How I monetized a YouTube channel with in less than a year

During the Covid pandemic, I decided to create a YouTube channel in the food niche. My goal in the beginning was to grow the channel and hopefully become monetized. At the time I didn’t realize monetization needed 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours to be approved for the partnership program. Although it seemed impossible to achieve, I was motivated to reach these targets.

Problem

- Reach 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours

Research

In the beginning I started doing research and competitive analysis on other channels in the space to generate ideas. I discovered a great deal about the Youtube algorithm and how to optimize content to trigger more impressions to reach a larger audience. After I learned and back tested different growth strategies I decided to implement these tactics to use in my channel.

Consistency

I would say consistency is an important discipline in order to grow a YouTube channel. The YouTube algorithm favors channels that post videos consistently through time. Knowing this I created a schedule to post two videos per week which started the upward trend.

Titles and Thumbnails

Good titles and thumbnails are crucial for the growth of a YouTube channel. Compelling titles and custom thumbnails would lead to higher click through rates which in turn would trigger the algorithm to promote the videos.

For my videos, I wrote titles that would intrigue viewers’ fascination and curiosity. I used Adobe photoshop to create custom thumbnails and mainly used the lasso, clone stamp, and cropping tools. By combining these two strategies, videos started to receive higher click through rates which generated more views and engagement.

Video optimization

Average view duration and audience retention from subscribers are very important metrics when optimizing videos. For my videos I created introduction hooks, b-rolls, and ensured high sound quality. I edited the videos in Final Cut Pro which led to higher view duration and more watch hours.

For further optimization, I customized video metadata for better reach. I wrote customized descriptions, created custom end screens, and translated video subtitles in 30 languages. This led to a world wide audience in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Results & Takeaway

Within a period of less than a year, I was approved to join the YouTube partnership program. Going into the next year, I unfortunately wasn’t able to continue posting to the channel due to family obligations and made the channel private. I learned valuable skills with this experience which led to an increased interest in content creation and social media management.