adding music and other special effects to their content.

When the U.S. market gets the Shorts camera, things are going to get very competitive. More creators will have tools for creating better Shorts. Plus, thousands of people who never posted a Short will do so just because there’s a new feature encouraging it.

In the coming weeks, it’s going to be harder to do what creators like Jake, MrBeast, and LegalEagle have done. Rather than wait, it's better to experiment with Shorts right now.

Reason 3: If YouTube Monetizes Shorts, You Can Make More Money

Right now, there’s no way to monetize Shorts. The Shorts display area doesn't support ads, and advertisers may not want to appear on a seconds-long video.

But if you think about YouTube’s history, things are always changing at the company

Just because creators aren’t making money from

Shorts today, that doesn’t mean they won’t in the next five or 10 years.

It's likely YouTube isn’t doing this for free. With content as popular as Shorts, the platform could be searching for ways to monetize it as we type.

Before that happens, put yourself in a position to earn Shorts revenue. If you start posting them now, you can increase your chance of monetizing that content.

Use These Tools to Start Leveraging YouTube Shorts

Even if you decide to post a few Shorts, you’ll need a way to measure their impact on your channel. When you 

, you’ll find two powerful tools within the Chrome extension – one for tracking Shorts views and another for researching popular Shorts on YouTube.

This dashboard is on the top right corner of all YouTube pages. Hover your mouse over the menu to discover how many Shorts views your channel earned in the last 48 hours. For easy access, click the box beside this metric to add it to your dashboard.

This tool lets you research the most-viewed videos on YouTube for any keyword. To access it, go to the YouTube Studio and click 

Type #Shorts into the search bar, then filter the results to show channels with 1,000 or less subscribers. This will show you all of the small channels on YouTube getting tons of views with Shorts. You can use this as motivation to start posting your Shorts or an idea generator for future Shorts.

Shorts are doing well on YouTube. They’re going to be around for a long time, so don’t wait to post your first vertical, less-than-a-minute video. Do it now to reap the benefits before creators in both India and the U.S. can do the same.

Is it too late to capitalize on the viral nature of YouTube Shorts? No, not yet. But in the coming weeks, it may be harder to stand out with short video content.

3 Reasons to Upload YouTube Shorts Before the Competition Gets Tough

Are you ready to quit YouTube because you're finding it too stressful to appease the algorithm? What happens when you walk away from your channel to recalibrate - will your channel die?

Creator Burnout is a very real thing, and on this episode of TubeTalk, four YouTubers will be discussing their journey and what happens when its time to take a break. Join vidIQ expert creators Rob Wilson, Dan Carson and I, along with special guest 

Do you play to the algorithm or creativity?

Can you step away from YouTube and what will happen to your channel?

Quality over Quantity: Is one better than the other?

How much do comments and social media negativity play into the creator just wanting to give up?

Want to Know How To Beat Burnout as a Content Creator?

YouTube burnout, or mental burnout of any description, is a very real problem. Learn why 

creators much more susceptible to burnout, and what to do about it

TubeTalk has been informing video creators and marketers since 2014, and is one of the most respected and listened to podcasts in the online video industry. Don't forget to 

 on your favorite podcast application so you never miss an episode!

You can also find the complete list of all the 

If you're a YouTuber that's feeling stressed and is possibly on the verge of quitting, please take a listen to this week's TubeTalk podcast for some great advice.

What to do When You're Feeling Stressed as a YouTuber

We’ve already shared a behemoth of news about YouTube’s 

. In a nutshell, all creators must now classify their channels as 

 (or not) to avoid hefty penalties. If your content is 'Made for Kids', under the new rules you'll lose the ability to benefit financially from many of YouTube’s best features, including merchandise shelves, 

This leaves some creators with unanswered questions. Many are wondering if they can make enough money on YouTube to continue their careers. And curiously, others are wondering how 

, an app for audiences under 13, factors into the equation. For instance, is YouTube pushing Made For Kids creators there instead? And most importantly, how much money can be made from the app?

