How to Get Monetized on YouTube in 2026 (I Got Monetized in 10 Months!)

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After ten months of consistently posting on YouTube, I am FINALLY monetized! I officially got accepted into the YouTube Partner Program, which means I can now earn money from ads on my videos.

If you’re currently trying to grow your own YouTube channel, I want you to know that getting monetized is absolutely possible, even if you’re starting from zero subscribers. There are also things you can do to make the process easier, mistakes you can avoid, and strategies that can save you a LOT of time.

In this guide, I’m walking you through exactly how to get monetized on YouTube in 2026, including the requirements you need to meet, how to grow your subscribers and watch hours, how to create videos people actually want to watch, and how to apply for monetization once you’re eligible.

I’ll also share what worked for me, what I would do differently if I were starting today, and how you can start making money from your content even BEFORE YouTube starts paying you.

I’ve been a full-time content creator for almost ten years, building The Wanderlover across Instagram, my blog, and my podcast. But YouTube was one platform I really wanted to focus on because of its opportunity to create long-form content that continues reaching people for months or even years after it’s published.

Unlike Instagram, where posts often get most of their engagement within the first couple of days, YouTube videos can continue getting discovered through search and recommendations. And one of the best things about YouTube is that the platform actually pays eligible creators to make videos.

If you genuinely enjoy creating videos and you’re willing to learn how YouTube works, it can become an incredible source of income and potentially even a full-time career.

The key is approaching YouTube with a strategy rather than simply uploading videos and hoping they go viral.

Let’s break down the steps you can follow, whether you’re just starting your channel or already working toward monetization!

Step 1: Understand the YouTube Monetization Requirements

The first thing you need to do is understand exactly what you’re working toward because there are different ways to qualify for the YouTube Partner Program.

For full ad revenue monetization, you generally need:

• 1,000 subscribers
• Either 4,000 valid public watch hours from long-form videos within the past 12 months, OR 10 million valid public Shorts views within the past 90 days.

In February 2027, these numbers increase to 8,000 qualified public watch hours in the last 365 days (doubled from the previous 4,000 hours) or 20 million qualified public Shorts views in the last 90 days (doubled from 10 million).

You also need to:

• Follow YouTube’s monetization policies.
• Have no active Community Guidelines strikes.
• Enable two-step verification.
• Have access to advanced features.
• Connect an eligible AdSense for YouTube account.

For most people who want to earn money from YouTube ads, I recommend focusing on long-form videos.

Ultimately, you’ll need to decide whether you’re going to focus primarily on long-form videos or Shorts because the strategies for reaching those two monetization paths can be very different.

For me, I chose to focus on long-form YouTube videos because I wanted to create travel guides, tutorials, and educational content that people could discover through search.

If your goal is to build a channel that generates income over the long term, I think long-form content is a really interesting opportunity. A single video can continue attracting viewers for years after you publish it.

Step 2: Choose Category Buckets That People Actually Want to Watch

The next step is choosing what your YouTube channel is going to be about.

I know everyone talks about choosing a niche, but I think this is especially important when you’re trying to grow a channel from zero. YouTube needs to understand who your videos are for, and viewers need a reason to subscribe.

You don’t necessarily have to choose ONE incredibly specific topic that you’ll talk about forever. Your channel can absolutely evolve as your interests and lifestyle change.

However, when you’re first starting, it helps to have a clear idea of who you’re creating content for and what kind of value you’re providing.

I like to organize these topics into what I call category buckets, and then sort those into playlists.

For example, instead of creating a general lifestyle channel where you post random videos about everything happening in your life, you might focus on:

• Helping people travel on a budget.
• Teaching beginners how to start an online business.
• Sharing fitness routines for new moms.
• Reviewing technology for content creators.

The more clearly you can identify the audience you’re trying to reach, the easier it becomes to come up with video ideas those people will actually want to watch.

You also want to choose category buckets that you’re genuinely interested in because you’re going to be creating a LOT of content about them.

I’ve been creating travel content for almost ten years. Because I’ve traveled to so many different countries and lived abroad for years, I have a lot of firsthand experience I can share.

When I started taking YouTube seriously, it made sense for me to create travel guides about destinations I knew really well.

