I’m making money off YouTube – five ways you can too

Technology has created plenty of opportunities for savvy entrepreneurs to make money online. And you don’t have to know how to write lines of code or build complicated apps to benefit – you can capitalise on what already exists.

One of these business opportunities lies in Google-owned YouTube, which allows you to monetise videos on almost anything. And I should know.

The video-sharing site is the second-largest search engine after Google, which means no matter what kind of content you upload, there will be someone out there willing to watch it.

After hustling with academic writing and online marketing for a while in campus, I decided to give the idea of creating a YouTube channel a go. My biggest dilemma was what kind of content I would upload and who my target audience would be.

The research

While doing my research, I came across several comments from Kenyan YouTube users asking for more DJ mixes that feature rhythm and blues (R&B) and reggae songs. These sorts of songs were only available from vendors who sell DJ mixes in CDs, and it would cost you.

I decided to provide these users with the sort of mixes they wanted on a platform that’s easily accessible at any time and from anywhere.

I created the Sypha Myles YouTube channel and started training myself on generating simple mixes and uploading them. I gained a respectable following in what felt like no time.

As viewership increased, so did the earnings. I set up a Google AdSense account, which is a free service that allows you to monetise your YouTube channel, and any or all of the videos on it. Google uses this platform to match relevant advertisements to your YouTube channel.

You can earn $2 (Sh206) per 1,000 views you get. My channel has videos that have drawn up to 260,000 views, which brought in $520 (Sh53,560). I developed a business model around my channel from the beginning. Apart from the DJ channel, I run other content channels.

Music is not the only way to draw an audience. Here are five of the easiest ways to make money from YouTube.

1. AdSense

This is the oldest source of revenue on YouTube – AdSense ads are those that are displayed at the bottom of videos or the clips that play at the beginning of a video. While I personally don’t make a full-time income from AdSense alone, it’s not an insignificant amount of money for channels that draw in millions of views a month.

“The more content you upload, the larger the audience you get, so your channel will feature more adverts,” says Richard Njau, a YouTube enabler and director at 4UP Digital.

2. Product reviews

Before I buy electronics, such as a smartphone or TV, I’ll spend a lot of time on the Internet researching what’s available. There are millions of others like me. YouTube is one of the best resources for research, as you get to see the product in virtual action. No matter what category of product you review, there will be people looking for videos to guide them on purchase decisions.

3. Expert advice

For those who believe they are experts in a specific industry, YouTube gives you the chance to share this knowledge.

“Every day, someone is looking for legal, medical or investment advice. You can share your experiences and expertise to help viewers out,” says Richard.

Some of the best examples of these sorts of videos include a channel run by Solomon Wangwe who gives insights on where to buy land in Kenya, costs and potential usage, Rina Hicks who gives advice on how to spend, save and invest money, and Mandi Sarro’s food channel.

4. Live events streaming

YouTube rolled out live streaming from mobile devices recently, which means you can now use your channel to stream live events, such as political rallies, music concerts or trainings. Anyone who couldn’t make it to the event can watch your live broadcast, and after live streaming, you can save the video for later viewing.

5. Comedy

People love a good laugh. Put your phone to good use and record funny improvised clips. Who knows, you may give rise to the next Internet sensation after comedy group Propesa or Jaymo Ule Msee who first found fame online.