Today, we’re going to address some of those questions. If you’ve been wondering what the YouTube Kids app is - or what happens on that side of the video world - here are six important things to know.

#1 What is YouTube Kids? And How do Kid-friendly videos Make it to the App?

YouTube Kids is a safer, age-appropriate version of the regular platform. It was created to give kids a simple but fun way to explore their interests online.

As a creator, you won’t need an invitation (or application) for your content to appear there. Instead, the videos are drawn from YouTube’s vast library. Automatic filters, human review, and user feedback help determine which videos are suitable for the Kids app.

#2 How Can I Ensure My Videos are Eligible for the YouTube Kids app?

According to YouTube, your content should be positive and educational to make the cut. That’s the general overview, but here are some 

Make age-appropriate videos for kids and their families.

Avoid controversial topics (like violence or sexual content).

Post original content that isn’t sensationalist or repetitive.

Make sure on-screen minors feel comfortable and safe.

Make sure that popular or trendy content is family-friendly.

Be a role model; display good behaviors families can be proud of.

#3 If I’ve Categorized My Channel as Made For Kids, Will My Videos Automatically Appear on the YouTube Kids App?

There isn’t a clear answer to this question yet. However, my guess would be no. Just from reading the list of guidelines above, it seems as if the Made For Kids label is just that - a label.

YouTube will use it to identify videos and channels that might be a good fit, but additional review will help the platform select the best content. That’s my prediction until YouTube shares more information!

#4 Can Videos on the YouTube Kids App Earn Adsense Revenue?

Yes! The app is free, so YouTube uses ad revenue to sustain the platform and pay kid-focused creators.

there’s a chance you could earn less money on the Kids platform

. That’s because the number of users on both apps is not even comparable: YouTube boasts 2 billion users per month, while the Kids app attracts several million users each week.

Naturally, advertisers will flock to the platform with the largest audience. If YouTube Kids attracts fewer advertisers, you might earn a fraction of what you’d make on plain old YouTube.

#5 Will Videos in the YouTube Kids App Show Targeted Ads?

No, you won’t be able to run targeted ads on the YouTube Kids app. This is a decision the company made to comply with the 

, which prevents online publishers from collecting personal information from users younger than 13.

YouTube Kids isn’t the only app to axe personalized ads. Right now, the same rule applies to the main app. And honestly, that’s another reason your revenue could decrease on both platforms. A lack of targeted ads results in fewer views, clicks, and Adsense revenue.

Right now, only in-stream video ads appear in the Kids app. That means you won’t see things like text ads, overlays, and banners on a watch page.

However, what you will see on the YouTube Kids app are ad disclaimers. These help children understand when a ‘commercial’ is about to play, and that it’s separate from video they’re watching.

Here’s what the pre-ad disclaimer looks like:

And here’s what the actual ad looks like. This one is from Netflix:

To further protect young viewers, these ads aren’t clickable. Children can watch them, but they won’t find themselves being taken off the platform and onto third-party websites. Even info cards are disabled to keep kids on the platform.

How to Keep Making Money as a Kid-Focused Creator

Now that you know what’s happening on the YouTube Kids app, let me offer some words of encouragement. We here at vidIQ understand how unsettling it is to learn about YouTube’s monetization restrictions. As a Made For Kids creator, theoretically, you should have plenty of ways to finance your efforts.

If you’re wondering what to do next, don’t panic. Simply read our blog post “

How to Make Money as a Made For Kids YouTube Channel

.” In it, we share some workarounds that will help you survive on YouTube and make more money from your content.

If you want to take your YouTube channel to the next level and 

 then make sure to download vidIQ. Join over 1 million other users and use vidIQ to help you research YouTube, analyze videos, audit your own channel, and take actionable steps 

And if you’re really serious about growing your YouTube views and subscribers, sign up for exclusive access to the 

 and learn how to launch a successful YouTube Channel in just 30 days.

Can creators make money on the YouTube Kids app? Are all kid-focused videos eligible? Today, we share the answers to these questions.

