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

This post is all about how you can monetize your content on YouTube to start generating revenie. The are four golden rules to making money on YouTube, and they are:

You need to have 1,000 subscribers on your YouTube channel

Your videos have generated 4,000 Watch Time hours over the last 12 months

You comply with all YouTube's policies and guidelines

#1 The YouTube Partner Program Requirements

Commonly known as the YouTube Partner Program, or YPP for short, you'll need to hit all four requirements before your channel will be accepted.

Let's start with the 1,000 subscribers. This one is pretty straightforward, it doesn't matter how long it takes you to get to 1,000 subscribers, once you hit that milestone, you've reached that requirement.

As well as 1,000 subscribers, you also need 4,000 hours of Watch Time on your videos over the last 12 months. There is some confusion with this one, so let me try and clarify that. First of all, this is not about how much video content you, the YouTube creator watch. This is all about how much video content is watched on your channel from people all across the world. It’s all those hours of video that people have watched on your channel in the last 12 months (from any given date). You could well have well 4,000 hours of Watch Time over the lifetime of your channel, but it's only the last 12 months that count for YouTube Partner Program requirements.

Another couple of things to tell you about Watch Time. Live streams do count towards that total. Unlisted videos also count towards that total. But if you delete any videos, that Watch Time will be removed from your channel Watch Time hours. And one more final thing, if you are already in the YouTube Partner Program, and if your channel falls below 4,000 hours of Watch Time, YouTube won't automatically remove you from the partner program, but they can do it at their discretion. If you want a much more detailed video on the topic of 4,000 hours specifically, check out this video:

If you want to check the progress of above requirements, you can do so by clicking on your logo in the top right-hand corner of most YouTube pages, and then clicking on YouTube Studio Beta. You can view all of your analytics here, but to quickly check progress on monetization, hover your mouse over "Other features", and then click on "Status and Features". On this screen, you should see a monetization box, and if you click "Learn more", it will tell you exactly where you currently stand with subscribers and Watch Time hours.

But if all of that sounds like too much hard work, then we've got a free tool that will do all of this much quicker and more efficiently. If you 

 on pretty much every YouTube screen, you will see a collection of real-time stats all about your channel. It will show you your channel's views per hour, views over the last 48 hours, and your subscriber count. But the really cool thing is that it will track your progress to 4,000 hours of Watch Time too! Once you hit 4,000 hours, that number will turn green to show you you've reached that monetization requirement.

#2 Following YouTube Rules for Monetization

Next on the list is the rule book. If you want to monetize your content, you need to make sure you stick to it, as YouTube state:

When you apply for the YouTube Partner Program, you'll go through a standard review process to see whether your channel meets YouTube's policy and guidelines. Only channels that meet them will be accepted into the program.

YouTube also constantly check channels in the program to see whether they continue to meet YouTube's policies and guidelines. These policies and guidelines that are very comprehensive, given all of the growing pains YouTube have had of finding the right balance between creators, viewers, and advertisers. I highly recommend familiarizing yourself with these 

 if you want to monetize your content in the future.

However, if you are in a TLDR mood, to summarize, apply common sense. If you think a video might be inappropriate, chances are it is, and you make such content at your own risk.

#3 Copyright and Monetization Policies on YouTube

Among YouTube's policies and guidelines is the huge topic of copyrighted material. Essentially, if you use other people's work, then you could be using copyrighted material without their permission, and YouTube does not want you to do that. It will almost certainly get you demonetized or prevent you from entering the YouTube Partner Program. Let's look at this in a little more detail.

For most of you, this is the most important monetization policy. You have to make sure that you're adding value to any third party content you monetize, and that your content has significant original commentary, educational value, or editorialized statement. And let's be clear, that still might not be enough. This does not give you a license to use other people's content in your videos all the time, because if you do, YouTube may use this as an argument not to monetize your content.