But because I also teach others how to make money online, and now I’m getting into real estate, I have other playlists for people looking for tips on those topics, too.

When choosing your niche, ask yourself:

• What do I know a lot about?
• What do people already ask me for advice about?
• What problems can I help people solve?
• Could I realistically create 50 or 100 videos about this topic?

You want to build a channel around topics that you enjoy talking about and can consistently provide value on.

Step 3: Create Videos People Are Already Searching For

Once you’ve chosen your niche, the next step is figuring out what videos to create.

This is where I think a lot of new YouTubers go wrong.

They start creating videos based entirely on what they feel like filming, without thinking about whether anyone is actually searching for that information or would be interested enough to click.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with creating personal videos or sharing your life. But if your goal is to grow your channel and get monetized, I recommend starting with content that has an existing audience.

One of the easiest ways to do this is through YouTube search.

Go to YouTube and start typing in topics related to your niche. Look at the suggestions that appear in the search bar because these can give you ideas about what people are looking for.

Then, look at the videos that are already performing well in your niche.

• What questions are they answering?
• What titles are they using?
• What topics seem to generate a lot of interest?

You don’t want to copy other creators, but you can absolutely use this research to understand what your audience wants.

For example, instead of recording a vlog titled “My Vacation in Brazil,” I created a video called “15 Things You MUST Do in Florianópolis, Brazil.”

The second title gives viewers a clear reason to click because they know exactly what they’re going to learn.

That’s the kind of content that can continue attracting viewers long after you publish it. Someone planning a trip to Florianópolis six months from now might still discover that video through YouTube search.

This is something I really recommend thinking about when planning your content. Don’t just create individual videos. Think about how your videos can connect to each other.

If someone discovers one of your videos and finds it helpful, what would they naturally want to watch next?

The more related content you have, the more opportunities you create for viewers to continue watching your channel. This helps you accumulate watch hours, which are one of the biggest requirements for monetization.

Step 4: Create Titles and Thumbnails That Make People Click

Once you’ve chosen a topic, the next thing you need to focus on is your title and thumbnail.

I cannot emphasize enough how important these are on YouTube.

You could create the most helpful, beautifully edited video in the world, but if nobody clicks on it, nobody is going to watch it.

Your title and thumbnail are essentially your first impression. They’re what convince someone scrolling through YouTube that your video is worth their time.

Before you even start filming, I recommend thinking about what your title and thumbnail are going to be.

Ask yourself:

• What is the main promise of my video?
• What is the viewer going to learn, discover, or experience?
• How can I communicate that in a way that’s immediately clear?

For example, if you’re creating a video about growing on Instagram, a title like “Instagram Tips” is pretty generic.

But something like “How to Grow Your First 1,000 Instagram Followers” is much more specific and gives people a clear outcome.

When it comes to thumbnails, I think simpler is usually better.

You don’t need to cram your thumbnail with ten different photos, arrows, circles, and paragraphs of text.

You want someone to understand what your video is about within one or two seconds.

Use clear images, readable text if you’re including any, and make sure your thumbnail looks good even when it’s really small on someone’s phone.

One thing I’ve learned is that YouTube is very different from Instagram in this way.

On Instagram, people are often discovering your content while scrolling through their feeds. But on YouTube, especially with long-form videos, people are making a more intentional decision about what they want to watch.

Your title and thumbnail need to give them a reason to choose YOUR video over all the other videos being recommended.

And if you already have videos published that aren’t getting many views, one thing you can experiment with is updating their titles and thumbnails.

Sometimes the content itself is good, but the way it’s packaged isn’t compelling enough.

Step 5: Focus on Watch Time and Audience Retention

Now let’s talk about watch hours because this is where a lot of creators struggle when trying to get monetized.

Getting 1,000 subscribers is one milestone, but accumulating 4,000 valid public watch hours can feel like a completely different challenge.

The good news is that you don’t necessarily need millions of views to reach that requirement.

Let’s do some simple math.

If your average viewer watches five minutes of your videos, you would need approximately 48,000 views to generate 4,000 watch hours.

If your average viewer watches ten minutes, you would only need approximately 24,000 views.

And if your average viewer watches fifteen minutes, you would need approximately 16,000 views.

