The most profitable YouTubers make several million dollars per year. Making that much might not be realistic for most, but aYouTuber with over a million subscribers earns $60,000 annually. That’s not bad, either! 

But being a successful YouTuber isn’t easy—it requires time and effort. 

The most effective creators plan their content strategically. They’re not waiting for sponsorship opportunities to ad roll in—instead, they’re developing content with monetization in mind. 

What does that look like in practice? Let’s say you’re planning on posting a video cooking an old family recipe. If you’re part of YouTube’s ad revenue-sharing program, simply posting the video will make you some spare change. But if you integrate sponsored ingredients, offer affiliate links for your kitchen tools, show off some of your cooking-related merch, and take a minute at the end to tease additional content in your Patreon, you’ll make much more. Your viewers get the content they love, and you get cash. It’s a win-win.  

Feeling inspired? Apply a combination of these strategies to maximize your  profit on YouTube:

1. Take advantage of the YouTube Partner Program and ads

Any YouTuber who joins the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) can earn income directly from YouTube, including from ads. Ads are a great passive revenue stream: You’re already creating content, and that’s all you need to do to receive ad income. 

When you’re in the YPP, you receive a portion of the revenue generated by ads viewed during your videos. The earnings from each view are minimal—think a fraction of a cent—but those cents add up with thousands or millions of views. Before you can join YPP, though, you’ll need to have at least 1,000 subscribers, log at least 4,000 hours of watch time, and get your channel approved by YouTube. 

The YPP is the easiest way to make money on YouTube, but not the most profitable. For YouTubers with engaged audiences, Forbes estimates that YPP will generate around $5 per 1,000 views.

2. Offer memberships for your fans

Memberships are a great way to harness an engaged and enthusiastic fanbase, while giving your biggest fans more of the content they love. 

YouTube’s site-wide membership program, YouTube Premium, automatically shares subscription revenue with any creators whose videos are viewed by premium members. You don’t have to do anything to get paid via YouTube Premium. 

YouTube also allows YPP creators to set up their own channel memberships. You can customize the perks you offer to subscribers, and choose the level of pricing that makes sense for your perks. 

3. Set up an online store

Selling your own merch and other extras is a great way to maximize profit once you’ve established your channel and fanbase. “The best way to quickly make money from your YouTube channel isn’t to make money off your videos; it’s to direct people to your website,” said YouTuber Luisa Zhou.

So, what should you sell in your shop? Stickers, shirts, makeup, puppets, online courses: You name it, you can sell it. With sites like Amazon and Bonfire offering services where they’ll craft and ship your designs for you, making simple merch is easier than ever. Don’t be afraid to get creative. Popular taglines or viral moments can make for great products, serving as inside jokes among your fanbase. And stay consistent to your brand. For example, tech creator Marques Brownlee’s YouTube store boasts consistent designs and color schemes that recognizably match his branding. 

One key tip: If you join YPP, YouTube allows you to connect your shop to your channel. It can show up on your profile and videos, and you can even tag products within videos and live streams. This is a great way to drive viewers to browse what you’re selling.