How Erika Kullberg Grows and Monetizes Her YouTube Channel

Erika Kullberg now has greater than two million subscribers on YouTube and over 21 million followers throughout her social media accounts — however 5 years in the past, she began off at zero subscribers, similar to all new YouTube creators.

Kullberg makes private finance movies for YouTube, Instagram, Fb, and TikTok, with content material targeted on serving to folks get what they’re owed and sharing private finance anecdotes from her personal life, like why she quit a $250,000 job in company regulation.

She says of all of the platforms she posts on, she makes the most cash from YouTube.

Kullberg has made greater than $353,000 from YouTube previously 5 years, not together with model sponsorships and earlier than taxes.

^{Credit score: Erika Kullberg}

It took her about three months of posting one YouTube video per week to get her first thousand subscribers and qualify for monetization. That is fairly quick: For reference, information on the VidIQ channel exhibits that it takes about 15.5 months on common for YouTubers to get monetized.

Associated: Here’s How Much Popular Influencer Erika Kullberg Makes

Kullberg shared the secrets and techniques behind her YouTube channel’s quick observe to development in an interview with Entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur: Was there a mindset or something you probably did strategically to assist your channel stand out and get monetized?

Kullberg: After I first began YouTube, I dedicated to placing out one video per week for one yr it doesn’t matter what. As a result of what I see quite a lot of occasions for YouTube is folks put out 5 movies after which they’re so discouraged that they don’t seem to be magically at a thousand subscribers after 5 movies that they simply quit. So 52 movies. That was a giant mindset factor.

One other factor that I did was examine and analyze YouTube channels earlier than I launched my very own. I spotted the significance of getting the best thumbnail and getting the best title. It additionally needs to be a subject that you simply’re tremendous obsessed with.

It took me three months to hit a thousand subscribers and that was after placing in a single video per week. For every video, I used to be spending 15 to twenty hours.

How might somebody discover a YouTube area of interest that may quickly develop? Are there any instruments or analysis ways you’d advocate as they scope out the sector?

For the area of interest, I would say do not base your content material on what has the prospect to quickly develop. Base it off of what you are obsessed with. I do assume a great metric to grasp how giant the potential market is seeing how giant the largest folks in that area of interest are… that offers you a tough sense of how huge the area of interest is.

After which should you’re particularly fascinated by the best way to construct cash by way of YouTube, the best way to use it to both complement your present revenue or ultimately substitute your revenue, I would even be fascinated by how worthwhile that area of interest could possibly be, not simply in YouTube advert income, which is one strategy to earn cash, however in different alternatives too. May you develop into an affiliate marketer?

In the event you’re a gardening channel, then you could possibly promote gardening provides and perhaps earn a fee off of that. That is affiliate internet marketing. So, considering two steps forward of what’s the potential for me to not solely develop this channel and get subscribers, however to make cash.

Associated: ‘Pay Off My Debt’ TikToker on Money Made, iCarly Inspiration

The YouTube search bar is your finest software. There are paid instruments that YouTubers use. The three paid instruments that come to thoughts are TubeBuddy, VidIQ, after which ViewStats.com.

What sort of preparation did you do earlier than you posted your first video?

I analyzed what different movies have been doing. One of many workouts I might advocate everybody do is to go discover the people who find themselves speaking about the identical factor that you simply wish to speak to.

Listing them out after which go to their YouTube movies and type by well-liked movies. That begins to present you an concept of what sort of viral subjects there are in your movies.

On the level you are at now, how do you ensure your channel retains rising?

For me, I believe naturally should you maintain placing out content material, it is going to continue to grow. It might not at all times develop on the identical tempo. Like, for example, within the private finance house, if you wish to get essentially the most views, you might want to discuss issues which are trending and keep on high of the fashionable subjects.

However I’ve type of shifted to a unique path with my channel, so I create content material that I am keen on speaking about as a substitute.

Associated: Harnessing the Power of YouTube SEO — How to Rank Your Videos Higher and Gain More Subscribers

How do you steadiness YouTube and different ventures, like your authorized tech startup Plug and Legislation?

When you begin creating wealth for YouTube, you possibly can work out what you’re uniquely positioned to do, after which what you possibly can rent out.

So once I first began YouTube, I used to be training as a lawyer full-time, and doing YouTube as my aspect pastime for 20 hours per week on high of that.

^{Credit score: Erika Kullberg}

I edited the primary video myself and it took me 20 hours to discover ways to edit. After which one other 10 hours to edit that video. So then I employed an editor.

As I began to earn some revenue from YouTube, I used to be in a position to rent out completely different elements of it. So I used to be in a position to rent an individual who designs thumbnails. I realized the best way to rent and delegate duties. I’ve many individuals on my crew now who assist me, however it did not begin that manner.

You used to work in company regulation. What recommendation do you may have for somebody fascinated by a profession change?

Be sure you manage to pay for to do it. In the event you’re fascinated by leaving or altering your profession or quitting to develop into an entrepreneur, begin saving up.

If you can begin exploring your aspect pastime on the weekends, hopefully, that aspect pastime, as quickly because it begins producing revenue often, can develop into your primary factor and you’ll give up your job.

Do you ever remorse leaving that company life behind?

I’ve by no means as soon as regretted leaving the company world behind.

I turned a lawyer as a result of I wished to assist folks, and I wished to make a distinction. However being a company lawyer did not fulfill that for me, and I did not love having my time dictated and managed by a boss. I really feel very, very fortunate and I by no means remorse taking the leap to be right here. Go away behind the company life and the flowery paycheck.

^{Credit score: Erika Kullberg}

Do you may have some other recommendation for entrepreneurs who wish to begin and develop a YouTube channel?

I would say be clear in your mission, perceive the monetization route, perceive that outcomes usually are not going to be quick, it’s most likely going to take you twice as lengthy to get to no matter subscriber rely you are hoping for, and so be affected person and perceive that it is quite a lot of work.

To provide context, I neglect the precise numbers, however it took me three months to hit a thousand subscribers, it took me one other three months to hit 2,000, after which in a month, between months 5 and 6, I went from 2,000 to 52,000 subscribers, roughly, and made $20,000 that month from YouTube.

That was a mix of YouTube, advert income, associates, and sponsorships. So, you are only one video away from altering the trajectory of your future. Be affected person and do not quit.

This interview has been minimize and edited for readability.