If you’ve turned on YouTube Memberships and felt like nothing happened… you’re not alone. We’ve worked with thousands of creators and seen this same pattern over and over. You flip the switch, maybe a few fans join, and that’s it. A trickle of revenue. Not worth shouting about.
But here’s what most creators don’t realize. When Memberships are done right, they can bring in up to 80% of your total income. That’s not a random number. We’ve seen it firsthand.
Learn From Our Experience
Three creators we’ve worked with — OOHAMI, Rally Point, and our Health & Sport channel — all had Memberships active for years, earning close to nothing. But once we rebuilt their approach, Memberships became a main revenue stream.
Here’s what we’ve learned from launching and scaling successful YouTube Channel Memberships across different regions, formats, and niches. These aren’t generic tips. These are the 20 facts that actually matter (and might surprise you).
1. Turning Memberships on isn’t enough
Sounds obvious, right? But so many creators assume just enabling the feature is the work. It’s not. That’s the starting line. If you don't have a strategy behind it, it’s like putting merch in a shop no one visits.
2. Your audience doesn’t know what’s behind that JOIN button
Our partner OOHAMI had the JOIN button for five years and made next to nothing from it. The only thing that changed? They made a video explaining what members would actually get. It wasn’t slick. Just honest, clear value. That alone started a 6.5x growth in members.
3. Promotion is not a one-time thing
Our partner Rally Point added the JOIN button widget to their homepage, pinned posts about YouTube channel perks in the Community tab, and added shout-outs in their videos. All of this wasn’t a one-week launch — it became part of the strategy. That's how they hit 46% of total income from Memberships.
4. Most creators under-promote
We hear this all the time: “I mentioned it last week.” But YouTube doesn’t show every post or video to every subscriber. That’s why consistency in talking about Memberships is key. Not spammy. Just consistent.
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5. It’s okay to sell — if the offer feels right
Creators don’t like sounding pushy. But this isn’t about selling something random. It’s about offering a deeper way to connect. That’s not “salesy.” That’s valuable.
6. You don’t need a massive channel for Memberships to work
It’s not about sub count. It’s about how connected you are to your community. Even smaller channels with 10k–50k subs can bring in serious money if their members feel like insiders.
7. Visibility matters more than you think
OOHAMI added a simple widget showing sponsor logos + a JOIN button. It made fans feel seen and reminded others that joining was an option. Visibility increases clicks. Simple as that. When your membership benefits on YouTube are easy to find and visibly supported by others, more people click.
8. You can preview perks to non-members (it works)
Instead of describing your perks, show them. Preview thumbnails with lock icons or blurred titles spark curiosity. Rally Point did this and instantly saw more clicks to the JOIN page. People are more likely to buy when they can see what they’re missing.
9. End screens and descriptions are tools to leverage
Your video description should always include the JOIN link (no exceptions). End screens are perfect for reminding people right after you’ve delivered value. These are no-effort, high-impact placements. Set them once in your upload template and forget it. It’s the easiest upgrade you’ll ever make.
10. Your Membership pitch video should live on your Memberships tab
Obvious? Maybe. But most creators don’t even know it’s there, which is wild — it’s one of those hidden YouTube features that can quietly boost your conversion rate. One short clip saying, “Here’s what you’ll get if you join” can dramatically increase YouTube fan support & the conversion rate on your Memberships page.
11. The JOIN button is a call-to-action. Treat it like one
Talk about Memberships the same way you talk about sponsors or merch — naturally, regularly, without overselling. One line in your intro or outro is enough: “Want more? Hit JOIN.” Make it sound like a normal part of your channel. If you never say it, no one remembers it’s there.
12. Member-only content doesn’t have to be high-production
Behind-the-scenes clips. Funny outtakes. Casual Q&As. These are exactly the kinds of things that feel special to your most loyal fans. You don’t need a second editing team to deliver value. It’s less about effort and more about authenticity.
13. Make perks match audience interests
When we relaunched a Health & Sport channel’s Memberships, we didn’t invent new content. We extended what their audience already cared about: longer workouts, more direct advice, and private chats.
14. Perks that are too generic don’t convert
“Thank you” videos, emoji badges, and random PDFs might seem fine, but they won’t create a connection or FOMO. Viewers join when they see real value, like access, influence, or exclusive content that speaks directly to their interests.
15. Revenue from Memberships is more stable than AdSense
Unlike ad revenue, Memberships don’t crash when views drop or a video gets demonetized. People pay monthly to be a part of the community. That makes your income predictable, even during slow weeks. One Health & Sport channel now gets 80% of their revenue from members.
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16. Community builds retention
In all three cases, we saw that private chats and interactive polls kept members around longer. You don’t need to answer DMs 24/7, but give members a space to talk and feel seen. Make it look like it’s the whole YouTube Premium Membership experience.
17. Don’t offer YouTube channel perks you can’t sustain
Offer what you can actually deliver and then do it consistently. A small monthly bonus beats a chaotic overcommitment that burns you out. Think long-term: one extra video, one AMA, one shout-out. The goal is retention, not hype. Underpromise, then surprise them later.
18. Memberships aren’t passive
We’re not talking about burning yourself out, making two versions of every video. All it takes is a few intentional perks that feel personal. Something that makes your audience feel like they’re part of the process, not just buyers.
19. You can revive a dead Membership program
If your Membership feature has been sitting untouched for months (or years), don’t panic. You’re not starting from zero. You’ve got data, audience insights, and our team if you need help building a real plan.
20. You don’t have to figure this out alone
Most creators aren’t Membership experts. Фnd they shouldn’t have to be. You’ve got videos to make. We help with the structure: what to offer, how to promote it, what works for your audience. Just check out our Alternative Monetisation Service. We know a lot about YouTube monetization options.
Thinking about Patreon vs YouTube Membership?
Well… Yes, it’s another thing to consider.
Patreon gives you flexibility. You can create multiple tiers, offer merch, and send private messages. But it lives off-platform, which means you have to constantly remind people to leave YouTube and sign up elsewhere.
vs.
YouTube Memberships, on the other hand, are built-in. The JOIN button is right under your videos, perks show up inside the platform, and YouTube itself promotes your member content. If your audience already lives on YouTube, keeping them there usually converts better & with less effort.
We Can Help
We’ve said this before, and we’ll keep saying it — Memberships are the most underrated tool for creators who want predictable, long-term income.
If you’re tired of watching your ad revenue bounce around and want a stable way to grow, it’s time to take Memberships seriously. Not just by turning them on, but by building them right.
And we can help you do it.
Ready to turn that JOIN button into actual income? Let’s talk.
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