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In 2024, From Content Creator to Earnings Expert on YouTube
From Content Creator to Earnings Expert on YouTube
Monetize YouTube Videos | The Ultimate Guide to Ad Revenue
Richard Bennett
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
Want to make money on YouTube? There are qualifications you have to meet before you can monetize your videos with ads, but you don’t have to have a huge channel.
Here’s everything you need to know to join the YouTube Partner Program and start earning ad revenue:
- Qualifying for the YouTube Partner Program
- How to Apply for Monetization on YouTube
- What is Ad Friendly Content?
- How to Get Paid Through AdSense
- Which YouTube Videos Get the Highest Paying Ads?
- Useful Terminology (CPM, CPV, CPC)
What is the YouTube Partner Program
YouTube’s Partner Program, or YPP, allows creators to monetize their YouTube videos through ads. If you are a YouTube Partner, that means you are earning revenue from the ads being shown before and during your videos.
Before you dive into the below guide, you may need a video editor to start your monetizing on Youtube. Filmora video editor will be the best choice.
Becoming a skilled video editor takes years of practice, but with Wondershare Filmora video editor, you can produce YouTube videos that have a professional look and feel, even if you are new to the world of video editing. This YouTube Video Creator has big icons and an intuitive interface, so those YouTubers who edit videos for the first time can quickly make a video.
Qualifying for the YouTube Partner Program
In order to qualify for YPP, you need to prove that you’re creating consistent, original, content and that people are watching your content. YouTube believes that has been proven when you reach these qualifications:
- 1000 Subscribers
- 4000 Hours of Watch Time (over the past 12 months)
Not quite there yet? Here’s a list of actionable tips that can help you grow your channel.
If you meet these requirements and are approved for monetization, but then drop below them, your channel will not be automatically demonetized. YouTube may review your content and demonetize you if you seem to have stopped posting videos, but this will not be automatic.
Remember: meeting these milestones does not grant you automatic monetization.
You can apply for YPP when you reach the milestones above, but your channel will still need to be reviewed by a human working for YouTube. Reviewers will be watching for:
- Nudity or sexual content
- Harmful, dangerous, threatening, or hateful content
- Violent or graphic content
- Harassment or cyberbullying
- Spam, scams, and misleading metadata
- Copyright infringement or impersonation
- Privacy violations
- Fake subscribers
- Other guidelines violations
If your content violates any of YouTube’s Community Guidelines you may be denied monetization. Learn more about YouTube’s Community Guidelines here.
How to Apply for Monetization on YouTube
Once you qualify for YPP, applying for monetization is easy.
- In the Creator Studio, select Channel > Status and features.
- Under ‘Monetization’, click Enable and follow the steps that appear to accept YouTube’s terms.
- Wait to be approved.
If you’re approved, you can start earning money as soon as your AdSense account is set up!
If you’re not approved, you can apply again in 30 days.
To make sure you’re approved the next time you apply, review all of YouTube’s related policies (Partner Program policies , Terms of Service , spam policies , and Community Guidelines ) and remove the content that might be holding you back.
In order to start monetizing, you’ll need to link your channel with an AdSense account. You must be over 18 to create an AdSense account. YouTube creators under 18 can link to the AdSense accounts of their parents or guardians.
Here’s how to sign up for AdSense through YouTube:
- Under Channel > Status and features in your Creator Studio, look for Paid content. Click where it says ‘active AdSense account’.
- On the following ‘Monetization’ screen, click Next to go to AdSense.
- You will be asked whether you want to use the Google account you’re already signed in to for AdSense, or if you want to use a different account.
- The next step is ‘Your Website’. This will automatically be filled in with your channel. Click Accept association if it’s right.
Note: you can only have one AdSense account. Do not make a second one if you already have one. Duplicate accounts may be banned, which will stop you from monetizing your videos.
What is Ad Friendly content?
Not all content that meets YouTube’s Community Guidelines will be considered ‘advertiser-friendly’. Companies don’t want to run ads alongside content that doesn’t match the values of their brands.
YouTube may disable ads on any video it doesn’t think is ad-friendly. Videos which may be flagged as inappropriate for ads include (but are not limited to):
- Videos that cover controversial or sensitive subjects.
- Videos depicting the use of drugs or dangerous products.
- Videos may encourage harmful or dangerous behavior.
- Videos with swearing (but not ALL videos with swearing – quantity and context are factors).
- Videos which contain hate speech.
- Videos that depict family entertainment characters (i.e. Disney princesses) engaged in inappropriate behavior (even if you’re being satirical).
If you want to make sure all of your content is advertiser-friendly, here are some best practices suggested by YouTube:
- Be respectful of your viewers and any people or groups you may include or mention in your video.
- Extend this respectful tone to your thumbnails and video titles, and make sure your thumbnails and metadata accurately depict your video’s content.
- Don’t try to monetize videos that already contain ads (i.e. paid product placement ).
How to Get Paid Through AdSense
In order to receive a payment from AdSense, you need to earn at least $100.
For example, if you only earn $10 in a month, you will not receive a payment that month. You will not lose that $10 – you will receive it when your total earnings reach or exceed $100.
You will also need to provide AdSense with tax information and verify your identity and address in order to start being paid.
The most popular way to get paid through AdSense is via an EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer). To receive your payments this way, you’ll need to link your bank account to your AdSense account.
Here’s how:
- Log in to AdSense.
- Click Settings in the menu on the left, and then select Payments.
- On the Payments page, click Manage payment options.
- Click the Add payment method.
- You’ll be prompted to add your bank account details.
- Make sure the name on your AdSense account matches the name on your bank account (if you’re under 18 and cannot make your own AdSense account, this may mean you’re using your parent or guardian’s bank account).
Which YouTube Videos Get the Highest Paying Ads?
Not all ads pay the same, and not all videos will be able to attract the ads that pay the most.
How much money your video has the potential to earn depends on:
- The size of your channel
- Your niche on YouTube
- The specific topic of the video
That the size of your channel matters probably isn’t a surprise. The biggest brands want to run their ads beside videos that are getting more views.
Whether or not your YouTube niche has a high potential for profit will depend on a couple things:
- How many other channels are in your niche?
The more people there are making similar videos to you, the thinner the available ads are spread.
- How many cheap or expensive products are being advertised in your niche?
If the products are free or inexpensive (i.e. free online games) then that limits your earning ability. In large niches like gaming, the few higher paying ads will go to the most popular channels and the low-paying ads will be spread amongst everyone else.
If you have a very specific niche, i.e. luxury cars, then you will have less competition and the ads available will likely be for more expensive products (and thus the ads themselves will be higher paying).
Even if you are in a large niche, you can still make videos on specific topics designed to attract higher-paying ads and more revenue. Pay attention to the analytics in your Creator Studio to learn which of your videos earn the most. Then, make more videos on similar topics to boost your earnings.
Another factor that can affect what ads appear alongside your videos is the viewing habits of individual viewers. People are shown ads that YouTube believes are more relevant to their interests.
Useful Terminology (CPM, CPC, CPV)
A lot of people think your ad revenue is determined by your view count. This isn’t true – it’s determined by ad impressions.
