Yes, you too can make some cash on YouTube
Have a tween or teen in your home? Chances are they follow a handful of YouTube stars — and a good number of them would love to be one, too. Don’t be so surprised this is a “thing.” Popular YouTube personalities can enjoy considerable fame and fortune.
According to Forbes, the 12 top YouTube celebs raked in a combined $70.5 million over 12 months ending in June 2016. Even if you’re not on this esteemed list, you could be making a very comfortable living.
Just ask Justine Ezarik (aka iJustine), a Los Angeles-based creator with 3.7 million YouTube subscribers on her channel and with more than 630 million views on her videos.
“Essentially, I’m a content creator who gets to talk about everything that I love — namely, cooking, tech, travel and video games,” Ezarik explains. She declined to comment on how much she makes from YouTube.
SUCCESSFUL CHANNELS
There are a few different ways to make money once your YouTube channel is successful.
Here’s how to get going:
Figure out your “thing ”: You first need to figure out your passion, whether it’s gadgets, celebrity gossip, religion, politics, pets, make-up and so on. “The most important thing is find out what you want to make videos about, and have fun,” Ezarik says.
Get your gear: You don’t need expensive hardware to get going. Content is far more important than having 4K or 360-degree video. Great quality helps, but today’s smartphones are more than good enough to start with. That said, good lighting is very important. Lighting kits start at about $200. Clear audio is critical, too; you can buy a highlyrated clip-on lavalier (“lav”) mic starting at $23.
Upload a lot: Flesh out
your topics and start creating fresh content on a regular basis. Just tap record on the camera and talk. Be natural. You’ll get better at hosting these segments as time goes on. uManage, promote your
channel: Remind your YouTube viewers to subscribe to your channel, during or after the video plays and in the description or comments section. Tag your videos with relevant keywords so people can find your work. Push traffic to your YouTube channel from other social platforms.
There are three ways a popular YouTuber can make money:
From YouTube: The main revenue stream is often allowing YouTube to run ads with your content. The more traffic you get, the more you can make, says Ezarik. There are many variables that determine how much you’ll get.
From sponsors: Ezarik and many other YouTube stars often are paid as a brand “ambassador” or “influencer.” After all, a popular YouTube personality has direct access to millions of fans. Ezarik has worked with major brands including Mattel, Microsoft, Ford, GE, Intel, P&G, Samsung, AOL and Carl’s Jr.
From fans: As “iJustine,” Ezarik has broadened her brand outside of YouTube. She often hosts or emcees live events around the world. She’s written a book, I, Justine: An Analog Mem
oir (2015), and has dabbled in merchandise, mobile apps (yes, more than one) and has starred in TV commercials.
“The most important thing is find out what you want make videos about, and have fun.” Justine Ezarik, (a.k.a. iJustine), an L.A.-based creator with 3.7 million YouTube subscribers