How to Get Paid as a YouTuber When Ad Revenue Isn’t Enough

Explore diverse income streams for YouTubers beyond ad revenue, including sponsorships, merchandise, and fan funding for sustainable growth.

Ad revenue alone won’t pay the bills for most YouTubers. Here’s how you can diversify your income and build a sustainable channel:

Brand Sponsorships: Earn $10–30 CPM by collaborating with brands. Create a media kit, attend industry events, and negotiate fair deals.
Merchandise: Sell branded products like t-shirts or custom items. Use print-on-demand or custom manufacturing to get started.
Fan Funding: Offer YouTube Memberships with perks like exclusive content and live streams. Set tier prices from $0.99 to $499.
Premium Content: Sell e-books, courses, or subscription plans for exclusive access.
Creator Funding: Platforms like Fundmates provide $30,000 to $1 million in upfront funding based on AdSense revenue sharing.

Quick Tip: Start with one revenue stream, track its performance, and expand as you grow. Combine these strategies to maximize your earnings and stay independent.

Getting Brand Sponsorships

Creators in the U.S. typically earn between $10–30 CPM for sponsored content.

Finding Sponsors

Start by putting together a solid media kit. This should include:

Channel stats: Subscribers, views, and engagement rates
Audience details: Demographics like age, location, and interests
Content focus: Themes or topics you regularly cover
Previous collaborations: Brands you’ve worked with before

You can also attend industry events to network and showcase your niche expertise. For example, creators like Samantha Nicole (beauty) or Jur3ky (gaming) have found success by highlighting their specific influence.

Making Sponsorship Deals

Understanding pricing models is key to negotiating fair deals. Here are some common structures:

Flat Rate: (Total views ÷ 1,000) × CPM
Affiliate Model: Earn 5–15% commission on each sale
CPM-Based: $10–30 per 1,000 views
CPA (Cost Per Action): Payment for specific actions, like sign-ups or downloads

To lock in favorable deals, follow these steps:

Research the brand’s past sponsorships to understand their expectations.
Calculate the lowest rate you’re willing to accept.
Offer flexible package options to suit different budgets.
Always put the agreement in writing with clear terms.

Make sure to disclose any sponsored content (e.g., “This video is sponsored by…”) and use tools like YouTube Studio to track the campaign’s performance.

Next up: Consider launching your own merchandise to add another revenue stream.

Creating Channel Merchandise

Adding a merchandise line can be a game-changer for your YouTube income. After exploring sponsorships, selling branded products is a great way to diversify revenue. For instance, creators like Cassey Ho have gone from offering basic merch to securing retail deals. Her Popflex line is now available at Target.

Making Your Products

Understanding your audience is key here - just like with sponsorships. It’s a good idea to survey your subscribers before finalizing your designs.

Design Development:

Turn your channel's branding into eye-catching logos, slogans, or illustrations.
Share pre-launch designs and gather feedback from your audience.
Consider hiring professional designers from platforms like Dribbble or Creative Market.

Production Options:

Print-on-demand: Ideal for keeping upfront costs low.
White-label: Offers semi-custom options for a more polished look.
Custom manufacturing: Perfect for creating exclusive, high-quality products.

Take Amanda Rach Lee, for example. She doesn’t just sell t-shirts - her merch includes custom journals and pencil cases designed with her art in mind.

Building Your Store

Choose an e-commerce platform that integrates smoothly with YouTube. Scott Walter, for instance, uses a single branded site for his Miniac products, creating a seamless shopping experience for his fans.

Key Steps for Setup:

Pick a platform that syncs with YouTube and offers features like custom domains and inventory tracking.
Clearly outline shipping and sizing policies, covering both domestic and international orders.
Promote your products through YouTube’s merch shelf, shoppable video links (like Marques Brownlee’s), and channel links.

Once your store is up and running, you can also explore other ways to engage fans, like memberships or crowdfunding.

Fan Funding Programs

Fan funding programs offer creators a way to earn recurring income while building stronger connections with their audience.

