Most of you know we were supposed to be doing a production Houston Grand Opera right now - obviously we're not! We're in Montana at Norman’s parents house - so grateful to have family to go to right now! We are getting daily updates from our friends and colleagues in Europe and hope everyone there is staying strong and healthy. We love you, and we are with you.
So: let's get creative.
For those of you who prefer to read rather than watch videos, here's what you're gonna need to know if you want to create and build a Youtube channel that is creatively fulfilling AND financially viable.
To successfully monetize a Youtube channel, you first need two things:
1. 1000 followers.
2. 4000 hours of watch time within one year.
Those are the basic criteria to be invited to monetize your channel, but that doesn't automatically mean you will start raking in money. We will be going in depth at some point about what you need to do, but we figured achieving these milestones would be enough work to begin with!
Tips for reaching your numbers
- Post Regularly
- Post topics your community cares about
- Use relevant tags
- Subscribe to other channels
- Post on other channels
Those are some ways to get started on Youtube. Our channel has grown about 1000% in the past year using simply these tips, and we don't even post very regularly! (I know that sounds impressive, but we still need around 700 subscribers to reach our goal!! UGH! Feels like a mountain!)
In this video I do share 2 easy ways you can make money from your Youtube channel without these numbers buy using crowdfunding sites. When you are established, I recommend looking into starting a Patreon account to build a community of patron who will support your work, but if you're just starting out, I suggest signing up for a "Buy me a coffee" account.
"Buy me a coffee" is a site where you can accept micro donations and build a community. I really like it because it is very inclusive - someone who can only afford to donate $3 can suddenly become a patron - I find this extremely empowering and kind.
It's less about the money, and more about acknowledging that the creator of the channel is making something that you find worthwhile and you enjoy. I recently signed Living Opera up for an account so even our student followers can get in on supporting us.
Keep in mind, if you do decide to use this service, each donation is subject to a 5% user fee, which can either be absorbed by the creator, or be put on the donor. (We have chosen to absorb that fee!)
We hope you find this series informative and fun, and know that we are praying for the Living Opera community daily, believing that we will emerge from this crisis stronger, and more aligned with our purpose than ever.
Wishing you every blessing,
Soula and Norman
P.S. If you feel led to send us a donation via Buy me a coffee you can do so here! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/NvAuLCw
