The post How to make money on YouTube: 8 ideas to try in 2025 appeared first on Printify.
]]>With an active user base of more than 2.5 billion people, YouTube is one of the best platforms for generating income. But how do you make money on YouTube without millions of subscribers and an inbox full of brand deals?
This article lists all the ways of how to make money on YouTube regardless of your viewer count or target audience. Start monetizing your content – with or without filming videos.
The YouTube Partner Program (YPP) is one of the top ways for how to make money on YouTube. You’ll earn through YouTube ads and other built-in monetization features.
Joining YouTube’s Partner Program is a necessary step in video monetization. This is how you do it:
And that’s all! YouTube will review your application within a month.
Once you’re part of the YouTube Partner Program, enable monetization through YouTube Studio. Choose your monetization preferences and explore the options, such as ads on short-form or long-form videos and revenue from YouTube Premium subscribers.
Here are some other monetization options:
The average YouTube channel earns $0.018 per ad view. So, if you already have an established following, generating ad revenue with your videos is an easy way to start making money.
Click the Analytics tab and scroll down to see your Monthly Estimated Revenue – use it to plan and analyze your YouTube earnings.
The rules for joining the YPP are straightforward. You need to meet certain milestones, such as watch time and channel subscribers.
When do you start making money on YouTube? When you reach at least 1,000 subscribers and:
or
Additionally, you must comply with all of YouTube’s monetization policies, have an AdSense account, and live in a country where the YouTube Partner Program is available.
If you’ve got a knack for business, one of the most profitable ways to learn how to make money off YouTube is to sell products. It’s a great option if you don’t have a huge following to begin with.
Design your own clothing line or custom merchandise and earn money by organically showcasing your brand and designs in your video content.
Selling quality merchandise helps you build a loyal following, connect with fans, and establish a trustworthy brand. Subscribers love to show their support with one-of-a-kind merch.
To stand out among other top-paid YouTubers, consider these strategies:
The easiest and best way to sell custom products is by partnering with print-on-demand companies like Printify.
Our platform is ideal for busy YouTubers who want to earn money with their own merchandise while focusing on content creation. Plus, you only pay once you sell, so don’t worry about upfront costs.
Here’s how to cash in on this low-cost, high-profit business idea:
Check out our article on YouTuber merch for insights into the most popular products, colors, and designs among other YouTubers and their audience.
You can never go wrong with simple black or white t-shirts rocking your logo or channel name.
Start affiliate marketing and become a pro at promoting goods or services on YouTube. Partner with affiliate media companies or connect directly through an affiliate eCommerce site.
Affiliate marketing pairs businesses wanting to promote products with creatives looking to earn commissions. It’s a fantastic monetization strategy for those wondering how do you get paid on YouTube from marketing alone.
Here’s a breakdown of the process:
Affiliate programs are usually free to join, so you can start making money without spending. Just be sure to research that you’re promoting high-quality, reliable products.
Looking for an affiliate program that’s perfect for your audience of budding business owners and entrepreneurs? Sign up for the Printify Affiliate Program and earn a 5% commission on each sale your links generate from YouTube traffic.
Benefits of joining the Printify Affiliate Program include:
If you’re 18 years old and your YouTube channel has 30,000 subscribers (1,000 for gaming channels), you are eligible for channel memberships – also known as fan funding.
Memberships are a fantastic way to monetize content by offering exclusive videos and features to those willing to support your channel for a monthly fee.
Members can access perks like:
Check that your region is eligible for channel memberships. Your channel must also be in the YouTube Partner Program to enable this feature.
Sponsored content or brand deals are collaborations where both parties benefit – companies gain exposure to your audience while you receive sponsorship revenue.
Sponsorships come in many forms, such as:
The best part? You don’t have to share your earnings with YouTube. Negotiate the deal with the brand, and they pay you directly.
Legalities and transparency: if you engage in brand deals, you must disclose sponsorships or paid product placements to both YouTube and your followers.
An excellent way of how to make money on YouTube is through live streams and premieres. Viewers can donate anything from $1 to $500 with a pinned comment or animated sticker.
It’s a great way to earn extra money without video ads and also encourages viewer engagement. They can ask questions, express their opinions, or simply support their favorite creators.
This monetization method is particularly useful when using multiple channels or media outlets like YouTube and Twitch. Essentially, it involves monetizing the same content on different platforms.
