Why You Don’t Need to Wait for the YouTube Partner Program to Start Earning
If you’re stuck in that YouTube grind, waiting to hit 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours before you can start making money, let me stop you right there. I’m going to let you in on a little secret: you don’t have to wait for YouTube’s Partner Program to start earning from your channel. I know it sounds too good to be true, but trust me, there are faster ways to make money on YouTube—ways that don’t involve waiting around for monetization approval.
I’ve been in your shoes, refreshing my dashboard, wondering when I’d finally cross the threshold and get that coveted AdSense revenue rolling in. But instead of waiting, I found some smarter, quicker ways to start making money on YouTube before I even became eligible for ads. And you can do it too. Let’s dive into the best ways to stop waiting and start earning.
Why Waiting for Monetization Could Be Holding You Back
A lot of new YouTubers focus all their energy on hitting the requirements for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). Don’t get me wrong, monetizing your channel through ads is great, but the reality is it takes time to get there. Even once you do qualify for YPP, ad revenue alone isn’t going to make you rich—especially in the beginning.
Here’s the truth: if you’re only relying on ads, you’re missing out on so many other ways to make money. Waiting for those 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours isn’t just frustrating—it’s also holding you back from earning real income right now. So, instead of putting all your eggs in the YouTube monetization basket, let’s look at some faster, more reliable options.
Affiliate Marketing: Your Fast-Track to YouTube Income
If there’s one thing you can start doing today to make money on YouTube, it’s affiliate marketing. This is, by far, the fastest way to start earning from your videos, and it doesn’t matter if you have 100 or 100,000 subscribers.
How Does Affiliate Marketing Work?
Affiliate marketing is simple: you promote a product or service in your videos, and when someone clicks on your affiliate link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission. It’s that straightforward. The great part is, you don’t need to be part of the YPP to include affiliate links in your description box. You can get started as soon as your channel is live.
Why Affiliate Marketing Works So Well
The reason affiliate marketing is so effective on YouTube is that people come to the platform for solutions. They’re watching your videos to learn something, and if you can offer them a helpful product or service that fits with your content, they’re more likely to buy. This means you can start earning commissions on every sale, even before you’re eligible for ads.
For example, if your channel is about tech reviews, you can include affiliate links to the products you’re reviewing. If you’re in the fitness niche, you can link to workout gear or supplements. No matter your niche, there’s an affiliate program out there for you.
One tool I love for this is Creator Hooks, which helps generate viral YouTube video titles. If you sign up using my link, you’ll get a free ebook that can help you come up with sensational titles that drive more views to your affiliate links. And more views = more sales.
Selling Digital Products: The Ultimate YouTube Money Maker
Another quick way to start earning on YouTube is by selling digital products. This is one of the easiest ways to monetize your channel early on, and the best part is, you have complete control over your income.
What Kind of Digital Products Can You Sell?
The possibilities are endless. You can create and sell:
- Ebooks
- Courses
- Printable templates
- Membership sites
- Exclusive content (like behind-the-scenes videos or special tutorials)
The key is to offer something valuable that your audience will pay for. For example, if you run a YouTube channel about cooking, you could sell a digital cookbook with all your recipes. Or if your channel focuses on personal finance, you could create a budgeting template that people can download and use.
Why Selling Digital Products is a Game-Changer
Unlike affiliate marketing, where you earn a commission, selling your own digital products means you keep 100% of the profit. You’re not waiting for someone else to pay you out—your sales come directly to you. Plus, digital products are scalable, meaning you can create them once and sell them over and over again without much extra work.
And here’s where YouTube gives you an edge. Your videos act as a marketing tool for your digital products. You can mention them naturally in your videos, and because your audience is already engaged with your content, they’re more likely to make a purchase.
Sponsorships: The Overlooked Money-Maker for Small Channels
Most people think sponsorship deals are only for big YouTubers with thousands of subscribers. But the truth is, even smaller channels can land sponsorships if they have a dedicated niche and an engaged audience. Brands are always looking for new creators to partner with, especially if you can offer a specific audience that aligns with their product.
How to Get Sponsorships Early On
If you want to land sponsorship deals before you’re monetized, it’s all about pitching yourself the right way. Focus on the value you can offer a brand. Even if your audience is small, if they’re engaged and loyal, that’s worth a lot to potential sponsors.
Here’s how to make yourself attractive to sponsors:
- Engage with your audience: Brands want to see that you have an engaged audience, even if it’s small. Make sure to reply to comments, ask your viewers questions, and build a community.
- Stick to your niche: Sponsors look for creators who have a specific focus. A dedicated audience in a niche is much more valuable than a large but general one.
- Reach out to brands: Don’t wait for brands to come to you. Take the initiative and reach out to companies that align with your content. Even if you only have a few hundred subscribers, show them the value you offer and how you can help promote their products to your audience.
Patreon: Let Your Fans Support You
Another way to start making money before you’re monetized is by using Patreon or a similar platform like Ko-fi. These platforms allow your fans to support you directly by paying for extra content or perks.
How Does Patreon Work?
With Patreon, you can offer your audience exclusive content in exchange for monthly payments. This could be anything from early access to your videos, behind-the-scenes content, shoutouts, or even 1-on-1 coaching sessions. The great thing about platforms like Patreon is that they allow you to build a recurring income stream, meaning you’ll have money coming in every month without relying on ad revenue.
Why Patreon Works for Small Creators
You don’t need a huge following to make money on Patreon. All you need is a dedicated audience. Even if only a small percentage of your viewers become patrons, that can still add up to a significant monthly income. Plus, it’s a great way to build a stronger connection with your audience by offering them extra value.
How I Started Making Money Before Monetization
When I was growing my channel, I didn’t want to sit around waiting to hit the 1,000 subscriber and 4,000 watch hour mark to start making money. So, I took action with the methods I mentioned above.
I started with affiliate marketing, promoting products that I was already using and loved. Then, I created and sold a few simple digital products that were relevant to my audience. After that, I started reaching out to brands for small sponsorship deals. And once my audience grew, I opened up a Patreon account so my fans could support me directly.
Before I knew it, I was earning a steady income from YouTube without being part of the YPP. And the best part? Once I did hit the YPP requirements, that was just an extra income stream on top of everything else.
Stop Waiting, Start Earning Today
If you’re serious about making money on YouTube, don’t wait around for monetization. There are faster, more reliable ways to start earning from your channel right now. Whether it’s affiliate marketing, selling digital products, landing sponsorships, or using Patreon, you have plenty of options to choose from.
Here’s what you can do today to stop waiting and start earning:
- Sign up for affiliate programs: Find products or services that fit with your niche and start promoting them in your videos.
- Create a digital product: Think about what your audience would find valuable and create something they’d be willing to pay for.
- Reach out to brands: Don’t wait for sponsorship deals to come to you. Be proactive and pitch yourself to companies that align with your content.
- Set up a Patreon account: Let your fans support you directly by offering them exclusive content and perks.
By taking action now, you can start making money on YouTube long before you hit the YouTube Partner Program requirements.
