The current pandemic has drastically changed a whole lot of things–how we eat, interact, and most especially, how we work.
Because of this, people rely more than ever on the internet. From food and groceries to essentials, people have them delivered right to their doorstep. School and work are not exemptions. With the implementation of social distancing, classes and jobs that require interaction with other people are being reenvisioned right before our eyes.
Musicians are struggling to make a living amidst the pandemic. Because of closed venues, they cannot book paid gigs. They turn to the internet for ways how to make money singing online. Nevertheless, you can still earn money by singing; with a little bit of creativity. The internet has made it possible through live stream performances. And where do people frequently stream music videos? YouTube. You can make money by posting and sharing content on this platform.
So let us first understand how YouTube works.
For years, YouTube has been used as a platform for aspiring singers to make money and get discovered. There are various ways where musicians make money on YouTube. Through the YouTube Partner Program, you get paid for royalties on your music videos, and you can enable advertisements to earn revenue every time it streams. However, monetizing your YouTube channel is where the real deal is.
Here are a few steps on how to start making money on YouTube using your passion and talent:
Start a YouTube Channel
Perhaps this might be your chance to become a star. You could become the next top-earning YouTube user. But to make that happen, you have to have a successful YouTube channel. The key is to entertain and educate with your content. This will allow you to establish a loyal audience that frequently tunes in to your channel, thus gaining more opportunities to make money online.
Learn Content Creation
You must first learn how to successfully create content before you are able to enjoy the benefits of having a YouTube channel. The first step to creating a successful and profitable channel that really stands out to viewers is to understand what type of musical content viewers search for, as well as decide what strategy you will be going for.
YouTube considerably became a money-maker for musicians. But gone are the days when you just upload your videos and simply wait for the streams to skyrocket. To monetize your channel and boost your income, you will need to be active on YouTube.
Upload your videos or songs on YouTube
Not only do you get exposure for your music, but you can also make money at the same time.
You will get paid royalties when you upload your song on YouTube. This will be based on how many views and clicks your video gets. You will be paid through ad revenue. Advertisers pay YouTube to run advertisements during your videos, and in return, YouTube pays you royalties.
You can also make a cut of the revenue from other YouTube users when they feature your songs in their videos.
Focus on your specific niche
When making your videos, keep in mind that the best music channels deliver helpful information to curious viewers. Do not just upload random covers or jam sessions. As mentioned above, the key to a successful YouTube channel is to entertain and educate. The best YouTube channels answer questions viewers most likely search for: for example, you want to make money on YouTube by singing. If you also incorporate vocal coaching and guitar lessons—assuming you will sing and play a guitar, then you will likely boost your channel views and potentially make money. The key is to keep your audience interested; they will keep tuning in to your channel.
Monetize your channel
There are ways to make money on YouTube. One easy way to do it is through ad revenue by setting up a Google AdSense account and adding it to your channel, and gaining clicks and views on your videos. However, the trick to making even more money on YouTube as a singer is to monetize your channel. Other YouTube users can use your songs in their videos; consequently, you are entitled to the earnings from this user-generated content in addition to your own videos.
YouTube provides a system called Content ID to help you monetize your songs throughout the platform. This tracks your songs on the site and where they are being used.
How do I monetize my channel?
To join the YouTube Partner Program, you must have at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time in the past 12 months. Once you have joined, you will be able to get access to special features on the platform like any regular YouTubers. You will have access to a lot of income streams–not just video ads. Such income streams like YouTube Premium subscription fees, Super Chat, channel memberships, and merchandise.
Online platforms are paving the way for us to earn money; it’s up to us to take a little know-how and do the work to make it possible.
