How do I monetize my YouTube videos?

Our ninth minisode of “The Creative Influencer” podcast is available today for download on iTunes, Spotify, and premier platforms everywhere.  In minisodes, we answer questions that our listeners have emailed Jon.  In this minisode, Jon walks through the steps to monetize YouTube videos (and the requirements for your channel before you can start).

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A transcript of the episode follows:

Today’s Minisode features an e-mail from Logan. The subject line of Logan’s email reads, “Help, I need to make some money.”:

Subject: help, i need to make some money

Hey Jon,

I could use some extra money.

(Stepping away from the email—total side note—I think we all could! So, back to the email…)

I have a summer job but it’s only part time and I really, really want a new iPad before school starts. I have a YouTube channel and I try to put up a video every week or two. Right now it is just a hobby but I’d love to turn this into something more. So here’s my question. Almost every video I watch has an ad on it. How do I get YouTube to put ads on my videos so that I can start making make some cash?

Thank you.
Logan

So Logan, I have some good news and I have some bad news. First, the good news. You don’t have to know somebody at Google or at YouTube to get ads on your videos. Now the bad news, not everyone qualifies for ads. To be eligible for monetization – that is to have ads run before you video starts – your channel needs at least 4,000 watch hours (and I’ll come back to that) in the last 12 months and you need at least 1,000 subscribers. So, if you have 1,000 subscribers and they or anybody has devoted at least 4,000 hours of their lives to watch your videos, you qualify.

Assuming that you meet these criteria then it’s a just matter of signing up. So, here’s how you do it.

First, sign in to YouTube. Then go to YouTube.com/features. There will be a tab for monetization. You’ll need to click “enable.” And I assume you don’t have it enabled, or you wouldn’t be writing your email. Up will pop a bunch of legalese. YouTube doesn’t call it legalize, they call it Terms and Conditions, but it’s a bunch of legalese. You’ll have to agree to the terms or you can’t go on.

The next step is for monetization preferences. So if you want to get your iPad as fast as possible you’ll allow ads everywhere they can run.

The last step is to get reviewed. Yes, YouTube will review your account to make sure that you really do have 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours.

It’ll take some time but I have every confidence that you can do it. Good luck Logan! Hope the money starts rolling in and you get your new iPad soon.

That’s it for this minisode.