The coronavirus lockdown has blocked off many entrepreneurs from making an income. But there is another way.
With a lot of time on your hands, this could be a perfect time to launch that YouTube channel you have been putting off for months. Who knows, it may take just one viral video to make you another YouTuber star and start making money immediately.
SA’s top earning YouTuber Dan Mace, 29, has more than 700,000 subscribers to his channel and makes up to R720,000 a video, according to his brand manager, Jonah Lewis. Meanwhile Johannesburg’s Snikiwe Mhlongo runs her fashion and beauty channel from her bedroom. The 21-year-old creates and edits her own videos, which have had more than 2.2-million views in 2019. Social Blade, a website that tracks social media statistics, estimated she could be making up to R11,000 a month off YouTube advertising.
This could be you. What are you waiting for? Follow these easy steps:
1. Video content
To get started, you’ll need to decide on the type of video content you’re going to produce. Is it going to be health, music, politics, business, property, lifestyle, fashion or beauty?
Do some research on channels that are doing well. That will help you to come up with a niche content. The most crucial thing is to understand precisely why you’re producing content in the first place, and to what end.
2. Create a YouTube account
Next, you’ll need to create your YouTube account and get to grips with understanding the platform (how to write titles, what contents are popular and how you can grow).
With a Google Account, you can watch and like videos and subscribe to channels. However, without a YouTube channel, you have no public presence on YouTube. Even if you have a Google Account, you need to create a YouTube channel to upload videos, comment, or make playlists.
Follow these instructions to create a Youtube channel that only you can manage using your Google Account.
– Sign in to YouTube on a computer or using the mobile site.
– Try any action that requires a channel, such as uploading a video, posting a comment, or creating a playlist.
– If you don’t yet have a channel, you’ll see a prompt to create a channel.
– Check the details (with your Google Account name and photo) and confirm to create your new channel.
3. Join the YouTube Partner Programme (YPP)
Bear in mind that YouTubers and channels produce their own videos or sign advertising contracts with relevant companies – both of which can substantially add to the income generated from video views alone.
YPP programme allows video producers to generate an income from their content. Members of the programme can earn money from a number of sources, including:
- Adverts on your videos
- YouTube Premium subscribers watching your content
- Channel memberships (where paid subscribers get exclusive content)
- Super Chats (where viewers in a live chat can essentially boost their comment to make it more visible to the streamer)
Some of the most popular channels in South Africa include SuzelleDIY (a do it yourself channel), Lasizwe Dambuza, Jack Bohloko, Macg’s Potcast.
