How to Make Money by selling merchandise on YouTube (2023)

If you're spending enough time online on YouTube and you're on the site, you'll observe certain of the more well-known YouTubers -- and more modest YouTube creators -- have entered into the business of selling merch (short for "merchandise").

For example, makeup guru Huda Kattan has launched her own beauty label Huda Beauty. Jackie Aina also created FORVR Mood which is the lifestyle brand which offers candle scents and self-care kits. Meanwhile, Emma Chamberlain has her own tea and coffee company, Chamberlain Coffee.

They know that relying on the traditional methods of earning money from YouTube isn't sustainable and have come up with methods to diversify their income. Selling products is an excellent way to do this and eventually it can be a main source of revenue to YouTube creators. Additionally selling custom merchandise could assist creators with engaging their fans audience to stay on top of their YouTube content, as that's where they'll typically first to announce the launch of a new product.

In contrast to the YouTube stars mentioned above There is no need for millions of followers to make and sell merch. Actually, if you get started early enough selling merchandise could assist in growing the reach of your channel on YouTube.

The proof is in the pudding: Emma Chamberlain and others have shown us that merchandise sales can become significant streams of revenue for YouTubers. If you're a Youtuber who wants to sell your own merchandise follow this guide to discover the steps to follow. In this all-inclusive guide, we'll discuss the reasons it's a good idea to start selling merchandise on YouTube as well as what you are able to sell as a YouTube creator, and the best way to advertise your products on your YouTube channel.

Why you should sell merch on YouTube

The lifestyle of YouTubers is usually portrayed in a positive light as a result of many think that thousands of views equal thousands of dollars. That couldn't be farther from the reality.

Many creators on the internet (including those who are who are on other platforms such as Instagram typically have adhere to certain guidelines in order to earn profits. YouTube requires creators who want to run advertisements. Brands set their own rules regarding creators they may partner with. Furthermore, YouTube can stop a creator from running ads on their channel at any time or even cancel deals at any time they please.

The standard way of making money from YouTube is through the YouTube Partner Program. To join the program You must:

• Minimum of 1,000 subscribers.
• A minimum of 4,000 public time-watch hours have been observed in the past twelve months.
• To live in a country that has a program.
• To comply to YouTube's policies on monetization.
• If you do not have a community guideline, it applies to your channel.

If you're able to meet the requirements If you meet these requirements, you may apply to the program. Even that, it's not a guarantee that you'll get accepted. Even if you're accepted, YouTube reserves the right to stop your advertising revenue, and suppress your channel -- or remove it entirely if it thinks you've broken its rules.

1. Diversify your revenue streams

In the past, advertising revenue as well as brand sponsorships aren't among the most secure ways to make money on YouTube because of their volatility. You can certainly make money from these options, but you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket.

A lot of people aren't aware of the amount of money YouTube creators make from selling merchandise. Consider Ryan Kaji of Ryan's World as an illustration. The 11-year-old was initially a reviewer for toys, however, he has created nearly five thousand pieces of brand-name merchandise. In 2020, he reportedly had a profit of $250,000 from selling the merch he designed.

The reason he's able to do this is that the items are his and only he and his team determine how they'll make the product, what the store looks like, and how they'll promote the product to the people who Ryan wants. When you're in control of the inventory you have, you'll likely get all the benefits.

2. Enhance the engagement of fans

The most important factor in establishing a successful YouTube channel is engagement with the audience. If people are not motivated to watch your videos it is likely that you won't earn the most money through YouTube. Selling merchandise is a fantastic option to keep your followers engaged.

Why? because it provides your followers with a way to support you as well as receive something in return. Robert Hoffmann, the Marketing Manager at CashbackHero puts it best: "By selling merchandise, YouTubers can establish a more personal connection with their audience and increase their engagement," Robert says. "Additionally, it offers viewers an opportunity to direct support the content creators they watch, resulting in a win-win situation for both parties involved."

Even if you don't have many subscribers but, there'll be people who want to help you. Therefore, when you decide to offer customized merchandise, people will buy it so long as the design is appealing. If, for instance, you're selling clothing, it needs be comfy, come with broad sizing options and made of high-quality materials. And, of course, a well-planned marketing are the primary items you must make sure you sell your inventory of personalized merchandise.

Similar to: 9 Strategies to Get Your first 1000 YouTube Subscribers

Another thing to consider is the fact that the group who are most likely to purchase merchandise is Gen Z (ages 11-26 by 2023) who want to feel that they're part of something. The merchandising industry is a great method for YouTubers and their fans to get connected with their Gen Z fans on a deeper level. Fans can wear or use their own merch and experience a sense satisfaction in helping their favorite YouTuber as well as being an integral part of the larger YouTube community.

