The gaming industry is projected to surpass $90 billion by 2020, up from $78 billion in 2017. Contributing to this growth is the increasingly expanding gaming community. In fact, 64% of the U.S. population aged 13 and older play video games. Surprisingly, not only do they play video games, but they also watch others play. Gamers (aged 18-25) worldwide spend an average of 3 hours 25 minutes per week watching others livestream on YouTube, Facebook, and gaming videos.
YouTube stands out as one of the most popular destinations for watching gaming videos. Gamers don't just play to satisfy their passion and entertain fans; they also play to earn. In this article, Mytour will unveil the strategies streamers employ to make money on YouTube, the largest video-sharing platform today.
Ways to Earn Money from YouTube Gaming
Gamers can monetize their YouTube channels through various methods such as Super Chat, channel memberships, advertising, merchandise sales, sponsorships, and providing services to other streamers. To earn money from their YouTube channels, streamers must become YouTube partners.
- Super Chat feature
- Channel memberships
- Donations
- Advertising
- Products
- Affiliate marketing
- Sponsorships
- Special services
* How to Become a YouTube Partner
Content creators on YouTube must meet the following requirements to become YouTube partners and earn money:
- Have a minimum of 1,000 subscribers
- Accumulate at least 4,000 watch hours in the past year
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have an AdSense account
- Not violate community guidelines
- Must adhere to YouTube's terms of service, YouTube Spam policy, YouTube Partner Program policy, and Community Guidelines.
Once you've met all the criteria, you'll need to agree to the YPP (YouTube Partner Program) terms and your channel will be reviewed. It may take up to 2 months to know whether you're approved or not.
1. How does YouTube Super Chat work?
YouTube Super Chat allows viewers to pay from $1 to $500 to have their comments highlighted at the top of the chat feed for a period of time. Their comments won't get lost in channels where many viewers are typing at the same time. YouTube takes about 30% of the fee, while the remaining 70% goes to the streamer's pocket.
To start earning money from Super Chat and Super Sticker, you need to meet the following conditions:
- Be a YouTube partner.
- Be 18 years or older.
- Reside in a country where this feature is available.
2. What is YouTube Gaming Membership?
YouTube Gaming allows influencers to offer privileges to their channel subscribers (additional videos, emoticons on YouTube...). YouTube Streamers have the authority to decide which members to provide privileges to and what privileges will be granted to members at each level. YouTube streamers receive 70% of the membership fees for their channels.
To receive support from members in your channel, you need to meet the following conditions:
- Become a YouTube partner.
- Be 18 years or older.
- Have more than 30,000 subscribers.
3. Can YouTube Gaming Streamers receive donations?
Although YouTube doesn't have a built-in donation system, you can set up a Streamlabs account for your channel to receive donations quickly without losing any portion of what you receive. Streamers can also use Patreon to set up donation methods for their viewers.
4. How do YouTube Gaming Streamers earn money from advertising?
YouTube Live allows its users to instantly earn money from advertisements, as long as they meet the following requirements:
- They must be at least 18 years old (or have a guardian willing to manage their earnings).
- They must have at least 10,000 video views (if all viewers watch ads, they could potentially earn $10-100 per 10,000 views).
- They must produce advertiser-friendly content.
Revenue from advertisements varies from channel to channel, depending on the content and popularity of the channel.
5. Using affiliate marketing to promote products
You can also earn money from your YouTube Gaming channel by selling products through affiliate programs. Many programs require you to sell products within a limited time frame or have a good number of followers. Make sure to thoroughly research each program before signing up and only promote products that you use or love.
6. Selling directly to fans
YouTube's Merch Shelf feature is a fantastic way to showcase your business products. When you have a large following, consider creating a merch shelf for your fans. Although the shelf doesn't appear on every video, viewers can easily visit it from your channel.
The merch shelf appears below the streamer's video. Similar to other online earning features, you also need to meet certain requirements to build a merch shelf beneath your video:
- You must be from a country or region supported by this feature.
- You must be a member of the YouTube Partner Program.
- You must have at least 10,000 subscribers.
- Do not violate community guidelines.
7. Finding sponsorships for your channel
Many sponsors are willing to support streamers who post quality content and have an active following. The key is to carefully select who you'll work with because many sponsors will want you to work exclusively with them.
8. Providing special services for other streamers
You can also earn money by marketing some channel-building services to other streamers. Here are some popular ways you can consider:
* Branding and Graphics
If you excel in designing and branding your channel in a way that attracts target customers, you can market your graphic skills to other streamers. Showcase your products and let them know your pricing.
* Content Building
Many streamers struggle with determining stream timing and building content for their streams. You can help these streamers uncover their innate talents and refine them into features that appeal to their target audience.
* Troubleshooting Support
If you understand OBS operations or the most effective ways to configure a PC, you might earn income from troubleshooting issues that many streamers may be facing. You can do this through 1v1 Discord calls to assist those in need step-by-step or even create additional tutorial videos on YouTube to reach a larger audience.
* Video Editing
Utilize your YouTube video editing skills to help other streamers create supplementary content for their YouTube channels. Many find video editing tasks too complex or lack the time to do so. Some are willing to pay a premium for the necessary editing work to help them build a quality YouTube channel.
Many streamers have been able to earn supplementary income by livestreaming on platforms like YouTube Gaming, and here are ways you can apply. While mastering these money-making strategies may take time, earning from hobbies and passions can bring you a great sense of satisfaction.
If you're considering becoming a streamer on Facebook, check out How to Make Money on Facebook Gaming for Streamers here if you get the chance.