YouTube confirms that if all or most of your channel is dedicated to reused content, and you're not transforming the original work by adding your own unique value, 

then your channel is not eligible for the YouTube Partner Program.

 The spirit of this policy is to make sure that YouTube are incentivizing unique and original content into the YouTube Partner Program, and that YouTube are protecting and rewarding the creators who work hard on original content.

Now, some may see YouTube's spirit of a policy as an excuse to demonetize channels they don't want in the monetization program, but let's have a look at it from this point of view. You spent days, hours creating a magnificent piece of content, and it goes viral on YouTube. And then a dozen random video creators steal that content, upload it, generate hundreds of thousands of views, and end up profiting handsomely from it. How would you feel if that happened? That's what YouTube is trying to protect - original content from video creators.

Admittedly, reused, duplicate content, and copyright content is a broad gray area on YouTube, and they don't always get it right. And you may look at some channels on YouTube and see that they're clearly flaunting these rules. Well, you don't know what their individual circumstances are, they may have permission to use that content, or they may get caught in the future, and you don't want to follow the examples of channels that are doing this. It's not a road to success.

Ultimately YouTube is the gatekeeper. They hold all of the keys. You are on rented ground, and if you flaunt these rules, and break them, then don't be surprised when YouTube comes after you.

#4 Linking a Google Adsense Account with a YouTube Channel

If you are going to earn money from your videos, YouTube needs a way to pay you, and at least to begin with, this will be done through an AdSense account. A few things you need to know about this, if you already have an AdSense account, you can use that. You can connect multiple channels to one AdSense account, and if you haven't got an AdSense account, you can set one up during the YouTube Partner Program application process.

#5 Applying to the YouTube Partner Program

Let's remind ourselves of those requirements one more time: You need:

1,000 subscribers on your YouTube channel

4,000 Watch Time hours on your videos over the last 12 months

To comply with all YouTube's policies and guidelines

When you've applied YouTube Partner Program, it may take up to a month for the platform to make a decision. That’s because actual humans will review your channel so it’s a manual process. Some channels have been approved in days, so it could be quicker. However, if it does take longer than a month, then your channel will usually be placed in further review. When this happens, unfortunately, the wait times can get very long. Three, six, possibly even 12 months. In some unfortunate cases, YouTube never seems to come to a decision, leaving the creator in monetization limbo.

We appreciate that this can be a very frustrating position to find yourself in as a video creator, as many of you have commented about this on our videos here at vidIQ. Unfortunately, we ourselves cannot help push the process forward for you, so what we recommend you do is to talk to TeamYouTube on Twitter, make sure that everybody knows that you have an issue with your monetization decision.

YouTube say that this will never speed up the process, but at least having some decision is something you should deserve as a video creator.

#6 Being Rejected from the YouTube Partner Program: Next Steps

Now let's say that you've applied for the YouTube Partner Program, but you've been rejected. What can you do?

When you are rejected from the YouTube Partner Program, YouTube will give you a general reason why. Unfortunately, they won't tell you specifically what video or content is causing the issue, so you may be left blindly adjusting your channel. However, the good news is you can reapply for the program in 30 days' time.

Again, this is where you will have to use your common sense. If you think there are videos that are walking the community guideline and policies tightrope, then they most likely are and you need to adjust them. If there are videos that have copyright content on them then those are probably causing a problem with YouTube as well, so you will need to delete them.

Creators have asked when they apply for the partner program, will having a community guideline strike or a copyright strike against my channel prevent me from getting into the program? The answer is probably no, it definitely won't prevent you, but it is going to have an impact.

There is a dedicated support page with advice on what you should do if you are rejected from the YouTube Partner Program, and 

Once you are in the Partner Program, and you want to take your monetization a step further by earning money from Super Chats, membership, and merchandise, take a look at this video on the subject:

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 

Want to know how to monetize your channel and start making money on YouTube? Take a look at our beginner's guide!

