YouTube is gradually establishing itself as one of the most prominent influencer marketing platforms. Thanks to recent improvements in internet connections, video is now an expected part of most people’s online experiences. It’s true that videos are now available on a variety of social media platforms, including Instagram’s own long-form video platform, IGTV. Even so, YouTube remains the de facto video destination.

Watching YouTube videos is often considered a low-pressure internet activity. Even so, the platform continues to entertain billions of people daily. According to a Google study, 73% of YouTube gamers prefer to watch other people play games on YouTube. According to 56% of the respondents, YouTube helps them connect with the gaming community. Keep in mind that YouTube is the world’s second most popular search engine. It’s also the second-most-visited website.

In this article, we will dive into YouTube influencer marketing and some examples of how influencers on the platform are able to generate income.

Why use YouTube influencer marketing 

Influencer marketing is based on the premise that social media celebrities can become experts on a specific topic, resulting in more consumers becoming aware of them and following them. As a person’s reputation for authenticity and their knowledge in a specific space grows, they establish a reputation as a social media influencer. As a result, members of the public engage with these influencers to get their views on a particular topic, learn from them, or simply get brand recommendations. Once someone has gotten knowledge or a recommendation from an influencer, they start to share this information with their own followers and people in their social circles.

In the early days of social media marketing, most people didn’t have powerful enough gadgets or internet connections to consider watching a video. In recent years, this has changed substantially. The use of multimedia, especially video, on the internet has expanded in tandem with the rise of influencers.

Brands all over the world are beginning to see the value of working with YouTube influencers. By default, these influencers generally have access to one of the largest online audiences. What’s more, these influencers are widely trusted and respected by the public.

The YouTube video model

Although most other social networks allow users to submit videos, they are usually brief clips. YouTube videos can be longer and more detailed. These videos undoubtedly offer brands a pleasing way to demonstrate how to use a product, short of an actual in-person display or augmented reality. You might be able to look at gorgeous product photographs on Instagram and read intricate details in a blog post. You can see a product in action on Facebook and listen to the sounds it makes via a podcast. However, only YouTube allows you to be part of an in-depth product demonstration and watch it in action.

Do you need advice on how to create newsworthy content or establish an influencer marketing campaign? Pressfarm‘s PR professionals work with brands and businesses of various sizes to create newsworthy content that can be distributed to media professionals and on their own channels. With email pitches, guest posts, press releases, and press kits, they ensure that the content they create helps their clients gain the appropriate media coverage.

How does YouTube influencer marketing work?

YouTube is a great platform to promote influencers. Compared to other social media platforms, YouTube has a significant number of popular channels. The platform is also older and more established than other social media platforms. It also features a structured advertising framework, which allows marketers to create campaigns in a variety of ways. The platform is popular among individuals of all backgrounds and ages. Even so, it holds a special place in the hearts of Millennials, and Generation Z. In fact, many of the people in these demographics prefer YouTube channels to traditional television networks.

YouTube is distinct from other social media platforms in many respects. Nevertheless, Instagram’s IGTV uses many of the same key functions. On most social media networks, people have a feed of posts from their friends, relatives, and anybody else who interests them. On the other hand, YouTube is more similar to a large-screen television. You’ve subscribed to a few channels and spend the majority of your time watching videos on them. However, you may search for videos in a variety of ways to expand your viewing possibilities.

You can compare the adverts that appear on (inside) YouTube videos to those on traditional media such as television. Brand advertisers pay to have their adverts aired on a specific channel (or a specific type of channel, at least).

The value of influencer marketing on YouTube

Product placement during a television show could be considered a traditional television equivalent to influencer marketing. Brands that develop unofficial ties with television stations to promote their products are simply older versions of modern brands that use YouTube influencer marketing strategies. One downside is that YouTube does not provide the same procedures or behind-the-scenes support for YouTube influencer marketing that it offers for traditional YouTube advertising.

In some ways, YouTube is similar to other social media platforms. For this reason, it’s not uncommon for brands to wonder whether doing influencer marketing on YouTube is worth their money. The fans and followers of influencers expect them to be genuine and authentic, even while promoting brands. For this reason, brands that have a hard time giving up control might not find influencer marketing very beneficial. However, giving an influencer creative freedom over how they present their products is very effective. After all, they know how to engage with their audience best.

While you can ask an influencer to develop a creative narrative for your brand, a simple unboxing video from the right influencer can win you more clients. One of the reasons why unboxing videos do so well is that audiences are willing to put up with certain brand advertisements if they believe the influencer’s views are authentic and the product would benefit them.

Types of YouTube influencer marketing campaigns 

Influencer marketing may seem less formal than other forms of marketing, but it is still just one component in a marketer’s arsenal. As a result, savvy marketers will create various campaigns based on their consumers’ goals. As with most marketing, the stage the customers you’re targeting are at in the sales funnel will have a direct impact on the type of campaign you run.