For example, uploading videos from Twitch, such as VODs (Video on Demand), as YouTube content can attract more YouTube viewers and enhance your overall reach on both platforms.
Don’t forget to read the Super Chat during the stream to shout out your supporters and thank them for their donations. This shows appreciation and encourages others to donate, generating more money.
To set up Super Chat and Stickers, go to YouTube Studio → Earn → Supers, and toggle the switch to turn on the feature.
Crowdfunding is another great way to generate revenue with YouTube content. Unlike direct donations, crowdfunding focuses on gathering funds for a specific project or purpose.
Whether you need new gaming equipment to better your streams, hire an exciting guest for an upcoming video, or gather funds for a fun YouTube project – ask your audience to pitch in via crowdfunding (or sponsorships, as YouTube calls it).
YouTube has a SPONSOR button. Add it to your videos to let people contribute directly. It’s also possible to host your crowdfunding on a different platform:
Licensing your videos to other YouTube channels, social media platforms, and news outlets is one way to generate income through other revenue streams.
Plenty of YouTube creators have earned quite a bit of money from one viral video. And while that one video is great to earn ad revenue, you can license those viral hits to make more cash.
Sites like Jukin Media are great places to submit videos based on categories, like newsworthy content. If you have a video that might interest reporters, like natural disasters, community news, or other relevant content – upload it and earn a commission.
When creating videos to earn more money, it’s crucial to prioritize quality content, good editing, and relevance.
Let’s look at some tips to make the most of your YouTube channel.
If ad clicks and view ratio is your main source of income, consider filming longer videos. Content over ten minutes has a higher watch time, generating higher ad revenue.
If you include many ads in a shorter video, viewers might get annoyed and leave your channel. A longer video stretches the time between ads, providing a more natural content flow that’s perfect for monetization.
Videos with a high watch time also rank better on YouTube searches. Make sure to film at least over ten minutes, or cash in on that hour-long video essay.
To make money, YouTubers must post quality content, build a loyal audience, and develop a trustworthy image as a content creator.
Invest in quality equipment and editing software, make well-produced and compelling videos, and, most importantly, post honest content that resonates with audiences. Don’t forget to use thumbnails that comply with platform guidelines.
Channel and video descriptions are some of the most important assets on your YouTube channel. They serve many purposes, from follower engagement to storytelling, search engine optimization (SEO), and promotions.
Write compelling descriptions, video titles, affiliate disclosures, detailed instructions, and enticing promotions for your products, fundraisers, or other social media channels. Don’t forget to use this space for relevant tags and keywords to secure your spot in search results.
Always interact with your followers during streams or in the comments. Fans love to communicate with their favorite creators, and your engagement will only encourage others to join.
Showing appreciation for your YouTube audience means more views, longer watch times, higher engagement, and more money.
Yes! There are plenty of ways you can make money on YouTube without filming videos.
How much YouTubers make depends on the revenue outlet. YouTubers with one million followers earn anything between $14,600 to $54,600 monthly on views alone. Meanwhile, YouTube ads can generate up to $11,500 a month if you have a dedicated viewership.
How many views do you need to get paid on YouTube? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. You first need 1,000 subscribers to monetize your content. Additionally, you must have 4,000 watch hours in the last 12 months or have ten million Shorts views in the last 90 days.
At least 1,000. That’s the minimum amount YouTube requires to monetize your channel and earn directly on the platform.
Affiliate marketing is a great way for beginners to start earning quickly. If you don’t have a dedicated following yet, promote other companies’ products or services. Establish yourself as a trustworthy content creator to grow your channel and expand your revenue streams from there.
The rates differ for each country and category you’re in. On average, a YouTuber can earn $2–$12 per 1,000 video views through ads. There’s potential to earn more if you make content in categories that are competitive among advertisers.
Produce audio content, like ASMR or guided meditation videos, post songs or educational voiceovers, repurpose other creators’ content under fair use, or offer freelancing services to other YouTubers.
Depending on your content, revenue stream, and time investment, the potential to earn from YouTube videos is endless. There are many ways to make money, from ads and sponsorships to fan donations and selling merchandise.
If you don’t yet meet the requirements for ad monetization, we recommend starting with affiliate marketing and your own line of merch. Sell products like custom t-shirts using a POD service like Printify.
