Can DJs Make Money On YouTube? (Get Paid to DJ on YouTube)

We often get asked can DJs make money on YouTube and our reply is always a YES! But you need to have a plan, focus and be prepared to put the hours in. DAILY!
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Can DJs Make Money On YouTube
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When it comes to the different ways that a DJ can make money and monetize their skills, one of the methods most often talked about is making money on YouTube.

But with stringent copyright music regulations enforced on Youtube can DJs make money on YouTube?

In a nutshell yes, there are ways.

As a DJ, becoming a YouTuber and making money on the platform could potentially be an excellent way of diversifying your income streams, though you may need to consider your strategy as it is FAR FROM easy!

Let’s find out why!

Can DJs Make Money On YouTube (in short)

Yes. But a word of warning. YouTube music success does not come overnight. Building a successful YouTube channel requires patience, consistency, and a lot of work and could potentially take a couple of years until you gain any financial traction or channel virality.

https://youtu.be/bIngfKyJyUw

Read this next: How Much Do DJs Make?

Get Paid to DJ on YouTube!

Many DJs think that it’s as simple as creating a channel and uploading their mixes onto the site, only to give up due to a lack of interest and maintaining consistency.

The reason so many DJs fail when using the platform is that they don’t understand the importance of establishing an audience and consistency.

If you want to make money on the YouTube platform, you’re going to need to understand that there are a lot of factors that have to be accounted for.

Still, once you grasp those concepts, working on the platform can be incredibly simple and fulfilling.

In this guide, we’ll be breaking down some of the different ways you can start making money using the YouTube platform.

We’ll also offer some alternative platforms you can use alongside YouTube music that can not only give you an additional revenue stream if done correctly but can create a synergistic effect where each works to help the other platforms grow.

djs mix youtube
A successful YouTube channel may take years to grow.

Should YouTube Be Your Main Income?

Before getting into how to make money with YouTube, we should first talk about if it’s even worth it.

We also need to discuss whether or not YouTube videos should be your main source of income or if you should get the bulk of your money elsewhere.

The truth of the matter is, while you certainly can’t control which revenue stream explodes and which doesn’t, with rare exceptions, you should avoid trying to make YouTube music the main place where you think you will generate your money.

There are a lot of great things about the online video streaming platform that certainly make it seem like the smart move on your end to focus on.

And, while many of those factors are valid, there are just too many places where you can find yourself getting tripped up and either losing it all or getting struck down before you even get started.

Reason #1. Difficulty Monetizing Yourself

Attaining monetization status on YouTube isn’t as easy as it used to be.

Years ago, YouTube monetization was fairly automatic, with you getting compensated for your videos the moment they started collecting views.

The amounts wouldn’t be much, mind you (think a few cents to a dollar), but you could make some lunch money if you managed to attract a small audience.

Today, things are very different.

We’ll go over it in more detail later, but suffice to say that there are now some very stringent requirements to achieving YouTube monetization, namely the fact that you need to have at least 1,000 subscribers and to have 4,000 hours of collective watched time for your videos.

For people that have been in the game, this can be pretty easy to achieve.

However, when you’re starting and no one knows who you are, it can be incredibly difficult to push past complete obscurity and into some level of notoriety.

Over 90% of new YouTube channels fail to reach 1,000 subscribers.

It’s tough going.

There are other factors you have to achieve as well, but this alone can make YouTube something that you may not want to throw all your eggs in one basket over.

can djs make money on youtube with remixes
YouTube are HOT on copyright!

Read this next: How To Get Unreleased Music (Proven Tips and Methods)

Copyright infringement is a very big issue when it comes to YouTube and setting up a channel.

While every platform has varying levels of enforcement, YouTube is one of the most aggressive. This can be a big issue for DJs that plan to create mixes using preexisting songs.

YouTube has something known as Content-ID, which is used to scan all uploaded videos on the platform, aiming to match them with any copyright materials.

If your video includes any music content that is deemed to be copyrighted, you’re either going to have the video muted, demonetized, or immediately made private.

You can appeal this action, but their program is fairly accurate, so be in for an uphill battle.

In addition, there are some instances where your music video may be blocked from being viewed by certain countries… and this is the best-case scenario.

Music is heavily copyrighted so generating revenue on YouTube can be an uphill battle.

Unless you are releasing your own music, that is!

Reason #3. Channel Takedowns

The worst-case scenario, on the other hand, can be pretty rough.

Taking copyright enforcement to its extreme, if you’re video is “copyright claimed” (ie., if the copyright owners claim your video), all YouTube monetization is immediately halted, the video is blocked, and, if found to be valid, any current income that has yet to be paid out to you will go to them instead before the video is blocked entirely.

If this happens three times, you run the risk of having your entire channel permanently taken down.

This is a big issue for DJs as a large portion of the content you’re likely to use within your videos will include other people’s music.

Unless, as mentioned in point 2 above, you plan to use entirely original music and beats that you’ve made yourself, you open yourself up to this litigation every time you put a video out.

DJ Youtube

Read this next: 12 Places to Legally Download Free DJ Music

Monetizing Your YouTube Channel

Now, you may think that making money on YouTube isn’t worth it.

That’s not the case.

While people have made quite a living on other alternative platforms, without a doubt, YouTube has a lot of benefits that, if harnessed, can net you a significant amount of money for a long period of time.

The key is just not making it your sole or primary form of income.

