How to Make Money on YouTube Without Being Monetized - Blog Post

Starting a YouTube channel is exciting, but waiting for monetization can be frustrating. Fortunately, you don't need 1,000 subscribers or 4,000 watch hours to start earning! In this guide, I'll show you five steps to making money on YouTube right away—without monetization—and a powerful bonus strategy that 95% of YouTubers miss. Let’s dive in!

1. Choose the Right Niche

Picking a niche is crucial for success. The most profitable ones include:

• Finance (Make Money Online, Investing, Side Hustles)
• Health & Fitness (Weight Loss, Supplements, Home Workouts)
• Self-Improvement (Mindset, Personal Growth, Productivity)
• Tech & Software (AI Tools, Automation, Digital Marketing Tools)

Choose a niche that interests you and has profitable affiliate products.

2. Find Profitable Affiliate Products

Affiliate marketing is the easiest way to make money on YouTube. Look for:

• High-demand products with existing customer interest
• High-ticket and recurring commission products
• Products that solve real problems

SaaS (Software as a Service) products are great for recurring commissions!

3. Set Up a Sales Funnel & Capture Page

Don’t send traffic directly to affiliate links! Instead, create a sales funnel:

• Use a capture page to collect emails
• Follow up via email with value-driven content
• Build a relationship with your audience before recommending products

Tools like ClickFunnels and GetResponse make this easy.

4. Create High-Performing YouTube Videos

Focus on videos that attract buyers, such as:

• Review videos (e.g., “ClickFunnels Review 2025”)
• Comparison videos (e.g., “ClickFunnels vs. System.io”)
• How-to videos (e.g., “How to Start Affiliate Marketing with $50”)

Use keyword research tools like VidIQ to find high-ranking search terms.

5. Optimize for Clicks & Conversions

Maximize your results by:

• Using eye-catching thumbnails
• Adding a clear call-to-action (CTA) in your video
• Placing links strategically in the description

Always drive viewers to your capture page, not just affiliate links.

Bonus: Cross-Promote Your Content

Most YouTubers miss this! Here’s how to 10X your traffic:

• Embed your YouTube videos in a blog post
• Use AI (like ChatGPT) to turn video transcripts into blog articles
• Share videos with your email list and social media

This strategy increases search rankings on both YouTube and Google!

Final Thoughts

You don’t need YouTube monetization to make money. With the right niche, affiliate products, and a solid content strategy, you can start earning right away. If you’re serious about building a profitable YouTube business, take the next step below!