How to Make Money on YouTube Without Making Videos [in 2024]

YouTube has become a popular way to make money, but you might not have realized that it’s possible to do it without ever uploading a video. Become a YouTube user, and you get immediate access to a video library. In this library are videos that come under the Creative Commons License.

What this license lets you do is use videos other people have made for YouTube. You get to use them as if they were your own, and you can make money from them.

Make Money on YouTube Without Showing Your Face 2024

YouTube is a fantastic way to make a passive income and free yourself financially. However, it’s not easy, and lots of work is involved, especially in the beginning. That being said, once everything is set up, it becomes an entirely passive income, and very little work is required.

It’s also important to point out that not all your videos will make money. You’re likely to find that 95% of your income comes from just 5% of your videos.

Most YouTubers make money through something called the Google Adsense program. To benefit from this program, your YouTube channel must have a minimum of 1,000 subscribers.

It must also have 4,000 watch time hours in the previous 12 months. Other ways of making money in the meantime would be to promote other people’s or your own products in the descriptions of any videos you’ve already uploaded.

Ways To Make Money On YouTube Without Making Videos

  1. Posting Work From Other Content Creators
  2. Start a Blog
  3. Post Alternative Content
  4. Invest in Google Shares
  5. Advertise with YouTube Ads
  6. Become a YouTube Consultant
  7. Work for YouTube

How to Make Money on YouTube Without Making Videos 2024

For many people, the idea of having a YouTube channel can be very tempting. But what if you’ve got no clue about making a video, or you’re not keen on your face being up there for everyone to see?

The good news is that there is no reason why you have to put yourself in front of the camera. There are many types of video that require no human interaction at all. Examples include animations, relaxing music videos, tutorials, or funny cat/dog compilation videos.

Let’s look at some more opportunities for a YouTube channel that doesn’t require your face:

Podcasts

YouTube is not a channel that was designed for audio content, but for many people, it is one of the most popular ways of listening to podcasts. It’s easy to post your podcast episodes on YouTube, and there’s no need for you to be on camera. A static image of your Podcast cover is all you need.

Gaming Channel

Gamers worldwide are posting their game footage on YouTube along with an entertaining or informative voice-over to make the video complete.

Pet Videos

I don’t think pet videos will ever go out of fashion. Not so long ago, amusing cat videos made up the majority of videos on YouTube. If you’ve got an interesting pet or your fur baby is always making you laugh with their antics, perhaps you should give them their very own channel.

Screen-Sharing

Screen-sharing is an excellent way to teach people different things without the need to put yourself in front of the camera. You’ll need a good screen-recording tool if you want to make a compelling video, but there are plenty to choose from. Camtasia is one you might consider, but it is on the expensive side.

Animation

Several YouTube channels rely almost entirely on animation videos. One very successful example is OneyNG. The videos don’t have to be long. Around a minute or two is plenty long enough. They’re a great idea if you’re artistic, but you could also use many different animation tools if you need some artistic assistance.

Screenshot from YouTube's animation channel OneyNg - an example of how to make money on youtube without making videos

Compilations

Compilations can be risky, but they also have the potential to be hugely successful. Copyright problems can be an issue if you’re not careful.

Disguise

How would you feel about being in disguise so that nobody watching would recognize you? It’s not the most popular option, but there are some who have thousands of subscribers. Dr. Disrespect, for example, not only has a YouTube channel with more than 800k subscribers. You’ll also find him in disguise on Twitch.

Screenshot of Dr. Disrespect's YouTube Channel - an example of how to make money on youtube without making videos

Stock Footage

Many online sites offer stock photos, video footage, music, and much more, some of which are free. If you’re not keen on filming yourself, why not use one of these free services? Shutterstock is just one example.

Screenshot from Shutterstock

Travel Footage/Photography

An increasing number of people make an excellent living simply traveling around the world and taking photographs of where they are and what they’re doing. If you spend a lot of time traveling and always have a camera in your hand, why not use the images you take for your YouTube channel content?

Family Members or Actors

You might not want to appear on camera, but is there someone you know who would relish the chance to be in one of your videos? Perhaps a member of your family, friend, or sibling would love their 5 minutes of fame. Do you have an actor friend who would perform for free?

Product Reviews or Cooking Videos

This type of video is a more hands-on approach, but putting your face up there on the screen isn’t essential. Rather than speaking to the camera yourself, you’d direct it at the product or recipe you’re cooking.

The only thing you might have to show on camera would be your hands. It’s possible to inject a considerable amount of personality into how you talk and what you choose to talk about.

Software Tutorials

In the software world, there are endless opportunities for faceless videos. Music production, office productivity, or video game development are just a few examples.