So get inspired, get creative, and start making money on YouTube one idea at a time.
The post How to make money on YouTube: 8 ideas to try in 2025 appeared first on Printify.
]]>The post We analyzed 30 best-performing YouTuber merch stores: This is what we found appeared first on Printify.
]]>Go viral with custom merch
We analyzed the 30 best-performing YouTuber merch stores and designs to see what we could learn about how merchandise is sold on YouTube. Together, these top sellers have gained an audience of over 100 million customers and a lot of success selling custom tote bags, t-shirts, accessories like customized phone cases, and various other products. Taking inspiration from them, we’ve gathered a whole bunch of ideas you can use to help your eCommerce store rack up more sales.
In this article, we’ll look at different design tips, tricks, and strategies you can implement into your YouTube merch store – in addition to top-selling products for inspiration.
Content creators are making art in the form of videos. So let’s learn how to make money as an artist. You might want to take notes as we learn how to turn your YouTube channel into a profitable business with one-of-a-kind merchandise.
Let’s look at the features most successful YouTuber merch stores and products have in common – it might be the insight you need to turn your YouTube merchandise store into a raging success.
Custom clothing is a trend of its own. T-shirts and hoodies rank high among the best-selling products on all social media platforms. Custom-printed hoodies are the top-selling products among TikToker merch stores, while t-shirts dominate YouTube and Spotify merch sales.
90% of our top 30 content creators list t-shirts on their YouTube merch store, followed by hoodies at 76% and caps at 66%.
While apparel takes the lead, variety is key when appealing to your fans. Design merch in all shapes and forms to cater to a wide audience. Top creators offer products like stickers (43%), socks (26%), water bottles (23%), pins (23%), backpacks (23%), posters (20%), and other types of merchandise to guarantee there’s something for everyone.
Analyzing YouTubers and their brand merchandise, a couple of things stick out in terms of decoration (aka printing method). Not most, but all (100%) YouTubers on our list choose direct-to-garment (DTG) printing for their clothing and accessories.
DTG is a convenient, long-lasting, and fast printing method that ensures crisp colors and quality for a friendly price.
It’s followed by embroidery (60%) and all-over-print designs (36%) on hoodies, t-shirts, and other products.
Different YouTubers offer different amounts of products on their YouTube merch store. Some list as few as three, while some creators go above and beyond, selling up to 38 different products inspired by their fans, niche, logo, and overall activity within the platform.
However, the average results are clear – all YouTubers list at least four products for their fans. More than half of creators (56%) promote their brand and channel on 4-10 personalized items, creating unique designs with their logo, channel name, and other elements.
While only 16% choose to fill their YouTuber merch store with 21-30 products, it doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself when it comes to your merch, especially if you choose to rock a POD business. Create, list, and sell as many products as you want – with zero risks or investments.
While there is some diversity in terms of color, most YouTubers still opt for similar patterns and combinations. Close to all creator stores (93%) have custom products with more than three colors – a few mixing the entire rainbow.
But some color categories stand out and dominate YouTuber merch.
Another creative option is tie-dye designs (30%), created for those who love a splash of color in their YouTuber shirts, hoodies, or joggers.
The most popular color combinations are
Some colors are slowly gaining popularity, such as purple, orange, beige, and gray.
When designing your own merch, create a color palette and combinations representing your channel and content. Think about the background of each video or find inspiration from other YouTubers.
There is some variety in terms of design placement for creator clothing. But one specific area stands out – full-front designs with 96% of YouTubers using this option. Full-front designs are fun, huge, and fans love them. Perfect for advertising your brand and YouTube channel and giving your followers a piece of you.
Left-chest and center-chest designs are coming in hot with 60%, mostly displaying channel names, logos, or a creative spin on both. Sleeve designs take third place with 50%, leaving full-back style in fourth with 46%.
While full-front designs are fun and sold the most, other placement options are gaining popularity, adding diversity for fans. So search the internet for inspiration and create fun custom merch for your YouTube channel.
Let’s start with YouTubers with uncomplicated, straightforward designs – great for creators who are unsure where to start, have limited design skills, or want a minimalistic brand to complement their channel.
Simplicity and elegance are what these YouTubers specialize in.
VanossGaming
VanossGaming is the pseudonym of Evan Fong, the Canadian internet personality and gaming enthusiast with 25.9 million subscribers.