So long as you’re using it as a supplemental means of feeding some of your other gigs and uses, there is a lot of value in using YouTube.

How To Qualify For Monetization

As mentioned above, to monetize your account, you’ll have to hit certain eligibility requirements; the first of which is that you apply for the YouTube Partner Program, also known as the YPP.

To qualify for the YPP, you’ll need:

  • Have 1,000 Subscribers Minimum
  • Have Over 4,000 Hours Of Public Watch Time Over The Past 12 Months
  • To Be In Good Standing With YouTube
  • Be In A Country Of Residence That The YPP Is Available In
  • Have A Linked Adsense Account
youtube dj
Channels need over 4000 hours of annual viewing time and 1000 subscribers to be monetized.

Read this next: Can I DJ Live On Instagram? (Sure, Here’s How!)

How To Make Money On YouTube

Whether or not you currently hit all of the different requirements, if you want to make money on YouTube, the name of the game on YouTube is content production.

You’ll need to put out and produce as much content as possible to bring in as many views as possible.

The key question, however, is, what kind of content you’ll need to put out to reach the most amount of viewers?

Let’s take a look at some of the areas that can work in the DJ niche.

#1. Tutorials

Probably one of the best ways to start making a name for yourself while also showing your DJ skills, performing tutorials of different mixed styles is a great way to grow an audience while also presenting yourself as an expert in the field.

DJ gear and music producing tutorials can range from standard beginner breakdowns (what is a controller, how to transition, how does a mixer work, etc.) to potentially more unique methods of mixing that you’ve personally perfected.

Tutorials are not only an incredibly easy way to make a name for yourself and build a following, but they’re also great for helping you solidify your knowledge of the basics so that you can truly become an expert in the material you’re teaching.

Overall, while all of these methods are great in their way, I’d suggest starting with this method first and then doing any of the others.

Simply put, when people know you’re an expert, they’re more likely to take what you have to say seriously, whether that be determining what track is being played, giving out music advice, ranking individual clubs, or even vlogging about your own personal life.

#2. Music Advice

Very similar to #1.

One of the initial methods you should consider when starting a YouTube DJ channel. This will be a music channel where you can deliver real, honest, experienced and authentic advice for people trying to get into the music industry can be an incredibly effective way to grow a following while also building yourself up as a subject matter expert.

The simplest and easiest method is simply determining where your strengths are greatest and teaching people about that.

This could be strictly about DJing and different tutorials (more on that later), or it could be about certain songs and all the tracks and their history. It could also include things how to promote yourself as a DJ, marketing ideas, socila media workshops and interviews with experts.

Any information you can give as an expert in the field can be a huge boost to your channel’s growth.

can i earn money by uploading songs on youtube
Mentoring channels work well on YouTube.

Read this next: How To Livestream DJ Sets In A Few Easy Steps

#3. Track or Mix Uploads

Lastly, we have what everyone initially thinks of when they think of a DJ going on YouTube. This is the most commonly thought of method, and that’s by uploading your mixes onto YouTube for people to listen to and enjoy.

While this is a great way to boost your profile and put your name out there, and can certainly lead to making some money, it’s also one of the most difficult to get initially get put out while monetized. It’s also the easiest to get pulled or made private by YouTube.

This is due to the aforementioned copyright enforcement.

As mentioned earlier, YouTube’s Content-ID software is incredibly precise and will strike a video if some or all of it is determined to be copyrighted.

On the low end, this can result in the video just being muted and demonetized, while, on the other end, this can result in your video being blocked or taken down entirely.

Again, if your mix is entirely original, with no copyrighted material, then you’re probably not going to get in any trouble.

If you’re like most other DJs, however, and you’ve got some content from preexisting songs, you’re better off looking at some alternatives.

#4. Vlogging

Another method of building up your music channel is by creating a vlog.

Vlogging may seem a bit silly and superficial, but you’d be surprised just how much information a person can glean from an “over-the-shoulder” video experience.

While this won’t be an ideal method to start, if you’ve managed to build up your standing and reputation via some of the other content ideas listed, there are a lot of useful ways that you can vlog.

An example could be a “day in the life” experience, where you just go about your day, including your time in the studio creating mixes or while going to your regular club.

Not only does this create a “backstage” experience for the viewer, but can also be a useful form of advertisement if a particular club is interested in you shouting them out.

can you make money on youtube live stream
DJ tutorial channels are popular on YouTube.

Read this next: How To Livestream DJ Sets In A Few Easy Steps

Can DJs Make Money On YouTube? Takeaway

Overall, making money on YouTube as a DJ isn’t nearly as easy or as difficult as you may have initially believed.

The key to always keep in mind is that each social media platform has its strengths and weaknesses.

By understanding what one offers over the others, you can properly diversify your time so that you aren’t throwing all your eggs in one basket. And remember, YouTube music will take time and a lot of focus.

Learn what makes each platform work, learn how to make a name for yourself, and very soon, you could potentially retire from actual gigs, and make most of your income just from putting your content online.

Dexter has worked in the music business since the early 1990s. He has been a keen tech writer for many years and is still regularly involved in promoting prominent electronic music events in Ibiza and the UK. Dexter also specializes in managing and growing digital marketing platforms for leading international DJs, event brands, and venues. He relocated to Croatia from Ibiza six years ago but has continued his industry involvement whilst living on the electronic music party Island of Pag. Alongside music, Dexter is a cat nut and a through-and-through family man!

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