YouTube is a great way to make money, but did you know that you can start making money even if you’re under 18?
Many young talents are now using YouTube as a platform to showcase their skills and monetize their content.
Unfortunately, YouTube’s terms of service state that you must be 18 or older to monetize your channel.
So how can you make money on YouTube if you’re under 18?
Here are a few ideas:
1. Use a parent or guardian’s account to monetize your channel
If you’re under 18, you can still make money on YouTube by using a parent or guardian’s account to monetize your channel.
This means that you’ll need to connect your YouTube account to an AdSense account in order to receive ad revenue.
You can do this by going to your YouTube settings and clicking on the “Monetization” tab. Once you’re connected, you’ll need to enable monetization for your videos in order to start earning money.
Keep in mind that you’ll only receive a portion of the ad revenue from your videos, so be sure to factor this into your earnings potential.
Nevertheless, if you’re looking for a way to make some extra money on YouTube, monetizing your channel is a great option.
2. Find sponsors for your videos
This involves reaching out to companies or individuals who would be interested in paying you to promote their product or service in your videos.
To find potential sponsors, you can search for companies that are relevant to your channel’s content.
For example, if you make gaming videos, you could contact game developers or hardware manufacturers.
Once you’ve found some potential sponsors, reach out to them and send them a proposal outlining what type of sponsorship deal you’re looking for.
If they’re interested, you’ll be able to start earning money from your YouTube channel.
3. Sell merchandise related to your channel
You can also make money on YouTube by selling merchandise related to your channels, such as t-shirts, hats, or other items with your channel’s logo or name.
You can also sell digital products like e-books or audio files. If you have enough of a social media following, companies may pay you to endorse their product or service.
This is called sponsorship. Another way to monetize your content is by selling advertising space on your channel or website.
This works best if you generate a lot of web traffic even if your follower count isn’t as high as other influencers.
Comply with YouTube’s advertising guidelines if you go down this path. You’re not limited in how you can make money on YouTube just because you’re young.
To be successful, get creative and think outside the box. With some effort, turn your love for making videos into a business.
4. Use affiliate links in your videos
If you’re not old enough to monetize your channel, there’s still a way to make money from your videos. This involves using affiliate links in your videos.
An affiliate link is a special type of URL that allows you to earn commission on sales generated from clicks on the link.
For example, if you include an affiliate link for a gaming chair in your video about gaming, and someone buys the chair after clicking on the link, you’ll earn a commission.
To find potential affiliate products to promote, check out platforms like Clickbank or Amazon Associates.
Then, once you’ve found some good products to promote, including the affiliate links in your videos and encourage viewers to buy the product.
You can also include a call-to-action in your videos, telling viewers to click on the affiliate link. Remember to comply with YouTube’s guidelines when including affiliate links in your videos.
The Dos and Don’ts of Making Money on YouTube If You’re Under 18
Now let’s see some of the dos and don’ts of making money on YouTube if you’re under 18.
Do use a parent or guardian’s account to monetize your channel
One of the most important things to do if you’re under 18 and trying to make money on YouTube is to use a parent or guardian’s account to monetize your channel.
This is because YouTube requires that all channels have a valid credit or debit card on file in order to enable monetization features like ads and super chats.
If you try to use your own account, you may not be able to access these features.
Don’t try to hide your age from YouTube
While it may be tempting to lie about your age in order to gain access to monetization features, it’s not worth it.
If YouTube finds out that you’re under 18, they can disable monetization on your channel and even terminate your account entirely.
So, it’s better, to be honest from the beginning.
DO consider using affiliate links
If you’re under 18 and can’t use ads or super chats to monetize your channel, one option you have is to use affiliate links.
This means that you promote products or services from other companies in your videos and receive a commission on any sales that are generated as a result.
To get started with affiliate links, check out this post from TubeBuddy.
Don’t forget about copyright law
Just because you’re trying to make money on YouTube doesn’t mean that you can violate copyright law.
If you use someone else’s copyrighted material without permission, you could end up getting sued or having your account terminated.
So, make sure to get permission before using any copyrighted material in your videos.
Conclusion
If you’re a fan of making videos and you’re under 18, there’s some great news- you can make money off of your passion!
YouTube will pay you to monetize your channel, but there are a few things young creatives need to keep in mind.
First and foremost, since YouTube requires all channels have credit or debit card information on file, YouTubers must use their parent or guardian’s account to cash in.
Lying about being over 18 can result in YouTube taking away your monetization, or even worse – terminating your account.
If you’re under 18 and looking to monetize your YouTube content, affiliate links are a great option since ads and super chats aren’t available.
Always be mindful of copyright law – using someone else’s copyrighted material without permission can land you in hot water.”