When most people think about making money on YouTube, they assume you need AdSense and a ton of views. But the truth is, there’s a smarter way, especially if you’re just starting out.
In this post, I’m going to break down how to make money on YouTube without AdSense, how I personally do it, and why selling your own digital products is the most underrated form of YouTube passive income in 2025.
You don’t need to go viral. You don’t need fancy equipment. And you don’t need thousands of subscribers to make this work.
Why I Don’t Use AdSense
I turned off AdSense for one reason: it pays way too little unless you’re getting massive traffic.
- A video with 10,000 views might only make you $15 to $40 on AdSense
- But that same video could bring in hundreds in digital product sales
- On top of that, AdSense requires you to hit 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time to even qualify
I didn’t want to wait on YouTube’s terms. I wanted control, and higher profit.
Monetizing YouTube without ads gave me exactly that.
My YouTube to Product Strategy
Here’s the full strategy I use to make YouTube work for me:
1. Pick a Niche You Know
I only talk about things I’ve actually done. That builds trust.
Some examples of beginner friendly niches:
- Studying and productivity (student templates, study methods)
- Personal finance (budget trackers, savings plans)
- Tech or AI tools (Notion, ChatGPT guides)
- Career advice (resume help, interview prep)
2. Make Helpful Content
Every video I post solves a specific problem. It could be:
- “How I budget on $500/month in college”
- “Notion productivity dashboard tutorial”
- “How I built a side hustle with Reddit”
Each video naturally leads into a product or guide that goes deeper.
3. Link Your Product Everywhere
I drop the product link:
- In the description
- As a pinned comment
- Mention it inside the video
That way, even a video with 100 views can bring in sales, because it’s targeted and helpful.
What I Sell (And How You Can Too)
You don’t need to build a massive course to make money. I started simple:
- Notion templates
- Gumroad eBooks
- Mini courses or cheat sheets
- Example: I created a guide on how to get jobs and internships for college students, made videos about tips, and linked it in the description. Those videos still brings in passive sales months later.
I host everything on Gumroad, it’s free to start, and you can deliver your product automatically.
How I Make Sales Without Ads
Here’s what most people miss: you don’t need to sell hard. You just need to help.
Every video is designed to do one thing: drive traffic to my product.
I do this by:
- Showing the product in action (walkthroughs, tutorials, tips)
- Using strong CTAs like “If you want to skip the setup, I’ve linked my template below”
- Optimizing descriptions with keywords and clean links
- Mentioning the value naturally in the video (not like a salesman)
I don’t need 1 million views. I just need 100 of the right people watching.
Want to see this system in action? Read: Earn Passive Income Online: Sell Notion Templates Using AI and Instagram (No Experience Needed)
Proof + Results
I’ll drop my Gumroad earnings screenshot down below so you can see this is real. Most of those sales come directly from my YouTube videos.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Small channel with under 1,000 subs
- Most videos have under 2k views
- But with targeted content, I get clicks → to landing page → to product
You don’t need to go viral. You need to be helpful, consistent, and intentional.
Tools I Use
If you’re wondering how to start with no money, here’s everything I use:
- Gumroad – to sell and deliver digital products
- Notion – to build and manage templates
- ChatGPT – to write product descriptions, video scripts, and marketing copy
- Canva – to create thumbnails and product visuals
- Gamma – to create video slides using AI
- Mac Quicktime Player – to record your screen (no camera needed)
Everything here is either free or has a free version. No excuses.
Tips to Get Started (Even with Zero Experience)
If you’re reading this thinking “I don’t know where to start,” here’s how:
- Start small. One product. One video. One landing page.
- Pick a niche you’ve actually experienced. People trust real results.
- Create slides instead of face videos. Open Canva, build a presentation, and record your screen while talking. That’s it.
- Forget virality. Focus on being useful. That’s what brings clicks and sales.
Don’t try to be fancy. Just be helpful and consistent.
Free Resource: AI Side Hustle Stack
Inside, you’ll get:
- 15 digital product ideas you can launch in a weekend using AI
- The best free + paid tools I use
- A plug-and-play sales funnel template
- A niche guide to help you get your first sale faster
Final Thoughts
You don’t need AdSense. You don’t need to wait for YouTube to approve your channel. You don’t need thousands of views.
This is how to make money on YouTube without AdSense in 2025:
- Create valuable content around a niche you know
- Link a simple product that solves a problem
- Use YouTube to drive traffic and automate the sales
- Let your videos make passive income while you sleep
This is real, scalable, and beginner friendly. And if you stay consistent, it will pay off.
Use Reddit to print money: How to Make Money on Reddit in 2025 (Beginner’s Guide)
Want to know where to invest the money you’re making? Read: Where I’m Investing in 2025 with Less Than $500/Month
Let’s keep building real income streams that actually work. This is the quickest way to retire early.
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