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There is no denying that YouTube is the most popular video monetization platform globally. At least 2.6 billion users actively use the platform every month.

Only Facebook has a more extensive social media user base than YouTube. 

Considering that YouTube videos can be watched without logging in, the YouTube user base number is likely to be above that figure.

But is YouTube the best option for everyone?

The platform you host and choose to monetize your video content will make a massive difference in the growth of your business. And how fast you can build an audience, scale, and increase profit.

So, in this post, we look at some of the best YouTube alternatives and video monetization platforms you can explore.

This list is ideal if you cannot find your feet with YouTube marketing. You cannot build an audience, grow your channel, and monetize your video content.

You will find many options you can try to get more from your video marketing business. If you’re new to video marketing, here is a simple definition of video monetization is…

What is Video Monetization?

Video monetization is getting paid or earning revenue from your published online content.

As a content creator, you put a lot of hours, energy, resources, and investments into creating educational video content and want the highest ROI.

The more people watching your video, the higher you could earn. There are several ways or methods to monetize video content; let’s explore a few known methods.

How to Monetize Your Video Content?

There are countless ways or methods to earn from your video content, but in reality, most tactics will fall into one or more of these video monetization strategies.

A good video streaming platform will provide at least one of these methods to earn from your video views, host your video, and provide performance analytics to measure and track essential metrics.

Subscription-based on-demand video (SVOD)

SVOD is a monetization method where video platforms charge users a monthly recurring or one-time fee to access video content.

Users can continue accessing the video content library if the account remains valid. An excellent example of this is Netflix.

As a consumer of video content, users can subscribe to Netflix monthly packages to keep enjoying the services. In return, as agreed, Netflix pays content creators a certain amount.

In most cases, Netflix’s business model works in two ways – licensing or paying total movie production costs.

It pays a licensing fee if you have good video content that Netflix wants to include in its library. Netflix also pays video producers the total cost of production and assumes ownership.

As a creator, if you have good video content worth it, you can work with streaming platforms like Netflix, Showmax, DSTV, LiveSports, etc…to earn consistently from your work.

Advertising-based video on demand (AVOD)

This is the easiest and most common method of making money from video content as a creator. It presents an excellent opportunity to build a business around your audience community.

It is a number game; the larger your audience size, the more you can earn from advertising views and clicks.

YouTube is a good example here.

YouTube runs advertising through the video and shares some of the ad earnings with the channel creator. It is a win-win for all the parties involved. 

Your audience enjoys watching ad-supported content they would have otherwise paid for.

The advertiser gets more exposure, you earn from ad revenue sharing, and the video streaming platform takes the advertising fee.

Transactional Video on Demand (TVOD)

This video monetization method allows users to pay upfront to watch an event, download it, or live stream it.

TVOD offers users a convenient and cost-effective way to pay and watch a particular video event without subscribing to a monthly or yearly plan. It is a pay-per-view video monetization tactic.

iTunes, Google Play Store, Redbox, Mubi, and Lightbox TV are excellent examples of TVOD.

On these platforms, users can pay per view or download. It brings a lot of more convenient, flexible payment structures and enhances users’ usage.

Video Monetization Platforms to Make Money

1. Uscreen

Uscreen video platform

Uscreen is an all-in-one- video monetization platform that lets you earn in multiple ways.

The platform helps content creators in a variety of ways to achieve, do more, and earn from their video content.

Uscreen allows you to earn on your terms and provide the tools you need to succeed. You can charge a recurring monthly subscription, annual plan, free trial, upsell and down-sell, discount, gift card, etc. 

The platform allows content creators to integrate with third-party services, use email marketing, live broadcast, engage with the audience in the comments section, and more. 

One of the significant benefits of Uscreen for marketers is having control over your subscriber’s contact details. The platform gives you a complete subscriber list and email details, so your audience is yours.

uscreen Top Features

  • Build your own OTT app (over-the-top application) and meet your users everywhere and anytime. Users can stream your content on their favorite devices using the internet. You don’t need coding knowledge to build your OTT app with uscreen.
  • Accept payment from multiple gateways – PayPal, Stripe, uscreen Payment, and Authorize.net.
  • Go live stream with your content and let your audience enjoy a real-time experience of watching and interacting with you.
  • Use the cart abandonment feature to re-engage users who did not complete their purchases.
  • Uscreen will host your video content, so you don’t have to worry about bandwidth or storage costs. 
  • Get a professional domain name and build with a simple drag-and-drop editing feature. 
  • Use a dozen customizable website themes to represent your brand language.
  • Use built-in marketing tools to launch, grow, and retain your audience – email automation, subscription tools, upsell and down-sell, landing pages, integration services, reduce churn, create giveaways, free trials, etc.

uscreen Pricing

  • Basic – $79/month
  • Growth – $159/month
  • uscreen Plus – contact sales

Note: Uscreen offers 14-day free trial access.

2. TikTok

TikTok - homepage

If you’re new and raw to the world of video content creation, TikTok might be the platform to be.

Anyone can create and share video content on TikTok; you don’t need to be a professional video creator or an expensive video tool to use the platform.