How much revenue you earn from the ads running around your videos depends on these three things:
CPC: ‘cost per click’. Most of the ads on YouTube are CPC, meaning that an ad impression is only recorded when an ad is clicked on.
CPV: ‘cost per view’. Skippable pre-roll ads are the only ads on YouTube which record ad impressions without clicks. These ads record ad impressions when viewers watch 30 seconds of the ad instead of skipping it.
CPM: ‘cost per mille’ or ‘cost per thousand’. This refers to how much money gets paid out for 1000 ad impressions.
Your CPM will be affected by a multitude of things including the ads themselves and the size of your channel. AdSense has made it a rule that you cannot disclose your CPM to anyone, which makes it difficult to determine what you should expect.
Note: never click on ads near your own videos or instruct your viewers/friends to do so. If your clicks are higher than what AdSense considers normal they may ban you.
Sites like Social Blade provide estimated earnings for any channel you want to look up. Looking up channels that are where you plan to be in the near future could help you set your own expectations.
Are you able to monetize your videos? How many more subscribers or hours of watch time do you need?
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
Want to make money on YouTube? There are qualifications you have to meet before you can monetize your videos with ads, but you don’t have to have a huge channel.
Here’s everything you need to know to join the YouTube Partner Program and start earning ad revenue:
- Qualifying for the YouTube Partner Program
- How to Apply for Monetization on YouTube
- What is Ad Friendly Content?
- How to Get Paid Through AdSense
- Which YouTube Videos Get the Highest Paying Ads?
- Useful Terminology (CPM, CPV, CPC)
What is the YouTube Partner Program
YouTube’s Partner Program, or YPP, allows creators to monetize their YouTube videos through ads. If you are a YouTube Partner, that means you are earning revenue from the ads being shown before and during your videos.
Before you dive into the below guide, you may need a video editor to start your monetizing on Youtube. Filmora video editor will be the best choice.
Becoming a skilled video editor takes years of practice, but with Wondershare Filmora video editor, you can produce YouTube videos that have a professional look and feel, even if you are new to the world of video editing. This YouTube Video Creator has big icons and an intuitive interface, so those YouTubers who edit videos for the first time can quickly make a video.
Qualifying for the YouTube Partner Program
In order to qualify for YPP, you need to prove that you’re creating consistent, original, content and that people are watching your content. YouTube believes that has been proven when you reach these qualifications:
- 1000 Subscribers
- 4000 Hours of Watch Time (over the past 12 months)
Not quite there yet? Here’s a list of actionable tips that can help you grow your channel.
If you meet these requirements and are approved for monetization, but then drop below them, your channel will not be automatically demonetized. YouTube may review your content and demonetize you if you seem to have stopped posting videos, but this will not be automatic.
Remember: meeting these milestones does not grant you automatic monetization.
You can apply for YPP when you reach the milestones above, but your channel will still need to be reviewed by a human working for YouTube. Reviewers will be watching for:
- Nudity or sexual content
- Harmful, dangerous, threatening, or hateful content
- Violent or graphic content
- Harassment or cyberbullying
- Spam, scams, and misleading metadata
- Copyright infringement or impersonation
- Privacy violations
- Fake subscribers
- Other guidelines violations
If your content violates any of YouTube’s Community Guidelines you may be denied monetization. Learn more about YouTube’s Community Guidelines here.
How to Apply for Monetization on YouTube
Once you qualify for YPP, applying for monetization is easy.
- In the Creator Studio, select Channel > Status and features.
- Under ‘Monetization’, click Enable and follow the steps that appear to accept YouTube’s terms.
- Wait to be approved.
If you’re approved, you can start earning money as soon as your AdSense account is set up!
If you’re not approved, you can apply again in 30 days.
To make sure you’re approved the next time you apply, review all of YouTube’s related policies (Partner Program policies , Terms of Service , spam policies , and Community Guidelines ) and remove the content that might be holding you back.
In order to start monetizing, you’ll need to link your channel with an AdSense account. You must be over 18 to create an AdSense account. YouTube creators under 18 can link to the AdSense accounts of their parents or guardians.
Here’s how to sign up for AdSense through YouTube:
- Under Channel > Status and features in your Creator Studio, look for Paid content. Click where it says ‘active AdSense account’.
- On the following ‘Monetization’ screen, click Next to go to AdSense.
- You will be asked whether you want to use the Google account you’re already signed in to for AdSense, or if you want to use a different account.
- The next step is ‘Your Website’. This will automatically be filled in with your channel. Click Accept association if it’s right.
Note: you can only have one AdSense account. Do not make a second one if you already have one. Duplicate accounts may be banned, which will stop you from monetizing your videos.
What is Ad Friendly content?
Not all content that meets YouTube’s Community Guidelines will be considered ‘advertiser-friendly’. Companies don’t want to run ads alongside content that doesn’t match the values of their brands.
YouTube may disable ads on any video it doesn’t think is ad-friendly. Videos which may be flagged as inappropriate for ads include (but are not limited to):
- Videos that cover controversial or sensitive subjects.
- Videos depicting the use of drugs or dangerous products.
- Videos may encourage harmful or dangerous behavior.
- Videos with swearing (but not ALL videos with swearing – quantity and context are factors).
- Videos which contain hate speech.
- Videos that depict family entertainment characters (i.e. Disney princesses) engaged in inappropriate behavior (even if you’re being satirical).
If you want to make sure all of your content is advertiser-friendly, here are some best practices suggested by YouTube:
- Be respectful of your viewers and any people or groups you may include or mention in your video.
- Extend this respectful tone to your thumbnails and video titles, and make sure your thumbnails and metadata accurately depict your video’s content.
- Don’t try to monetize videos that already contain ads (i.e. paid product placement ).
How to Get Paid Through AdSense
In order to receive a payment from AdSense, you need to earn at least $100.
For example, if you only earn $10 in a month, you will not receive a payment that month. You will not lose that $10 – you will receive it when your total earnings reach or exceed $100.
You will also need to provide AdSense with tax information and verify your identity and address in order to start being paid.
The most popular way to get paid through AdSense is via an EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer). To receive your payments this way, you’ll need to link your bank account to your AdSense account.
Here’s how:
- Log in to AdSense.
- Click Settings in the menu on the left, and then select Payments.
- On the Payments page, click Manage payment options.
- Click the Add payment method.
- You’ll be prompted to add your bank account details.
- Make sure the name on your AdSense account matches the name on your bank account (if you’re under 18 and cannot make your own AdSense account, this may mean you’re using your parent or guardian’s bank account).
Which YouTube Videos Get the Highest Paying Ads?
Not all ads pay the same, and not all videos will be able to attract the ads that pay the most.
How much money your video has the potential to earn depends on:
- The size of your channel
- Your niche on YouTube
- The specific topic of the video
That the size of your channel matters probably isn’t a surprise. The biggest brands want to run their ads beside videos that are getting more views.
Whether or not your YouTube niche has a high potential for profit will depend on a couple things:
- How many other channels are in your niche?
The more people there are making similar videos to you, the thinner the available ads are spread.
- How many cheap or expensive products are being advertised in your niche?