How to Monetize Your YouTube Channel - A Beginner's Guide

Congratulations! If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve reached the two important milestones you need to 

Now that you’ve reached those goals, it’s time to take the next step. 

Keep reading for a comprehensive guide on how to apply to the YouTube Partner Program and start making money online.

#1 How to Apply to the YouTube Partner Program

If you want to earn revenue from ads run against your content you'll need to apply to the 

. Luckily, you can do that via your YouTube Studio; just follow the steps below to start the process:

On the YouTube homepage, click your profile icon and select ‘

Find the left navigation bar and click ‘

If you need real-time guidance, watch our latest video about how to apply to YPP:

The monetization page will track your progress toward reaching 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of 

Once you've met the requirements, you'll see this glorious blue ‘apply now’ button:

Click it, and you'll be asked to complete the following three steps:

Set up and connect a Google AdSense account to your channel.

Wait for YouTube to review your channel and inform you of its decision.

But before you do any of this, you need to take care of one thing...

#2 Check the Location Settings on Your Channel

The first step of applying to YPP is checking your channel’s location settings. Basically, you need to make sure your channel is set to the right country so your application is processed smoothly.

A few weeks ago, we applied to monetize a Russian language channel. We'd previously set the channel’s country to Russia, but of course, this doesn't apply to the monetization aspects of the channel.

If you need to change the country listed on your channel, you can do that via the settings menu in the YouTube Studio, as shown below:

#3 Review YouTube’s Terms and Guidelines

The next step in applying to YPP is carefully reviewing the terms of the program. Essentially, you are entering a business contract where both you and YouTube have responsibilities to make the partnership work.

If you’re under 18, get a parent or legal guardian to go through the application with you. This is extremely important because if you try to do the application alone, you’ll eventually get stuck in later steps (such as creating an AdSense account).

Next up, be aware that the documents YouTube presents you with don’t cover everything you need to know. There’s a collection of YouTube policies and guidelines, and you may agree to them 

To cover your bases, you should definitely watch this overview of YouTube’s community guidelines, and if you can, take the entire video course 

 (the platform you’ll get paid through)

To get paid by YouTube, you have to create a 

. When you connect this account to your channel, YouTube will send earned revenue from your AdSense account to your bank account.

Return to YouTube’s monetization page (click your profile icon on the YouTube homepage > YouTube Studio > Monetization).

Navigate to step two of the YPP application, which is setting up a Google AdSense account. Click ‘

For security reasons, you’ll be prompted to log in to your Google account. After you do that, you’ll be asked whether you currently have an AdSense account. If you’re creating a new one, follow all of the on-screen instructions.

If you already have an AdSense account, all you have to do is confirm that to move forward. You'll be asked to sign in to the account and connect your current AdSense account to your YouTube channel by clicking ‘

You may temporarily land on an AdSense page that wants to redirect you back to the monetization page. Go ahead and click ‘

And that’s it! You've successfully applied to the YouTube Partner Program, and now you just need to wait for Youtube’s decision.

#5 Be Prepared for How Long It Takes to Get Accepted for Monetization

So, exactly how long will YouTube take to review your application? According to YouTube’s 

, the official answer is ‘about one month.’ 

Read the platform’s statement below for more details:

Despite this waiting period, most creators get an answer much quicker. That was certainly true in our case when we monetized the 

This Is How Long It Takes To Get Monetized on YouTube

#6 Extra Things to Know About YouTube Monetization

Once you’ve met the requirements for YPP, the application process isn’t too painful. 

However, there are some things to be aware of before and after your channel gets monetized, such as:

If your channel was rejected from YPP, you haven't 'failed' forever. You can reapply in 30 days, which is enough time to fix any problems on your channel.

When it comes to AdSense revenue, you’ll earn 55% of all advertising profits while YouTube takes the other 45%.

 is a 70-30 split. You’ll get 70% while YouTube keeps 30%.

You need to make at least $100 before YouTube sends funds to your bank account, and it takes up to 60 days for that money to arrive.

