How Do Dancers Make Money on YouTube?
Nov 2, 2020Dance videos are some of the most popular videos on YouTube. Many dancers can build huge audiences on YouTube and get millions of views. But have you ever wondered- how do dancers make money on YouTube? After all, many popular creators earn money by making videos, so surely dance channels are no different, right?
Dancers make money on YouTube primarily through affiliate marketing and brand deals. They also make money through paid gigs where they take part in music videos or teach a class. Sometimes, dancers monetize their videos through Google AdSense, but this is not very common as dance videos tend to contain copyrighted music.
Monetizing dance videos are done in the same way many other types of videos are monetized. Whether a channel creates vlogging videos or dancing videos, the monetization methods employed for each are usually the same. So, while dancing channels are different from other types of channels, they are monetized similarly to other types of channels.
Can You Monetize Dance Videos
Before we go any further, we need to address the question: Can you monetize dance videos? There are a lot of misconceptions about monetizing dance videos, and these misconceptions lead to lost revenue for many dancers. Keep in mind, when we speak of monetizing dance videos, we are speaking of monetizing them with Google AdSense.
The biggest issue dancers face when trying to monetize their videos with AdSense is copyright. Since dance videos feature music, many videos are copyright claimed by the musicians or production companies. This makes it so all the money the dance video makes through AdSense goes to the musician or production company- not the dancer.
If you are thinking of creating dance videos, just be aware that many songs will result in your videos getting copyright claimed. Of course, as you'll learn, there are many other ways to monetize videos aside from Google AdSense. However, many people only think of AdSense as a monetization option, which is why it was important for this question to be addressed.
How Dancers Make Money on YouTube
Dancers can make money on YouTube in a variety of different ways. Often, dancers tend to employ multiple monetization methods at the same time like artists and musicians. This leads to a more stable and secure income. Some monetization methods will work better in certain situations, but all monetization methods can be done organically and effectively.
On YouTube, dancers primarily make money through:
- Affiliate marketing
- Brand deals
- Paid gigs
- Google AdSense
Let's discuss each of these monetization methods in more detail.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a great way for dancers to make money on YouTube. By promoting different products and services, dancers can earn money. Typically, dancers will promote apparel or health products that they use to keep their bodies healthy and to improve their dancing.
Brand Deals
The are many brands and companies that create products specifically for dancers. Due to this, there are plenty of opportunities for brand deals to take place. For brand deals, a creator is usually paid to bring attention to a particular product or service. A dance channel, for example, might be paid to promote a particular shoe brand.
Paid Gigs
Dancers have the luxury of possessing a sellable skill. Often, dancers are hired to take part in music videos. Since a dancer who creates YouTube videos has a large portfolio built, they are likely to be hired to take part in music videos. Along with this, dancers are also sometimes paid to teach dance classes to individuals looking to improve their skills.
Google AdSense
Dance channels often struggle to monetize videos with Google AdSense due to copyright issues. However, in some instances, dance videos can be monetized. Also, many dancers create non-dance videos, such as Q&As and vlogs that can be monetized safely with Google AdSense.
YouTube Dance Cover Copyright
Avoiding copyright issues when creating dance videos is very difficult. Many music artists and production companies automatically claim videos that use their music so they can earn money. However, there are things that dance channels can do to help their videos get copyright claimed less often.
Sometimes, reaching out directly to a musician or production company can lead to permission for a dancer to use copyrighted music. Many musicians are looking for their music to be heard by more people. So, if a dance channel with an audience creates a dance video using the song, it will be heard by more people.
Overall, avoiding copyright issues is difficult as a dance channel. However, steps can be taken to help with the issue. Dance channels can reach out directly to musicians and production companies for permission to use their music in a video. Also, less popular songs can be used, leading to a smaller chance of a copyright claim taking place.
Examples of Dance Channels on YouTube That Make Money
There are many dance channels on YouTube that make money through different monetization methods. Learning from the dance channels that are successful in monetizing their audience is crucial for any dancer looking to grow and monetize an audience of their own on YouTube.
Matt Steffanina
Matt Steffanina is a professional dancer and the owner of an incredibly popular YouTube channel. He makes money by monetizing videos with Google AdSense, brand deals, and also through his online academy, DNCR Online Dance Academy. His channel is a fantastic example of how dancers can make money online by building a YouTube audience.
Sabrina Lonis
Sabrina Lonis is a professional choreographer and dance teacher. She makes dance videos for new and popular songs. Her videos are monetized through AdSense, and she also earns money by hosting in-person dance workshops. Sabrina is a great example of a dancer who monetizes her YouTube audience through offline methods.
Conclusion
Dance videos are quite popular on YouTube. Many content creators grow huge audiences through dancing to popular songs. Having an audience leads to monetization options, and dancers similarly monetize their videos to non-dance channels using affiliate marketing and more. This biggest monetization hurdle dance channels commonly face is copyright.