Whether you have a hundred subscribers or a million, you can start making money through your YouTube channel. Even if you aren’t yet eligible for monetization, there are plenty of ways to profit off your content creation. The size of your channel does not limit your earning potential.

These are the five S’s of turning a small channel into a successful business.

1. Share your business email in your channel’s about section.

Many content creators make money through sponsorships and brand deals. They also gain subscribers by collaborating with other creators. You won’t be able to work with sponsors or collab partners unless they have an easy way to contact you.

Create an email address specifically for business communications. It should be separate from the email used to create your channel, which is likely filled with fan mail and YouTube notifications. Then, share your business email in your channel’s about section. You can put it in your social media bios as well.

2. Set rates for sponsored content.

A major part of making money as a content creator is knowing your own value. If you don’t consider what your work is worth, then it becomes easier for potential sponsors or clients to low-ball you.

So, before you start making sponsored content, you need to set your own rates. These fees will serve as a baseline for any brand deals, campaigns, sponsored videos, or sponsored posts that you do. 

3. Sell merch.

Fans love to show their support for their favorite creators by wearing branded shirts, using themed phone cases, etc. Makeup palettes designed by YouTubers can sell out in minutes. As you can see, there is a lot of money to be made in merch.

Even if your audience is small, you could still do well with merch sales. Keep your product runs small, and make your items affordable so that more people will buy them. You might even consider creating designs with mass appeal so even people who don’t watch your channel can wear them.

Starting an online store might seem daunting, but you don’t need to stress about it. It’s easy to start and fun to do.

4. Start a podcast or second channel you can monetize.

People are consuming more content than ever, so it’s wise to diversify your audience across different platforms. A lot of vloggers start their own podcasts, which can be monetized through sponsorships. You can also upload video podcasts to YouTube in order to get ad revenue.

Alternatively, you could start a second channel in a different niche than your main channel. Focus on growing this channel past a thousand subscribers and four thousand hours of watch time so that you can get it monetized. Upload regular videos to this channel as well as your main channel.

5. Supplement your revenue with Patreon or channel memberships.

Finally, many creators with smaller channels supplement their revenue through crowdfunding. If you’re eligible for channel memberships, then you should enable the feature and start promoting it. Engage with your channel members and share exclusive content with them.

However, if you’re not yet eligible for channel memberships, then you can easily join Patreon. Fans can support you directly in exchange for early access to videos, a direct line of communication with you, exclusive merch, etc. You can add more exclusive perks at higher tiers of support.

Turning your small channel into a successful business boils down to sponsorships and side projects. Keep the five S’s in mind as you grow in your online career.