Looking for a platform that can get your music reach and help you monetize?
YouTube reached 2.5 billion viewers in October of 2023. It’s the second most popular social network (after the old Zuck-Man’s network) and reaches more people between the ages of 18-34 than any other social media platform.
Sounds like the perfect place to showcase your musical talents, right?
But how do musicians make money on YouTube? Do you have to have brand sponsorships to make money? Is posting on YouTube and making money free?
Great questions—this guide on how to make money on YouTube for musicians is going to answer them all.
How Can Musicians Make Money on YouTube?
There are a few streams of revenue that a musician can make through YouTube. Quickly those avenues are:
We will discuss each of these revenue sources in greater detail throughout this article but the main thing to know is that each of these takes time, effort, and consistency.
Consistency is key—before looking to YouTube to make money it’s important to be honest about your commitment level. You won’t see results without consistent posting, monitoring, and adjusting.
But you’re a musician- you’re used to the hustle. So let’s get into it and make you some money.
What is the YouTube Partner Program?
The YouTube Partner Program is designed to help creators earn revenue for their content. The program helps creators earn revenue through ad programs. To qualify for the YouTube Partner Program you must reach 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours over a one year period.
The main perk of joining the YouTube Partner Program is that Google will manage everything for you. Yes, everything! We’re talking ad placement, revenue collection, payments, and of course analytics! Google will become your most valuable “employee.”
How to Join the YouTube Partner Program
Here are the steps to join the YouTube Partner Program:
- Step 1: Make sure you are signed into the YouTube account you wish to monetize.
- Step 2: Click on your user name or profile icon in the upper right corner to get to the settings.
- Step 3: Click on the “account settings” screen. Then select “channel settings” and then “monetization” on the left side of the screen.
- Step 4: Click on the blue-white button “enable my account.”
- Step 5: Create a new Google AdSense account (if you already have one, add this to your channel).
- Step 6: Set monetization preferences.
- Step 7: Return to your dashboard and select the “analytics” tab. Choose “revenue” and scroll to the “monthly estimated revenue” chart—this is where you can see your predicted YouTube revenue.
Once you have selected the monetization option, ads will automatically start running on your channel. The ads are generated by Google based on the content of your videos. Note—you are not able to choose the ads that are run on your channel.
Types of YouTube Advertisements
Congratulations—you’ve begun to earn revenue just by uploading videos! You enabled ads through the YouTube Partner Program but not all ads are created equal. Let’s look at the different types of ads Google is running across your content.
Skippable In-Stream Ads
Skippable in-stream ads are 6-30-second ads that occur midstream and can be skipped by the viewer.
Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads
Non-skippable ads also occur during your content but they cannot be skipped by the viewer.
Bumper Ads
Bumper ads are short, 6-second non-skippable videos that play at the beginning of a video.
What are Brand Sponsorships?
Brand sponsorships are another way to monetize your music. Brand sponsorships are a partnership between an artist and a brand or company—think Brittany Spears and Pepsi.
As you grow your viewers and subscriber base brands may reach out to you. But until that happens, you have the power to reach out to brands and develop relationships for sponsorships.
Here are a few types of sponsorships you can monetize through YouTube:
Product Sponsorship
Product sponsorship is when a brand sends you a product and you create a video reviewing the product. For example, reviewing an app like GarageBand or Audacity.
Affiliate Sponsorship
Affiliate sponsorships take product sponsorships to the next level. This is where companies send a code or URL that you are able to give to viewers to get a discount for that product and in return, you earn a commission on that sale.
Paid Sponsorship
Paid sponsorships are the highest level of YouTube sponsorships. This type of sponsorship is where you promote a product, service, or brand on your channel in exchange for payment. This kind of sponsorship is rare but certainly something to work toward.
How to get Brand Sponsorships
Okay, so how do you get one of these sponsorships? There are a few key steps:
Step #1 – Create a media kit.
First things first—you need a media kit. Think of this as your YouTube resume. It should include:
- Number of subscribers and hours viewed.
- Number of followers on social media platforms.
- Information about your audience demographics.
- Samples of previous partnerships or collaborations you’ve been a part of.
Life hack: We recommend using a Canva template to build out your media kit.
Step #2 – Reach out to brands.
Next, have a brainstorming session where you think about products you enjoy using and already recommend to your friends. Then think about who actually watches your videos—what brands would appeal to them?
Once you’ve created that list, do some Google research. Try phrases like “[brand name] YouTube sponsorship” or “[brand name] influencer programs.”
Most brands will have a path already laid out for sponsorship programs. If they don’t, find the “Contact Us” page and send an email with your brand kit and a reason or two why the brand would benefit from partnering with you.
Remember it never hurts to ask!
Step #3 – Use YouTube Brand Connect.
YouTube also has its own sponsorship platform, YouTube Brand Connect, that connects brands with creators. If you’ve already set up your Youtube Partner Program, and have 10,000 subscribers you are able to utilize the YouTube Brand Connect.
YouTube’s Brand Connect is unique in that it uses an algorithm to pair content creators with brands that match the audience of their page. They also provide campaign management, content creation feedback, and performance tracking through the platform.
YouTube Brand Connect can be an incredibly useful tool for finding and maintaining brand sponsorships.
Step#4 – Use social media platforms.
Okay, so maybe your channel doesn’t have 10,000 followers—that’s okay! If you have a stronger following and presence on a different app, like Instagram or TikTok, leverage that to get brand deals.
Reach out to brands through those social media apps and speak about your presence and viewership on social media. You can repurpose content for YouTube and work on building up your subscribers.
What is YouTube Merch Shelf?
Another way to earn revenue is through selling merch through your YouTube page. YouTube offers a service called merch shelf. Merch shelf allows artists to have a banner that pops up on a video that links to the merchandise for sale.
How to Set Up YouTube Merch Shelf
To set up a merch shop on your channel:
- Sign in to YouTube studio.
- Click on “monetization.”
- Select the “monetization tab.”
- Link your official merch store to your YouTube channel.
Now when videos play on your channel, merchandise links will appear as banners across the bottom of the video.
How to Make Money with Music on YouTube—Frequently Asked Questions
How much money do musicians make on YouTube?
Musicians on YouTube typically earn around $3 to $5 per 1,000 views from ad revenue. Musicians can also boost their earnings through sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and direct fan support via platforms like Patreon or YouTube’s Super Chat and memberships.
How do musicians make money from streaming?
Musicians make money from streaming through a combination of royalties paid by streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. These royalties are typically calculated per stream, with amounts ranging from $0.003 to $0.005 per stream.
Join the Best Record Label in Chicago
Making money from your music can seem like a daunting task. Learning how to monetize your music and implementing a marketing strategy is a full-time job—when are you going to create the music itself?
That’s where Hardstop Records comes in. We want to take all the administration off your plate so you can focus on what you do best—the music. Let us help you earn money for your rad music!