How to Make Money on YouTube Before Reaching YPP (5 Legit Ways)

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How to Make Money on YouTube Before Reaching YPP (5 Legit Ways)

Hitting the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) requirements – 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 valid watch hours in the past 12 months or 10 million valid Shorts views in the past 90 days – feels like a distant dream for many new creators. It can be disheartening to pour hours into creating content without seeing any direct income from YouTube ads.

You might be wondering, "Can I even earn money on YouTube without being in the YouTube Partner Program?" and "How many views do you need to make money on YouTube without monetization?" The good news is, yes, absolutely! You do not need to be in the YPP to start generating income from your channel. In fact, focusing on monetization before YPP can build a more sustainable and diversified income stream for the long run.

Forget waiting around for AdSense. The key to making money on YouTube with a small channel is to think beyond traditional ad revenue and explore alternative monetization strategies that leverage the audience you're building, no matter the size.

Why You Don't Need YPP (or Millions of Views) to Make Money

Many new creators mistakenly believe that YouTube ads are the only way to earn money. This couldn't be further from the truth. While AdSense can become a significant income source for large channels with high view counts, it's rarely the primary driver for small or even mid-sized channels.

The real power of a YouTube channel, even a small one, lies in its ability to build a targeted audience interested in a specific topic or niche. This audience is valuable because you can recommend products, services, or information that directly solve their problems or appeal to their interests.

How many views do you need? For these alternative methods, views matter less than audience connection and the relevance of your offer. A smaller, highly engaged audience who trusts your recommendations can generate significantly more income through affiliate sales or product purchases than a large, unengaged audience watching solely for entertainment.

Focusing on these strategies early on helps you diversify your income, making you less reliant on YouTube's algorithm or policy changes. It's about building a real business around your content, not just being a recipient of ad revenue.

5 Legitimate Ways to Make Money on YouTube Before YPP

Let's dive into actionable strategies you can implement right now to start earning from your YouTube channel, even before you qualify for the YouTube Partner Program.

1. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is one of the most accessible and effective ways for small channels to start making money. It involves promoting products or services created by other companies. When someone purchases through your unique affiliate link, you earn a commission.

How it Works:

• You find products or services relevant to your niche and audience.
• You sign up for their affiliate program (e.g., Amazon Associates, or programs through platforms like DigiStore24.com or ClickBank.com, or even specific software affiliate programs like Tube Magic).
• You create content (videos) where you naturally talk about, review, or demonstrate these products.
• You include your unique affiliate links in your video description, pinned comment, or even mention them directly in the video with a call to action to check the links below.

Why it Works for Small Channels:

You don't need millions of views. If you have a dedicated audience interested in your topic, they are likely interested in the tools, resources, or products you use and recommend. A video reviewing a specific tool or product can generate significant commission income over time, even with a modest number of views, if the viewers who do watch are highly targeted and ready to buy.

Actionable Steps:

1. Identify Products Your Audience Needs: What problems does your audience have? What products or services can solve those problems? What tools do you use that would benefit them?
2. Find Relevant Affiliate Programs: Search for affiliate programs related to those products. Amazon Associates is a popular starting point, but explore niche-specific programs for potentially higher commission rates. Platforms like DigiStore24 and ClickBank offer digital products with often generous commissions.
3. Create Valuable Content: Don't just shill products. Create genuine reviews, tutorials, comparisons, or videos where you naturally use the product. Your authenticity builds trust.
4. Place Your Links Strategically: Put affiliate links prominently in your description box and a pinned comment. Add a clear call to action in your video.
5. Track Your Performance: Monitor which videos and links are generating clicks and sales. This helps you refine your strategy.

Subscribr's Research Assistant and Channel Intel features can help you identify popular products or tools within your niche that other creators are using or reviewing, giving you ideas for affiliate promotions.

2. Selling Your Own Digital Products

Creating and selling your own digital products is a powerful way to monetize your expertise directly. Digital products have a low overhead and can be sold repeatedly.

Examples of Digital Products:

• Ebooks or Guides (e.g., "Beginner's Guide to [Your Niche]")
• Templates (e.g., video script templates, social media templates)
• Checklists or Worksheets
• Online Courses or Workshops
• Presets (for photo/video editing)
• Digital Art or Music

How it Works:

• You identify a specific problem or need your audience has that you can solve with your knowledge.
• You create a high-value digital product addressing that need.
• You use your YouTube videos to provide free value related to the product's topic and promote the digital product as the next step for deeper learning or a complete solution.
• You sell the product through your own website or a platform like Gumroad, Teachable, or Kajabi.

Why it Works for Small Channels:

You are leveraging your expertise and building a direct relationship with your audience. Your viewers are already coming to you for information; offering a premium digital product is a natural extension of that value. You keep a much larger percentage of the revenue compared to affiliate marketing. Creators have generated significant income (thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars) with relatively small subscriber counts by selling high-value digital products.

Actionable Steps:

1. Identify Your Audience's Biggest Pain Point: What do they struggle with the most? What knowledge do you have that can solve it?
2. Create a High-Quality Product: Focus on providing immense value. Don't just repackage free information; offer something comprehensive and actionable.
3. Build a Simple Sales Page: You need a place for people to learn about and purchase your product.
4. Promote in Your Videos: Create content that leads naturally to your digital product. Mention it in your videos, add links in the description, and consider creating a dedicated video explaining the product.
5. Collect Emails: Encourage viewers interested in the product to sign up for an email list (perhaps offering a freebie related to the product) so you can market to them directly.

When planning content that promotes your digital products, Subscribr's AI Script Writer can help you craft compelling video scripts that highlight the value of your offer and include effective calls to action. You can also use the Frame Development feature to ensure your video's angle perfectly aligns with the solution your digital product provides.