YouTube Kids App: 6 Things Creators Should Know

 for kid-focused content. The most important rule was that 

channels had to be categorized as either ‘Made For Kids’ or suitable for ages 13 and older.


The goal was to make sure children were only watching age-appropriate content on YouTube. Historically, the platform has struggled to filter mature videos and ads, and in response, the Federal Trade Commission 

. After such a hefty penalty, YouTube had to clean its house - hence, the addition of a ‘Made For Kids’ category.

To learn more, watch this video explaining everything you need to know about YouTube, COPPA, and the FTC:

OK, let’s be honest. This is great news for parents. Arguably, fewer children will see questionable content on YouTube. But as great as that sounds, where do these new restrictions leave creators?

One crushing reality of YouTube’s 'Made for Kids' decision is creators could make a lot less money from the platform. Whenever a channel is 

, it’s not eligible to show personalized ads to viewers. That means no matter how old viewers are, those that watch kid-related content won’t be shown the ads they’re most likely to watch or click on. Over time, that results in less money for creators.

Nevertheless, YouTubers with kid-focused channels can still make money from their content. If you’re in that category, take a deep breath, relax, and keep reading to explore all your money-making options.

1: Sell Kid-Friendly Merchandise to Your YouTube Audience

As a Made For Kids channel, you can increase your revenue with brand-specific merchandise. Plenty of YouTubers are doing that right now, and they’re selling a range of products, such as clothing, toys, mugs, and workout equipment.

Unfortunately, Made For Kids creators aren’t allowed to display a carousel of products underneath their videos. This is one of the 

 YouTube is enforcing to comply with the COPPA Act. To work around this, direct your loyal viewers to an off-platform e-commerce site that houses all your products. There are plenty to choose from, such as:

Once you’ve created your wonderful, made-for-kids store, be loud and proud about it! You can start by adding the store link to video descriptions, but don’t stop there. Mention it verbally in your videos and add screenshots that show what the store looks like, what viewers can buy, and the website URL.

Also, don’t forget to mention the value of your products. Plenty of wide-eyed children may want to play with your toys, games, and other merch, but in the end, it’s the parents you’ll have to convince. They hold all the money, so make the purchasing decision easy for them by spelling out the benefits.

As you encourage viewers to leave YouTube and view your digital store, Watch Time on your channel may decrease. If that happens to you, don’t worry - just be a tad more strategic with your in-video marketing. You can always wait until the end of a video to mention your digital store and keep viewers watching.

2: Fund Your Videos With Brand Sponsorships

As a Made For Kids channel, I’m sure you know how popular kid-themed videos are on YouTube. Sometimes it’s shocking how lullabies, animated characters, and toy reviews can rack up millions of views. I mean, seriously! “

,” a video by Pinkfong that has 6.3B views, was inescapable for at least two years.

As you can see, kid-focused creators have a huge advantage online. To harness your full potential and make more money, set your sights on a brand sponsorship.

Think you need millions of subscribers to make it happen? Well, consider this: Channels with less influence are attracting popular brands every day. For example, this video from Moonbug Kids Learning Corner, titled, “

And best of all? Moonbug Kids Learning Corner has less than 100K subscribers.

3: Join Extra Platforms That Pay Kid-Focused Creators

YouTube is a popular platform with children, so don’t abandon it altogether. According to a 2020 Statista 

, 35% of U.S. parents let kids 11 and younger watch YouTube several times a day.

Even still, you have to be realistic about your revenue. If a lack of personalized ads is decreasing your income, it’s time to share your content on additional platforms.

Luckily, a few websites are paying kid-focused creators for their content. Boost your income by joining these kids-only streaming platforms:

You can also try platforms with a range of audiences, such as Amazon’s 

. Both platforms are helping video makers and other creatives get paid for their work.

If you have a Made For Kids channel, don’t give up hope just yet. With some creativity and grit, you can still make money from the amazing content you post on YouTube.

Join over 1 million other users and use vidIQ to help you research YouTube, analyze videos, audit your own channel, and take actionable steps today!