Evan’s store is a great example of simplicity and quality combined. He sells gamer merch with simple yet elegant designs – his epic owl logo with a prominent V, avatar, and drawings of him with his friends – mostly displayed in black and white.
The product scope varies from apparel to accessories. Flashlights, pens, backpacks, slippers, and even a custom logo-shaped table lamp.
With a persona built behind the camera and a winning logo – you’ll find a lot of inspiration for your merch from this A+ YouTuber.
Dream
We cannot talk about impactful simplicity without mentioning Dream and his insanely straightforward product designs – delighting the 31.9 million fans who admire him and his Minecraft videos.
Dream famously revealed his face only in 2022 – after capturing viewer hearts with a clever disguise and engaging content for years. That plain smiley face became the ultimate symbol of his brand.
His merch store has around 20 products – including typical YouTuber clothing, accessories, and knick-knacks like stickers, pins, wristbands, and even pet items. They all display a simple smiley face or his YouTube tag, proving that designs don’t have to be complicated to sell exceptionally well.
Pokimane
We have to mention some of the powerful ladies on the platform – Poki being one of them. Rocking 6.57 million subscribers on YouTube, this Moroccan-Canadian gamer has a simple merch store matching her adorable personality.
Her listings are few – but powerful. Unlike other creators, Poki’s sales channel features only six items: two sweatpants, a hoodie, a sweater, a t-shirt, and a mousepad. Proving that popular YouTuber merchandise doesn’t have to go above and beyond – sometimes simplicity on a few practical items is key.
YouTubers with bold personalities have even bolder designs. And we’re not just talking about daring images or patterns. Some content creators dare to take risks – they offer everything to everyone.
If you’re on your channel and people keep saying you’ve got a larger-than-life personality in the comments, check out these examples of a potential successful path for you and your merch.
Julien Solomita
Julien is one of those funny, creative, bold dudes who don’t fear showing their full personalities online. And his merch matches his style – created with epic imagery and quotes, representing his inner self.
He established his brand outside the “Jenna & Julien” fame, creating funny and engaging content for millions of viewers on YouTube and Twitch. Rocking a badass mullet and dad-like stache – he brings his Aries personality to his platform and merch designs.
This merch store displays exactly who Julien is, from the ad to the listings themselves. A fun and cheeky daredevil, here to make the world laugh.
Good Mythical Morning
The Rhett and Link empire offers boldness in design and product scope. Their videos entertain over 18 million subscribers with fun topics, games, and experiments. And their store matches the channel.
They sell close to everything, from a regular t-shirt to stickers, kitchen items, water bottles, custom fitness apparel, and so much more. Their entire YouTube merch is an excellent example of creating products representing your channel to its full potential.
The GMM designs feature their epic logo and other elements from every video segment. The famous Moochelle, podcast “Hotdog is a Sandwich”, their fans – the mythical beasts – and other inside puns and features only true followers would know.
An excellent example of YouTubers matching their video content with their merch.
CaRtOoNz
CaRtOoNz is one of those YouTubers who knows how to sell digital art on epic product designs – bold and beautiful. With 3.9 million subscribers, his gaming content and merchandise entertain both kids and adults.
Sticking to simple color combinations and product scope, his sales channel offers 12 custom products with unique designs. Elements include his YouTube logo, slogans, and creator name. While bolder products feature his signature samurai skull and snakes.
Some YouTubers choose to stick to their brand rather than their video content. And that’s perfectly fine. You can still make money with branded merch – created only with logos, creator names, and tags.
Jeff Wittek
Jeff has many different video segments on YouTube. His podcast JeffFM, Jeff’s Barber Shop, and daily daredevil videos with his friends. While he has content for many design ideas, his store sticks to simple branding – using nothing but logos and titles.
And the SOLD OUT sign on every product proves that sometimes a strong brand identity is all a creator needs.
Ninja
Richard Tyler Blevins – better known as Ninja – is a world-famous content creator, streaming Fortnight adventures on YouTube and Twitch. And with 23.8 million followers, his merch store can be as simple as possible, focusing only on his brand.
Appealing to kids and adults, his huge following can dress themselves head-to-toe in Ninja’s logo, YouTube name, and three main colors – white, black, and blue.