3. Increase brand awareness

Selling merchandise can help you improve brand awareness and the visibility of the YouTube channel. If you're selling merchandise that are branded with your channel's name or the logo, these products will effectively become the walking billboards you need to be.

Selling merchandise could allow you to reach out to individuals who aren't YouTube users. Milo Cruz, the CMO at Freelance Writing Jobs and who has experience writing ad copy for YouTubers' merch explains how it operates. "Active subscribers buy a YouTuber's limited edition T-shirt, hoodie or other item, wear it, then show the item to their friends and family," he says. "The model is similar to what's known as word-of mouth, in which YouTubers get free advertisements from existing subscribers who buy merchandise. It will create curiosity in people who view the product and encourages them to visit the channel of the YouTuber."

4. Be different from your competitors

As a result, since most products are custom products with distinctive designs, you'll be able to stand out from other YouTube channels that are in your field.

"Selling merchandise can help YouTubers stand out from the crowd," says Sreeram Sharma who is the head of Social Media at QikChat. "If YouTubers are able to build an established brand with a dedicated fan base, merchandise may be a unique and valuable offering that sets them apart from the rest of their competitors in their respective niche."

You can make money as a YouTube creator

There are a few products you could offer as YouTube creators. You can sell a few things as YouTube creator, including items for your fans, the products you develop and fan experiences.

Fan merchandise

The fan merchandise market is the standard approach to offer items to fanatics. Imagine the kind of jerseys fans purchase in support of their favorite soccer teams, or branded bracelets that Gen Zers wear to attend performances. The items typically feature images or slogans related to your YouTube channel that fans are able to wear to demonstrate their appreciation.

Here are some instances of merchandise from popular fans:

• T-shirts
• Crewnecks
• Hoodies
• Sweatpants
• Hats
• Scarves
• Socks
• Tote bags
• Mugs
• Enamel pins
• Stickers
• Phone cases
• Water bottles

Basically, any physical item you can create with your logo qualifies as merch.

Like, Ava Jules, a lifestyle and beauty vlogger with more than 1.6 million YouTube viewers, is a collection consisting of sweatshirts, T-shirts, hats, sticker packs and keychains that are a reflection of her childhood in Hawaii.

The best thing about fan merchandise is the fact that it's simple to create due to the printing-on-demand (POD) possibilities for creators.

All creators have to do is come up with slogans or designs, and once someone purchases a product that is purchased, the POD firm will print the designs on the item and then ship them to the buyer. So, creators won't have to be concerned about getting supplies, maintaining an inventory of their products, or even shipping them. This way, they'll save the time and cash.

The products you design

Making your own items to sell takes an enormous amount of effort and time but they have the potential to generate more revenue than fan products. It is possible to create and market physical products like how makeup YouTubers make their own makeup palettes and how Emma Chamberlain sells her personal blends of coffee and tea powder.

Some physical products you can make and sell include:

• Handmade craft
• Prints of art
• Physical wallpapers
• Gaming accessories
• Cosmetics
• Cookbooks

You can also offer digital goods such as:

• Templates
• Ebooks
• Photo editing presets
• Digital wallpapers
• Printable art and craft patterns for crafts

Digital content is valuable to the people who use them as they're original content or resources they can only get from you.

Sarah Chrisp (aka Wholesale Ted), an online business owner with 1 million YouTube subscribers , sells ebooks as well as dropshipping courses via her website, The Ecomm Clubhouse.

Making courses at Sarah's level takes time. However, you could start by selling the simplest of things like making printable worksheets and checklists available for sale. The caveat is that your offerings must have value and relevance for your target audience.

Fan experiences

If you have a sizeable fan base on YouTube, you could offer special experiences for your followers like exclusive products such as meet-and-greets, private occasions. You can also set up a membership program and Patreon that allows your patrons to have access to exclusive live streaming, one-on-one sessionsor behind-the-scenes videos of your company.

How can you promote your merchandise through YouTube? YouTube

If you are planning to produce fan-related merchandise you can use a variety of strategies that you could employ to inform your viewers know that these merchandise are on sale. Below are some suggestions you can implement.

1. Promoting your merchandise on your YouTube videos

The type of promotional campaign requires you to include your merchandise somewhere within your video so viewers are able to learn about it and buy some to them. Here are a few methods to promote your video:

Be Your Own Model

The most straightforward and simple method to advertise your customized merchandise is to include it on your YouTube channel. That way, your subscribers are aware that the product exists , and they can view what it is like. When you're offering wearable merchandise such as a t-shirt, then showing the design in your videos can show that you're confident in your product.