If the products are free or inexpensive (i.e. free online games) then that limits your earning ability. In large niches like gaming, the few higher paying ads will go to the most popular channels and the low-paying ads will be spread amongst everyone else.
If you have a very specific niche, i.e. luxury cars, then you will have less competition and the ads available will likely be for more expensive products (and thus the ads themselves will be higher paying).
Even if you are in a large niche, you can still make videos on specific topics designed to attract higher-paying ads and more revenue. Pay attention to the analytics in your Creator Studio to learn which of your videos earn the most. Then, make more videos on similar topics to boost your earnings.
Another factor that can affect what ads appear alongside your videos is the viewing habits of individual viewers. People are shown ads that YouTube believes are more relevant to their interests.
Useful Terminology (CPM, CPC, CPV)
A lot of people think your ad revenue is determined by your view count. This isn’t true – it’s determined by ad impressions.
How much revenue you earn from the ads running around your videos depends on these three things:
CPC: ‘cost per click’. Most of the ads on YouTube are CPC, meaning that an ad impression is only recorded when an ad is clicked on.
CPV: ‘cost per view’. Skippable pre-roll ads are the only ads on YouTube which record ad impressions without clicks. These ads record ad impressions when viewers watch 30 seconds of the ad instead of skipping it.
CPM: ‘cost per mille’ or ‘cost per thousand’. This refers to how much money gets paid out for 1000 ad impressions.
Your CPM will be affected by a multitude of things including the ads themselves and the size of your channel. AdSense has made it a rule that you cannot disclose your CPM to anyone, which makes it difficult to determine what you should expect.
Note: never click on ads near your own videos or instruct your viewers/friends to do so. If your clicks are higher than what AdSense considers normal they may ban you.
Sites like Social Blade provide estimated earnings for any channel you want to look up. Looking up channels that are where you plan to be in the near future could help you set your own expectations.
Are you able to monetize your videos? How many more subscribers or hours of watch time do you need?
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
Want to make money on YouTube? There are qualifications you have to meet before you can monetize your videos with ads, but you don’t have to have a huge channel.
Here’s everything you need to know to join the YouTube Partner Program and start earning ad revenue:
- Qualifying for the YouTube Partner Program
- How to Apply for Monetization on YouTube
- What is Ad Friendly Content?
- How to Get Paid Through AdSense
- Which YouTube Videos Get the Highest Paying Ads?
- Useful Terminology (CPM, CPV, CPC)
What is the YouTube Partner Program
YouTube’s Partner Program, or YPP, allows creators to monetize their YouTube videos through ads. If you are a YouTube Partner, that means you are earning revenue from the ads being shown before and during your videos.
Before you dive into the below guide, you may need a video editor to start your monetizing on Youtube. Filmora video editor will be the best choice.
Becoming a skilled video editor takes years of practice, but with Wondershare Filmora video editor, you can produce YouTube videos that have a professional look and feel, even if you are new to the world of video editing. This YouTube Video Creator has big icons and an intuitive interface, so those YouTubers who edit videos for the first time can quickly make a video.
Qualifying for the YouTube Partner Program
In order to qualify for YPP, you need to prove that you’re creating consistent, original, content and that people are watching your content. YouTube believes that has been proven when you reach these qualifications:
- 1000 Subscribers
- 4000 Hours of Watch Time (over the past 12 months)
Not quite there yet? Here’s a list of actionable tips that can help you grow your channel.
If you meet these requirements and are approved for monetization, but then drop below them, your channel will not be automatically demonetized. YouTube may review your content and demonetize you if you seem to have stopped posting videos, but this will not be automatic.
Remember: meeting these milestones does not grant you automatic monetization.
You can apply for YPP when you reach the milestones above, but your channel will still need to be reviewed by a human working for YouTube. Reviewers will be watching for:
- Nudity or sexual content
- Harmful, dangerous, threatening, or hateful content
- Violent or graphic content
- Harassment or cyberbullying
- Spam, scams, and misleading metadata
- Copyright infringement or impersonation
- Privacy violations
- Fake subscribers
- Other guidelines violations
If your content violates any of YouTube’s Community Guidelines you may be denied monetization. Learn more about YouTube’s Community Guidelines here.
How to Apply for Monetization on YouTube
Once you qualify for YPP, applying for monetization is easy.
- In the Creator Studio, select Channel > Status and features.
- Under ‘Monetization’, click Enable and follow the steps that appear to accept YouTube’s terms.
- Wait to be approved.
If you’re approved, you can start earning money as soon as your AdSense account is set up!
If you’re not approved, you can apply again in 30 days.
To make sure you’re approved the next time you apply, review all of YouTube’s related policies (Partner Program policies , Terms of Service , spam policies , and Community Guidelines ) and remove the content that might be holding you back.
In order to start monetizing, you’ll need to link your channel with an AdSense account. You must be over 18 to create an AdSense account. YouTube creators under 18 can link to the AdSense accounts of their parents or guardians.
Here’s how to sign up for AdSense through YouTube:
- Under Channel > Status and features in your Creator Studio, look for Paid content. Click where it says ‘active AdSense account’.
- On the following ‘Monetization’ screen, click Next to go to AdSense.
- You will be asked whether you want to use the Google account you’re already signed in to for AdSense, or if you want to use a different account.
- The next step is ‘Your Website’. This will automatically be filled in with your channel. Click Accept association if it’s right.
Note: you can only have one AdSense account. Do not make a second one if you already have one. Duplicate accounts may be banned, which will stop you from monetizing your videos.
What is Ad Friendly content?
Not all content that meets YouTube’s Community Guidelines will be considered ‘advertiser-friendly’. Companies don’t want to run ads alongside content that doesn’t match the values of their brands.
YouTube may disable ads on any video it doesn’t think is ad-friendly. Videos which may be flagged as inappropriate for ads include (but are not limited to):
- Videos that cover controversial or sensitive subjects.
- Videos depicting the use of drugs or dangerous products.
- Videos may encourage harmful or dangerous behavior.
- Videos with swearing (but not ALL videos with swearing – quantity and context are factors).
- Videos which contain hate speech.
- Videos that depict family entertainment characters (i.e. Disney princesses) engaged in inappropriate behavior (even if you’re being satirical).
If you want to make sure all of your content is advertiser-friendly, here are some best practices suggested by YouTube:
- Be respectful of your viewers and any people or groups you may include or mention in your video.
- Extend this respectful tone to your thumbnails and video titles, and make sure your thumbnails and metadata accurately depict your video’s content.
- Don’t try to monetize videos that already contain ads (i.e. paid product placement ).
How to Get Paid Through AdSense
In order to receive a payment from AdSense, you need to earn at least $100.
For example, if you only earn $10 in a month, you will not receive a payment that month. You will not lose that $10 – you will receive it when your total earnings reach or exceed $100.
You will also need to provide AdSense with tax information and verify your identity and address in order to start being paid.
The most popular way to get paid through AdSense is via an EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer). To receive your payments this way, you’ll need to link your bank account to your AdSense account.
Here’s how:
- Log in to AdSense.
- Click Settings in the menu on the left, and then select Payments.