These are simplified examples assuming all of that watch time qualifies, but I think they help illustrate why audience retention is so important.

The longer people watch your videos, the more watch time you’re generating from each view.

Instead of focusing only on getting more views, think about how you can make your videos more engaging.

Improve your introduction.

One of the easiest things you can do is improve your introduction.

When someone clicks on your video, you want to immediately reassure them that they’re in the right place.

Tell them what they’re going to learn and why they should keep watching.

You don’t need a long introduction about yourself, your entire life story, or why you decided to start YouTube. Get into the value quickly.

For example, if someone clicks on a video about the best neighborhoods to stay in Rio de Janeiro, they’re probably trying to plan a trip.

They want to know which neighborhoods are safe, which are close to the beach, which are best for nightlife, and which fit their budget.

I would start by explaining exactly what the video is going to cover and then get straight into those recommendations.

Organize your videos into clear chapters.

Another thing that helps is organizing your videos into clear chapters.

You want viewers to feel like the video is moving forward and that there’s a reason to keep watching.

You don’t necessarily need incredibly fast editing or constant transitions to accomplish this.

Some audiences love slower, more conversational content, especially when they’re watching educational videos or travel guides.

The most important thing is that you’re delivering on the promise you made in your title and thumbnail.

Pay attention to your audience retention graphs.

Once you start publishing videos, pay attention to your audience retention graphs in YouTube Studio.

Look at where people are dropping off.

Are they leaving during your introduction? Are there certain sections where people stop watching? Are there moments where viewers are rewatching something?

All of that information can help you make better videos.

The goal is to continually improve your content so people have a reason to keep watching.

Step 6: Be Consistent Long Enough to See Results

The next step is consistency.

I know you’ve probably heard this advice a million times, but I really do think it’s one of the biggest factors in getting monetized. It’s also where so many amazing creators give up too early.

I started consistently publishing on YouTube about ten months before getting approved.

On September 9, 2026, I officially reached 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 public watch hours.

I want to emphasize that it took ten months because I think people often underestimate how long it can take to build momentum on YouTube.

You might publish ten videos and barely get any views.

You might spend weeks working on a video that doesn’t perform as well as you hoped.

It’s very easy to get discouraged and start wondering whether you’re wasting your time.

I see so many talented creators dedicate a few months to YouTube and then burn out because they didn’t get monetized.

But something I’ve learned is that YouTube growth isn’t necessarily linear.

Sometimes you can spend months publishing videos that get a few hundred views, and then one video starts performing really well.

People discover your channel, start watching your older videos, and suddenly your watch hours and subscribers begin growing much faster.

That’s exactly what happened with my channel.

I reached the monetization requirements on September 9th, and by the end of September, I already had over 7,000 watch hours.

Once my videos started getting traction, my watch hours increased much faster than they had in the previous months.

In my mind, I was going to publish one video every week for a year before I decided whether to quit or not.

I’m SO glad I didn’t quit after month six because I would have never gotten accepted into the YouTube Partner Program.

That’s why I think it’s so important to give yourself enough time to see results.

Consistency doesn’t mean posting every single day.

I also want to clarify that consistency doesn’t mean you have to post every single day.

In fact, I would much rather see you publish one really helpful video every week than five rushed videos that aren’t providing much value.

This is especially important if you’re working a full-time job, raising kids, traveling, or running another business.

You need to find a publishing schedule that works for YOUR lifestyle.

If that’s one video a week, great. If it’s one video every two weeks, that’s fine, too.

The important thing is that you’re able to maintain that schedule long enough to improve your skills, learn from your audience, and build a library of content.

And don’t assume that every video has to perform well.

Some videos are going to flop. Some might take months to get discovered. Sometimes the videos you least expect will end up being your best performers.

Your job is to keep learning, improving, and sticking to it for AT LEAST A YEAR.

Embody the identity of a YouTube creator.

Every day, identify as a YouTube creator. Tell people you create YouTube videos.

Repeat to yourself that you are a creator, and creators create videos. Creators get monetized. Make that identity part of your everyday life so that reaching monetization starts to feel inevitable.

Step 7: Apply for the YouTube Partner Program

Once you’ve reached the monetization requirements, the next step is actually applying to the YouTube Partner Program.

