Can you whip up a cake from scratch without following a recipe? How about making a delicious ramen, sans the microwave-ready cups they’re packed in at grocery stores?

If you can work such miracles in the kitchen, that means your cooking skills are far above average. It’s possible that you’re either an advanced hobbyist, a certified chef, or somewhere in between!

No matter which category you belong to, one thing's for certain: If you’re willing to share your culinary expertise online, you have the potential to make money - especially if your platform of choice happens to be YouTube.

There are plenty of ways to do this, but the first crucial step is to learn all the secrets of the 

Once you do that, you’ll have the necessary knowledge to 

 and start generating revenue from ads run against your content.

As amazing as that sounds by itself, the money-making opportunities don’t end there. If you’re ready to earn some extra income as a culinary expert, here’s how three YouTubers are making it happen on the platform right now.

Steph and Adam: Earning Cash from Cooking on YouTube

 are a popular YouTube duo that specialize in vegan cooking. On their channel, which currently has 555K subscribers, they upload meal prep videos and share healthy, plant-based recipes.

When the quarantine and lockdowns became a global norm, Steph and Adam responded with timely, relevant content. To start with, they compiled 25 of their previous recipe videos into one, 

Then, to make this resource even more accessible, they uploaded a video that breaks down each recipe, which is titled, “

25 Pantry Meals To Make During Quarantine.

” In that video (below), Steph and Adam share a list of meals that anyone can prepare with common pantry ingredients:

This was a much-needed video at the beginning of the current pandemic as circumstances changed, and people started to cook at home a lot more. There are plenty of reasons for that, and they all stem from challenges surrounding COVID-19: empty shelves at grocery stores, the rising cost of essential items, and the need to practice social distancing.

Current Trends in Food & Drink on YouTube

After a crazy first half to 2020, no one knows what’s going to happen next, so if you’re a culinary whiz, your knowledge and advice could truly make a difference this year.

, and the results show that searches for a lot of cooking-related content increased once an official pandemic was declared.

’ spiked from February to April on YouTube. In particular, the banana bread and sourdough increases reflect 

With a YouTube channel, you could get paid to share your culinary skills and capitalize on the popular, always-in-demand topic of food preparation.

For example, Steph and Adam make money from their cooking videos year-round because they’ve fulfilled the 

Watch Time and subscriber-count requirements

 for monetizing a channel. Therefore, they can collect AdSense revenue on each video, which is what most creators strive for.

But that’s not the only way this duo is earning from YouTube. Steph and Adam have a couple of cookbooks, and they use their channel to promote those and bag more sales.

Want to follow in their footsteps? Create your YouTube channel today, then start sharing your cooking knowledge with the world. Over time, you’ll have the opportunity to earn more cash and visibility for your business.

Tom Dyer Bartender: Cashing in on Quarantini Trends

 is an expert at flair bartending, a performative way of mixing drinks that involves tossing, juggling, and expert pouring. While most people mix drinks the regular way, Tom does it with a ‘flair’ by performing tricks with bar tools and liquor bottles.

On Tom’s channel, which currently has 46.1K subscribers, he uploads cocktail tutorials, bartending tips, and more. However, those skills are part of a much larger business.

Tom also sells bartending tools, hosts a 'Flair' camp, and even co-founded a school for bartenders. Because of all that success, Tom is a great example of how a culinary professional can extend their business to YouTube and make money.

In fact, Tom did just that recently. As meme culture crossed paths with lockdown lifestyles, he capitalized on a funny internet trend: __the quarantini. __

The mixed drink, which consists of Emergen-C and vodka, began as a joke. But as lockdowns continued, any drink was eligible for quarantini status - especially those with a hint of citrus. In the video below, Tom puts his own bartending twist on the quarantini:

If bartending is your speciality and you’ve been unable to practice, bring that passion to YouTube and start making more money.

In Tom’s case, he not only earns money from paid advertising on his videos, but everything else that comes with a tightly integrated brand: merchandise, training camps, and courses.

YouTube is a great platform for promoting entrepreneurial ventures, so start building your channel today.

TabiEats Recipes: Live Cooking Shows Plus Patreon Cash

 uploads cooking tutorials, specifically around Japanese cuisine. On their channel of 11.1K subscribers, viewers can watch how-to cooking videos for dishes like menchi-katsu (ground meat patties) and yakisoba (noodle stir-fry).

About two months ago, TabiEats started live streaming. In those videos, viewers watched cooking tutorials that earned a decent amount of views. For example, in the video below, TabiEats shows over 7,000 viewers how to make a ginger pork sandwich:

Live-streamed videos don’t carry ads, but they still have description sections where you can include links to your culinary products online. In the case of TabiEats, there’s a Patreon link in every video, and that’s where loyal subscribers can pay to view exclusive content.