- On the Payments page, click Manage payment options.
- Click the Add payment method.
- You’ll be prompted to add your bank account details.
- Make sure the name on your AdSense account matches the name on your bank account (if you’re under 18 and cannot make your own AdSense account, this may mean you’re using your parent or guardian’s bank account).
Which YouTube Videos Get the Highest Paying Ads?
Not all ads pay the same, and not all videos will be able to attract the ads that pay the most.
How much money your video has the potential to earn depends on:
- The size of your channel
- Your niche on YouTube
- The specific topic of the video
That the size of your channel matters probably isn’t a surprise. The biggest brands want to run their ads beside videos that are getting more views.
Whether or not your YouTube niche has a high potential for profit will depend on a couple things:
- How many other channels are in your niche?
The more people there are making similar videos to you, the thinner the available ads are spread.
- How many cheap or expensive products are being advertised in your niche?
If the products are free or inexpensive (i.e. free online games) then that limits your earning ability. In large niches like gaming, the few higher paying ads will go to the most popular channels and the low-paying ads will be spread amongst everyone else.
If you have a very specific niche, i.e. luxury cars, then you will have less competition and the ads available will likely be for more expensive products (and thus the ads themselves will be higher paying).
Even if you are in a large niche, you can still make videos on specific topics designed to attract higher-paying ads and more revenue. Pay attention to the analytics in your Creator Studio to learn which of your videos earn the most. Then, make more videos on similar topics to boost your earnings.
Another factor that can affect what ads appear alongside your videos is the viewing habits of individual viewers. People are shown ads that YouTube believes are more relevant to their interests.
Useful Terminology (CPM, CPC, CPV)
A lot of people think your ad revenue is determined by your view count. This isn’t true – it’s determined by ad impressions.
How much revenue you earn from the ads running around your videos depends on these three things:
CPC: ‘cost per click’. Most of the ads on YouTube are CPC, meaning that an ad impression is only recorded when an ad is clicked on.
CPV: ‘cost per view’. Skippable pre-roll ads are the only ads on YouTube which record ad impressions without clicks. These ads record ad impressions when viewers watch 30 seconds of the ad instead of skipping it.
CPM: ‘cost per mille’ or ‘cost per thousand’. This refers to how much money gets paid out for 1000 ad impressions.
Your CPM will be affected by a multitude of things including the ads themselves and the size of your channel. AdSense has made it a rule that you cannot disclose your CPM to anyone, which makes it difficult to determine what you should expect.
Note: never click on ads near your own videos or instruct your viewers/friends to do so. If your clicks are higher than what AdSense considers normal they may ban you.
Sites like Social Blade provide estimated earnings for any channel you want to look up. Looking up channels that are where you plan to be in the near future could help you set your own expectations.
Are you able to monetize your videos? How many more subscribers or hours of watch time do you need?
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
Want to make money on YouTube? There are qualifications you have to meet before you can monetize your videos with ads, but you don’t have to have a huge channel.
Here’s everything you need to know to join the YouTube Partner Program and start earning ad revenue:
- Qualifying for the YouTube Partner Program
- How to Apply for Monetization on YouTube
- What is Ad Friendly Content?
- How to Get Paid Through AdSense
- Which YouTube Videos Get the Highest Paying Ads?
- Useful Terminology (CPM, CPV, CPC)
What is the YouTube Partner Program
YouTube’s Partner Program, or YPP, allows creators to monetize their YouTube videos through ads. If you are a YouTube Partner, that means you are earning revenue from the ads being shown before and during your videos.
Before you dive into the below guide, you may need a video editor to start your monetizing on Youtube. Filmora video editor will be the best choice.
Becoming a skilled video editor takes years of practice, but with Wondershare Filmora video editor, you can produce YouTube videos that have a professional look and feel, even if you are new to the world of video editing. This YouTube Video Creator has big icons and an intuitive interface, so those YouTubers who edit videos for the first time can quickly make a video.
Qualifying for the YouTube Partner Program
In order to qualify for YPP, you need to prove that you’re creating consistent, original, content and that people are watching your content. YouTube believes that has been proven when you reach these qualifications:
- 1000 Subscribers
- 4000 Hours of Watch Time (over the past 12 months)
Not quite there yet? Here’s a list of actionable tips that can help you grow your channel.
If you meet these requirements and are approved for monetization, but then drop below them, your channel will not be automatically demonetized. YouTube may review your content and demonetize you if you seem to have stopped posting videos, but this will not be automatic.
Remember: meeting these milestones does not grant you automatic monetization.
You can apply for YPP when you reach the milestones above, but your channel will still need to be reviewed by a human working for YouTube. Reviewers will be watching for:
- Nudity or sexual content
- Harmful, dangerous, threatening, or hateful content
- Violent or graphic content
- Harassment or cyberbullying
- Spam, scams, and misleading metadata
- Copyright infringement or impersonation
- Privacy violations
- Fake subscribers
- Other guidelines violations
If your content violates any of YouTube’s Community Guidelines you may be denied monetization. Learn more about YouTube’s Community Guidelines here.
How to Apply for Monetization on YouTube
Once you qualify for YPP, applying for monetization is easy.
- In the Creator Studio, select Channel > Status and features.
- Under ‘Monetization’, click Enable and follow the steps that appear to accept YouTube’s terms.
- Wait to be approved.
If you’re approved, you can start earning money as soon as your AdSense account is set up!
If you’re not approved, you can apply again in 30 days.
To make sure you’re approved the next time you apply, review all of YouTube’s related policies (Partner Program policies , Terms of Service , spam policies , and Community Guidelines ) and remove the content that might be holding you back.
In order to start monetizing, you’ll need to link your channel with an AdSense account. You must be over 18 to create an AdSense account. YouTube creators under 18 can link to the AdSense accounts of their parents or guardians.
Here’s how to sign up for AdSense through YouTube:
- Under Channel > Status and features in your Creator Studio, look for Paid content. Click where it says ‘active AdSense account’.
- On the following ‘Monetization’ screen, click Next to go to AdSense.
- You will be asked whether you want to use the Google account you’re already signed in to for AdSense, or if you want to use a different account.
- The next step is ‘Your Website’. This will automatically be filled in with your channel. Click Accept association if it’s right.
Note: you can only have one AdSense account. Do not make a second one if you already have one. Duplicate accounts may be banned, which will stop you from monetizing your videos.
What is Ad Friendly content?
Not all content that meets YouTube’s Community Guidelines will be considered ‘advertiser-friendly’. Companies don’t want to run ads alongside content that doesn’t match the values of their brands.
YouTube may disable ads on any video it doesn’t think is ad-friendly. Videos which may be flagged as inappropriate for ads include (but are not limited to):
- Videos that cover controversial or sensitive subjects.
- Videos depicting the use of drugs or dangerous products.
- Videos may encourage harmful or dangerous behavior.
- Videos with swearing (but not ALL videos with swearing – quantity and context are factors).
- Videos which contain hate speech.
- Videos that depict family entertainment characters (i.e. Disney princesses) engaged in inappropriate behavior (even if you’re being satirical).