3. Selling Your Own Services

If you have a skill or expertise that can help your audience directly, offering services is another excellent pre-YPP monetization strategy. Your YouTube channel acts as a platform to showcase your skills and build credibility.

Examples of Services:

• Coaching or Consulting (e.g., fitness coaching, business consulting, YouTube strategy calls)
• Freelance Services (e.g., video editing, graphic design, writing, social media management)
• Workshops or Live Training Sessions
• Audits or Reviews (e.g., channel audits, website reviews)

How it Works:

• You create video content demonstrating your expertise and providing valuable tips related to your service.
• You clearly communicate the service you offer and who it's for.
• You include calls to action in your videos and description guiding interested viewers on how to learn more or book your service.

Why it Works for Small Channels:

Your channel serves as a portfolio and a way to build trust. People get to know you and see your skills in action. Services can command higher price points than products, allowing you to generate significant income with fewer clients.

Actionable Steps:

1. Define Your Service Clearly: What specific help do you offer? Who is your ideal client?
2. Create "Showcase" Content: Produce videos that demonstrate your expertise relevant to your service. Tutorials, case studies, or videos answering common questions are great formats.
3. Build Credibility: Share your experience, results you've helped others achieve, or your unique approach.
4. Make it Easy to Inquire/Book: Have a clear link in your description to a contact form, a booking page, or a page detailing your services.
5. Include Strong Calls to Action: Tell viewers directly in your video how they can benefit from your service and what to do next.

Subscribr's Channel Intelligence and Audience Persona features can help you understand your audience's needs and pain points better, allowing you to tailor your service offerings and the content promoting them more effectively.

4. Selling Your Own Physical Products or Merchandise

Once you have a small but loyal following, creating and selling your own physical products or branded merchandise can be a viable income stream. This is particularly effective if you have a strong brand identity or your niche lends itself well to specific physical items.

Examples:

• Branded T-shirts, hoodies, hats
• Stickers, mugs, posters
• Physical tools or accessories related to your niche (e.g., art supplies for an art channel, unique kitchen gadgets for a cooking channel)
• Books or physical guides

How it Works:

• You design merchandise or source relevant physical products.
• You set up an online store (platforms like Shopify, Etsy, or using print-on-demand services like Printful or Teespring).
• You showcase and promote your products in your videos.

Why it Works for Small Channels:

Merchandise allows your most dedicated fans to support you directly and feel more connected to your brand. Physical products related to your niche offer tangible value to your audience. Print-on-demand services minimize risk as you don't hold inventory.

Actionable Steps:

1. Understand Your Audience's Style/Needs: What kind of merchandise would they actually wear or use? What physical products would genuinely help them?
2. Create Appealing Designs: Invest in good design for your merchandise.
3. Choose a Platform: Decide whether to use print-on-demand (lower risk, less control) or manage inventory yourself (higher risk, more control).
4. Showcase Your Products: Wear your merch in videos, demonstrate the physical products, and explain why you created them.
5. Include Store Links: Make it easy for viewers to find and purchase your products.

While Subscribr doesn't directly help with product design or fulfillment, using the platform to consistently create high-quality content will grow your audience and brand loyalty, which is essential for successful merchandise sales.

5. Brand Deals and Sponsorships

You don't need to be a mega-influencer to land brand deals. Even small channels with a highly engaged and specific niche audience can attract sponsorships. Brands are increasingly looking for micro-influencers who have passionate communities, even if the numbers are smaller.

How it Works:

• A brand pays you to integrate their product or service into your video content.
• This can range from a dedicated review to a brief mention or demonstration within a relevant video.
• Payment can be monetary, free products, or a combination.

Why it Works for Small Channels:

If your audience is a perfect match for a brand's target demographic, that brand may be willing to pay to reach them, even if your subscriber count is low. Your engagement rate and the specificity of your niche are often more attractive than just raw numbers.

Actionable Steps:

1. Build a Professional Presence: Have a clear channel brand, professional-looking banners and thumbnails, and high-quality video production (even if simple).
2. Create Valuable, Niche-Specific Content: Focus on building an engaged audience within a particular topic.
3. Identify Relevant Brands: Which brands sell products or services that your audience uses or would be interested in?
4. Create a Simple Media Kit: A one-page document outlining your channel's stats (subscriber count, average views, audience demographics), niche, and contact information.
5. Reach Out (or Be Reachable): Include a business email address in your "About" section. You can also proactively reach out to brands you'd like to work with, highlighting the value you can offer them (access to your specific audience).

Subscribr's Channel Intelligence and Research tools can help you understand your audience demographics and content performance, providing valuable data points to include in your media kit when pitching to brands. Analyzing successful channels in your niche using Subscribr can also give you insights into the types of brand deals they are doing.

Building Your Pre-YPP Monetization Strategy

Making money on YouTube before YPP isn't about finding a shortcut; it's about building a smart, diversified approach from day one.

1. Focus on Value: Regardless of the monetization method, your content must provide genuine value to your audience. Solve their problems, entertain them, or educate them.
2. Know Your Audience: Understand who is watching your videos, what they need, and what they are interested in buying. Subscribr's Audience Persona features can be invaluable here.
3. Be Authentic: Only promote products or services you genuinely believe in and use (for affiliate marketing and sponsorships).
4. Be Clear About Promotions: Always disclose sponsored content or affiliate links to maintain trust with your audience and comply with regulations.
5. Diversify: Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Explore a couple of these methods simultaneously to see what resonates most with your audience.

While the path to YPP can feel long, focusing on these legitimate monetization strategies allows you to start earning income, reinvest in your channel, and build a more robust and resilient content business from the ground up. Use tools like Subscribr to streamline your research, planning, and content creation process, freeing up more time to focus on building your audience and implementing these monetization strategies.