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I have two compelling reasons for initiating this journey thread. Firstly, it serves as a personal diary to chronicle my experiences, considering I didn't document my years of making a living on YouTube from 2016 to 2020. Secondly, I believe that if I achieve success, this thread could serve as inspiration for future individuals venturing into similar pursuits. I genuinely consider YouTube to be one of the most effective online income avenues, offering a comparatively easier entry than other methods that demand marketing skills, social acumen, and substantial initial investment. Motivated by numerous inspiring journeys shared here, I'm determined to take the plunge and share my experiences with the community.
My Journey and Encounter with YouTube
To recount my history on the platform, I discovered YouTube in 2015. Driven by my passion for video editing, I utilized the platform during my school years to showcase my skills and share videos for fun. However, my perspective shifted when I experienced a challenging job situation, prompting me to seek online work. Despite initial setbacks (and embracing the valuable lessons from them), I stumbled upon the realization in 2012 that I could earn money by uploading videos to YouTube.
In May 2014, I swiftly leveraged YouTube's AdSense program, which allowed anyone to monetize their content on the platform. This marked a turning point as I began earning money like never before. With newfound financial stability, I made plans to move out of my parent's house, successfully doing so in 2017. For the next five years, I made a living on the platform primarily using copyright content.
However, challenges surfaced in 2018 when my Multi-Channel Networks (MCNs) began dropping channels, making it increasingly difficult to join certain MCNs. Fortunately, other networks continued to compensate me for copyright content, although the landscape became more challenging each year.
The pivotal year of 2019 brought significant changes. Google announced heightened requirements for monetization, mandating 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. Moreover, copyright or reuse channels were no longer allowed to remain monetized in the AdSense program. This announcement had a devastating impact on my earnings, which had reached $25,000 by mid-2018. By 2019, my account saw a decline, and I struggled to find alternative online income sources. While I briefly ventured into Amazon successfully, financial constraints hindered its sustainability. By August of that year, I had to relocate and move back home.
Over the next three years, I continued to face challenges, experimenting with various methods, including Content ID. While some endeavors showed promise, none proved as lucrative as YouTube, leaving me in an ongoing struggle.
I've been facing financial struggles ever since, but a conversation with a friend I introduced to YouTube in 2016 changed my perspective. This friend not only surpassed me but adapted to rule changes, transitioning from using copyright and reused content to creating original content (OG content). I realized my mistake in not adapting and he encouraged me to resume making money on YouTube, emphasizing that it was meant for me.
For half a year, I was without my PC, which I had built. Fortunately, I got my motherboard working again, allowing me to resume video editing on a powerful machine capable of high-end rendering. The timing was impeccable as it started working again just before Olympics. Those games had consistently been a significant source of income, showcasing the lucrative nature of sports content. Despite the 2020 Winter Olympics being the last time I made substantial money on YouTube, the recent Olympics presented an opportunity. In the last two weeks, a channel I managed garnered 2.1 million views and 3,000 subscribers. Although the channel's monetization status is peculiar, I initiated it to scale up Content ID revenue from my music distributor. While the risk of demonetization looms, I could potentially make $3,000 or more next month if all goes well.
I shared this success with my friend, acknowledging that it's a trend-based channel with limited long-term sustainability as revenue tends to dwindle post-Olympics. To diversify my income streams, I've been researching ways to make money on AdSense with original content. The constant fear of potential repercussions for using content I don't own has worn on me. My friend suggested starting in a niche that moves quickly and is newbie-friendly, provided I have some initial capital.
THE NICHE
My friend recommended a niche that he found particularly newbie-friendly – the "HOT GIRLS WEARING SEXY CLOTHING" niche, often referred to as SIMP channels. This niche, while not exactly in the adult category, caters to a SIMP-friendly audience. These niches inherently attract substantial natural traffic, allowing for quick channel growth. Building a loyal audience that enjoys engaging with such content consistently is key to success. The plan is to create 2-3 channels with similar content, or possibly more in the future, to maximize income. The videos will predominantly feature beautiful women in tight, sexy clothing, showcasing their activities in public, shopping, and occasionally indoors.
In the future, the goal is to follow my friend's approach by collaborating with a local model and developing an exclusive channel centered around her. Direct involvement in filming will provide more control over content creation. This strategy also enables having a surplus of content for frequent uploads, feeding subscribers and boosting video views rapidly. Such channels offer additional income opportunities by converting viewers into paying customers, potentially for platforms like OnlyFans, where private content is shared. Merchandise sales and affiliate links are also avenues for generating revenue. Livestreams with the model, encouraging audience interaction and superchat donations, become feasible once the channel is established. While the primary focus now is on scaling AdSense revenue, future plans include implementing upselling strategies.
