How to Make Money on YouTube Beyond Ad Revenue (7 Proven Methods)

YouTube ad revenue is great, but it's just the tip of the iceberg. The real money comes from diversifying your income streams.

Most successful YouTubers make 2-5x more from sources OTHER than AdSense. A channel with 100,000 subscribers might earn $2,000/month from ads, but $10,000/month from sponsorships, affiliates, and products.

In this guide, I'll show you 7 proven ways to monetize your YouTube channel beyond ad revenue—including exact strategies, realistic earnings, and how to get started.

Table of Contents

1. Why You Shouldn't Rely on Ad Revenue Alone
2. Method 1: Brand Sponsorships
3. Method 2: Affiliate Marketing
4. Method 3: Digital Products
5. Method 4: Channel Memberships
6. Method 5: Consulting and Coaching
7. Method 6: Merchandise
8. Method 7: Online Courses
9. How to Stack Multiple Income Streams
10. FAQ

Why You Shouldn't Rely on Ad Revenue Alone

The problem with ad revenue:

• CPM varies wildly ($1-$50 depending on niche)
• YouTube takes 45% of ad revenue
• Ad blockers reduce your earnings
• Advertiser budgets fluctuate (Q4 high, Q1 low)
• One policy change can tank your income

The solution: Multiple income streams

Real example:

• Channel: 100K subscribers, 500K views/month
• Ad revenue: $2,500/month (at $5 RPM)
• Sponsorships: $4,000/month (2 deals at $2,000 each)
• Affiliates: $2,000/month
• Digital product: $3,500/month
• Total: $12,000/month (ad revenue is only 21%)

Method 1: Brand Sponsorships

What it is: Companies pay you to mention their product/service in your video.

Earning potential:

• 10K subs: $200-$500 per video
• 50K subs: $1,000-$3,000 per video
• 100K subs: $3,000-$10,000 per video
• 500K+ subs: $10,000-$50,000+ per video

How to Get Sponsorships

When you're small (under 10K subs):

1. Join sponsor networks:

   • Grapevine
   • AspireIQ (now Aspire)
   • FameBit (owned by YouTube)
   • Channel Pages

2. Reach out directly:

   • Make a list of brands in your niche
   • Find their marketing contact
   • Send a pitch email (template below)

Pitch Email Template:

Subject: Partnership Opportunity: [Your Channel Name]

Hi [Name],

I run [Channel Name], a YouTube channel focused on [niche]
with [X] subscribers and [Y] average views per video.

My audience is primarily [demographic] interested in [topics],
which aligns perfectly with [Brand Product].

I'd love to discuss a potential partnership where I could
showcase [Product] to my engaged audience.

Would you be interested in a quick call to discuss?

Best,
[Your Name]

Channel: [Link]
Media Kit: [Link to one-page PDF with stats]

Creating a Media Kit

Include:

• Subscriber count
• Average views per video
• Audience demographics (age, gender, location)
• Engagement rate
• Previous brand partnerships (if any)
• Example videos
• Pricing (or "rates available upon request")

Sponsorship Best Practices

1. Only promote products you actually use

• Your audience trusts you—don't break that trust
• Try the product first
• If it sucks, decline the deal

2. Be transparent

• Always disclose sponsorships: "This video is sponsored by..."
• YouTube requires this, and viewers appreciate honesty

3. Make it valuable

• Don't just read a script
• Show how the product actually helps
• Make it interesting, not a boring ad

4. Negotiate:

• Don't accept the first offer
• Ask for 20-30% more than their initial offer
• Include usage rights limits (don't let them own your video forever)

Method 2: Affiliate Marketing

What it is: You recommend products and earn a commission on sales made through your unique link.

Earning potential:

• Low: $200-$500/month (small channel, low-ticket items)
• Medium: $1,000-$3,000/month (50K+ subs, mid-ticket items)
• High: $5,000-$20,000/month (100K+ subs, high-ticket items or many sales)

Best Affiliate Programs

Amazon Associates:

• Commission: 1-10% (varies by category)
• Good for: Product reviews, tech channels
• Cons: Low commission rates, 24-hour cookie

ShareASale:

• Thousands of merchants
• Commission: Varies (5-50%+)
• Good for: Finding niche-specific programs

High-ticket affiliate programs:

• Software (recurring commissions):

  • ConvertKit: 30% recurring
  • ClickFunnels: 30-40% recurring
  • Teachable: 30% recurring

• Web hosting:

  • Bluehost: $65-$130 per sale
  • SiteGround: $50-$100 per sale

• Courses/Education:

  • Skillshare: $7 per trial signup
  • MasterClass: $10-$40 per sale

Affiliate Marketing Strategy

1. Choose products you actually use:

• Your recommendations must be genuine
• Make videos using the product
• Show real results

2. Create comparison videos:

• "Product A vs Product B"
• "Best [tools] for [use case]"
• High search volume, high purchase intent

3. Make tutorial videos:

• "How to use [Product]"
• Viewers searching for tutorials are often considering purchase
• Include affiliate link in description

4. Be transparent:

• Disclose: "Links in the description are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you"
• FTC requires this

5. Track what works:

• Use different links for different videos
• See which products/videos convert best
• Double down on winners

Method 3: Digital Products

What it is: Create and sell your own digital products to your audience.

