YouTube channel memberships are precisely what you assume they are – an all-access pass to your exclusive content. Viewers can purchase them to enjoy the exclusive videos of a channel and additional perks offered by the creator. And while the viewers enjoy their amenities, creators get to make money by selling the memberships.
It means that this feature benefits both stake holders, so it makes sense for a Youtuber to completely understand it. Today we will explore the YouTube channel membership feature and see what it’s all about.
We will cover topics like:
- How do the channel memberships work?
- How can you make money through them?
- How to enable membership feature on a channel, and what perks to offer on it?
Therefore, let’s not waste more time since there’s much to cover and dive straight into the wisdom pool.
What is YouTube Channel Membership?
In 2018, YouTube launched the “Channel Memberships” feature, enabling creators to sell their exclusive content to viewers. The basic idea behind this concept was to allow patrons to support their favorite channel. However, YouTube saw more potential in it and kept expanding this feature to make it more creator-friendly.
Now this feature can be defined in two steps:
- First, any qualified creator can enable this feature on their channel.
- Second, they can convince viewers to pay a monthly fee to access their exclusive content.
Of course, YouTube gives creators a free hand to customize their channel membership. They can add tiers like Silver, Gold, Platinum, etc., and charge a different amount for each level.
Many major league creators charge between $50 and $100 for their channel memberships. It allows them to make tons of money from the monthly payments and generative passive income besides ad sense.
You, too, can utilize this feature if you think your content is good enough that viewers will pay to watch it. But to do that, you first need to meet specific criteria set by YouTube for enabling channel membership. Learn about it in the following subheading.
Requirements to Qualify for YouTube Channel Memberships
To enable membership on their YouTube channels, creators have to meet the following criteria:
- The channel should have at least 1,000 subscribers.
- None of the videos on the channel should fall in the Made for Kids category.
- The creator should already be part of the YouTube partner program.
- The channel should be active in a location where YouTube is currently operating.
- The channel should have little or no ineligible content.
- The creator must comply with YouTube’s terms and policies.
- The creator must be 18 years or older.
If you wish to check whether you are eligible or not, go to your YouTube Memberships page. It will show you which requirements you have fulfilled and are yet to achieve.
Perks You Can Offer Via YouTube Channel Memberships
Besides the members-only content, YouTube allows creators to offer all sorts of perks to their channel members. You can adjust the number and quality of bonuses for each membership tier as you deem fit. The more tempting perks you offer, the more it will convince the audience to buy a bigger tier.
That’s why you must plan out your channel membership perks carefully. Here is a vague plan to give you an idea of how the perks should be offered for YouTube memberships.
- First, assume that your channel has three membership levels, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
- For your silver package, you can offer minor perks like custom emojis, loyalty badges, and early access to videos. (Offering access to exclusive content is a must, so we won’t mention it.)
- Step up the game in the gold tier and offer all the perks of the silver tier. Throw access to exclusive live streams, live chats, fan mail, etc., as advanced perks.
- In the Platinum package, you can go all out and offer all sorts of perks. Give viewers a chance to meet you or send them signed merchandise etc. The nature of a final membership level mainly depends on the channel niche, so it is up to you.
There’s no limit to the type and number of perks you can offer on a channel membership. So, offer such unique bonuses that people can’t help but click the join button on your channel.
How to Turn on YouTube Channel Membership?
Once you meet the criteria for activating channel membership, it only takes a few minutes to enable the feature. Here’s you can turn on the membership feature on your channel:
Step 1: Open the YouTube website and “Log In” to your account.
Step 2: Now, click your profile picture on the top right corner of the screen. Click on “YouTube Studio” from the options.
Step 3: Navigate to the left side menu and scroll until you see the “Monetization” option. Click on it to proceed further.
Step 4: When you are on the monetization page, navigate to the top menu and click on “Memberships.”
Step 5: Once on the new page, locate the “Set Up Your Memberships Offer” section.
Step 6: Click on the “Start” button on the panel to set up membership tiers that viewers can sign up for. You have to follow the instructions, and YouTube will do the rest.
How Much Money Can You Make From YouTube Channel Memberships?
The amount of money a creator can make through memberships depends on the scale of their channel. For example, bigger channels with more subscribers can charge handsomely for their membership tiers and make more money. But of course, there’s no rule that states that only significant channels can earn more money through memberships.
There are many small channels with less than 100k subscribers that generate more revenue than many great channels. So, no one can exactly tell you exactly how much you can make by offering channel memberships. Because there’s no limit to the memberships you can sell, which means there’s no limit to how much you can earn.
Also, remember that the money you make from memberships is split 70% and 30% between you and YouTube. Therefore, try to sell as many channel memberships as you can to increase your cut in this deal.
Benefits of Using YouTube Channel Memberships
You might be surprised to know that YouTube channel memberships aren’t just good for making money. There are many other advantages that creators can get through this feature. Here are a few of them:
- Offering exclusive content to channel members convinces other viewers to show their patronage by becoming a member.
- Getting more channel members serves as social proof and increases the value of your channel.
- Enabling the membership feature reflects that your channel is a major one and attracts potential viewers to subscribe.
- Gives you a chance to connect with your patrons and thank them for supporting you.
Final Thoughts
YouTube channel memberships may still be a bit daunting for some creators, who find it hard to understand. But we hope you have learned everything there is to know about this feature through this article.
We are here for you if you have any questions regarding this topic. You can share your quires in the comments section or contact our support team for help. Stay with us for more informative and exciting content like this, as we upload new posts regularly.
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