YouTube doesn’t deduct local taxes from your revenue, but your revenue is most likely taxable. We highly recommend speaking to a tax expert in your region for guidance.

Now you know all the important details about applying to YPP and monetizing your channel. We wish you a speedy application, and as always, more views and subscribers!

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 channel, sign up for exclusive access to the 

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

Are you ready to monetize your YouTube channel? Here's a step-by-step guide on how to apply to the YouTube Partner Program.

Step by Step Guide: How to Monetize Your YouTube Channel

Unlike content creators in other industries, YouTubers in the skincare market face a unique challenge: each and every one of them has a similar purpose. 

Within the skincare industry, virtually everyone is attempting to provide information on what works for the skin and what does not. So, how do you distinguish your channel given this saturation? 

Here are five tips from skincare expert and YouTuber 

 on how to make your channel rise above the crowd. 

The Topic of Skincare is VERY Broad so Find a Niche

Over the past 10 years, Cassandra Bankson’s skincare channel has generated over 1.3 million subscribers. Her videos attract a high level of engagement, and she has consistently been able to monetize her content. How was she able to achieve this? Cassandra told us that:

“The most important thing to understand is choosing what you’re passionate about within the skincare industry. I was a sufferer of cystic acne for a really long time so I wanted to create skincare content that focused on viewers with severe skin complications and even skin disorders. People with severe skin disorders have a lot of questions that don’t really come up in everyday conversations so I decided to make a channel that specifically addresses the concerns of this audience. I wanted my channel to be by an acne sufferer and for an acne sufferer. It needed to be realistic.” 

For example, in 2010, Cassandra posted the video below, 

Foundation Routine For Acne: How To Cover Pimples, Scars, Cystic Acne, Blackheads & Oil.

​This video garnered over 28 million views on YouTube and propelled Cassandra to success as a YouTube skincare influencer. Before even clicking on the content, the viewer can see from the title that the video is tailored to acne sufferers and to any potential questions that they may have about specific problems.

 While every skincare content creator does not necessarily have a challenging skin story, every YouTuber in this market has the ability to decide what they’re passionate about. Find what is important to you. This will help you create unique content.

How to Make Money on YouTube as a Beauty Professional

2. Establish Your YouTube Channel's Values

As a rule in marketing, viewers consume content they are emotionally invested in. They also consume content they can readily relate and identify with. This connection between content creator and viewer is achieved by expressing clear values. 

Values add humanity to your channel. Values make you a real person to viewers rather than someone who just talks about a concept. 

suggests that an emotional connection to a brand can actually enable a 50% increase in sales or consumption. To succeed in finding the values you want your channel to uphold, ask yourself: 

What does my channel stand for, and outside of skincare, why would it be important to my viewer’s everyday life?

Cassandra’s channel consistently communicates three values that apply to everyday life: 

Her channel hones in on the journey of getting to know your skin and yourself through the act of self-care rather than the perceived win of flawless skin. She also affirms the presence and community of individuals with underrepresented skin types. Furthermore, not only do values like this help the consumer, but they help YouTubers be more organized and creative. Cassandra confirms that:

“For my videos, values help me understand which products will make my viewers want to embrace themselves rather than want to change themselves. This is the basic structure that I apply to new ideas." 

When you chose a topic for a video, let your values be your core thesis. What do you want your channel to prove or change about skincare? This mission is what will set your content apart from other skincare YouTubers.

3. Answer Your Audience's Questions and Concerns to Create New Content

Targeting a specific audience is crucial to the success of your YouTube channel. Then engaging with that audience helps you gain a better understanding of their identity, their needs, and their wants. As a skincare YouTuber, Cassandra confirms that there are a couple of ways to do this:

“Having conversations with viewers in the comments is extraordinarily important. 

Not only does it help build your community, but it helps you gain a better understanding of who your community is and what your community needs the most. Another effective way of learning about your audience is live streaming.”