Member Benefits

YouTube Memberships allow fans to subscribe for special perks, providing creators with a steady income stream and closer engagement with their supporters. Creators can set tier prices ranging from $0.99 to $499. Typical perks include:

Basic level: Custom emojis and badges
Mid-tier: Early access to videos, exclusive live streams, and behind-the-scenes content
Top-tier: Private Q&A sessions, downloadable resources, and merchandise discounts

For instance, Volodymir Zolkin increased his revenue by 130% - adding nearly $5,000 in just three months. To maintain member interest and loyalty:

Share exclusive content that feels worthwhile
Host member-only live streams and give personalized shoutouts
Use community posts to provide regular updates

Keep in mind that membership income is taxable in the U.S., so understanding tax rules is essential.

U.S. Tax Requirements

If your earnings exceed certain thresholds, platforms will issue Form 1099-K. For example, the federal threshold is $20,000, but some states lower it to $600.

Here are a few key points to consider:

Submit Form W-9 once your gross payments reach $600
Keep track of net income after deducting fees and refunds
Seek advice from a tax professional to ensure compliance and proper filing

sbb-itb-c833867

Premium Content Options

Premium content allows creators to turn their expertise into direct income. Once you've tapped into fan funding, you can expand by offering exclusive digital products or subscription-based content.

Types of Premium Content

One-time digital products: Examples include e-books, online courses, or templates.
Subscription plans: Offer perks like behind-the-scenes access, exclusive content, or early releases.

Setting Your Rates

When pricing premium content, start with introductory rates. Use audience feedback and engagement data to adjust over time. Don’t forget to account for platform fees - around 3% for digital products and 5% for subscriptions.

Fourthwall fee structure.

Fundmates Creator Funding

Fundmates

Looking to grow your channel without giving up ownership or creative control? Fundmates provides a funding option that helps creators scale faster while keeping their independence.

How Fundmates Funding Works

Fundmates evaluates your channel’s performance over the past 6–24 months, offering upfront funding between $30,000 and $1 million. They recoup their investment through a flexible AdSense revenue-sharing model - your channel ownership stays untouched.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the funding terms:

Funding range: $30,000 to $1,000,000
Term length: 6–24 months
Revenue share: Based on your AdSense earnings
Ownership: You retain 100% control of your channel

Tools for Creators

Fundmates doesn’t just stop at funding - they also provide tools and services to help you grow your channel, including:

Professional video editing
Custom thumbnail design
YouTube growth strategy consulting
Translation services to reach international audiences
Cross-platform content distribution
Free MCN (Multi-Channel Network) benefits

Plus, their video earnings calculator helps you set realistic funding goals based on your current monthly revenue.

Based on Fundmates' analysis of historical channel data and projected growth.

Income Methods Breakdown

Here’s a quick look at YouTube's ad-based rates to help you plan and expand your income streams. Keep in mind that memberships, Super Chat & Stickers, and Premium revenue also fluctuate depending on your audience.

Revenue Options Chart

Revenue Method	Typical Rates
Ad Revenue (US Market)	$6–8 CPM
Finance Niche Ads	$12–20 CPM
Entertainment Ads	$2–5 CPM
Non-skippable Ads	$10–20 CPM
Skippable Ads	$3–10 CPM
YouTube Shorts	$100–10,000 from the Shorts Fund

These rates can vary significantly depending on factors like audience engagement, content niche, location, and ad format.

While this chart focuses on ad revenue, don’t forget to explore other income opportunities like sponsorships, merchandise, memberships, premium content, or platforms like Fundmates. Combining these strategies can help you create a more stable and diverse income stream.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve explored your options, pick one revenue stream that aligns best with your content and audience. Here’s a simple roadmap to follow:

Keep track of finances and engagement: Use a spreadsheet or financial tool to monitor income, expenses, and how your audience is responding.
Month 1: Launch your revenue stream: Put your chosen idea into action and start offering it to your audience.
Months 2–3: Spread the word: Promote your new offering to your existing audience through your usual channels.
Month 4 and beyond: Evaluate and adjust: Review its performance. Tweak pricing, content, or promotion strategies to improve results.
Stay consistent: Stick to your upload schedule and keep engaging with your audience regularly.
Consider creator funding: Apply for Fundmates creator funding to boost your growth and make content production easier.