Furthermore, the strategy of doing a livestream and encouraging donations has been gaining traction for a while.

On Facebook Live, rapper and cooking enthusiast Big Freedia started a 

 series when lockdowns were still in session.

During those live streams, Big Freedia encouraged attendees to join a Patreon of private, pay-to-view recipes.

Likewise, chefs who were out of work also flocked to Instagram Live to host virtual cooking classes. And on YouTube, some channels are eligible to earn money via 

, a feature that allows viewers to donate during a live stream.

If you want to create live cooking content, consider doing that on YouTube and other social platforms. It’s a great way to connect with customers, give them something of real value, and receive donations for your hard work.

Extra Ways for Culinary Professionals to Make Money Online

Creating and growing a YouTube channel is a great way to turn your passion into a serious money-making profession.

However, the most successful creators use the platform as a springboard for additional opportunities. Once you’ve built a loyal audience of passionate foodies, you can carry them with you to a host of exciting new ventures, such as:

Starting a cooking blog (potential revenue from ads)

Giving cooking tutorials via video conference

Creating cooking courses for aspiring chefs, bartenders, etc.

Selling your favorite kitchen wares online (affiliate marketing)

The ability to cook a delicious meal or whip up a tasty cocktail never goes out of style. If you’re serious about making more money in this timeless industry, YouTube is a really great place to get started to build your presence.

If you want to get more insights into YouTube then make sure to download vidIQ. Over 1 million creators use vidIQ to help with keyword and competitor research, channel audits, and so much more. 

And if you’re serious about growing your YouTube views and subscribers, sign up for exclusive access to the 

. Learn how to launch a successful YouTube Channel in just 30 days.

Hand mixing egg whites to stiff peaks with electric beater in a glass bowl on blue surface

Do you work miracles in the kitchen? If so, you can earn some extra money by sharing your culinary expertise on YouTube!

This Is How Cooking Experts Can Make Money on YouTube

It’s official: YouTube’s loyal viewers are turning towards connected TVs to watch their favorite creators. In a 

 released on June 25th, the platform reported that over 100 million people now watch YouTube (and YouTube TV) via their TV screens each month.

YouTube shared this impressive statistic during its ninth annual NewsFront presentation, "Brandcast Delivered." The industry event is designed to attract advertisers, and during it, YouTube released some interesting metrics around Watch Time and viewing behavior.

For instance, 450 million hours of video content uploaded to YouTube is consumed via TVs screens daily. This is an 80 percent increase compared to last year, as 2019’s number was just 

. And the year before that, the number was just 180 million hours.

For 2020, YouTube confirmed that live events make up a large portion of the 450 million hours of Watch Time; those views, specifically, increased 250% in March. To answer the demand, the video-sharing service has some original live events lined up, including “Ultimate Home Championship,” a virtual competition hosted by Stephen Curry (see below)

What YouTube Viewers Have Been Watching During Lockdown

YouTube also shared some revealing insights about what viewers watched in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic.

For one, between March and May 2020, views of sourdough-related content increased by more than 400 percent! With shortages of fresh bread reported across the world in the first stages of lockdown, many viewers turned to online video tutorials in a bid to learn new baking skills. It's no surprise that yeast and flour sales 

 as many people coped with self-isolation by baking sourdough, and other kinds of bread.

This video, published by superstar food channel '

' on February 27th 2020, has generated 3.8M views to date with its simple guide to baking artisanal bread:

YouTube shared another insight that intersects with the wave of panic shopping and restaurant closures the pandemic brought. The platform reported that views for cooking-related videos have increased 45% since last year, as people sought to prepare more meals at home.

And yet another insight revealed a 200% rise in views for workout videos since mid-March.

The country has started to slowly open up again, but YouTube’s data suggests that as more people stayed at home, online activity, at least on YouTube, increased tremendously.

Viewers watched an abundance of content that either solved the newer problems they were facing or entertained them during periods of social isolation.

Close-up of YouTube app icon on a smartphone screen, focusing on logo and text.

YouTube has released some interesting stats around viewer behavior, including how we're consuming video content, and what kind we've been watching during the last few months.

Over 100 Million People Are Now Watching YouTube via TV

In the beauty industry, being face-to-face with clients is a daily requirement. No matter what you’re doing, whether it's giving a haircut, eyebrow wax, or facial, you have to be inches away from your customer to do your job properly.

However, during this global pandemic, social distancing is still the law of the land. It’s a difficult reality that threatens the collapse of appointment-based work, but at the same time, it provides an interesting opportunity to grow and adapt.

If you're looking for ways to diversify your income, now’s the time to create a value-driven YouTube channel. Making videos around your beauty expertise is a great way to make money, and you can earn in multiple ways: AdSense revenue, affiliate marketing, live stream Super Chats, and more.