 By hosting a live stream, you can have actual conversations with your viewers. By actively answer their questions, and you can gain a better understanding of what's important to them. Use this tip to produce relevant and novel content.

Treat Other Skincare Creators as Inspiration, Not Competition

Compared to other markets that YouTubers serve, the skincare industry has a very unique culture. As a content creator of any genre, it is best to know that culture and the norms within your industry. 

For skincare on YouTube, the different communities of content creators are more like an ecosystem as opposed to a hierarchy. Ideas are shared and exchanged, not trumped. Cassandra does not see other skincare YouTubers as competition. She sees them as co-workers. 

“Everyone in the skincare area is so kind, understanding, and intelligent," she says. "I watch all of my other favorite YouTubers, and because I watch them, I can react, compliment, and comment on what they say.” 

Doing this actually helps Cassandra stay on top of other trends in skincare. In addition, it helps broaden her own community by presenting herself in a positive light to a new community. 

 The skincare industry is all about positivity, so taking the time to do a shout-out and interact with other communities is a great way to stand out and increase your exposure to new audiences.

Overall, your experience is such an important part of why your channel matters. It is so impactful to share the narrative behind your channel and values because it not only tells viewers who you are, but it personalizes your mission.

Cassandra has always been very open with her viewers about how she grew up feeling incredibly insecure about her acne and shares that:

“My viewers were really the first exposure to friendship and humanity," she says. "I was isolated from social relationships. I suffered from a lot of anxiety and depression."

Cassandra openly describes how she did not have a source of skin positivity, and she noticed the adverse effect this was having on people like her. For that reason, she decided to do something about it by starting her own YouTube channel. Her story is the inspiration behind her values and her channel. She confirms that:

“When you have lived through the same struggles as your viewers and share them openly, there is a deeper level of empathy and connection to them. Because there is only one you, sharing your story helps to set you apart as an authentic content creator for skincare. That is the best advantage of being a skincare YouTuber. You are what makes your channel different.” 

Only by living through her own experiences and sharing those openly has Cassandra generated authenticity for her content. Her unique perspective allows her to make enlightening and informative videos for her community like this one:

 Don't be afraid to share your experiences around skin and skincare with your audience. You may connect on a level you've only dreamed about.

Want to Grow Your YouTube Beauty Channel?

If you're new to vidIQ, our creator-obsessed goal is to educate you on your YouTube journey. We help you 

 and create an outstanding career on YouTube, one you can be proud of. For competitor research tools, video analysis, and helpful channel audits, 

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.

Standing out on YouTube isn't easy, especially for skincare creators. Here's how Cassandra Bankson, a veteran in this niche, found her way to YouTube success. 

Success as a Skincare YouTuber: 5 Tips From Cassandra Bankson on Standing Out

You've spent the time and effort crafting the perfect YouTube video, so why not leverage that content on other platforms too?

On this episode of TubeTalk, we chat with 

, a professional video editor who specializes in taking existing YouTube videos and extracting mico-video content that can then be uploaded to Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.

This is a fantastic way to build new communities, engage with a new audience, and even earn more revenue! Take a listen and learn:

What does it mean to reuse content elsewhere?

What is the right and wrong way to do this?

How does the audience react to micro-content?

How long or short should a repurposed video be?

What are some good video ideas that you can use right now?

How can you take content from a YouTube Livestream and repurpose that?

You can learn more about repurposing video

Want to Know the First Steps to YouTube Success?

Every creator wants their videos to go big on YouTube. But not every creator takes the time to plan out their content strategy beforehand. Take a listen to vidIQ's very own team on the steps you need to take before you even pick up a camera to ensure your content gets the 

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 SUBSCRIBE to TubeTalk on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode!

You can also find the complete list of all the

Find out how to repurpose your videos for other platforms and squeeze as much juice as you can from your content.

How to Repurpose YouTube Videos for Other Platforms

The process of creating a successful YouTube video begins way before you upload it to the platform. In fact, it begins way before you even pick up your camera!

