How to Make Money on YouTube in 2025 — Step-by-Step Monetization Guide

In this guide, you'll learn exactly how to make money on YouTube and how to get paid on YouTube through every monetization feature in 2025 if your goal is legitimate revenue rather than seeking views. You'll know the latest YouTube Partner Program (YPP) thresholds, a list of 10+ revenue streams, realistic RPM ranges, a simple earnings calculator, and an actionable checklist.

As a growth partner, YouTubeViewsBuy.com assists channels to reach monetization and/or brand deals more quickly through targeted promotion services (views, subscribers, engagement) for your videos. Use this guide to set up your revenue, and then use our tools to grow as quickly as it is safe and strategic for you.

The 1-Minute Answer

• Two YPP tiers (2025):

1. Early access (fan funding & Shopping) at 500 subs + 3 public uploads in 90 days + either 3,000 watch hours (12 months) OR 3M Shorts views (90 days) for eligible countries.
2. Full ads revenue at 1,000 subs + either 4,000 watch hours (12 months) OR 10M Shorts views (90 days).

• Revenue share: Long-form Watch Page ads pay creators 55% of ad revenue; Shorts ad revenue is pooled, and creators trade viable IP (after paying music costs) and receive 45% of their share, and distributive share of subscription revenue is based on watch time for YouTube Premium revenue.

• Typical RPM: Expect many ranges. Many channels will land roughly $2-~$12 per 1,000 views based on niche, audience & market. This varies by country and it is great directional but not to be counted on.

• Policy update (July 15, 2025): Simply put, YouTube clarified its monetization rules with the intent to target “inauthentic” or mass-produced content. The reused content policy nonetheless remains the same—transformed clips and reactions will be monetizable if you can demonstrate significant original value added.

YouTube Partner Program Requirements (2025)

Tier A — Early Monetization Access (Fan Funding + Shopping):
Creators in eligible countries may apply for this after reaching 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in the last 90 days, either 3,000 valid public watch hours (12 months) OR 3M valid public Shorts views (90 days). Creators may begin searching things like Channel Memberships, Super Chat/Thanks/Stickers, and select Shopping.

Tier B — Full Ads Revenue.
Creators must reach 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 valid public watch hours (12 months) OR 10M valid public Shorts views (90 days) to earn from Watch Page ads.

Tip: To actually earn, remember to toggle on the correct Monetization Modules inside YouTube Studio (Watch Page, Shorts, Commerce Products).

10+ Ways People Make Money on YouTube

1) Ad Revenue (Watch Page Ads)

• What it is: Pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll, and display ads on long-form videos.
• What you get paid: Creators receive 55% of net ad revenue on Watch Page videos and RPM fluctuates based on audience and niche.
• How to enable it (step-by-step):
  1. Join the YPP (Tier B).
  2. In studio → Earn, agree to the Watch Page Monetization Module.
  3. Set ad placements (consider mid-rolls on 8–12+ minute long videos for greater yield).

2) Shorts Ad Revenue

• What it is: Ads shown between Shorts in the feed.
• What you get paid: Again, paid out based on your companies pooled by countries, creators receive 45% after music.
• How to enable it: Simply accept the Shorts Monetization Module in studio.

3) YouTube Premium Revenue

• What it is: You get a share of you members subscription fees based on the watch time of your content. (And, for those members, your content has no ads).
• Why it matters: Premium members tend to elevate your overall RPM, ( RPM tends to fluctuate a lot based on geography, and mature ad markets like the US and Canada are impacted positively with premium purchases).

4) Channel Memberships - Recurring Fan Funding

• What it is: Monthly perks (e.g., badges, exclusive videos, members only lives).
• How to unlock: Requires Tier A access (early access and eligible countries), then enable the Commerce Product Module. (YouTube pays creators 70% net on fan-funded features).

5) Super Chat, Super Stickers, Super Thanks

• What it is: Tipping in livestreams and comments; great in communities and tutorial style videos.
• Eligibility & policies: See Super Thanks policy and turn on Commerce Products page in studio.