These are a few examples of common YouTube marketing campaigns.

1) Introductory campaigns 

These are campaigns aimed at introducing a new product to the market or the target market.

Video reviews can be an excellent way to get the word out about your product. You’ll want your influencers to create visually appealing, entertaining videos that feature your product in some way. Ryan Toys Review, for example, is a great example (with 22 million subscribers, this is not a micro-influencer channel). Any videos in which the hosts utilize (or wear) your product can also be helpful. If you sell food, you can pay influencers to create a recipe that includes your product.

2) Maintenance campaigns 

Brands run maintenance campaigns regularly. These marketing campaigns are designed to keep a product top of mind among your target audience. Many well-known brands run maintenance campaigns to maintain brand awareness while generating new sales.

This is the most frequent sort of influencer campaign. You can use the same kind of videos in a maintenance campaign as those you would use in a branding campaign. The difference is that the emphasis is on how the product can solve a common problem for the channel’s viewers rather than on the product’s “newness.”

This category frequently includes educational videos about your product. You may collaborate with an influencer to create “how-to” videos that demonstrate new ways to utilize your product or how customers can get the most value from their purchase. However, remember to concentrate on the benefits rather than the features. Your video viewers aren’t very interested in the flashy product that you’re advertising (especially if it has been on the market for years or has competitors). Rather, consumers and potential clients want to know how it can benefit them and improve their lives.

3) Hashtag campaigns 

Hashtag campaigns are a social media phenomenon, without a doubt. Although hashtags are not as prevalent on YouTube as they are on Instagram or Twitter, they are nonetheless used to find and organize videos on specific topics. If it’s feasible, you should create campaign-specific hashtags.

4) Contest campaigns

YouTube functions in the same way as any other social media network. People enjoy competing, and they will frequently enter competitions hosted by their favorite channels. Contests are especially attractive if the rewards are highly relevant to the channel’s niche.

5) Branding campaigns 

You can create videos about a specific brand or product used in a branding campaign. You must be careful not to make these videos excessively commercial. Otherwise, cynical viewers will rapidly tune out and question the networks’ credibility. Keep in mind that most consumers don’t want to watch advertisements, and the line between an influencer-created branding video and a sponsored ad can be blurry. Use this campaign at your own risk.

How many subscribers do you need to start earning on YouTube 

Now that we know about YouTube influencer marketing let us look at how many subscribers an individual or brand needs to start making money on the platform. This information applies whether you decide to use influencer marketing to find influencers for your campaign or choose to create your own YouTube channel.

YouTube creators don’t need to generate hundreds of thousands of subscribers to make money or turn the gig into a lucrative side gig.

To start receiving money directly from YouTube, a creative must be a member of the YouTube Partner Program. To be eligible as part of the program, creators must have at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 view hours in the last year. Creators can start monetizing their channels once they’ve been accepted using Google’s AdSense program to filter advertising, subscriptions, and channel memberships.

Aside from the Partner Program, creators may be eligible for a monthly bonus of $100 to $10,000 if they post short-form videos from a $100 million Shorts Fund.

Google-placed adverts are a popular strategy for creators to make money directly from YouTube. Jen Lauren, A YouTube creator with 5,000 subscribers, told Insider that her channel made $213 from adverts in the previous month.

It is possible to incorporate the following sorts of ads in your YouTube video:

• Display adverts above the video suggestions list in the upper right corner of your video.
• Overlay ads appear in the lower third of your video as a banner.
• Bumper ads are a form of non-skippable advertisements that must be seen before your video. These commercials are only 6 seconds long.
• Sponsored cards generally appear on the right side of your video and display relevant video material.
• Mid-roll ads are used in videos that are longer than 10 minutes. They can be skippable or non-skippable advertisements. YouTube allows creators to choose whether they want mid-roll advertising generated automatically or manually.

After those ads begin to generate revenue, the creator will receive a cheque from YouTube once they have earned at least $100. Some nano influencers make money from direct sponsorship relationships with brands in addition to Google adverts.

Creators who generate money on YouTube should be aware that any earnings from the platform will be subject to taxation.

How much money do YouTube creators make?

Advertisers pay a certain amount to YouTube for every 1,000 ad views (CPM). The creator gets the remaining 45% after YouTube takes 45%. The revenue per mille (RPM) measure is YouTube’s primary monetization metric. It represents how much money a creator makes per 1,000 views after YouTube’s share. Some topics, such as personal finance or bitcoin, might help a creator’s ad revenue by attracting a large and profitable audience.

Conclusion 

Given the consistent popularity of the platform, it is clear that influencer marketing plays a massive role on YouTube. Whether you plan to create your channel to monetize it or use it in your overall marketing strategy, influencer marketing will be very beneficial in the long run.