If you're not comfortable showing your merchandise on your videos continuously It's possible to display it on the background as you record and draw attention to it occasionally.

Talk about your merch in the final moments of your video

If you do not want to promote your merch within a video, since it may cause viewers to lose focus on the of the video, it is possible to include it in the final section of your video instead.

The downside to this, though, is that only the people who watch your video till the final minute will know about the merchandise you sell. It is possible to fix this issue by directing people in your introduction to view your video until the very end for a special announcement -or something similar to result.

Unbox a boxed product

"Creating videos that show the unboxing process of products allows potential customers to get an up-close look at the characteristics of your product and understand their value better," says Rachel Macfarlane, a content marketing strategist for Redfox Visual.

Macfarlane is right. If you sell products like gaming gear, for instance making videos of unboxing allows you to explain all the benefits and features of the product when you take it out of the box. Your customers will be able to see exactly how important the product you offer is.

Videos of unboxing products are perfect to promote new products and seasonal collections. But you can film them for just about any item.

2. Put your product links in videos with descriptions of your products.

Whether your video is related to your merch or not make sure to add a URL to your store or product page(s) in the video description box for anyone that is attracted. Including merch links or a store's link is particularly helpful if you have several items you wish to advertise.

  3. Utilize the YouTube merch shelf feature

Did you know that YouTube comes with a built-in feature that allows YouTubers to sell their items directly on their videos? Check out the YouTube Merch Shelf.

The merch shelves feature lets creators to market their goods directly on YouTube through a variety of locations within the platform, such as their channel's store, video end screens, and beneath live streams and below videos.

With YouTube's merch store feature it allows you to display your items before the viewers' attention in real-time, while they're watching your video or browsing your channel. This intuitive, in-app feature means that potential customers don't need to navigate over hurdles to locate your merch or make a purchase. Everything is available in YouTube's application!

YouTubers looking to use the"merch" shelf feature have to meet a specific set of specifications, which could be restricting to some. But if you're meeting the requirements, it's something that you must take advantage of. Currently, you must meet the following criteria to take advantage of the merch shelves on YouTube:

• Your channel has more than 1,000 members.
• Your channel is accepted to be monetized.
• Your channel's channel has not been identified as "made specifically for children."
• The YouTube Partner Program is available in your local area.

Do you meet all the specifications? Great! You are now able to sell your items on the YouTube merchandise shop. Learn more about setting up your own YouTube merch shelf by visiting the YouTube support page.

4. Give discounts on your merchandise

Discounting your merch can be a fantastic method to generate a large amount of sales within a brief amount of time. Garrett Smith who runs local SEO at GMB Gorilla understands that offering special discounts or exclusive deals in your merchandise will help your customers "feel unique."

Smith suggests "Use words that create the sense of urgency, such as 'limited-time offer' or "limited stock available,' to urge users to buy immediately. This kills two birds with one stone because it encourages more sales. Additionally, it encourages customers to sign up to your channel and widen your audience."

5. Advertise your merchandise via social media

Social media is one of the most efficient ways to promote any product. Since you're already an YouTuber, it's important to use other platforms on social media, whether it's Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok, to promote your products to your customers.

Then you'll need to make content or stories that feature your product, hold contests and giveaways, offer exclusive discounts to your followers as well as run ads to reach people who don't yet follow your account.

6. Collaborate with other creators in your area of expertise

Collaboration with YouTubers, social media influencers or brands in your niche is an excellent way to reach people you would never have access to otherwise.

You could make videos with other creators and feature your merch in them. Or you could develop a limited-edition item with an influencer who is popular -- preferably one with a larger audience than you. This ensures that you're reaching new audiences and increasing an image for your brand during the collaboration.

The end of the day, promoting merch on YouTube is about finding creative methods of getting your fans to buy from you.

Earn money selling merchandise on YouTube

Becoming successful being a YouTube creator requires you to create a business that brings in income, no matter what challenges you face when you use the platform. Selling merch is one of the easiest ways to do this.

There is no need to have an abundance of customers or costly equipment to sell merchandise on YouTube. You just need a good artist, a reliable print-on demand firm (if you plan to market clothing), and a good strategy for marketing. Also, since YouTube can be integrated with online shops, it's effortless for people to discover your merchandise and then purchase them.

After you've learned all the tricks and tips of selling merchandise on YouTube It's time to go out, make that merch, and earn that cash.

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