If you’re really serious about growing your YouTube views and subscribers, sign up for exclusive access to the 

To comply with COPPA, YouTube has restricted many of its monetization features for kid-friendly channels. Here’s how to keep making money anyway.

How to Make Money as a 'Made For Kids' YouTube Channel

In this week's episode of YouTube, I spoke with Devin Weber, CEO of Braille Skateboarding, about the techniques the company implemented to become a leader not only on YouTube, but in the hugely competitive skateboarding industry.

Devin shared with us how they found their audience, built a community, and how we can do the same with our own channels. In this episode of TubeTalk you will learn:

How to find a gap in the market and use YouTube to fill it

What NOT to do - including this one BIG mistake

Why being brand and family-friendly underpins long-term success

Why evergreen content is important for longevity

Click on the podcast link above and take a listen!

So, you're a YouTube creator who has listened to all the advice but your channel is still not attracting the views and subscribers you'd hoped it would. What are you doing wrong? Find out what it 

takes to be a successful channel on YouTube

TubeTalk has been informing video creators and marketers since 2014, and is one of the most respected and listened to podcasts in the online video industry. Don't foprget to 

We have all heard of niching down, but how about niching up? It's a strategy that Braille Skateboarding used to generate over 5 million YouTube subscribers!

How This Skateboarding Channel Kickflipped its Way to 5M YouTube Subscribers

Have you heard of Patreon, the platform that allows creators to monetize their work? If so, you may have realized that in some ways, it’s a YouTube competitor. The platform helps video creators monetize their talents - whether that’s comedy, cooking, fitness, or another skill - with paid, multi-level memberships.

Typically, YouTubers ask subscribers to extend their loyalty and become Patrons, a nickname for Patreon members. By doing that, creators get to charge viewers for exclusive content, which allows them to earn more money outside of AdSense revenue. Depending on the level of service, these creatives can charge Patrons a few bucks a month or even $100.

Despite this Patreon benefit, the scales are beginning to tip in YouTube’s favor. To compete with Patreon, YouTube developed a tiered service of its own called 

subscribers can stay on the platform and pay creators for exclusive video content

, just like Patrons. For a quick summary on the topic, watch this video from the YouTube Creators Academy about the benefits of Channel Memberships:

If you’re a YouTuber who’s interested in this new opportunity, keep reading! We’ll explain what Channel Memberships are, which channels can access them, and the type of video content viewers will pay for.

How Channels Qualify for YouTube Channel Memberships

As with most YouTube programs, creators must satisfy some basic requirements before offering Channel Memberships. At minimum, you must:

Not have a ‘Made For Kids’ YouTube channel

Comply with YouTube’s terms and policies

YouTube is slowly rolling out Channel Memberships. Some creators can access the feature right now, but most likely, those channels are in the minority. To see if you’re eligible, check your YouTube 

What Content Can You Offer via YouTube Channel Memberships?

When you set up Channel Memberships, you can offer some wonderful, exclusive perks to your subscribers. These include custom badges and emojis, videos, live streams, community posts, live chats, and more.

As the creator, you get to decide how these perks are organized and who gets to access them. For example, you might decide level one members get loyalty badges that display when they leave a comment. Or, in addition to that, you might decide level two members get access to your live streams.

No matter what you end up doing, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to mix and match perks. YouTube is allowing creators to have up to five membership levels. Each level must contain 1-5 perks, and perks from lower levels are included in higher levels.

Need a good example to follow? Look no further than 

, a theory channel with 77.3K subscribers and robust membership offerings. The creator of this channel helps viewers become music maestros with three paid plans, as shown below:

In level one, members get loyalty badges, custom emojis, and early access to videos for $1.99 each month. Going a step higher, level two costs $9.99 per month but offers way more content than the first. Members get perks from level one plus exclusive live streams, a members’ group, and behind-the-scenes content. Lastly, level three includes the perks of levels one and two. In addition to that, members can choose video topics, receive feedback on their work, get 10% off on music courses, and receive a personal thank you message, all for $24.99 per month.