If you want to make sure all of your content is advertiser-friendly, here are some best practices suggested by YouTube:
- Be respectful of your viewers and any people or groups you may include or mention in your video.
- Extend this respectful tone to your thumbnails and video titles, and make sure your thumbnails and metadata accurately depict your video’s content.
- Don’t try to monetize videos that already contain ads (i.e. paid product placement ).
How to Get Paid Through AdSense
In order to receive a payment from AdSense, you need to earn at least $100.
For example, if you only earn $10 in a month, you will not receive a payment that month. You will not lose that $10 – you will receive it when your total earnings reach or exceed $100.
You will also need to provide AdSense with tax information and verify your identity and address in order to start being paid.
The most popular way to get paid through AdSense is via an EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer). To receive your payments this way, you’ll need to link your bank account to your AdSense account.
Here’s how:
- Log in to AdSense.
- Click Settings in the menu on the left, and then select Payments.
- On the Payments page, click Manage payment options.
- Click the Add payment method.
- You’ll be prompted to add your bank account details.
- Make sure the name on your AdSense account matches the name on your bank account (if you’re under 18 and cannot make your own AdSense account, this may mean you’re using your parent or guardian’s bank account).
Which YouTube Videos Get the Highest Paying Ads?
Not all ads pay the same, and not all videos will be able to attract the ads that pay the most.
How much money your video has the potential to earn depends on:
- The size of your channel
- Your niche on YouTube
- The specific topic of the video
That the size of your channel matters probably isn’t a surprise. The biggest brands want to run their ads beside videos that are getting more views.
Whether or not your YouTube niche has a high potential for profit will depend on a couple things:
- How many other channels are in your niche?
The more people there are making similar videos to you, the thinner the available ads are spread.
- How many cheap or expensive products are being advertised in your niche?
If the products are free or inexpensive (i.e. free online games) then that limits your earning ability. In large niches like gaming, the few higher paying ads will go to the most popular channels and the low-paying ads will be spread amongst everyone else.
If you have a very specific niche, i.e. luxury cars, then you will have less competition and the ads available will likely be for more expensive products (and thus the ads themselves will be higher paying).
Even if you are in a large niche, you can still make videos on specific topics designed to attract higher-paying ads and more revenue. Pay attention to the analytics in your Creator Studio to learn which of your videos earn the most. Then, make more videos on similar topics to boost your earnings.
Another factor that can affect what ads appear alongside your videos is the viewing habits of individual viewers. People are shown ads that YouTube believes are more relevant to their interests.
Useful Terminology (CPM, CPC, CPV)
A lot of people think your ad revenue is determined by your view count. This isn’t true – it’s determined by ad impressions.
How much revenue you earn from the ads running around your videos depends on these three things:
CPC: ‘cost per click’. Most of the ads on YouTube are CPC, meaning that an ad impression is only recorded when an ad is clicked on.
CPV: ‘cost per view’. Skippable pre-roll ads are the only ads on YouTube which record ad impressions without clicks. These ads record ad impressions when viewers watch 30 seconds of the ad instead of skipping it.
CPM: ‘cost per mille’ or ‘cost per thousand’. This refers to how much money gets paid out for 1000 ad impressions.
Your CPM will be affected by a multitude of things including the ads themselves and the size of your channel. AdSense has made it a rule that you cannot disclose your CPM to anyone, which makes it difficult to determine what you should expect.
Note: never click on ads near your own videos or instruct your viewers/friends to do so. If your clicks are higher than what AdSense considers normal they may ban you.
Sites like Social Blade provide estimated earnings for any channel you want to look up. Looking up channels that are where you plan to be in the near future could help you set your own expectations.
Are you able to monetize your videos? How many more subscribers or hours of watch time do you need?
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Elevate Your Video Summary Aesthetics - Neons Included
Your YouTube video, or any other clip published on any forum, gets a larger number of hits if it has an attractive thumbnail. And, the fact is, a thumbnail becomes 10x more attractive when the main character that the image has have a neon border around it.
With that said, in the following sections, you will learn a couple of methods on how to add a YouTube thumbnail border around the main characters and/or objects that are significant to the clip.
In this article
01 Add Glowing Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail with Filmora
02 Add a Glowing Neon Border in YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
03 Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Part 1: How to Add Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail for Free with Filmora
Being one of the most versatile and intuitive post-production tools available in the market today, Wondershare Filmora X allows you to add a neon border to a YouTube thumbnail quite conveniently. You can learn how to get this done on Windows or Mac by following the steps given below.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
For macOS 10.12 or later
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add Image to the Timeline
Launch Wondershare Filmora X on your PC (a MacBook Pro M1 is used here), ensure that the project aspect ratio is set to 16:9 (Widescreen) on the splash screen, and click New Project. On the main interface, click the Preview quality and display settings icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, click Change Project Aspect Ratio, click to select 1280 x 720 (HD) from the Resolution menu of the Project Settings box, and click OK to save the custom project settings.
Then select My Media from the menu bar if not already selected, click Project Media from the navigation pane, and click Import from the Media box to select and import the image of the main character or object that you want to use in the thumbnail.
Now, drag the image from the Media box to the Timeline at the bottom.
Step 2: Clear Image Background, Add Border, and Add Custom Background
Go to Effects from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then AI Portrait from the navigation pane, and click and drag the Human Segmentation preset from the right box, and place it over the image track in the Timeline.
Double-click the image layer, scroll down the upper-left box to the Video Effects section, and use the Edge Thickness and Edge Feather sliders to adjust the character’s edges to make them as realistic as possible. Click OK when done.
Next, click and drag the Human Border preset over the image track in the Timeline, and follow the same procedure to customize the border. This will give the character a neon border effect.
Now, use the method explained earlier to import a custom image for the background, and drag and place it under the previous track in the Timeline.
If you are running the latest version of Filmora, you will find there are some neon light effects available under AI Portrait as well.
Step 3: Add Titles to Thumbnail
Go to Titles from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then Lower 3rds from the navigation pane, and click and drag your preferred lower-third preset from the right window to a separate layer in the Timeline. Double-click the lower-third layer, and use the available options in the upper-left window to change the text, its color, etc., and drag the textbox to place it to your preferred position on the image as well. Click OK to save the changes.
Next, click to select Titles from the navigation pane, and drag your preferred title from the right window to the upper-most track in the Timeline. Now use the method explained earlier to edit the text, its color, position, etc. to make it look professional.
For more tips and tricks for creating YouTube thumbnail, you can check this You Tube thumbnail creating guide.
Step 4: Get the Neon Border Thumbnail
Click the Snapshot (Camera) icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, go to My Media from the menu bar, right-click the thumbnail of the screenshot you captured, and click Reveal in Finder (on Mac) or Reveal in Explorer (on Windows) to get to the folder the YouTube thumbnail border is saved in.
Part 2: How to Add a Glowing Neon Border in Your YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
Canva is another intuitive editing program that works on the web interface rather than having you download and install an app on your PC. You can add a neon border for YouTube thumbnails using Canva by following the instructions given below:
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add a Background
After signing in to your Canva account, click Create a design from the top-right corner of the page, click Custom size from the bottom, define 1280 and 720 in the Width and Height fields on the box that appears respectively, and click Create new design.
