Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

How to make money on YouTube: find a niche, interact with your audience, collaborate with others and more tips

You might not make US$26 million like eight-year-old Ryan Kaji did last year, but you could pull in extra income with a successful YouTube channel. Barbara MacDonald, a product manager at YouTube, helps new and existing video makers grow their channels and find success. Here are her tips

Google recently announced that YouTube had a US$15 billion year in 2019, based on advertising sales, showing the world just how huge a business the video network has become.

Unlike Facebook and Twitter, which hold on to the lion’s share of ad revenues and don’t share with the people who upload content, Google takes a different approach in splitting YouTube ad revenues with video creators.

That means millions of people are profiting from their relationship with YouTube by making videos and pulling in either extra income or actually making a living from their YouTube revenues.

According to American business magazine Forbes, eight-year-old Ryan Kaji from toys review channel Ryan’s World earned a cool US$26 million in 2019 from his YouTube ad revenues and sponsorship deals.

The chances of something like that happening for you is rare, but there’s no denying that the opportunity is there.

Maybe you don’t get to tell your boss you quit and turn a new chapter by churning out videos tomorrow, but perhaps you can make a little extra income through your YouTube passion? It’s not too late to get started.

That’s the word from Barbara MacDonald, a product manager at YouTube who serves as one of the co-hosts of its “Creator Insider” video series, which looks to help new and existing video makers grow their channels and find success.

“If you have a subject you’re passionate about, give it a try,” she says.

How can you cash in on YouTube fame? MacDonald has several key points to consider before getting started.


1. Go niche

Follow your passion, and start your channel devoted to your special interest. The topic? Go small, MacDonald says, and you’ll have an easier time finding an audience.

For instance, instead of a channel devoted to food, a pretty broad category, she says some video creators have found great success focusing on one particular genre – like the latest new treats at Disney resorts.

“I don’t necessarily like to go to Disney parks, but I love to eat, so this gets my attention,” she says.


2. Don’t worry about expensive gear

You don’t need a fancy, expensive digital single-lens reflex camera, MacDonald says. Many YouTube creators make their videos on smartphones.

MacDonald shoots on a lower-priced Canon EOS M camera, which sells for under US$500, and Tom Leung, who also hosts the Creator Insider video series, shoots on a Google Pixel 4 smartphone.

“It’s all about the content, not the gear,” MacDonald says. “Don’t let your equipment be a barrier.”


3. Build a following

You’ll need to attract subscribers to your channel if you want YouTube to share ad revenues as part of its Partner Programme. Requirements: 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time during a 12-month period.

How do you get subscribers when you’re just starting out? “Start with family and friends, and go from there,” MacDonald says.


4. Interact with your audience

YouTube wants to see that the community is responding to your videos. “Interact” with your new viewers in the comments section, and send out polls and photos on the community page of your channel “to start a dialogue”.


5. Be consistent

“Have a consistent upload schedule, so the audience knows when to come back to see new videos,” MacDonald says.

This doesn’t have to be a daily upload or even a weekly upload. But if you say new videos every Tuesday, or on the first day of each month, “stick to it”.


6. Label YouTube videos accurately

YouTube likes videos with good, interesting titles and descriptions. They need to “accurately reflect the content of video”, and tell viewers what to expect.

Thumbnails, the little visual you see pop up on the YouTube homepage, are usually bright, with pictures of people in them because people are drawn in by seeing the eyes, MacDonald says.


7. Collaborate with other YouTubers

Once you get going, start making videos with other YouTubers to expand your audience and get your work seen in front of theirs.

The Creator Insider video series posts new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Other places on YouTube to learn about successful best practices include the YouTube Creators (formerly known as Creators Academy) and Team YouTube channels.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
×