How Do Live Streamers Make Money on YouTube?

Nov 4, 2020

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Live streaming has become more popular over the years on YouTube. Many large streamers have moved their operations from other platforms to YouTube and have had great success. But have you ever wondered- how do live streamers make money on YouTube? Are they paid the same ways that non-streamers are paid on YouTube? Or, are they paid differently?

Live streamers make money on YouTube through primarily YouTube advertising, YouTube super chat, and sponsorships from various brands and companies. Often, streamers will employ multiple monetization techniques at the same time to increase their earnings and to have more earnings stability.

Each monetization technique comes equipped with certain requirements. If the YouTube channel of a streamer does not meet the set requirements, it will be unable to be monetized using certain techniques. So, while it is possible to make money as a streamer, some requirements need to be met before a streamer can monetize their stream.

How Do YouTube Streamers Make Money

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So, how do YouTube streamers make money? Well, there are a few different monetization techniques commonly used by streamers. These monetization techniques are often used alongside each other, resulting in higher earnings. However, not all of these monetization techniques are available to all streamers.

YouTube streamers primarily make money by employing the following monetization techniques:

  • YouTube advertising
  • YouTube super chat

Let's break down each of these methods of monetization in more detail.

YouTube Advertising

Many people who watch YouTube know that content creators on YouTube can earn money by having ads play before, during, and after their videos. What a lot of people don't know, however, is that live streamers can make money by having ads play before and during their live streams as well.

Ads are served through Google AdSense, the most popular advertising network in the world. For a channel to be able to play ads on their live streams, however, it must be a member of the YouTube Partner Program. Due to this, brand new streamers or small streamers are unable to earn money through YouTube advertising.

YouTube Super Chat

YouTube super chat is a feature exclusive to content creators that allows them to monetize their videos. For a content creator to be able to monetize their videos, their channel will need to be a member of the YouTube Partner Program. Since this is the case, small or new streamers will be unable to make money through super chat.

Super chat is essentially a donation system built-in to YouTube. In the past, streamers would've needed to get donations sent directly to their PayPal account. Nowadays, this isn't the case, as they can receive donations directly through YouTube through the super chat feature.

Sponsorships

If a live streamer builds a large audience, it isn't uncommon for brands and companies to approach them with sponsorship opportunities. Sponsorships are a great way for streamers to earn money more stably, as, depending on the circumstances, sponsorships can consist of a monthly salary.

Unfortunately, as with most monetization methods, sponsorships are not typically offered to small streamers on YouTube. Since this is the case, a small live streamer will need to grow their audience before they are approached by brands and companies for sponsorship opportunities.

How Much Money Do YouTube Streamers Make

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Many YouTube streamers have a large audience and get thousands of viewers each live stream. But have you ever wondered- how much do YouTube streamers make? After all, getting a lot of viewers on each live stream is fun, but having a lot of viewers won't keep the lights on!

The amount of money a YouTube streamer earns depends on a few different factors. These factors include:

  • Audience size
  • Monetization methods
  • Stream frequency

Let's look at each of these factors in more detail.

Audience Size

As you might have been able to guess, live streamers with larger audiences have more potential to earn money than streamers will smaller audiences. Streams with more viewers, for example, can lead to more advertising revenue, as more ads will be able to be served to viewers.

Monetization Methods

While audience size does have a big impact on the amount of money a streamer earns, it isn't everything. There are plenty of live streamers that make more money than other streamers with larger audiences. A streamer that gets paid through ads, super chat, and sponsorships will make more money than a streamer that only makes their money through ads.

Stream Frequency

If a streamer only live streams 1 to 2 times each month, then chances are they'll have a difficult time earning a significant amount of money. Ultimately, the more often a streamer streams, the more potential there will be for them to earn money. So, the frequency at which a streamer streams has a big impact on the amount of money they earn.

Examples of Live Streamers Making Money on YouTube

As time goes on, more prominent online streamers are beginning to live stream on YouTube. Since this is the case, there are now many examples of live streamers on YouTube that make a healthy amount of money. Learning from these successful streamers is crucial for anyone looking to become a successful YouTube streamer.

Valkyrae

Valkyrae is a popular gaming live streamer with over 1 million subscribers. She plays a variety of different games and live streams consistently. Her main methods of monetization are YouTube advertising, super chat, and sponsorships. She also uploads normal videos to her channel alongside her streaming efforts.

DrDisRespect

DrDisRespect is an incredibly popular live streamer who has built a huge audience on multiple streaming platforms. Recently, he has started streaming on YouTube, making him one of the largest streamers on YouTube. His channel is monetized through advertising, super chat, and sponsorships. He also has his own merchandise.

Conclusion

On YouTube, live streaming is becoming more popular as time goes on. While gaining traction initially can be difficult, once an audience has been built, lots of money can be made. But how do live streamers make money on YouTube? They primarily make money through advertising revenue, super chat donations, and sponsorships.

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