This is where I ran into some unexpected challenges, so I definitely want to share what happened to help you hopefully avoid the same mistakes.

Once you’re eligible, you can go into YouTube Studio, click on the Earn tab, and follow the application steps.

You’ll need to:

1. Review and accept the relevant YouTube Partner Program terms.
2. Set up or connect an eligible AdSense for YouTube account.
3. Wait for YouTube to review your channel.

YouTube reviews your channel to make sure it complies with its monetization policies. Reaching the subscriber and watch-hour requirements doesn’t automatically guarantee approval.

One thing I recommend is making sure your content is original and follows YouTube’s policies before applying.

You don’t want to spend months building your channel only to discover that you have issues with reused content or other monetization requirements.

Check your Google AdSense account before applying.

Another thing I recommend is making sure you understand your Google AdSense setup before you reach this stage.

Because this is exactly where I got stuck!

I’ve been creating content and running my online business for almost ten years, so I already had an existing Google AdSense account associated with my blog and advertising setup.

When I tried to go through the YouTube monetization application, I ended up dealing with duplicate AdSense account errors and multiple account associations.

Because Google generally only allows one AdSense account per payee, this created a HUGE headache.

I spent weeks trying to figure out which account was connected to what, which accounts needed to be closed, and how to properly link everything to YouTube.

So if you’re approaching monetization, my biggest advice is to check whether you already have an AdSense account before creating anything new.

If you’ve monetized a blog or website before, you might already have an account associated with your information.

And if you run into duplicate account errors, don’t immediately start creating more accounts or closing things without understanding what’s connected.

You can even use ChatGPT to help you organize the different account numbers, publisher IDs, and error messages so you can understand what’s happening. Just make sure you verify any account changes against Google’s official instructions before taking action.

Eventually, after working through all the account issues, I finally got everything properly linked.

On October 8, 2026, I officially got accepted into the YouTube Partner Program!

So even though I reached the requirements on September 9th, it took almost another month before I was officially approved.

I think that’s an important distinction: qualifying for monetization and actually being approved are two separate steps.

If you’re working toward getting monetized, make sure you’re prepared for both.

Step 8: Understand How Much You Can Actually Make on YouTube

Now, once you’re monetized, how much money can you actually make on YouTube?

I know this is probably one of the biggest questions people have, especially if your goal is to eventually turn YouTube into a full-time income.

The answer is that it depends on a lot of different factors.

Your YouTube earnings can vary based on:

• Your niche.
• Where your viewers are located.
• The types of ads being shown.
• How long your videos are.
• Seasonality.
• How much advertisers are willing to pay to reach your audience.

Two creators with the exact same number of views can earn completely different amounts.

That’s why I think it’s important to understand RPM, which stands for revenue per mille.

RPM tells you approximately how much revenue you’re earning per 1,000 views.

For example:

• If your RPM is $3, then 100,000 views would generate approximately $300 in revenue.
• If your RPM is $8, then those same 100,000 views would generate approximately $800.

These are just hypothetical examples, but I think they help illustrate why your earnings depend on more than just how many views you’re getting.

If you’re just getting started, I would encourage you not to focus too much on how much money you’re going to make from ads right away.

Getting monetized doesn’t mean you’re suddenly going to start making a full-time income.

For most creators, ad revenue is only one piece of the bigger picture.

I only just got monetized, so I don’t have enough actual earnings data yet to give you a meaningful breakdown of how much my channel is making.

But once I have a few months of data, I definitely want to share my actual numbers, including how much different types of videos earn.

I think it will be really interesting to compare travel content with online business and entrepreneurship content.

If you’re currently working toward monetization, focus on building a channel that attracts the right audience and provides consistent value.

Once you have that foundation, there are so many different ways to generate income.

Step 9: Don’t Wait Until You’re Monetized to Start Making Money

This brings me to one of the most important things I want you to understand if you’re trying to become a full-time content creator.

You do NOT need to wait until you’re accepted into the YouTube Partner Program to start making money from your content.

I think one of the biggest mistakes aspiring creators make is spending months or years chasing subscribers and followers without thinking about how they’re actually going to monetize their audience.

