Part 3/8:
The Road to Monetization
My journey to monetization was not conventional. Each YouTuber's experience varies, but mine involved growing two channels simultaneously. After the initial struggles of gaining confidence on camera and learning video editing, I took my first step toward monetization by posting my first video on May 16, 2024—almost four months after setting up the channel. My first three videos gained modest traction, leading to 24 subscribers and 70.1 watch hours in just half a month.
To qualify for the AdSense monetization program, channels need at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours over the past 365 days. My first month’s performance left me far behind at just 1.7% of the watch hour target, indicating a slow start.