Now, click to select Background from the navigation bar on the left (if the Background tool is not visible, click More and then choose Background from the expanded list), and click to select a background from the images available in the center pane.
Step 2: Upload an Image and Add Effects
Click Uploads from the navigation bar, click the More icon from the right of the Upload media button present at the top of the center pane, choose your preferred method to upload the image (with the transparent background) that you want to use, upload the image, and drag it from the center pane to the Canvas.
Note: You can use any of the tools available online to remove the background from your image for free.
To add a YouTube thumbnail border, make sure that the image that you added to the Canvas is selected, click the Duplicate icon from the upper-right area, and use the scaling handles of the copy of the image to increase its size a bit. Reposition the image back to its original location as well.
Then, click Edit image from the upper-left corner of the Canvas, click Duotone from the Edit image pane at the center, if need be, click See all, choose your preferred duotone effect to apply on the image, choose your preferred highlight and shadow colors from the box that appears next, and click Back from the top of the pane.
Next, click See all next to the Adjust section from the center pane, and drag the Blur slider to the right to increase the blur effect on the image.
Step 3: Position the Layers
While keeping the duplicate image selected, click the Position button from the upper-right area of the Canvas, and click Background to send the second image behind the first one to get the neon border effect for the photo.
Part 3: How to Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Because YouTube thumbnails are nothing but static images, creating YouTube thumbnail border with Adobe Photoshop is comparatively easier. The process of doing this is given below:
Step 1: Define Document Preferences and Import an Image
Launch Adobe Photoshop on your PC, click Create new, and on the New Document customization box, define the width and height values to 1280 and 720 pixels respectively. Select Transparent from the Background Contents menu as well if not already selected. Click Create from the bottom to create a new Photoshop document with the specified document settings. Next, open the folder that contains the source image, drag the photo to Photoshop, and press Enter to place the photo.
Step 2: Remove Background from the Image
Make sure that the image layer is selected in the Layers panel on the right, go to Select from the menu bar at the top, and click Subject. From the bottom of the Layers panel, click the Add a mask icon to get rid of the background, leaving only the human on the Canvas.
Step 3: Add a Custom Background and an Outline Around the Subject
Use the method explained earlier to import a background image of your choice to Photoshop. Drag the background image layer to the bottom in the Layers panel. Double-click the masked layer, click to select Stroke from the left pane of the Layer Style box, and use the options available on the right to manage the size, color, position, etc. of the stroke that has been added around the human subject. Click OK when done, and then export the image normally to use it as a YouTube thumbnail border.
Summary
It is important to know that the default resolution of a YouTube thumbnail is 1280 x 720 pixels that is usually written and referred to as 720p. While adding a YouTube thumbnail border, it is also imperative to have a good sense of color combination and fonts. Furthermore, a decent tool like Wondershare Filmora X must be used to add an appealing neon border around the main subject in the thumbnail image easily and quickly.
02 Add a Glowing Neon Border in YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
03 Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Part 1: How to Add Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail for Free with Filmora
Being one of the most versatile and intuitive post-production tools available in the market today, Wondershare Filmora X allows you to add a neon border to a YouTube thumbnail quite conveniently. You can learn how to get this done on Windows or Mac by following the steps given below.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
For macOS 10.12 or later
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add Image to the Timeline
Launch Wondershare Filmora X on your PC (a MacBook Pro M1 is used here), ensure that the project aspect ratio is set to 16:9 (Widescreen) on the splash screen, and click New Project. On the main interface, click the Preview quality and display settings icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, click Change Project Aspect Ratio, click to select 1280 x 720 (HD) from the Resolution menu of the Project Settings box, and click OK to save the custom project settings.
Then select My Media from the menu bar if not already selected, click Project Media from the navigation pane, and click Import from the Media box to select and import the image of the main character or object that you want to use in the thumbnail.
Now, drag the image from the Media box to the Timeline at the bottom.
Step 2: Clear Image Background, Add Border, and Add Custom Background
Go to Effects from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then AI Portrait from the navigation pane, and click and drag the Human Segmentation preset from the right box, and place it over the image track in the Timeline.
Double-click the image layer, scroll down the upper-left box to the Video Effects section, and use the Edge Thickness and Edge Feather sliders to adjust the character’s edges to make them as realistic as possible. Click OK when done.
Next, click and drag the Human Border preset over the image track in the Timeline, and follow the same procedure to customize the border. This will give the character a neon border effect.
Now, use the method explained earlier to import a custom image for the background, and drag and place it under the previous track in the Timeline.
If you are running the latest version of Filmora, you will find there are some neon light effects available under AI Portrait as well.
Step 3: Add Titles to Thumbnail
Go to Titles from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then Lower 3rds from the navigation pane, and click and drag your preferred lower-third preset from the right window to a separate layer in the Timeline. Double-click the lower-third layer, and use the available options in the upper-left window to change the text, its color, etc., and drag the textbox to place it to your preferred position on the image as well. Click OK to save the changes.
Next, click to select Titles from the navigation pane, and drag your preferred title from the right window to the upper-most track in the Timeline. Now use the method explained earlier to edit the text, its color, position, etc. to make it look professional.
For more tips and tricks for creating YouTube thumbnail, you can check this You Tube thumbnail creating guide.
Step 4: Get the Neon Border Thumbnail
Click the Snapshot (Camera) icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, go to My Media from the menu bar, right-click the thumbnail of the screenshot you captured, and click Reveal in Finder (on Mac) or Reveal in Explorer (on Windows) to get to the folder the YouTube thumbnail border is saved in.
Part 2: How to Add a Glowing Neon Border in Your YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
Canva is another intuitive editing program that works on the web interface rather than having you download and install an app on your PC. You can add a neon border for YouTube thumbnails using Canva by following the instructions given below:
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add a Background
After signing in to your Canva account, click Create a design from the top-right corner of the page, click Custom size from the bottom, define 1280 and 720 in the Width and Height fields on the box that appears respectively, and click Create new design.
Now, click to select Background from the navigation bar on the left (if the Background tool is not visible, click More and then choose Background from the expanded list), and click to select a background from the images available in the center pane.
Step 2: Upload an Image and Add Effects
Click Uploads from the navigation bar, click the More icon from the right of the Upload media button present at the top of the center pane, choose your preferred method to upload the image (with the transparent background) that you want to use, upload the image, and drag it from the center pane to the Canvas.
Note: You can use any of the tools available online to remove the background from your image for free.
To add a YouTube thumbnail border, make sure that the image that you added to the Canvas is selected, click the Duplicate icon from the upper-right area, and use the scaling handles of the copy of the image to increase its size a bit. Reposition the image back to its original location as well.
Then, click Edit image from the upper-left corner of the Canvas, click Duotone from the Edit image pane at the center, if need be, click See all, choose your preferred duotone effect to apply on the image, choose your preferred highlight and shadow colors from the box that appears next, and click Back from the top of the pane.
Next, click See all next to the Adjust section from the center pane, and drag the Blur slider to the right to increase the blur effect on the image.