Sounds good, doesn’t it? When viewers are ready to opt-in, all they have to do is click the ‘Join’ button below any Music Matters video, as shown below:

How to Turn On YouTube Channel Memberships

When you’re ready to make more money with Channel Memberships, turning on the feature is easy. Here’s a quick, step-by-step guide on how to do that:

Navigate to the left menu and click ‘Monetization’.

Next, you’ll see the ‘Channel Monetization’ page. Go to the uppermost menu and click ‘Memberships’.

Find the ‘Set-Up Your Memberships Offer’ panel, click ‘Start’, and follow the instructions.

YouTube Channel Memberships Revenue: How Much Money Can You Make?

When it comes to revenue, creators have a great opportunity to make money with Channel Memberships. There are tons of pricing options, and YouTube is letting creators dictate the value of their content.

Right now, creators can set fee levels between $0.99 and $100 per month. After adjusting for currency rates, the same money range applies to other countries where Channel Memberships are available. To see all the pricing options, 

As you start earning, you might realize that all the money doesn’t go directly to you. That’s because while you get to keep 70% of the revenue, YouTube takes a 30% percent cut. Before you set your membership prices, do some calculations to estimate how much money you’d receive charging certain amounts.

The Most Important Thing to Know About Channel Memberships

Now that we’ve discussed the details of Channel Memberships, let’s look at the bigger picture.

First, there’s the issue of quality and consistency. Channel Memberships are an amazing feature, but they’re going to require some extra work on your part. If you’re only used to uploading public videos, engaging a private group of superfans may be new for you. You’ll have to juggle your normal content creation plus the exclusive perks you promised to channel members.

With that being said, consider this: Are you able to provide valuable content under these conditions? After all, YouTube’s free content is outstanding already. Your videos, live chats, badges, and more should entice viewers to open their wallets and pay you each month.

These are just a few things to consider before creating your membership levels. If you’re up for the challenge (which we know you’ll crush), it helps to flesh out your content plan and identify the value in every detail.

As YouTube shares Channel Memberships with more creators, you’ll see the competition thicken. If you’re lucky enough to have the option right now, become an early adopter to start making more money on YouTube.

. Learn how to launch a successful YouTube Channel in just 30 days.

Want to take control of your YouTube income? Put yourself in the driver’s seat with Channel Memberships, YouTube’s new monetization feature.

Make More Money on YouTube With Channel Memberships

The COVID-19 pandemic just won’t quit. That means school systems in many areas of the world will not be welcoming children back in the next few weeks like they normally would.

It’s great for kids, who will literally and figuratively 'Zoom' through online classes so they can release their cooped up energy in the restricting confines of social distancing. Obviously, the situation isn’t so great for the parents, who typically prefer their young ones participate in engaging, productive classes while the adults quarantine in peace.

So, many parents are still resorting to temporary home schooling.

If you think that sounds like a great—but super intimidating—idea, you’re in luck. YouTube has enough educational content to easily fill entire curriculums for learners of all ages, for as long as COVID-19 continues.

Online Learning on YouTube: Science Class

Rather than locking down your squirming kids for a boring distance learning lecture on human anatomy, let them watch this '

When it’s over, they’ll probably watch more of the channel’s vomit-inducing videos without your prodding. Learning accomplished!

, which is still churning out fun videos during the quarantine, including 

 with an interesting experiment on mask-wearing and bacterial growth.

Online Learning on YouTube: History Class

Here’s how to create a full curriculum of courses around YouTube videos to get your kids through COVID-19 school shutdowns.

What to do When You're Feeling Stressed as a YouTuber

Liron Segev

YouTube Kids App: 6 Things Creators Should Know

Lydia Sweatt

How to Make Money as a 'Made For Kids' YouTube Channel

Lydia Sweatt

How This Skateboarding Channel Kickflipped its Way to 5M YouTube Subscribers

Liron Segev

Make More Money on YouTube With Channel Memberships

Lydia Sweatt

How YouTube Can Unlock Back to School Success

Aaron Case

How YouTube Can Help You Tackle Harassment and Bullying

Lydia Sweatt