Video Vanguards: How YouTubers are making money...and you can, too

Starting a business from the comfort of your bedroom? Yes, please! For YouTubers across the country, that dream is a total reality. In the past several years, vloggers have launched million-dollar businesses (like Michelle Phan’s company Ipsy) using the money and following they earn from their channels. YouTube "celebs" are becoming more and more common, which means a growing industry, increased advertising dollars and yep, *your* chance to be a star.

It's no secret that Youtubers make money from posting their content online, but creating a Youtube channel can be even more lucrative than you may have thought. The wealthiest YouTuber on record, known by the screen name Pewdiepie, is estimated to be worth 12 million dollars.

So how exactly are they earning all of this money?

All YouTube channels have a CPM, which means cost per thousand (M is the roman numeral for thousand). This means that for every 1,000 views a video gets, the YouTuber will profit a certain amount of money (usually between 5-7 dollars).

In addition to their CPM income, many YouTubers do brand deals, which is when the vlogger will feature or highlight a product in their video. In exchange for the publicity, the company will pay them—and that paycheck is usually pretty hefty.

Ready to become the next YouTube sensation?

All you need is a video camera, a YouTube account and something to talk about. Love makeup? Post some makeup tutorials. Into video games? Share some cheat codes from your favorite video games. Singing star? Cover the latest hit song on the radio. Even better? Find a niche of videos that no one else makes yet. The more unique, the better. And make sure you have fun—the more you seem to be enjoying yourself, the better the watching experience for your future consumers. And while not everyone who makes a video becomes uber-famous (obviously!), the most important thing is to stay optimistic and keep posting. If nothing else, vlogging is an awesome creative outlet and a cool place to meet people from around the world!

Picture credit: Instagram

Have you ever wanted to start a vlog? What would you post about? Let us know below!