In essence, this niche presents various opportunities for income generation, with a strategic progression from AdSense scaling to diversifying revenue streams.
THE GOALS
I aim to reestablish my livelihood on YouTube, and I believe creating content that I own is the safest path to achieve this compared to my previous approach. While uncertain about the short-term earnings potential, I recognize the need to start small. My initial focus is on covering the costs associated with remotely hiring talent for video production. Subsequently, I intend to shift my attention towards generating thousands of dollars each month. The primary milestone is set at $10,000 a month, and any earnings beyond that would be a true blessing. However, reaching a monthly income of $3,000 or $4,000, even for daily living expenses, would be a significant achievement. To maximize income, my plan involves scaling up by eventually managing multiple channels, offering the potential for substantially larger earnings compared to relying on a single channel.
[ x ] Channel Created & Live
[ ] Monetization enabled
[ ] $100/month
[ ] Profit off spending budget
[ ] $1,000/month
[ ] $2,000/month
[ ] $3,000/month
[ ] $4,000/month
[ ] $5,000/month
[ ] $10,000/month
[ ] $20,000/month
[ ] $30,000/month
[ ] $100,000/year
[ ] Hire local model for exclusive channel
[ ] Payoff a condo/house in cash
THE PLAN
The initial strategy involves cultivating a beginner-friendly channel using Creative Commons videos related to the chosen niche until the arrival of original, paid-for content. Initially, the plan is to upload at least one video per day, transitioning to a slightly less frequent schedule of every 2-4 days once original content becomes consistently available.
Upon achieving monetization, the intention is to remove the reuse videos and have the channel populated solely with original content to mitigate the risk of demonetization. Once the primary channel generates a monthly income of approximately $2,000 to $3,000, the focus will shift to launching a second channel. This secondary channel will follow the same approach, featuring entirely new original videos unique to that channel to avoid any reuse connections.
Finally, once both channels are well-established, attention will turn towards hiring a local model and acquiring the necessary filming equipment for professional video production. The step-by-step process involves:
BUDGET
To be announced.
CHANNEL STATS
Channel #1
My Journey and Encounter with YouTube
To recount my history on the platform, I discovered YouTube in 2015. Driven by my passion for video editing, I utilized the platform during my school years to showcase my skills and share videos for fun. However, my perspective shifted when I experienced a challenging job situation, prompting me to seek online work. Despite initial setbacks (and embracing the valuable lessons from them), I stumbled upon the realization in 2012 that I could earn money by uploading videos to YouTube.
In May 2014, I swiftly leveraged YouTube's AdSense program, which allowed anyone to monetize their content on the platform. This marked a turning point as I began earning money like never before. With newfound financial stability, I made plans to move out of my parent's house, successfully doing so in 2017. For the next five years, I made a living on the platform primarily using copyright content.
However, challenges surfaced in 2018 when my Multi-Channel Networks (MCNs) began dropping channels, making it increasingly difficult to join certain MCNs. Fortunately, other networks continued to compensate me for copyright content, although the landscape became more challenging each year.
The pivotal year of 2019 brought significant changes. Google announced heightened requirements for monetization, mandating 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. Moreover, copyright or reuse channels were no longer allowed to remain monetized in the AdSense program. This announcement had a devastating impact on my earnings, which had reached $25,000 by mid-2018. By 2019, my account saw a decline, and I struggled to find alternative online income sources. While I briefly ventured into Amazon successfully, financial constraints hindered its sustainability. By August of that year, I had to relocate and move back home.
Over the next three years, I continued to face challenges, experimenting with various methods, including Content ID. While some endeavors showed promise, none proved as lucrative as YouTube, leaving me in an ongoing struggle.
I've been facing financial struggles ever since, but a conversation with a friend I introduced to YouTube in 2016 changed my perspective. This friend not only surpassed me but adapted to rule changes, transitioning from using copyright and reused content to creating original content (OG content). I realized my mistake in not adapting and he encouraged me to resume making money on YouTube, emphasizing that it was meant for me.
For half a year, I was without my PC, which I had built. Fortunately, I got my motherboard working again, allowing me to resume video editing on a powerful machine capable of high-end rendering. The timing was impeccable as it started working again just before Olympics. Those games had consistently been a significant source of income, showcasing the lucrative nature of sports content. Despite the 2020 Winter Olympics being the last time I made substantial money on YouTube, the recent Olympics presented an opportunity. In the last two weeks, a channel I managed garnered 2.1 million views and 3,000 subscribers. Although the channel's monetization status is peculiar, I initiated it to scale up Content ID revenue from my music distributor. While the risk of demonetization looms, I could potentially make $3,000 or more next month if all goes well.