6) Shopping & Merch

• What it is: Sell your products or affiliate products with YouTube Shopping.
• Pro tip: Pin every product under every video, and use affiliate links or encourage bundling during lives.

7) Affiliate Marketing

• What it is: You recommend and earn commissions off tools, apps, or physical products.
• Best suited for: Tech, finance/products, software, fitness gear, creator tools.
• Quick win: Just give clean and FTC compliant disclosures and track with a unique link.

8) Sponsorships & Brand Deals

• What it is: Fixed fee + bonus based on views or conversions.
• Pitch framework: audience fit → content angle → deliverables → timeline → usage rights → price. Once your analytics are consistent you can easily create a 1-page media kit.

9) Courses, Coaching, and Communities

• Why it works: Ads fluctuate significantly, creating and selling knowledge products stabilizes your income/business. You can start with a paid live workshop, then turn it into a starter course for sale.

10) Licensing & Creator Music Revenue Sharing

• What it is: Make your content licensable. Or you can use Creator Music tracks and revenue sharing option with rights holders - so you can safely monetize with popular music.

How Much do YouTubers Earn?

Note: Revenue ranges differ based on niche, country, seasonality, video length, and ad formats. These should be treated as directional ranges only.

• There is a common range floated for creators, between $2–$12 for every 1,000 views (RPM). While many general entertainment creators report RPM on the lower end, some education/finance or niches that skew more informational may see RPM for certain creators go higher than general entertainment.
• CPM (what advertisers pay) will differ broadly by market (for example, in one study of EU market benchmarks, the median CPM reported was ≈ €2.50 (with a notoriously broad range depending on the specific country/category))

Basic Earnings Calculator

Formula: Estimated earnings = Views x (RPM / 1,000)

RPM is only relevant post YouTube’s split, and accurate fill rates; analytics is the only truth you can be assured of.

Revenue Streams to Consider

Check Yourself to Get Monetized Efficiently (Build it Right // Step-by-Step)

1. Choose a profitable niche (problem solving, buyer intent or deep community).
2. Build 5-10 cornerstone topics based on search and suggestions.
3. Write for retention (grab at 5-7 sec, promise --> pay off every 20-30 sec).
4. Publish consistently (2-3 long-form videos each week OR 1-2 Shorts each day while you’re experimenting).
5. Optimize for YouTube SEO (clear titles, compelling CTR thumbnails, keyword rich descriptions).
6. Switch on Monetization modules, in Studio once eligible (Watch Page, Shorts, Commerce).
7. Turn on memberships & Supers (plan when & type of perks to post).
8. Launch Shopping/Affiliates (pin products; add links & disclosures).
9. Negotiate 1-2 brand pilots (charged for integration and usage).
10. Double down what works (increase RPM topics and formats).

Shorts or Long - Where Does the Money Come From?

• Shorts: Great for reach and top of funnel growth, you will only be getting 45% of your allocation, and must accept Shorts module first. You can create a really great opportunity funneling them to long form, memberships, and product offers.
• Long-form: You will generally be making higher RPM, due to mid-rolls and deep session time. Use ad revenue and affiliate link and/or your Shopping placements for outsized earnings.

YouTube data point: A year after launching Shorts their revenue share there were already 25% of YPP channels earning from Shorts-- and of those who joined via Shorts 80% were also monetize from other YPP monetization features.

Adhere to the Guidelines (and Keep Making Money)

In 2025, YouTube refined the monetization eligibility rules to tighten the focus around inauthentic or mass produced content (renaming the "repetitive content" policy). The reused content policy is unchanged — videos will still be eligible if they have transformative commentary, education or entertainment value. So, focus on the uniqueness, transition, and the true value for the audience.

If you do use music, be sure to use Creator Music or music that has been licensed to ensure joint revenue sharing, if it is supportable. This will help keep the content monetized.