On this episode of TubeTalk, the vidIQ team discuss the elements that go into making the best content you can create and publish, something we put into practice on 

Should you research vs. relying on your gut instinct?

The secret sauce to success on YouTube is all in the preparation. Find out why on this episode of TubeTalk.

The First Steps to a Successful YouTube Video!

The ability to screen-record your computer, smartphone, or gaming console simplifies the YouTube journey - especially for gaming or reaction-style channels.

For these types of creators, what takes place on 

 screens is exactly what viewers want to see. They’re looking for action-packed gameplay and visual tutorials that add more context to a video. 

If that perfectly describes your channel, watch our video highlighting the best screen recording software right now:

Now that you have some background knowledge, it’s time to take your video content to the next level. But before you do that, answer this one simple question: 

What type of videos do you produce for YouTube?

Keep your answer in mind as you read this guide. There’s a wide variety of screen-recording apps and products, and it’s important to choose the best software for your content.

If you have a Nvidia graphics card, you may already unknowingly have this screen recording software. ShadowPlay

is built into modern graphics cards, and once you set it up, all you have to do is issue a quick keyboard command to activate it. From there, ShadowPlay will start capturing your screen.

If you discover that you do have ShadowPlay, don’t get rid of it. This fantastic software yields the highest frame-rate footage you’ll ever see.

Just keep in mind that it doesn’t work with every program and can sometimes fail when you’re using it. We don’t know why it happens, but maybe it’s just a sacrifice of capturing high-quality video on a PC.

With OBS Studio, you may have to adjust your settings to get the highest video quality from screen captures. But don’t worry - there are plenty of tutorials to help you do that. OBS is free, open-source, and definitely worth the learning curve.

 if you’re into live streaming. It’s the same thing as regular OBS, except it’s strongly tailored toward gamers. For example, you can use Streamlabs OBS to go live on Twitch, YouTube, or Facebook within minutes. You also get personalized streaming overlays, 46 handy apps, and fun alerts when viewers send monetary donations during live streams.

Let's shift gears for a minute and talk about screen recording on a mobile device. First of all, consider yourself lucky if you have an iPhone. iOS users don’t need to hunt for screen capturing software because it’s already built into their devices. If you're an Android user, capturing your screen isn’t always easy. Certain versions of Android have a built-in screen capture, and some don't.

If your device doesn’t, our top recommendation for screen capture software is AZ Screen Recorder. It’s a great choice because the free version doesn’t add a watermark to your captures. Plus, there's no limit on how much footage you can record.

Capturing Video Footage on a Gaming Console

Compared to PC recording, capturing the screen of your gaming console is a different process. Gamers ask us how to do this all the time, so we’re happy to finally share an answer.

The PS4 and Xbox One both feature built-in screen capture software. Of course, a new generation of consoles is on the horizon with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, but there’s a good chance they’ll both have that feature. As far as the Nintendo Switch goes, there's a built-in screen capture software, but it only grabs 30-second clips.

Purchase a Capture Card to Record Gaming Console Screens

If you haven’t bought a capture card yet, it may be time to invest in one. This wonderful device lets you record and stream content from your video game consoles - and honestly, it’s the mark of a serious gamer.

Want to take screen recordings of your computer, smartphone, or gaming console? Here’s a list of free and paid software to try.

Step by Step Guide: How to Monetize Your YouTube Channel

Lydia Sweatt

Success as a Skincare YouTuber: 5 Tips From Cassandra Bankson on Standing Out

Kerri Hardy

How to Repurpose YouTube Videos for Other Platforms

Liron Segev

The First Steps to a Successful YouTube Video!

Liron Segev

The Best Screen Recording Software for YouTube

Lydia Sweatt

This Is How Long It Takes To Get Monetized on YouTube

Lydia Sweatt

5 Quick & Easy Tips for Growing Your YouTube Channel

Liron Segev