In a nutshell

  • How-to content is very popular on YouTube as it stays relevant; by creating it, there is a higher probability of making a profit.
  • Creating engaging and useful how-to and tutorials will garner high retention rates, which leads to more views and higher revenue.
  • How-to creators also utilize affiliate links and brand sponsorships to rack up their profits.

YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world. Many rely on YouTube to find answers. How-to content is made to answer those questions in an engaging way. And, thankfully, there’s an abundance of how-to content on YouTube, all answering questions from anything like how to crochet to how to write a book. How-to content on YouTube is one of the leading video genres. Along with high retention rates, it can be quite lucrative.

In this article, we will cover why how-to content is so popular and why it is so compatible with making money. We’ll also highlight the logistic side of how much profit is possible.

How-to content on YouTube performs well due to its relevancy. Subject matter in how-to content provides information that can prove to be useful for years. A good majority of how-to content is considered evergreen content, meaning it will stay relevant for years or indefinitely. For example, the video How to tie a tie – Quick and Easy, which was uploaded 11 years ago, has amassed 53 million views. Other videos on this specific topic receive millions of views as well. Tying a tie is a timeless skill — a simple process that hasn’t changed much for decades.

However, some processes are ever-changing and call for frequent updating, like how to use Adobe Photoshop. Comparing two videos by Skills Factory and Vince Opra on using the software as a beginner, the video by Skills Factory is 10 years old. It provides very pertinent information for its time, but now it’s outdated. Vince Opra’s video is much more modern and is still relevant today.

Despite the potential of how-to content becoming outdated, how-to content is still one of the most popular content types on YouTube. There are various ways that content creators deliver how-to content to their viewers, such as basic tutorials, multi-episode series and even running entire channels dedicated to how-tos. A great example of an entire channel dedicated to this is Dad, how do I?. Rob Kenney, the channel creator, does a great job of providing fatherly encouragement and instruction. From this, the channel has garnered more than 4.7 million subscribers.

Dad, how do I? on YouTube

Why how-to content can be quite lucrative

Typically, viewers will watch the entire video on how to complete a task or process. Watching an entire video makes for high retention rates, which leads to more visibility in the algorithm. And visibility often translates to more views and clicks, which, in turn, signifies to potential viewers that a video is worth watching if everyone’s watching it. More clicks and views open the opportunity for more profit.

Another way how-to content racks up views is that oftentimes people will rewatch videos to review a process. Commonly referred to as YouTube University, videos can be compared to chapters of a textbook. Students often go back and reread sections to help them better understand a topic. Rewatching videos or segments of videos creates even more retention.

Making money with how-to content

Views translate to money. The average YouTuber makes $0.018 per view so, 1,000 views equates to around $18. Engagement plays a huge role as well. Creators receive 55 percent of the revenue made from their content from advertisements. Crafting relevant and engaging how-to content presents a high upside.

Furthermore, there are affiliate links and sponsorships that play a huge role in how-to content. Affiliate links are a great way to earn money through promoting products within the content. Doing sponsorships, although a more involved process, is a major way to ensure profit. The video How I Make Money as a Cozy Self-Employed Artist from Uncomfy is the perfect example of a creator doing both. She presents the sponsor towards the beginning of the video in a cohesive way and includes affiliate links in the description.

How I Make Money as a Cozy Self-Employed Artist ✿ The BIG Q&A: Finance, Taxes, Small Biz, Confidence

How-to: A tried-and-true way to make money on YouTube

Diving into creating how-to content is a tried-and-true way to make money. High retention rates will boost creators’ content in the algorithm and offer more discoverability. How-to content is and will always be a reliable way to grow on YouTube and boost earnings. As long as you find questions people need answers to, you’ll likely have a hit on your hands.