YouTube focuses on gaming revenue
According to Forbes, half of the 10 highest earning YouTubers in 2021 create content about video games. With millions of viewers, gaming has become one of the most successful niches on YouTube. But, how do these creators make so much money? Here’s an overview of the options for monetization through YouTube Gaming, advertising, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing.
What is YouTube Gaming?
YouTube Gaming is an offshoot of YouTube that aims to provide a platform for all things gaming. It was created in 2015 to compete with Twitch, allowing creators to live-stream their content. However, YouTube Gaming differs from Twitch, as it provides more tools for creators to grow their channels like regular videos, shorts, stories, and more. The head of YouTube Gaming stated this platform isn’t in direct competition with Twitch.
How to make money with YouTube Gaming?
With YouTube Gaming’s partnership status, streamers can make extra income through ‘super chat,’ memberships, ads, merchandise store, and affiliate marketing. First, creators must reach a partnership status of 1,000 subscribers, at least 4,000 hours of total watch time within the last year, be at least 18 years old, have no community guideline strikes, and have an AdSense account, which sells ad space to advertisers.
YouTube Super Chat:
With YouTube Super Chat, viewers can pay to pin their messages on the top of the chat feed with their message visible for a specific time. The more money paid, the longer the message remains pinned, and the more characters the viewer can use. YouTube takes a 30% fee and leaves 70% to the streamer.
YouTube Memberships:
With the membership feature, gamers can offer perks and declare multiple tiers to the subscribers: bonus videos, YouTube emotes, etc. They can price it anywhere from $0.99 to $99.99 but are only available to those with 30,000 subscribers or more. Like Super Chat, YouTube takes 30% of the fee charged.
Ads:
Run advertisements during your live stream to make an additional income, and the ad revenue varies from channel to channel. Channels must have at least 10,000 video views to use this feature.
Channel merchandise:
Gamers can also showcase their merchandise on their channel page if they have at least 10,000 subscribers to attract more traffic to their store.
Affiliate Marketing:
Creators can receive a percentage of revenue from companies by incorporating affiliate links on their YouTube channel. When visitors visit the site through the YouTuber’s link and make a purchase, the YouTuber receives a percentage of the sale price.
What are Gaming Sponsorships?
A sponsorship is a great opportunity to earn big bucks. Advertisers sponsor gameplay review videos, and pricing varies depending on the ad’s length and the influencer’s outreach. With Gaming sponsorships, brands pay a fee to the YouTuber for promoting their brand and gaining more exposure and visibility.
The history and future of YouTube
YouTube started in 2005 with three PayPal employees, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim, and became an instant hit. Google scooped up YouTube in late 2006, acquiring it for $1.65 billion. Since celebrities started using this platform, there has been a broad range of channels available with millions of subscribed viewers. In 2014, YouTube launched its premium service to prevent ad-blocking, which failed, but YouTube Premium, a service that bundles ad-free viewing with YouTube Music, is still active.
Conclusion
Gaming on YouTube is a massive revenue-making opportunity. YouTube Gaming, advertising, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing are some of the platforms where gamers can earn additional income. Sponsorships are where the real money is at, but ads are still an excellent income source. While there’s no shortcut to success, becoming a YouTube gaming star needs dedication and consistency.
FAQs
Q1. What is YouTube Gaming?
YouTube Gaming is an offshoot of YouTube created in 2015 to compete with Twitch. It provides tools for creators to grow their channels, like regular videos, shorts, stories, and more.
Q2. What is Super Chat?
Super Chat is a YouTube Gaming feature that allows viewers to pay a fee to have their message displayed at the top of the chat feed for a specific time.
Q3. What is sponsorship?
Sponsorship is when advertisers pay a fee to promote their brand through gameplay review videos, pricing varies depending on the ad’s length and the influencer’s outreach.
Q4. Can I make money from Gaming merchandise in my channel?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2vYnf4V_Hk
If your channel has at least 10,000 subscribers, you can showcase your merchandise on your channel page, attracting more potential traffic to your store.
Q5. Can anyone make money through YouTube Gaming?
Only creators who have reached partnership status with at least 1,000 subscribers, 4,000 hours of watch time within the previous year, and have no community guideline strikes, are at least 18 years old, and have an AdSense account can earn money through YouTube Gaming.