Step 3: Position the Layers
While keeping the duplicate image selected, click the Position button from the upper-right area of the Canvas, and click Background to send the second image behind the first one to get the neon border effect for the photo.
Part 3: How to Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Because YouTube thumbnails are nothing but static images, creating YouTube thumbnail border with Adobe Photoshop is comparatively easier. The process of doing this is given below:
Step 1: Define Document Preferences and Import an Image
Launch Adobe Photoshop on your PC, click Create new, and on the New Document customization box, define the width and height values to 1280 and 720 pixels respectively. Select Transparent from the Background Contents menu as well if not already selected. Click Create from the bottom to create a new Photoshop document with the specified document settings. Next, open the folder that contains the source image, drag the photo to Photoshop, and press Enter to place the photo.
Step 2: Remove Background from the Image
Make sure that the image layer is selected in the Layers panel on the right, go to Select from the menu bar at the top, and click Subject. From the bottom of the Layers panel, click the Add a mask icon to get rid of the background, leaving only the human on the Canvas.
Step 3: Add a Custom Background and an Outline Around the Subject
Use the method explained earlier to import a background image of your choice to Photoshop. Drag the background image layer to the bottom in the Layers panel. Double-click the masked layer, click to select Stroke from the left pane of the Layer Style box, and use the options available on the right to manage the size, color, position, etc. of the stroke that has been added around the human subject. Click OK when done, and then export the image normally to use it as a YouTube thumbnail border.
Summary
It is important to know that the default resolution of a YouTube thumbnail is 1280 x 720 pixels that is usually written and referred to as 720p. While adding a YouTube thumbnail border, it is also imperative to have a good sense of color combination and fonts. Furthermore, a decent tool like Wondershare Filmora X must be used to add an appealing neon border around the main subject in the thumbnail image easily and quickly.
02 Add a Glowing Neon Border in YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
03 Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Part 1: How to Add Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail for Free with Filmora
Being one of the most versatile and intuitive post-production tools available in the market today, Wondershare Filmora X allows you to add a neon border to a YouTube thumbnail quite conveniently. You can learn how to get this done on Windows or Mac by following the steps given below.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
For macOS 10.12 or later
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add Image to the Timeline
Launch Wondershare Filmora X on your PC (a MacBook Pro M1 is used here), ensure that the project aspect ratio is set to 16:9 (Widescreen) on the splash screen, and click New Project. On the main interface, click the Preview quality and display settings icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, click Change Project Aspect Ratio, click to select 1280 x 720 (HD) from the Resolution menu of the Project Settings box, and click OK to save the custom project settings.
Then select My Media from the menu bar if not already selected, click Project Media from the navigation pane, and click Import from the Media box to select and import the image of the main character or object that you want to use in the thumbnail.
Now, drag the image from the Media box to the Timeline at the bottom.
Step 2: Clear Image Background, Add Border, and Add Custom Background
Go to Effects from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then AI Portrait from the navigation pane, and click and drag the Human Segmentation preset from the right box, and place it over the image track in the Timeline.
Double-click the image layer, scroll down the upper-left box to the Video Effects section, and use the Edge Thickness and Edge Feather sliders to adjust the character’s edges to make them as realistic as possible. Click OK when done.
Next, click and drag the Human Border preset over the image track in the Timeline, and follow the same procedure to customize the border. This will give the character a neon border effect.
Now, use the method explained earlier to import a custom image for the background, and drag and place it under the previous track in the Timeline.
If you are running the latest version of Filmora, you will find there are some neon light effects available under AI Portrait as well.
Step 3: Add Titles to Thumbnail
Go to Titles from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then Lower 3rds from the navigation pane, and click and drag your preferred lower-third preset from the right window to a separate layer in the Timeline. Double-click the lower-third layer, and use the available options in the upper-left window to change the text, its color, etc., and drag the textbox to place it to your preferred position on the image as well. Click OK to save the changes.
Next, click to select Titles from the navigation pane, and drag your preferred title from the right window to the upper-most track in the Timeline. Now use the method explained earlier to edit the text, its color, position, etc. to make it look professional.
For more tips and tricks for creating YouTube thumbnail, you can check this You Tube thumbnail creating guide.
Step 4: Get the Neon Border Thumbnail
Click the Snapshot (Camera) icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, go to My Media from the menu bar, right-click the thumbnail of the screenshot you captured, and click Reveal in Finder (on Mac) or Reveal in Explorer (on Windows) to get to the folder the YouTube thumbnail border is saved in.
Part 2: How to Add a Glowing Neon Border in Your YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
Canva is another intuitive editing program that works on the web interface rather than having you download and install an app on your PC. You can add a neon border for YouTube thumbnails using Canva by following the instructions given below:
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add a Background
After signing in to your Canva account, click Create a design from the top-right corner of the page, click Custom size from the bottom, define 1280 and 720 in the Width and Height fields on the box that appears respectively, and click Create new design.
Now, click to select Background from the navigation bar on the left (if the Background tool is not visible, click More and then choose Background from the expanded list), and click to select a background from the images available in the center pane.
Step 2: Upload an Image and Add Effects
Click Uploads from the navigation bar, click the More icon from the right of the Upload media button present at the top of the center pane, choose your preferred method to upload the image (with the transparent background) that you want to use, upload the image, and drag it from the center pane to the Canvas.
Note: You can use any of the tools available online to remove the background from your image for free.
To add a YouTube thumbnail border, make sure that the image that you added to the Canvas is selected, click the Duplicate icon from the upper-right area, and use the scaling handles of the copy of the image to increase its size a bit. Reposition the image back to its original location as well.
Then, click Edit image from the upper-left corner of the Canvas, click Duotone from the Edit image pane at the center, if need be, click See all, choose your preferred duotone effect to apply on the image, choose your preferred highlight and shadow colors from the box that appears next, and click Back from the top of the pane.
Next, click See all next to the Adjust section from the center pane, and drag the Blur slider to the right to increase the blur effect on the image.
Step 3: Position the Layers
While keeping the duplicate image selected, click the Position button from the upper-right area of the Canvas, and click Background to send the second image behind the first one to get the neon border effect for the photo.
Part 3: How to Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Because YouTube thumbnails are nothing but static images, creating YouTube thumbnail border with Adobe Photoshop is comparatively easier. The process of doing this is given below:
Step 1: Define Document Preferences and Import an Image
Launch Adobe Photoshop on your PC, click Create new, and on the New Document customization box, define the width and height values to 1280 and 720 pixels respectively. Select Transparent from the Background Contents menu as well if not already selected. Click Create from the bottom to create a new Photoshop document with the specified document settings. Next, open the folder that contains the source image, drag the photo to Photoshop, and press Enter to place the photo.
Step 2: Remove Background from the Image
Make sure that the image layer is selected in the Layers panel on the right, go to Select from the menu bar at the top, and click Subject. From the bottom of the Layers panel, click the Add a mask icon to get rid of the background, leaving only the human on the Canvas.