This is one option that will suit anyone with expert knowledge of a particular kind of software. The software you’re describing will be the focus, and having your face on the screen is not necessary.

Screenshot from YouTube - Software tutorials

Voice Over Content

This is a vast area and includes things like a “Top 10 Family Video Games” video in which you have clips of the games you want to talk about. The soundtrack for the clips would be you describing the games, what’s good about them, and sharing any tips.

How to Make Money on YouTube Without Making Any Videos Ever

Producing regular YouTube content for your channel is a challenge. Compilation videos, however, are much more manageable. They don’t require much editing know-how.

If you pick the right niche, you’ll be able to post content that people enjoy watching and for which there is a vast audience. Ask a selection of people what they watch on YouTube, and a large proportion will say funny clips or top 10’s.

Knowing how to start is a tricky thing, but don’t worry because I’m about to explain what you need to do.

Decide on a Niche

Posting random videos on YouTube will never get you any viewers, subscribers, or make you money, so your first step is to find a niche. Spend some time looking at other YouTube channels, and you’ll soon discover there’s a video for almost anything.

If you want to make money, you need a niche that has a community around it so you can engage with an audience who is happy to watch your videos. There are plenty of niches to choose from. Here are just a few examples:

  • Funny pet clips
  • Motivational or relaxing music
  • Gaming
  • Funny falls or fails

Find Videos with a Creative Commons License

You’ve decided you don’t want to make videos yourself, so what you’ve got to do is find them on YouTube. To avoid copyright issues, you need to look for clips that have a Creative Commons License. There will be no issues using these for your compilation videos.

What is a Creative Commons License? It is one type of public copyright license that allows for the free distribution of any copyrighted work. Authors use one if they want to let other people use, share, or build on something they have already created.

Finding CC videos is relatively easy, as YouTube allows you to filter your searches. Simply enter a relevant term or topic in your niche and click on FILTER. In the section titled FEATURES, select ‘creative commons.’

 

Screenshot from YouTube showing how to filter Creative Commons

 

When you’ve done this, YouTube will only show videos in your niche with a CC license. You can use any videos that come up in this filtered search. In the example above, I used the term “dogs falling in water” and added a Creative Commons license filter.

Download Your Videos

When you’ve got a few videos you like, download them onto your computer because you’ll need to edit them and put them together for your compilation video. You have the option to use the footage exactly as you downloaded it.

But it’s much better and more professional if you edit it and make it your own. You can do this by including an intro you’ve made and an outro and including your YouTube channel’s name.

Screenshot from YouTube showing how to download your videos

Edit and Create Your Compilation Videos

To edit and create your compilation video, it’s often best to use video editing software. The edits you’ll need to do are relatively simple, so you don’t need to worry about spending lots of money on complicated editing software. A free one will be more than adequate.

Here’s a list of some of the things you need to consider:

  • Add an intro and an outro: YouTube can be very helpful here. Simply search for “free YouTube intro/outro template.”
  • Choose an excellent short clip to start the compilation. Twenty or thirty seconds will be more than enough. It needs to grab people’s attention and give them a good reason to carry on watching your video.
  • Add an intro and the content.
  • End with your outro and make suggestions for further videos to watch
  • Make as many compilations as you can before setting up your YouTube channel. Thirty compilation videos is a good number to start with.

Set Up Your YouTube Channel

Screenshot showing how to set up a Google account

If you’ve already got a personal account, there’s nothing wrong with using that one. But it’s best to create a new one with an exciting profile and an eye-catching cover image.

You can use the about section of your account to let people know what they can expect from your channel.

Start Posting

Screenshot explaining how to upload videos in YouTube Studio

A good goal to aim for is to post around three times each day. You’ll need to post more to start with because you want to build your audience. Once you’ve got people visiting your channel, you’ll be able to lower the number of posts you make to one a day.

It doesn’t matter how much effort you put in, it’s more about consistency. – Larry Kim

You might be interested to check those related posts as well:

FAQ

Can You Make Money on YouTube by Posting Other People’s Videos?

Yes, you can. One of the safest ways is to get the written permission from the creator of the video. There is also video content you can use that is entirely copyright-free. Simply search YouTube’s library of videos for those with a Creative Commons license.

How Do I Hide My Identity on YouTube?

YouTube always links channels to a person’s Gmail account. Therefore, the only way to remove your name is to unlink it from your profile. YouTube has a technical team that can help you with this. The other option is to have a different Google email address that doesn’t include any reference to your name.

Should I Use My Real Name on YouTube?

The answer to this kind of depends. If, for example, you want to build an online profile, it might be helpful if you use your real name. When you use your real name, it gives your channel credibility and authority. However, with regards to branding, using an alternative name would work equally well.

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