Ways for Small Creators to Earn Money From Their Content

As writers, freelancers, content creators, it can be a struggle to earn a decent living, especially if you are just starting out. We put hours of time into what we create for sometimes little or no rewards, and whilst some of the top YouTubers and Instagrammers make millions, there are hundreds of thousands of smaller creators, like myself that barely make any money.

I think I speak for most creators when I say that we do it because we love it and not for the money. But earning a little money from doing what you love is always nice. There is also an element of satisfaction in knowing that people are enjoying the content that you are creating enough to pay or tip for it.

Ther are all kinds of content creators online from videographers, artists, designers, photographers and musicians, to name but a few. If you have a talent, then the internet is your audience. However, for many creators that are just starting out, earning any money at all from your creative content can be tough.

One of the more popular ways to make an income online is via monetization on YouTube. However, in order to start running advertisements on videos, creators need to have 1000 subscribers and 4000 hours of watch time. Whilst this does not sound like a lot, believe me, it can be hard to achieve and depending on your current online following, it can also take years to reach.

Once YouTubers find themselves with a substantial amount of subscribers, that does open more doors for them. Not only can they run ads on their videos but they can also receive brand deals. However, getting brands to notice the smaller creators can be hard, there are so many YouTubers out there and it can be like looking for a needle in a haystack for brands. That is not to say that it is not possible, it can just take a lot of time. Also, most big YouTubers pay people to negotiate and get their brand deals for them.

For the creators that do not have a large enough audience to monetize or influence, then below are a few alternatives that can offer alternative ways to make some money from their creative endeavours.

Patreon - I feel that most people know about Patreon. Patreon is a membership platform that provides content creators with a way of earning money whilst offering a service to their patrons. Creators can set a monthly subscription price for patrons to view exclusive content on their page. Creators can set tiers of access and can offer various perks, including merchandise. 

Rumble - Rumble a video hosting site, similar to YouTube, except that you do not need 1000 subscribers or 4000 hours of watch time to make money from your videos. Rumble allows creators to earn money in several different ways on their platform and they work with brand partners which include Yahoo and MTV where if one of these brands pick up a video, the creator will receive $50 or $100 if a video appears on their front page. 

Bitchute - I had never heard of Bitchute until I was doing research for this post. However, from what I have read, Bitchute allows content that other social media sites do not. The site claims to "put creators first and provide them with a service that they can use to flourish and express their ideas freely." However, the site has been linked to right-wing content.

360cities.net - This site allows creators to make money from their Panoramic Images and Videos. Creators can sign up for free. However, the site offers plus, pro and company memberships for a cost. 360 Cities partner with Getty Images, which are one of the worlds leading stock image sites. 360 Cities has beginner advice on how to start creating content for their site. 

Subscriber Star - This is like Patreon where it allows creators to set a subscription price for subscribers to view their page. The sites service fee is 5%. Like Bitchute, I had never heard of this site before writing this post. However, I made a page in order to try it out. My page is currently under review. 

Kofi - Kofi allows one-time donations and subscriptions from fans. Sign-up is free and the site has no fees. Creators can earn money with a 'buy me a coffee' link which they can add to their social profiles.

Buy Me a Coffee - Another similar page to Patreon and Kofi, creators can receive tips & Donations or offer Memberships. This site also allows you creators to offer digital downloads, event tickets, zoom meetings and art commissions amongst other things. 

Wisio - Wisio is basically advice via video. It enables creators to offer their expertise for a fee and enables followers to receive personalised video messages and services from creators. Wisio has a lot of life coaching services from tarot reading to motivational coaching and energy healing. 

Kickstarter - A crowdfunding site that enabled creators to reach their goals through people pledging money towards their project. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life".

Thank you for reading, I hope you found this post useful.