Here's how to make money on YouTube without making videos

Calling all camera-shy entrepreneurs! Check your stage fright, and get to creating a YouTube account – if you haven’t already – because you can make a buck off your presence on the social media platform without ever making a single video.

Yeah, we know it might sound strange. After all, YouTube is a video content platform, and most users making money from YouTube videos are racking up views with eye-catching content. Then they monetize their channels by hosting or promoting sponsored or affiliate content.

Believe it or not, you can earn passive income from YouTube without the whole content creation part. All it takes is some time, ingenuity, and strategy. It’s time to step out of the social media spotlight (and into a potentially major money-making opportunity!) by learning how to make money on YouTube without showing your face.

3 ways for the camera-shy to make money on YouTube

Put away the camera – you won’t need it for the following ideas for making money on YouTube. It’s time to start your passive income side hustle without recording even a second of new content.

1. Become a content curator

This is one of the simplest ways to make money on YouTube. Find a niche – some special topic you’re really into – and curate existing content that ties in with your interests. For example, if you’re a 1990s pop buff, you could create a channel with playlists of the best music videos of the decade. Love film? Curating movie trailers might be perfect for you. As a content curator, you don’t just gain fans of your own – you also build support for the creators of the videos you’re curating. Just take care never to claim someone else’s work as your own. Give credit where credit is due, and don’t use videos without getting written permission from their owners.

2. Post your podcast audio

This option isn’t really about money-making YouTube videos so much as it’s about money-making YouTube audios. If you’re already making audio content elsewhere, you can expand your presence on the web by posting this content on YouTube. Accompany your audio footage with an image of your podcast’s logo to create some visual interest. After all, your listeners will be there for the audio content, anyways. So, how do you make money on YouTube videos that aren’t really videos in the first place? The same way you would with visual content: by hosting affiliate marketing content or sponsored ads on your channel.

3. Post travel footage or photos

So we know we said this article would be about making money on YouTube without creating videos. But what about posting videos you’ve already made? Think of all those random impromptu travel vids you’ve taken over the years. Perhaps you never even thought about putting them on YouTube, but why not? The same goes for your photos – whether from your last vacation or that roll of black-and-white film you shot – which you can easily compile into slideshows and share on the video platform. Then try monetizing your page to earn ad revenue or income from sponsorships. What’s to lose?

Whichever way you decide to design your YouTube channel, never underestimate the power of also linking to other external content. You don’t have to exclusively promote other brands on YouTube; you can also promote your own. If you have a merch page or another type of online business, don’t miss the opportunity to link to those sites and increase your chances of converting viewers into customers. If you want to link to multiple sites, include a Linktree URL in your video descriptions so you can easily branch out to your other socials, ecommerce site or any other web presence you have.

How to make money helping other YouTubers

Not only do you not have to create videos to make money on YouTube, but you don’t even need to have your own channel. You can also use your natural gifts to help those who do want to be in the spotlight. Check out the following freelance income streams for those who like to work “backstage.”

Subtitling videos for other YouTubers

Are you a polyglot? Put your language skills to work by adding subtitles to videos for other YouTubers. Offer your translation services on job posting boards or reach out to accounts you think could be interested in teaming up with you. Read up on the best practices for video translation, and set yourself up with some subtitling freeware before you make your pitch.

Editing videos for other YouTubers

Just like being on camera isn’t your thing, spending hours editing videos isn’t someone else’s idea of fun. Post about your freelance video editing services on your social media account or job boards, or try to connect directly with YouTubers you think might want help (without being spammy).

Creating music for other YouTubers to use on their videos

Everybody needs an OST. If you’re a musician, you can offer your services to YouTubers who are trying to establish a unique presence on the platform. Perhaps they need a custom opening theme song or a moving track for the background for a video. Whatever they need, we know you can compose it!

Becoming a YouTube consultant

If you have social media marketing, curatorial, or graphic design skills, why not try your hand at helping YouTubers improve their image? Help them learn the ropes of monetization and create a strategy for their account. Or consider helping YouTubers curate their page by helping them select which videos to feature, define a coherent aesthetic theme, and make content that speaks to their specific target audience. Just be sure to read up on YouTube’s policies before you offer your services so that you’re a bonafide expert on the platform’s best practices.