Step 3: Add a Custom Background and an Outline Around the Subject
Use the method explained earlier to import a background image of your choice to Photoshop. Drag the background image layer to the bottom in the Layers panel. Double-click the masked layer, click to select Stroke from the left pane of the Layer Style box, and use the options available on the right to manage the size, color, position, etc. of the stroke that has been added around the human subject. Click OK when done, and then export the image normally to use it as a YouTube thumbnail border.
Summary
It is important to know that the default resolution of a YouTube thumbnail is 1280 x 720 pixels that is usually written and referred to as 720p. While adding a YouTube thumbnail border, it is also imperative to have a good sense of color combination and fonts. Furthermore, a decent tool like Wondershare Filmora X must be used to add an appealing neon border around the main subject in the thumbnail image easily and quickly.
02 Add a Glowing Neon Border in YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
03 Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Part 1: How to Add Neon Border to YouTube Thumbnail for Free with Filmora
Being one of the most versatile and intuitive post-production tools available in the market today, Wondershare Filmora X allows you to add a neon border to a YouTube thumbnail quite conveniently. You can learn how to get this done on Windows or Mac by following the steps given below.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
For macOS 10.12 or later
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add Image to the Timeline
Launch Wondershare Filmora X on your PC (a MacBook Pro M1 is used here), ensure that the project aspect ratio is set to 16:9 (Widescreen) on the splash screen, and click New Project. On the main interface, click the Preview quality and display settings icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, click Change Project Aspect Ratio, click to select 1280 x 720 (HD) from the Resolution menu of the Project Settings box, and click OK to save the custom project settings.
Then select My Media from the menu bar if not already selected, click Project Media from the navigation pane, and click Import from the Media box to select and import the image of the main character or object that you want to use in the thumbnail.
Now, drag the image from the Media box to the Timeline at the bottom.
Step 2: Clear Image Background, Add Border, and Add Custom Background
Go to Effects from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then AI Portrait from the navigation pane, and click and drag the Human Segmentation preset from the right box, and place it over the image track in the Timeline.
Double-click the image layer, scroll down the upper-left box to the Video Effects section, and use the Edge Thickness and Edge Feather sliders to adjust the character’s edges to make them as realistic as possible. Click OK when done.
Next, click and drag the Human Border preset over the image track in the Timeline, and follow the same procedure to customize the border. This will give the character a neon border effect.
Now, use the method explained earlier to import a custom image for the background, and drag and place it under the previous track in the Timeline.
If you are running the latest version of Filmora, you will find there are some neon light effects available under AI Portrait as well.
Step 3: Add Titles to Thumbnail
Go to Titles from the menu bar, click to select the Default tab and then Lower 3rds from the navigation pane, and click and drag your preferred lower-third preset from the right window to a separate layer in the Timeline. Double-click the lower-third layer, and use the available options in the upper-left window to change the text, its color, etc., and drag the textbox to place it to your preferred position on the image as well. Click OK to save the changes.
Next, click to select Titles from the navigation pane, and drag your preferred title from the right window to the upper-most track in the Timeline. Now use the method explained earlier to edit the text, its color, position, etc. to make it look professional.
For more tips and tricks for creating YouTube thumbnail, you can check this You Tube thumbnail creating guide.
Step 4: Get the Neon Border Thumbnail
Click the Snapshot (Camera) icon from the upper-right area of the Timeline, go to My Media from the menu bar, right-click the thumbnail of the screenshot you captured, and click Reveal in Finder (on Mac) or Reveal in Explorer (on Windows) to get to the folder the YouTube thumbnail border is saved in.
Part 2: How to Add a Glowing Neon Border in Your YouTube Thumbnail with Canva
Canva is another intuitive editing program that works on the web interface rather than having you download and install an app on your PC. You can add a neon border for YouTube thumbnails using Canva by following the instructions given below:
Step 1: Define Project Settings and Add a Background
After signing in to your Canva account, click Create a design from the top-right corner of the page, click Custom size from the bottom, define 1280 and 720 in the Width and Height fields on the box that appears respectively, and click Create new design.
Now, click to select Background from the navigation bar on the left (if the Background tool is not visible, click More and then choose Background from the expanded list), and click to select a background from the images available in the center pane.
Step 2: Upload an Image and Add Effects
Click Uploads from the navigation bar, click the More icon from the right of the Upload media button present at the top of the center pane, choose your preferred method to upload the image (with the transparent background) that you want to use, upload the image, and drag it from the center pane to the Canvas.
Note: You can use any of the tools available online to remove the background from your image for free.
To add a YouTube thumbnail border, make sure that the image that you added to the Canvas is selected, click the Duplicate icon from the upper-right area, and use the scaling handles of the copy of the image to increase its size a bit. Reposition the image back to its original location as well.
Then, click Edit image from the upper-left corner of the Canvas, click Duotone from the Edit image pane at the center, if need be, click See all, choose your preferred duotone effect to apply on the image, choose your preferred highlight and shadow colors from the box that appears next, and click Back from the top of the pane.
Next, click See all next to the Adjust section from the center pane, and drag the Blur slider to the right to increase the blur effect on the image.
Step 3: Position the Layers
While keeping the duplicate image selected, click the Position button from the upper-right area of the Canvas, and click Background to send the second image behind the first one to get the neon border effect for the photo.
Part 3: How to Outline a Person in a YouTube Thumbnail with Photoshop
Because YouTube thumbnails are nothing but static images, creating YouTube thumbnail border with Adobe Photoshop is comparatively easier. The process of doing this is given below:
Step 1: Define Document Preferences and Import an Image
Launch Adobe Photoshop on your PC, click Create new, and on the New Document customization box, define the width and height values to 1280 and 720 pixels respectively. Select Transparent from the Background Contents menu as well if not already selected. Click Create from the bottom to create a new Photoshop document with the specified document settings. Next, open the folder that contains the source image, drag the photo to Photoshop, and press Enter to place the photo.
Step 2: Remove Background from the Image
Make sure that the image layer is selected in the Layers panel on the right, go to Select from the menu bar at the top, and click Subject. From the bottom of the Layers panel, click the Add a mask icon to get rid of the background, leaving only the human on the Canvas.
Step 3: Add a Custom Background and an Outline Around the Subject
Use the method explained earlier to import a background image of your choice to Photoshop. Drag the background image layer to the bottom in the Layers panel. Double-click the masked layer, click to select Stroke from the left pane of the Layer Style box, and use the options available on the right to manage the size, color, position, etc. of the stroke that has been added around the human subject. Click OK when done, and then export the image normally to use it as a YouTube thumbnail border.
Summary
It is important to know that the default resolution of a YouTube thumbnail is 1280 x 720 pixels that is usually written and referred to as 720p. While adding a YouTube thumbnail border, it is also imperative to have a good sense of color combination and fonts. Furthermore, a decent tool like Wondershare Filmora X must be used to add an appealing neon border around the main subject in the thumbnail image easily and quickly.
- Title: In 2024, From Content Creator to Earnings Expert on YouTube
- Author: Thomas
- Created at : 2024-05-31 12:40:01
- Updated at : 2024-06-01 12:40:01
- Link: https://youtube-help.techidaily.com/in-2024-from-content-creator-to-earnings-expert-on-youtube/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
