Steps to Monetize Your YouTube Channel

1. Go to your YouTube Settings

   

   
   

2. Under the section “Your YouTube Channel”, select “channel status and features”

   

   
   

3. From the Channel Dashboard, select “earn” on the left hand side of the page.

   

   
   

4. Follow the steps provided by YouTube.

   

Optimize for YouTube's Ranking Signals

YouTube ranks videos mainly based on watch time, but there are several other elements you should optimize to improve your video's ranking.

1. Optimize Video Title

   • When uploading a video, you'll be asked to add a title. Make sure to include your keyword in the title while keeping it relevant. Irrelevant titles can hurt your rankings.

     
     

2. Optimize Video Description

   • You’ll also need to write a description. Keep it engaging and include your keyword. Aim for at least 250 words.

     
     

3. Optimize Video Tags

   • Tags are like keywords. Add a few relevant ones to help YouTube understand your video. Use 2-3 keywords and separate them with commas.

     
     

4. Add a Custom Thumbnail

   • YouTube automatically captures thumbnails, but uploading a custom thumbnail makes your video more appealing. Custom thumbnails can only be added after your channel reaches 10,000 views. Once you can, follow these steps:

   • Go to Creator Studio → Video Manager → Edit → Custom Thumbnail → Upload → Save.

     
     

5. Edit After Upload

   • If you want to tweak any details later (title, description, tags, thumbnail), go to Creator Studio → Video Manager → Edit your chosen video.

     
     

6. Add Cards to Increase Watch Time

   • YouTube cards are clickable elements that boost interactivity. There are five types: Video, Playlist, Channel, Donation, Poll, and Link. To add them:

     
     

   • Go to Creator Studio

     

     
     

   • Select the content section

     

     
     

   • Click on the video you’d like to edit

     

     
     

   • Click on Editor

     

     
     

   • On the video editor section, select on info cards and click on the plus sign to add cards.

     

     
     

   • You may select any of the following options, but in this example, we’ll select video.

     

     
     

   • Choose the specific video you’d like to add cards on

     

     
     

   • Follow the prompts to add the video card.

     

     
     

7. Upload a Video Transcript (Optional)

   

   • Edit the video by clicking it

     

     
     

   • Click the option for Subtitles/CC at the bottom part of the page

     

   • Add new subtitles or CC. You can either upload a .txt file, use auto-sync, or manually create subtitles.

     

     
     

   • Add new subtitles or CC. You can either upload a .txt file, use auto-sync, or manually create subtitles.

     
     

   • To add a welcome video, click on your channel.

     

   • Customize the channel by clicking this option.

     

   • Click on the home tab

     

   • Click on add section

     

   • Click channel trailer

     

   • Select the video you want to edit

     

   • Follow the prompt

     

After Publishing

1. Reply to Comments

   • Engage with comments in the first 48 hours. Adjust your notifications so you get alerts when comments are posted.

2. Embed Video in Blog Posts

   • Boost visibility by embedding your video in your blog or guest posts. In WordPress, just paste the video URL into the post.

3. Promote Your Video

   • Share your video on social media, via email, or in relevant online communities like Quora.

4. Consistency is Key

   • Regularly post videos over time rather than posting many at once.