7 ways to monetize a YouTube channel – ScaleLab

7 Ways to Monetize a YouTube Channel

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9 Min

Last updated

20 May 2025

7 Ways to Monetize a YouTube Channel

Are you really making as much as you could? YouTube monetization can be more than on ads and hoping for the best.

Those who make the most money don’t rely on one source. They stack multiple income streams, sometimes passive, sometimes performance-based, and optimize every piece of content they’ve already created.

Creator finds the best way to make money on YouTube for his content.

So, let’s go beyond the basics. Here are 7 powerful ways to turn your monetized YouTube channel into a serious revenue machine, based on our expertise and what we’ve implemented across thousands of creators’ channels.

1. Restream Your Existing Videos – 24/7

If you think live streaming only works when you’re in front of the camera, you’ve missed the bigger picture. 24/7 streams sometimes are outperforming traditional uploads in RPM, CTR, and engagement time. And no, you don’t have to lift a finger to run them.

We’ve seen creators take playlists of their most popular videos, run them on loop as live streams with tools like Gyre, and immediately unlock a consistent traffic and monetization boost. One gaming channel we partnered with went from earning $300/day to $1,100/day simply by setting up eight parallel 24/7 live streams.

It works especially well if you’re in gaming, kids' content, motivation, ambient music, or education. The algorithm favors continuous content. The audience stays longer. And your YouTube ad revenue follows.

And Super Chats and Stickers during these streams convert loyal lurkers into paying supporters, meaning you monetize YouTube live streams in more ways than one.

2. Unlock International Revenue with Content Localization

Let’s say you have 1 million subscribers. Now imagine 3 million more fans who would love your content, if only they could understand it.

We’ve helped creators translate and dub their content into multiple languages, and in one partner case, saw over 54 million new subscribers across 12 translated channels. Translation is about YouTube revenue growth and global reach at the same time.

Here’s how it plays out:

  • English content dubbed in Spanish brought in a 2.3x increase in RPM.
  • Portuguese versions drove higher CPM from Brazil.
  • Korean dubs pulled in brand deals that creators never saw coming.

Don’t settle for subtitling. Use dubbed audio tracks and consider full channel localization. You’re not just making money on YouTube anymore, you’re building a global network of monetized YouTube channels.

Want to know which language fits your channel? Contact us, we’ll audit your analytics and help you localize content the smart way.

3. Monetize What Others Steal: Content ID at Scale

One of the most overlooked YouTube monetization strategies is earning from unauthorized uploads.

Yes, we’re talking Content ID, but not just for takedowns, for claims, for revenue, and for dominance.

We have a music creator with 4M subs earn over $3,000 in a single month from reuploaded clips, thanks to Content ID automation. YouTube tracks down reuses of your videos, and instead of blocking them, it monetizes them for you.

It’s especially powerful for music, sound-rich, and viral content creators. If you’re not using Content ID to monetize third-party uploads, you're losing money, possibly a lot of it.

Want in? We’ll help you onboard into YouTube’s Content ID ecosystem, even if your channel isn’t massive (yet).

Creators develop a plan on how to get rich from YouTube.

4. Shorts Are the Gateway, Not the Goal

YouTube Shorts monetization is weak in direct RPM. But that’s missing the point.

Creators are using Shorts not for the payout, but for the exposure. One beauty creator we work with pulls 30M+ monthly views on Shorts and uses them to drive traffic to long-form videos, merchandise, and affiliate links. Shorts are the top of the funnel.

Key moves:

  • Add geo-specific metadata to boost reach in high-CPM countries.
  • Use Shorts to tease full videos. The longer video earns the revenue.
  • Post consistently (3–10 Shorts/day works best in our data).

Bonus: If you’re looking for how to get monetized on YouTube fast, 10M Shorts views in 90 days is a legit shortcut into the YouTube Partner Program.

5. Make Sponsorships Work Without the Awkward Cold Emails

You’re probably already dabbling in YouTube sponsorships. But the models’s changed.

Today, brands want predictability, content safety, and creator fit. You don’t need a million subscribers. You need a clean channel, a media kit, and a scalable offer.

We helped one of the mid-size travel channels (under 100K subs) generate over $13,000/month with repeat sponsor deals because they had an organized media kit, audience insights, and pricing tiers mapped out.

Get yourself listed on platforms like pin.top. It automates the deal flow. Brands place orders. You approve. And you can focus on the content.

6. Don’t Let YouTube Decide When You Get Paid

This one is all about cash flow.

YouTube pays once a month, usually between the 21st and 26th. But content creation doesn’t follow that schedule. That’s why we help creators use payment accelerators like MilX.

Here’s what you can do:

  • Get daily payouts based on analytics (no waiting).
  • Withdraw in 10+ methods, including PayPal and crypto.
  • Receive advances on 3–6 months of projected revenue.

So, you want to earn money on YouTube, not lend it back to YouTube until the next payout cycle. If you’ve got steady traffic and monetized videos, we’ll help you move beyond the "once-a-month" trap. Get in touch with ScaleLab today!

7. Build Your Own Revenue with Merch or Licensing

Let’s end with the most sustainable long-term move: owning the revenue stream.

One of the ways to monetize YouTube beyond YouTube is your own products.

Merch is the first step. But we’ve helped creators go further, like distributing their content and videos to MSN (which has 2B monthly users), or distributing to Chinese platforms like Bilibili and Xigua.

One of our partners made more in three months on MSN than they did in a year on YouTube. Because of less competition and more favorable revenue splits.

Others saw a 3x RPM boost by licensing to non-YouTube platforms and repurposing their YouTube content.

Your content has value beyond YouTube. Let’s make it more visible.

Easiest way to make money on YouTube.

One Revenue Stream Is Never Enough

You know how YouTube monetization works. You’ve crossed the threshold. You’ve studied your audience and earned your place in the Partner Program. Now it’s about scaling your YouTube revenue intelligently with strategies that compound.

ScaleLab helped creators unlock 6x growth using nothing but what they already had: videos, audience, and ambition.

If you’re ready to explore what else your channel could be earning, reach out to us. We'll audit your channel and recommend the next moves that fit your audience and content style.

Stop thinking only in terms of how to monetize YouTube videos. Think bigger. Think about how to earn from YouTube and beyond. Let’s unlock your channel’s full earning power.