Some creators say the funniest or most wholesome things in their videos – and those lines stick forever. While some have earned their place on the platform by starting or ending their videos with a signature phrase. Whatever the case, it’s worth using those elements for your merch design.
Sam the Cooking Guy
This brilliant and talented man is good at cooking up excellent puns and delicious meals. And creating not only engaging content but unique merch as well.
Samuel D Zien, better known as Sam the Cooking Guy, is a Canadian-born author, content creator, and restaurateur with a YouTube following of 3.71 million. His recipes will leave you drooling from the intro to the first bite. And we suggest you visit his store to see some epic branding.
Sam has put his face-shaped logo, original titles, and hilarious quotes on the most diverse – black-colored – merch ever. From his own seasoning and cast-iron pans to knives, aprons, and t-shirts. He’s living proof you can sell anything as a creator – as long as it fits your audience and niche.
And, if you happen to spit out some fire quotes while filming your videos, it’s your duty as a creator to preserve these gems in the shape of custom products.
Philip DeFranco
PhillyD is a great example of how one simple intro phrase can make your entire brand. By always starting his videos with “Sup, you beautiful bastards,” – he accidentally created a trademark for himself on the platform. And now – it’s the official name of his entire merch collection.
The Beautiful Bastard store features comfy, practical products with clear messaging and simple designs. Direct and straightforward – created by one of the most direct and honest men on YouTube.
PhillyD posts reaction videos to the latest news on politics and pop culture – a segment most YouTubers would avoid. But he has earned 6.5 million subscribers with his witty and honest approach. And his store is clear proof that even commentary creators can pull off simple merch that sells.
Some creators come up with merch that either has nothing to do with their original brand or YouTube channel – or that is so creative it leaves fans in awe. Let’s look at some examples of YouTubers going that extra mile for their products and services.
The H3 Podcast
This podcast is the lovechild of the creative, chaotic, off-the-rails Ethan Klein and his uniquely artistic and stylish wife, Hila. They cover close to every topic possible to an audience of 2.8 million. And their store is a great example of turning creative podcast merch ideas into profits.
The Teddy Fresh shop is originally Hila’s company, selling adorable and unique products and designs she comes up with. But it’s also the go-to place for all H3 Podcast fans – the footsoldiers. Here they can support their favorite YouTubers and buy unique merch created by them.
Also, this power couple occasionally comes up with hilarious quotes or fun designs related to the podcast and discussed topics. While sometimes controversial, these designs are relevant and one-of-a-kind – every die-hard fan is running to buy them.
The H3 Podcast merch is living proof that you don’t need to implement any branding from your YouTube channel to create top-selling products. All you need is creativity and a loyal fan base.
Flamingo
Albert Spencer Aretz – better known as Flamingo – is a creative YouTuber who mostly films fun gameplay and reaction videos to his 12.6 million subscribers. And when we analyzed his merch store, one thing was clear – this guy knows how to sell art online.
The Flim Flam store is filled with creative artwork surrounding his YouTube tag and avatar. It’s full of cotton candy pinks, soothing pastels, and flamingos. A great example of how YouTubers can be as creative and artistic as they want. The SOLD OUT sign on most of Albert’s items proves it.
Printify is the best solution for profiting from your YouTube Channel with a personalized merch store. Our platform has all the tools and features you need to turn design ideas into quality products for a crowd-pleasing merch store.
Time is precious for YouTube creators. The less time you need to spend creating merch, the more time you dedicate to building your brand and turning video content into success. And with all the tools and services Printify offers – creating custom products is as easy as clicking a subscribe button.
Our free and creator-friendly Product Creator (formerly known as Mockup Generator) has all the features you need to create fun, unique, and inspiring merch for your personal YouTube store in minutes.
Upload images, add texts with various fonts directly on the product, create patterns, add your logo – and customize the design however you like. Check the preview mode to see your merch in real-life settings, make adjustments, and list them for the world to see.
YouTuber merch stores have become an integral part of the platform’s ecosystem – bringing fans and creators closer together. While one party enjoys the profits and exposure – the other gets to support their favorite creator and showcase their belonging to a certain community.
Reach new heights in popularity by offering unique and quality merch to your followers. Remember – your fans are the base of your success. So make the merch for them. Something they will be proud to wear and use – advertising your YouTube channel at the same time.
The post We analyzed 30 best-performing YouTuber merch stores: This is what we found appeared first on Printify.
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