TikTok is a fast-growing platform with over 1 billion monthly users as of quarter 1 of 2022. The platform provides an easier way for anyone to create and share their video content.

The length of video content on Tiktok is 10 minutes, a massive boost from the previous maximum limit of 3 minutes.

Now, video creators can express themselves better and more elaborately. The new limits allow instructors and coaches to use the platform more for teaching and growing an audience base. 

The platform presents video creators with official earning methods from the Tiktok Creator Fund.

TikTok Creator Fund is a program run by TikTok to reward its community of content creators for their hard work and creativity.

$231 million has been committed to the program for the next three years.

However, to qualify for the TikTok Creator Fund, you must be above 18, have at least 10,000 followers, and have generated 100,000 views in the last 30 days.

Also, the program is only available to US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain residents.

But all hope is not lost; you can earn from TikTok if you didn’t qualify for the Creator Fund program, even with fewer followers and monthly views. Here are other ways you can make money from TikTok:

  • Influencer or sponsored post collaboration with brands; you can partner with brands for sponsorship deals on your TikTok video. This could be an excellent earning opportunity if you have a decent number of followers and a target audience.
  • Course creators can use TikTok to sell online courses through educational video content.
  • Using the TikTok ads manager integration with Shopify, you can create ads directly from your Shopify shop and advertise on TikTok to reach a wider audience.

TikTok Top Features

  • Upload your video to the Tiktop app without worrying about bandwidth usage.
  • Edit and customize your video with songs, background images, crop, flip, rotate, and more.
  • Use TikTok filters and effects to create further amazing and fun videos that are simply entertaining. There are several animations, stickers, visual elements, and more to make your video amazing.
  •  Share your video from the app to other social media platforms with one click.
  • Build engagements on your TikTok video with likes and comments. 
  • TikTok duet features allow users to lip-sync or dance with anyone on the platform by sharing screens and collaborating in a fun way.
  • You can use the TikTok hashtag to invite other users to participate in a challenge or video. It is a fun way to invite others to collaborate on challenges.
  • Live stream your video on TikTok so other users can watch as you demonstrate your expertise and share your knowledge in real time.
  • You can use the TikTok geolocation feature to find other users streaming live from your proximity.
  • TikTokers can track and analyze the performance of their video broadcast and audience engagements in real time.

TikTok Pricing

  • Free

3. Twitch

Twitch

Since Amazon bought it in 2014, Twitch has moved from being a gamer and streaming website to expanding to a tool loved and used by other artists and video creators.

On average, 2.78 million people are on Twitch at any moment.

Most videos on Twitch are live streams of gamers competing with each other. It is free to join Twitch, and the platform offers an affiliate and a partner program that allows creators and games to earn money.

Qualified Twitch partners can earn a share of the ad revenue generated on the platform.

Though the company does not disclose the amount of percentage of share revenue, it is still a viable means of earning from your content. 

However, you can earn $3.50 for every 1,000 ad impressions from available third-party info.

So if you have large followers and generate thousands of ad impressions, Twitch can be a good side income for content creators and gamers.

You can read more on how to make money on Twitch in this post on this Shopify website.

There are many channels on Twitch, from gaming, cryptocurrency, blockchain, music, politics, Pools, Hot hubs, Beaches, etc… 

Twitch Top Features

  • Qualified Twitch partners can get a cut of advertising revenue and earn some money.
  • If you’re a gamer, you will find Twitch one of the best online video monetization platforms.
  • You can earn from doing what you love.
  • Earn from multiple monetization methods – Twitch ads, affiliate programs, Twitch bits, viewers subscriptions, sponsorship, donations, amazon associates, etc.

Twitch Pricing

  • Free

4. Vimeo

Vimeo

Vimeo is an all-in-one solution for hosting, managing, and sharing your video content with the world from one source.

It is one of the best alternatives to YouTube, offering content creators the chance to create, host, and sell their knowledge to earn a living.

Vimeo offers you the freedom to take control of your monetization strategy.

Instead of relying on an ad-based revenue model like YouTube and Facebook, you can turn your audience into paying members of your tribe and collect recurring revenue.

You can include interactive elements in your video that let your audience take action while watching. This can increase the engagement and conversion rate of your video content and help increase revenue.

Creators can earn from three monetization methods on Vimeo – Subscription, Branded app, and Live events. 

You can set up subscription-based content for your audience or create a branded app to share video content on any platform and device.

You can also set up a pay-per-view for live events like online classes, sporting, business summits, courses, etc. And you can combine all the methods to maximize your earning potential.

Vimeo Top Features

  • Create branded OTT apps that let you share content on any platform, OS, and device without coding knowledge.
  • Deliver high-quality live streaming in HD, and add branding and graphics to make it even better.
  • Add interactive elements to your video and increase its engagement and conversion rate with the Vimeo suite of marketing tools.
  • Create a customizable HTML5 video player that brings more beauty to work and content. You can change color and make your content private or password protected.
  • Businesses can use Vimeo for team communication, like hosting town hall meetings, live executive meetings, employee training, and the onboarding process.

