# Earning an income from videos on YouTube gets closer

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/02/08/earning-income-videos-youtube-gets-closer/
- Published: 2007-02-08T17:16:59+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Now that video-sharing website [YouTube.com](http://www.youtube.com) has confirmed
that it will introduce a revenue-sharing system for people and organisations that
upload their videos to the site ([BBC News – YouTubers to get ad money share](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6305957.stm)),
it is surely time to explore the opportunities that YouTube.com offers to charities
and campaigning organisations.

Some of these organisations have been publishing and distributing their videos via
YouTube for the past year or more, but the possibility of earning income from simply
publishing means this is a channel that could benefit charities in many ways.

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Imagine publishing your DRTV adverts, electronic news releases, campaign messages,
celebrity endorsement videos, or even office-produced video interviews with field
staff or key individuals – and then earning an income from them.

Oxfam, for example, is currently showing on its own website its [Oxfam Unwrapped Alpaca TV advert](http://www.oxfamunwrapped.com/alpaca),
part of the current MasterCard series. Imagine generating income from the original
TV advert and then placing the advert on YouTube and earning income again because
it is such an amusing and popular video.

As with other revenue-sharing systems like Google AdSense, you might not generate
large sums, but every now and again one of your videos might get picked up as the
video du jour for its newsworthiness, relevance or indeed humour – and the income
will start to rise. Boost the number of viewers of your online videos by promoting
them to supporters and you could help increase that revenue further.

Then of course there are your supporters. Have you ever asked them to produce their
own videos to promote your cause? Probably not. Will they do it? Some will. And 
if they’re genuine supporters perhaps they’ll ensure that the revenue share they
earn from these videos will be passed to your charity.

YouTube’s revenue sharing system, due to launch later this year, offers yet another
opportunity for creative fundraisers to generate additional income from existing
or low-cost new material.

 * **[The year of the fundraising widget (or badge)?](https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/02/08/year-fundraising-widget-or-badge/)**(
   8 February 2007)
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   10 February 2007)
 * **[Beneficiary v donor: who is the most important?](https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/02/14/beneficiary-v-donor-who-most-important/)**(
   14 February 2007)