Quick Money Making Tips for YouTube

• Increase watch time: Take strong subjects and stretch them to 10-14 minutes in length and find natural places to add mid-rolls.
• Optimize CTR: Test 2-3 thumbnails for each video; for best outcomes, try to have 5-10%+ CTR for new uploads.
• Create series: By having bingeable playlists you are increasing session time → which means more opportunity to serve ads.
• Focus on high RPM Geos - & High RPM Niches: Finance, B2B SaaS, productivity, and education typically have higher RPM values (only if the subject aligns with your content).
• Diversify revenue: Combine ads with affiliate marketing/memberships to smooth income variability throughout the month.
• Pin Shopping: Show case products underneath your videos as well as during lives for warm intent views.

Services to Speed Up to Monetization

YouTubeViewsBuy.com has a promotion services that can aid in organic growth through real discovery and speed you toward monetization thresholds:

• Buy YouTube views - Use as the initial patient velocity boosters on anchor uploads.
• Buy YouTube subscribers - Use as social proof supports while content organically grows.- Buy YouTube Likes & Comments — plan to automate engagement based on suggested traffic signals.

All promotional activity must still be consistent with YouTube’s Community Guidelines and monetization policies. Use this growth service to increase visibility for original content that respects YouTube’s policies; look for transformation and authentic value.

CTA: Have your project planned? Contact our team to connect growth services to your niche and upload frequency.

FAQ

How do you make money on YouTube?
You can join YPP and turn on modules for Watch Page ads, Shorts. You can also receive income from Premium, memberships, etc. As an added bonus, sponsorship and affiliate deals also provide additional revenue.

Step by step, how do you get paid on YouTube?
You need to meet the YPP thresholds (Tier A or B), check the relevant modules, connect AdSense, and upload original content in compliance with YouTube’s policies. Once you meet the minimum thresholds, you will receive monthly payouts through AdSense.

Do you need 1,000 subscribers to make money?
Specifically, yes for ads revenue (in addition to 4k of hours viewing or 10M shorts). Nonetheless, many creators can also apply for fan-finding & Shopping prior when the alternative thresholds and respective location is met in 500-1000 subscriber range.

How do people make money on YouTube, without ads?
Memberships, Supers, Shopping/merch, affiliates, sponsorships, courses/coaching; and more often generate more stable income than ads (much greater).

Do Shorts pay?
Yes, Shorts pay; however ad revenue from Shorts is pooled by country and creators receive 45% after music cost and fees (if applicable). Make sure to enable Shorts Module.

How does one earn from views on Youtube realistically?
Multiply your views by your channel’s current RPM (don’t forget to look under Analytics → Revenue). A common directional range is typically between $2–$12 per 1,000 views likely, but remember your metrics drive your earnings.

How does YouTube pay content creators with YouTube Premium?
Content creators receive a share of their premium revenue based on the amount of watch time of subscribers when they view your content.

Will my AI or reused content make my account demonetized now?
YouTube’s updates July 2025 will likely demonstrate a targeted effort to limit the opportunity for generating passive income on inauthentic or mass produced content. It is allowable to use AI as long as you add to original value and follow policy. Future transformed reaction/clip content would likely be compliant.

Step-by-Step Checklist (Download & Use)

1. Verify your niche and the problem your audience faces.
2. Write 10 outlines for videos that either solve the" problem," or save someone either time or money.
3. Create 3–5 Shorts to test your hooks per topic.
4. Upload 2 long-form videos/week for 8 weeks.
5. Optimize the titles, thumbnails, and descriptions for "search intent" aka "SEO".
6. Hit the thresholds for "YPP" and connect AdSense.
7. Turn on "Watch Page," "Shorts" and "Commerce Product" modules.
8. Next, turn on memberships and Supers. Schedule 2 exclusives/month.
9. Add Shopping/affiliate links with disclosures.
10. Pitch 3 sponsors/month with a simple media kit.
11. Study the Analytics weekly: CTR, AVD, RPM, top geos.
12. Extra step: Go with whatever keeps working. Go away from what doesn’t work.

Where do you go from here?

• Start Making Money Faster: See if you qualify for early access to the YPP (for the 500-sub pathway) option and activate fan funding today.
• Get Discovered Faster: Create a promotion plan from YouTubeViewsBuy.com to help you boost reach on high-value videos while staying fully original and policy compliant.
• Build Stability: Mix ads in with memberships, affiliates, and 1–2 brand integrations a month.