Vimeo Pricing

  • Starter – $12/mon
  • Standard – $35/mon
  • Advance – $55/mon

Note: Vimeo offers a 30-day free trial of its services, so you can test it before committing.

5. IGTV

IGTV - Instagram

IGTV is the Instagram video content TV, one of the best video monetization platforms besides YouTube. Instagram is also a Facebook business, so you should expect similar policies and guidelines for content creators.

Creators can earn 55% of ad revenue like YouTube; this makes IGTV a good competitor of the YouTube video monetization platform for creators. 

Unlike YouTube, IGTV is not available in all countries. Only the US, UK, and Australia are allowed into the program currently.

Even at that, your account must have at least 10,000 followers and 30,000 1-minute views in the last 60 days.

Although IGTV may not be for everyone out there, still a good option if you’re in an eligible country and your Instagram account is qualified for IGTV.  

What if your account has decent followers and a high engagement rate, but you’re not in an eligible country?

Well, you can still earn from your IGTV video by leveraging other video monetization methods:

Affiliate Marketing.

As it is, you can add affiliate links to your IGTV video in the description text. There is no limit to how many links you can add, but I advise keeping things simple and clean. The maximum number of characters is 2,200.

And like YouTube, you need to let your audience know there is a link in the description they can click to get more information.

People are still learning how IGTV works, so don’t assume everyone knows of small things like this.

Sponsorship Deal

If you have large followers on Instagram, you can source for brands and companies to work out sponsorship deals with you.

Companies are looking for more ways to get their product in front of more eyes; you can help them with promotions.

It’s simple; you must create a video featuring the company’s product or services. This could be just a mention, an onboarding of the product; I have seen this many times with smartphone users on IGTV.

Promote your Product

You can use IGTV to drive traffic to your eCommerce website for free.

As you create engaging and educational content, you build an audience that trusts your recommendations. 

Your IGTV is an excellent medium to send traffic to your landing pages and increase revenue potential.

6. Facebook

Facebook

Creators can earn money from Facebook in-stream and overlay ads if they meet the requirements. Facebook shares a percentage of the advertising revenue with video creators. 

But first, you must check if you’re qualified for the program.

From the information gathered on Facebook, creators must have at least 10,000 page followers, have published at least five videos, generated 600,000 minute views in the last 60 days, and have all videos published from their page.

If your page and video meet the qualification requirement, ads are placed during the 1st one-minute break of your video, and the user must watch the ads in total for you to earn.

With the reach of Facebook, it could be worth giving this a try if you’re consistently creating fun videos.

The program is not available for all countries; only a selected number of countries are allowed. You can check here for your country’s eligibility.

Another way to earn from your video content on Facebook is through sponsored messages.

You can partner with brands by running a commercial during your video presentation to your audience. But this tactic will only work if you have large followers on your page.

Brands will want to work with you if you have the type of audience in their target demographic. While Facebook’s video monetization program is not the best option, it is still a viable tool for getting started with video marketing.

FAQ – Alternative Video Monetization Platforms

How can I monetize my videos?

There are several ways to monetize your video; you can collaborate with an affiliate program network and run paid sponsorship and partnership deals.

If you’re a product creator, you can turn your viewers into a community, sell courses, create membership sites, and offer downloadable products.

Which platform is best for video monetization?

It all depends on a variety of factors. You must consider your audience’s interests, niche, demographic, products, etc. Putting into factor all these metrics will give you the right direction to follow. 

Some video monetization platforms are best suited for certain audiences and niches. For example, YouTube can be an excellent place for educational content presented in a step-by-step tutorial. Facebook is good for fun and entertaining short clips.

If you’re selling online courses, you might want to think of other platforms like Thinkific, Mighty Network, and LinkedIn Learning.

Is there any money platform like YouTube?

Several money platforms include IGTV, Facebook in-stream ads, Twitch, etc. You can try any of these platforms to compare your results and ease of use with YouTube.

Conclusion…Best Video Monetization Platforms

There is no shortage of video monetization platforms you can explore.

However, if you’re stuck with YouTube, especially looking for ways to generate consistent and stable income within your control, you must try some of the options above.

YouTube is a good option, but it takes away your ability to own your audience, determine earning potential, and take absolute control of your business.

Other platforms, such as email lists and engagement levels, will give you more control over your audience data. This is something you can’t possibly achieve with YouTube marketing.

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4 Comments

  1. Thank you very for this rich piece. In all of the options listed above. Youtube still pays better. Facebook still can’t pay Nigerian users. Let’s see what the future holds.

    1. Hi Don,

      Yes, Nigeria and some other countries are yet to be included in the Facebook video monetization program. No doubt, YouTube still remains the top choice, but it’s a good thing to see what other options can get you.

  2. Hi SHAMSUDEEN, I love Rumble and have made some money on that video network. They even have a “Rumble battle” where you can win money as well. It’s a competitor to YouTube.

    1. Hi Lisa,

      Thanks for mentioning Rumble, I will check it out and will consider adding it to the list. Thanks for your time here. And happy blogging!

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