Earning potential: $1,000-$50,000+/month (scales with audience size and product price)

Types of Digital Products

1. Templates:

• Examples: Notion templates, spreadsheets, design templates, scripts
• Price: $10-$50
• Good for: Productivity, design, business channels
• Platform: Gumroad, Etsy

2. eBooks/Guides:

• Examples: "Complete Guide to [Topic]", "30-Day Challenge Workbook"
• Price: $15-$100
• Good for: Educational channels
• Platform: Gumroad, Amazon Kindle

3. Presets/Assets:

• Examples: Lightroom presets, LUTs, sound effects, music
• Price: $10-$200
• Good for: Photography, video editing, music production
• Platform: Gumroad, own website

4. Worksheets/Printables:

• Examples: Meal plans, workout plans, budget templates
• Price: $5-$30
• Good for: Health, fitness, finance channels
• Platform: Etsy, Gumroad

How to Create a Digital Product

Step 1: Identify your audience's biggest problem

• Read comments—what do people struggle with?
• Survey your audience
• What questions get asked repeatedly?

Step 2: Create the solution

• Make it actionable and easy to use
• Over-deliver on value
• Make it look professional (use Canva for design)

Step 3: Price it right

• Start low to get testimonials ($10-$20)
• Raise price as you get reviews
• Test different price points

Step 4: Promote it

• Mention in every relevant video
• Pin comment with link
• Create a dedicated landing page
• Email list (if you have one)

Example: A fitness YouTuber creates a "12-Week Workout Plan" PDF for $29. With 50K subscribers, if just 1% buy, that's 500 sales = $14,500.

Method 4: Channel Memberships

What it is: Viewers pay a monthly fee for exclusive perks (like Patreon, but built into YouTube).

Requirements:

• 1,000 subscribers (or 500 for gaming channels)
• No active community guideline strikes

Earning potential:

• 10K subs, 2% join at $5/month = $1,000/month
• 50K subs, 3% join at $5/month = $7,500/month
• 100K subs, 2% join at $10/month = $20,000/month

What to Offer Members

Tier 1 ($2-$5/month):

• Custom badge and emoji
• Members-only posts
• Early access to videos
• Behind-the-scenes content

Tier 2 ($10-$20/month):

• Everything in Tier 1
• Monthly Q&A livestream
• Vote on video topics
• Members-only Discord access

Tier 3 ($25-$50/month):

• Everything in Tiers 1-2
• 1-on-1 advice/review session (quarterly)
• Name in video credits
• Custom shoutout video

Membership Best Practices

1. Provide real value:

• Don't just paywall content—create EXTRA content
• Engage with members regularly
• Make them feel special

2. Promote consistently:

• Mention memberships in every video
• Show member perks
• Thank members publicly

3. Deliver on promises:

• If you say "monthly Q&A," do it monthly
• Consistency builds trust

Method 5: Consulting and Coaching

What it is: Offer your expertise as a 1-on-1 or group service.

Earning potential:

• Beginner: $50-$100/hour
• Intermediate: $150-$300/hour
• Expert: $500-$2,000/hour
• Group coaching: $100-$500/person/month

When This Works

Best for:

• Business/marketing channels
• Fitness/health channels
• Career advice channels
• Finance channels
• Any niche where people need personalized help

Requirements:

• Proven expertise (results you can show)
• Strong communication skills
• Time to actually do the coaching

How to Get Clients

1. Mention it in videos:

• "If you need personalized help with [topic], I offer 1-on-1 coaching—link in description"

2. Create a simple landing page:

• What you offer
• Your credentials
• Testimonials (if you have them)
• Pricing and booking calendar (use Calendly)

3. Start with a few free sessions:

• Get testimonials
• Refine your process
• Then charge

4. Package your services:

• Instead of open-ended "consulting," offer specific packages
• "4-Week YouTube Growth Intensive: $1,500"
• "Website Audit + 1-Hour Strategy Call: $500"

Method 6: Merchandise

What it is: Sell branded physical products (t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, etc.).

Earning potential:

• Small channel (10K subs): $100-$500/month
• Medium channel (100K subs): $1,000-$5,000/month
• Large channel (500K+ subs): $5,000-$50,000+/month

Print-on-Demand Services

No upfront costs (they print and ship when someone orders):

• Printful (integrates with Shopify, Etsy)
• Printify (cheaper than Printful)
• Teespring (YouTube integration)
• Spreadshirt

Your profit: Typically $5-$15 per item after printing and shipping costs.

Merch Strategy

1. Start simple:

• T-shirts with your catchphrase or channel logo
• Hoodies
• Stickers (cheap, easy to ship, people love them)

2. Design tips:

• Keep it simple (complicated designs look cheap on t-shirts)
• Inside jokes from your channel (builds community)
• High-quality mockups (use Canva or hire on Fiverr)

3. Promote strategically:

• Wear your own merch in videos
• "Merch drop" announcements
• Limited-time designs (creates urgency)
• Show fan photos wearing your merch

4. Don't overdo it:

• Mention merch once per video, don't be pushy
• Focus on quality over quantity

Method 7: Online Courses

What it is: Create a comprehensive video course teaching your expertise.