I understand why, because YouTube makes monetization feel like this huge milestone you have to reach before you can start earning.

But the reality is that you can make money from your content long before YouTube starts paying you.

And I’ve been doing exactly that for almost ten years.

Before I ever started focusing seriously on YouTube, I was already earning income through:

• Brand collaborations.
• Affiliate marketing.
• Digital products.
• Coaching.
• Other parts of my online business.

That’s why I always teach my students inside The Wanderlover Business Academy to GET PAID FIRST.

Instead of waiting until you have 1,000 or 10,000 subscribers, start thinking about what value you can offer your audience right now.

For example, if you’re creating videos about photography, you could:

• Offer photography services.
• Sell editing presets.
• Create a beginner photography course.

If you’re creating travel videos, you could:

• Earn affiliate commissions from products and services you genuinely recommend.
• Collaborate with brands.
• Sell travel guides.

If you’re teaching people a specific skill, you could offer coaching, consulting, or digital products.

You don’t necessarily need a huge audience to start.

You need people who trust you and an offer that solves a real problem.

I’d much rather see someone with 500 subscribers making their first $1,000 online than someone with 50,000 subscribers who has no idea how to turn their audience into a business.

Once you understand how to make money independently, YouTube monetization becomes an additional income stream rather than the only thing you’re working toward.

I think that makes the entire creator journey so much more sustainable.

Want to learn how to monetize your content and build an online business?

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Okay, Danielle, I understand that I should start monetizing my content, but I don’t know what to sell, how to create an offer, or how to find my first customers,” that’s exactly what I teach inside The Wanderlover Business Academy.

We focus on getting paid first, creating offers people actually want, finding your first customers, and working toward your first $5,000 online.

Explore The Wanderlover Business Academy

What I Would Do Differently If I Were Starting a YouTube Channel From Zero

If I were starting a brand-new YouTube channel today, knowing everything I’ve learned over the past ten months, there are a few things I would do differently.

1. Get clear on my category buckets.

I would get really clear on my category buckets and who I want to reach BEFORE I start publishing. Having a defined audience makes it much easier to plan content that people actually want to watch.

2. Research video ideas before filming.

I would research video ideas and think about titles and thumbnails BEFORE filming. That way, I already know what the purpose of each video is and how I want to position it.

3. Create a content plan with related videos.

I would create a content plan with related videos so that viewers who discover one video have a reason to watch more of my channel.

4. Stop comparing my growth to other creators.

This is probably the biggest one.

Every channel is different. Just because someone else reached 1,000 subscribers faster than you doesn’t mean they’re going to build a more successful channel in the long run.

Trust your timeline and embody the role of a creator.

Fall in love with the process and know that you will be monetized.

My Goals for YouTube Moving Forward

Now that I’m officially monetized, I’m really excited about what comes next!

Reaching 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours was a huge milestone, but I definitely don’t see it as the finish line.

My goal now is to continue growing my channel, creating videos that people genuinely find helpful, and building YouTube into another meaningful part of The Wanderlover business.

I want to continue expanding my travel content because that’s been such a big part of my life and it’s also what has performed really well on the channel so far, especially now that we’re traveling as a family.

But I also want to create more content about entrepreneurship, building online businesses, investing in real estate around the world, and our personal journey of creating a lifestyle that allows us to live and work from anywhere.

My life has grown so much bigger and fuller than just travel, and I want to bring you all along!

Final Thoughts: Getting Monetized on YouTube Is Possible!

If you’re currently working toward getting monetized on YouTube, I hope this guide gives you a clear roadmap for how to get there.

Remember, you don’t need to go viral overnight, post every single day, or have millions of subscribers to start building something meaningful.

Focus on creating valuable videos, understanding your audience, improving your titles and thumbnails, increasing watch time, and staying consistent long enough to see results.

And most importantly, don’t wait until YouTube starts paying you to start making money from your content.

If you want to learn how to turn your content into actual income and work toward your first $5,000 online, check out The Wanderlover Business Academy.

I’d also love to hear from you! What did you find most helpful in this guide, and what would you like to learn more about when it comes to growing and monetizing your YouTube channel?

Don’t forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel. We have new videos every Monday!

I’ll see you in the next episode. Have an amazing week, my loves!

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