I shared this success with my friend, acknowledging that it's a trend-based channel with limited long-term sustainability as revenue tends to dwindle post-Olympics. To diversify my income streams, I've been researching ways to make money on AdSense with original content. The constant fear of potential repercussions for using content I don't own has worn on me. My friend suggested starting in a niche that moves quickly and is newbie-friendly, provided I have some initial capital.
THE NICHE
My friend recommended a niche that he found particularly newbie-friendly – the "HOT GIRLS WEARING SEXY CLOTHING" niche, often referred to as SIMP channels. This niche, while not exactly in the adult category, caters to a SIMP-friendly audience. These niches inherently attract substantial natural traffic, allowing for quick channel growth. Building a loyal audience that enjoys engaging with such content consistently is key to success. The plan is to create 2-3 channels with similar content, or possibly more in the future, to maximize income. The videos will predominantly feature beautiful women in tight, sexy clothing, showcasing their activities in public, shopping, and occasionally indoors.
In the future, the goal is to follow my friend's approach by collaborating with a local model and developing an exclusive channel centered around her. Direct involvement in filming will provide more control over content creation. This strategy also enables having a surplus of content for frequent uploads, feeding subscribers and boosting video views rapidly. Such channels offer additional income opportunities by converting viewers into paying customers, potentially for platforms like OnlyFans, where private content is shared. Merchandise sales and affiliate links are also avenues for generating revenue. Livestreams with the model, encouraging audience interaction and superchat donations, become feasible once the channel is established. While the primary focus now is on scaling AdSense revenue, future plans include implementing upselling strategies.
In essence, this niche presents various opportunities for income generation, with a strategic progression from AdSense scaling to diversifying revenue streams.
THE GOALS
I aim to reestablish my livelihood on YouTube, and I believe creating content that I own is the safest path to achieve this compared to my previous approach. While uncertain about the short-term earnings potential, I recognize the need to start small. My initial focus is on covering the costs associated with remotely hiring talent for video production. Subsequently, I intend to shift my attention towards generating thousands of dollars each month. The primary milestone is set at $10,000 a month, and any earnings beyond that would be a true blessing. However, reaching a monthly income of $3,000 or $4,000, even for daily living expenses, would be a significant achievement. To maximize income, my plan involves scaling up by eventually managing multiple channels, offering the potential for substantially larger earnings compared to relying on a single channel.
[ x ] Channel Created & Live
[ ] Monetization enabled
[ ] $100/month
[ ] Profit off spending budget
[ ] $1,000/month
[ ] $2,000/month
[ ] $3,000/month
[ ] $4,000/month
[ ] $5,000/month
[ ] $10,000/month
[ ] $20,000/month
[ ] $30,000/month
[ ] $100,000/year
[ ] Hire local model for exclusive channel
[ ] Payoff a condo/house in cash
THE PLAN
The initial strategy involves cultivating a beginner-friendly channel using Creative Commons videos related to the chosen niche until the arrival of original, paid-for content. Initially, the plan is to upload at least one video per day, transitioning to a slightly less frequent schedule of every 2-4 days once original content becomes consistently available.
Upon achieving monetization, the intention is to remove the reuse videos and have the channel populated solely with original content to mitigate the risk of demonetization. Once the primary channel generates a monthly income of approximately $2,000 to $3,000, the focus will shift to launching a second channel. This secondary channel will follow the same approach, featuring entirely new original videos unique to that channel to avoid any reuse connections.
Finally, once both channels are well-established, attention will turn towards hiring a local model and acquiring the necessary filming equipment for professional video production. The step-by-step process involves:
- Research - Conducted by myself.
- Scriptwriting - Developed by myself.
- Voiceover - Executed by myself, outsourced through Fiverr, or by collaborating with others.
- Video creation - Handled by myself using Vegas Pro.
- Thumbnail design - Crafted by myself using Adobe Photoshop.
- Uploading - Managed by myself on YouTube.
- Optimization - Undertaken by myself on the YouTube platform.
BUDGET
To be announced.
CHANNEL STATS
Channel #1
- Channel Created: October 26, 2023
- 3 videos
- 848 subscribers
- 70 total views
- 1 public watch hour watch time
- 0 community strikes
- 3 videos uploaded today