Earning potential:

• Small channel (10K subs): $2,000-$10,000/month
• Medium channel (50K subs): $10,000-$50,000/month
• Large channel (100K+ subs): $50,000-$200,000+/month

Course Platforms

Teachable (most popular):

• Hosting, payment processing, student management
• $0-$499/month depending on plan
• You keep 85-95% of sales

Thinkific:

• Similar to Teachable
• Free plan available
• Good for beginners

Gumroad:

• Simple, minimal platform
• 10% fee on sales
• Good for simple courses

Kajabi:

• All-in-one (course + email + website)
• Expensive ($149-$399/month)
• Good for serious course creators

How to Create a Profitable Course

Step 1: Validate demand:

• Survey your audience: "Would you pay for a course on [topic]?"
• See if people are asking for deeper content
• Check if similar courses exist (proves market demand)

Step 2: Create the curriculum:

• 20-50 lessons (5-15 minutes each)
• Module-based structure
• Include worksheets, templates, resources
• Mix video lessons with downloadable content

Step 3: Price it strategically:

• Beginner course: $50-$150
• Intermediate: $200-$500
• Advanced/comprehensive: $500-$2,000

Step 4: Launch with a discount:

• "Early bird pricing: $99 instead of $199"
• Creates urgency
• Gets testimonials faster

Step 5: Promote consistently:

• Dedicated launch video
• Mention in every related video
• Email your list (if you have one)
• Create a free mini-course as a lead magnet

Example: A productivity YouTuber creates "The Complete Notion Mastery Course" for $199. With 50K subscribers, if 2% buy during launch, that's 1,000 sales = $199,000 in one launch.

How to Stack Multiple Income Streams

Don't try to do everything at once. Build income streams sequentially:

Phase 1 (0-10K subscribers):

• ✅ Ad revenue (once monetized)
• ✅ Affiliate marketing (easiest to start)

Phase 2 (10K-50K subscribers):

• ✅ Brand sponsorships (reach out to brands)
• ✅ Digital products (templates, guides)

Phase 3 (50K-100K subscribers):

• ✅ Channel memberships (you have enough fans)
• ✅ Merchandise (audience wants to rep your brand)

Phase 4 (100K+ subscribers):

• ✅ Online courses (you've proven expertise)
• ✅ Consulting/coaching (if you have time)

The math:

• Ad revenue: $3,000/month
• Affiliates: $2,000/month
• Sponsorships: $4,000/month
• Digital product: $3,000/month
• Memberships: $2,000/month
• Total: $14,000/month from a channel with 100K subs

Frequently Asked Questions Do I need to be monetized to make money on YouTube?

No! You can start affiliate marketing and promoting digital products from day one. Many creators make $500-$1,000/month before even hitting YouTube Partner Program requirements.

Which income stream pays the most?

It depends on your niche:

• Tech/Business: Sponsorships and courses (highest)
• Fitness: Coaching and courses
• Gaming: Memberships and merch
• Finance: Affiliate marketing and courses

Generally: Online courses and high-ticket affiliate marketing have the highest earning potential per customer.

How many subscribers do I need to make real money?

Without ad revenue:

• 1,000-5,000 subs: $200-$1,000/month (affiliates, small digital products)
• 10,000-50,000 subs: $1,000-$5,000/month (sponsorships, products, affiliates)
• 50,000-100,000 subs: $5,000-$20,000/month (all income streams)

The key: Engaged audience > large audience. 10K engaged subscribers beats 100K unengaged ones.

Should I focus on one income stream or multiple?

Start with one, master it, then add another. Spreading yourself too thin early on means you do everything poorly.

Recommended order: Affiliates → Sponsorships → Digital Product → Course

How do taxes work with multiple income streams?

You're a business owner (even if you don't have an LLC). All income is taxable.

What to do:

• Track all income and expenses
• Set aside 25-30% for taxes (rough estimate)
• Hire an accountant once you're making $3K+/month
• Consider forming an LLC for liability protection

Can I make money with a faceless channel?

Absolutely. Faceless channels can use ALL these income streams:

• Affiliates (link in description)
• Sponsorships (voiceover mentions)
• Digital products (templates, guides)
• Courses (screen recordings with voiceover)

In fact, faceless channels often scale FASTER because you can create content more efficiently using tools like TubeChef.

Final Thoughts

Ad revenue is great, but it's just one piece of the pie. The YouTubers making $10K, $50K, or $100K+/month all have one thing in common: multiple income streams.

You don't need millions of subscribers to make a full-time income. You need:

1. An engaged audience (even 10K is enough)
2. Multiple monetization methods
3. Consistent, valuable content

Start with one income stream, master it, then add another. Within 12-18 months, you can have a diversified YouTube business earning more than most traditional jobs.

Ready to scale your content production? Creating more videos = more opportunities to promote products, land sponsorships, and grow income streams. If you're producing faceless content, TubeChef can help you create videos faster and more consistently.

Which income stream will you try first? Let me know in the comments!