Top 10 Ways To Make Money on YouTube Without Making Videos
In today’s gig economy, many people are looking for ways to make extra money online. Having multiple revenue streams can help you better manage your budget during times of high inflation — and give you added security in case of a recession.
You might be considering making money on YouTube as an additional revenue stream or even your primary income. But maybe you don’t like appearing on camera and don’t have video editing skills. The good news is you can still make money on YouTube without ever hitting the record on your phone.
Top 10 Ways To Make Money on YouTube Without Making Videos
How to Make Money on YouTube Without Making Videos
You can make money on YouTube in a variety of ways that don’t involve creating original video content, appearing on-screen yourself, or even posting a video. Sharing third-party content and building up enough of a following can earn you money through ad revenue as a YouTube partner. There are also other ways to earn money on YouTube, including becoming a YouTube consultant.
1. Making Money Through Content on YouTube
If you decide you want to post content on YouTube to make money, but don’t necessarily want to show your face on camera, you have plenty of avenues to choose from.
The first step to making money on YouTube is to set up a YouTube Brand account. A Brand account is free and lets you set up multiple channels, hide your email and choose a different name — so you can put your brand in the forefront instead of your own face, name, and personality.
Then, you’ll want to set up a channel based on the topic you’d like to focus on. Some of the most popular YouTube channels that don’t showcase people include the Meditation Mindfulness channel, a Daily Dose of the Internet — which is a clip channel of funny and interesting videos from across the Internet — and many podcasts that are audio-only.
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2. Guided meditation
One of the most popular methods of making money on YouTube without making videos is to focus heavily on audio.
And while YouTube recently started cracking down monetizing audio that they deem “repetitive” in nature – like white noise (more on this later) – unique guided meditations can be a great alternative.
Just take a look at the Bojo Beautiful Yoga channel for instance. This channel currently boasts nearly 2.7 million subscribers with thousands of views on the majority of their videos – which largely feature simple custom videos (you could instead create a custom image slide show for true video-less YouTubing) and a simple audio overlay.
3. Create sound effects
Another hot audio category on YouTube is Fair Use/Royalty Free sound effects.
Other creators – and even film and tv producers – are constantly on the lookout for easy-to-use cheap/free sound effects.
Why not help other creators out while getting paid at the same time?
Some of the most commonly googled sound effects include:
- Construction noises (like hammers)
- Bodily function (like farts)
- Animal noises
- Alarms
- Nature sounds
4. Make some music
This one isn’t quite as easy as the last few – but if you are a singer, songwriter, or musician, you can also produce and record your own music.
Who knows, in addition to getting views, you may even get “discovered” as Justin Beiber did in 2009 after posting home videos of himself singing covers.
That’s right, Beiber owes his entire career to YouTube.
While the above video obviously encompasses video, you can just as easily upload audio-only compilations to showcase your talents.
5. Live Stream Your Video Game Play with Voiceovers
Similarly, if you love playing video games, you can live stream — or even record — your video game play with voiceovers.
While many of the top gaming influencers on YouTube have a distinct brand, like DanTDM who even has a Halloween costume patterned after his trademark outfit, some never show their face. H20 Delirious has kept his identity secret, never showing his face and going by the name of Jonathon.
6. Podcast
Podcasting is a great game to get into because you can get some real mileage out of a single piece of content.
Record some audio, upload it to your YouTube channel, upload it to your personal blog, and/or publish it to an RSS feed for nationwide distribution.
Science Magazine sometimes uploads audio-only podcasts to their YouTube channel like the example above, which has collected more than 4,200 views.
7. Join the YouTube Partner Program
Of course, curating or creating great content is just the beginning. Remember — you don’t have to make the videos yourself. But you will need to aggregate content that people enjoy and then market your channel through social media to get the word out.
Once you’ve gotten some views on your videos and generated a following on your channel, you can apply for the YouTube Partner Program. Joining the YPP offers multiple revenue streams to make money on YouTube.
Once you have at least 1,000 subscribers to your channel, 4,000 valid public watch hours in the past 12 months, and have kept your YouTube account in good standing, you can apply to the YouTube Partner Program. As a partner, you can generate revenue from ads, subscribers, merchandise, and more.
8. Make Money from Ads on YouTube
Once you link your Google AdSense account to your YouTube account, you can begin making money from ads as a YouTube Partner. Earn roughly 10 to 30 cents per ad view or an average of 18 cents per ad view. This typically equates to $3 to $5 for 1,000 video views or $18 per 1,000 ad views.
If you have a high-traffic channel and a highly engaged viewership that watches the ads, you can see how quickly you can make a lot of money through YouTube ads.
9. Become a YouTube Consultant
Once you’ve learned solid strategies for making money on YouTube, you can share your knowledge with others as a YouTube consultant for brands. You can create a profile on MarketerHire or other marketplaces where people look for marketing professionals.
You can also advertise your services through LinkedIn or other social media channels. The best way to land gigs as a YouTube consultant may be through word-of-mouth. Network in your community and online and let companies know you can help them boost their YouTube presence to promote their brand.
10. Watch Videos for Nielsen
Nielsen, the consumer research company that has tracked people’s TV habits for nearly a century, will pay you for allowing it to track your viewing habits on YouTube and other streaming networks. Simply visit the Nielsen website to sign up and then download the secure Nielsen app or computer software anywhere you watch videos, including your smartphone and computer.
You most likely won’t get rich watching videos for Nielsen, but you can earn up to $60 in gift cards from retailers or in cash deposited to your PayPal account. You’ll also get instant win game tokens that could increase your earnings, and you’ll be entered into a $10,000 monthly sweepstakes. If you don’t mind Nielsen tracking your viewing habits, this is a good way to earn some extra, easy cash on YouTube.