But before you press record on your camera, it’s helpful to learn the basics of running a successful YouTube channel. Here on the 

, we have a number of tutorials that are extremely useful for beginners.

Once you’ve done that, the next step is to learn from the best! Keep reading to see how top-notch beauty gurus make money on YouTube.

Lana Summer: Cashing In On YouTube Keyword Trends

, currently at 371K YouTube subscribers, uploads videos about the full beauty experience, from hair to makeup to skin care to fashion. But if you didn’t know that, her channel banner instantly communicates that fact. Nestled between delicate pink flowers, and right below Lana’s name, six powerful words tell you everything you need to know: “lessons in curls, beauty, and happiness.”

Of all the ways Lana is making money on YouTube, we’ll focus on her hairdressing skills. On her channel, viewers can browse hair tutorials of all kinds: mini-twists, wigs, braids, hair straightening, and more.

When salons shuttered during the pandemic, Lana uploaded a haircut tutorial that was extremely useful and relevant. Even though many creators were making these kinds of videos, (and keyword competition was high), she still managed to get over 23,000 views on her haircut tutorial (below):

Talking of hair cutting tutorials, what kind of terms have viewers been searching for on YouTube around DIY haircuts? We ran the phrase ‘how to cut your own hair’ through vidIQ’s own 

 and these are the top 15 keyphrases for the past 30 days:

Around 538K viewers searched for ‘how to cut your own hair’ in the last month alone, but with long tail queries and variations in keywords use, searches around this topic amount to millions.

That's a golden tip for any hair dresser, hair colourist, or barber. Viewers are actively searching for tutorial content that perhaps only you can provide!

We also checked Google Trends for YouTube, and search interest in the phrases 

‘how to cut your own hair’, 'haircut tutorial,' and 'how to cut hair at home'

 all, unsurprisingly, spiked in March and April 2020 around the world:

So, according to both Google Trends and vidIQ statistics, a massive amount of people are searching (and could keep searching) for hair care content!

As a beauty professional, you have the expertise to create these kinds of videos, upload them to YouTube, and monetize them to make extra income. Now, let's take a look at another couple of people creators:

Michelle Marino: From Beauty Facials to Increased Finances

 creates beauty, style, and health videos. She’s reached many milestones on her growing channel, and the 40.8K subscribers she’s earned over the years is proof of that. If you specialize in skincare, her channel is a great source of inspiration for starting your own YouTube journey as a beauty professional.

Furthermore, if you offer facials as a part of your business, watch the video below. Michelle shows her viewers how to give themselves a facial at home and combat stress acne, which she says can happen during social isolation. As some people cut back on close-contact services, such as skin-healing treatments, this is a great example of the kind of content you could be making and monetizing on YouTube:

In addition to that, every video provides an opportunity to guide viewers to another income stream you’ve set up. For example, in the description of the above video, Michelle has various affiliate links for viewers to purchase products she endorses. And every time one of her viewers makes a purchase, she earns a commission.

Sona Gasparian: Makeup Tutorials For Any Occasion

 has a massive following of 762K YouTube subscribers. But don’t let that number intimidate you. As we saw with Michelle Marino and Lana Summer, creating the right kind of content can help beginners to intermediate YouTubers reach new heights on the platform.

On her channel, Sona uses her status as a professional makeup artist to produce high-quality videos on skincare, hair care, and fashion. However, one of her makeup videos in particular is extremely relevant to professionals that work from home.

In the video below, Sona gives a tutorial on how to look presentable in a video conference:

Do your clients have a work from home makeup routine? If so, could it be better, faster, and a tad more glamorous? Create a YouTube channel and invite your clients to subscribe.

With consistent effort, you can use your network of customers to eventually earn the 

Watch Time requirements for monetizing your videos

Extra Ways to Make Money Online From Your Beauty Skills

As you grow your YouTube channel, you’ll have the ability to take your audience with you across the internet. If you want to make money beyond AdSense revenue, there are a few ways to do that as a beauty professional:

Give beauty tutorials on Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc.

Create courses for other aspiring beauty professionals

No matter what your expertise is in the beauty industry, you can use your skillset to make money on YouTube. All it takes is the right YouTube education, a knack for creating helpful videos, and a passion for building your online platform.

If you want more insights into YouTube then make sure to download vidIQ. Over 1 million creators use vidIQ to help with keyword and competitor research, channel audits, and so much more. 

Set of makeup brushes with powder residue on a dark textured surface.

Beauty content is one of the most viewed verticals on YouTube. If you’re a beauty professional, it’s time to start cashing in.

How to Make Money on YouTube as a Beauty Professional

It’s been an incredibly disruptive and turbulent past few months, what with the 

, and the coronavirus pandemic. But at last, we have some great news: Firing someone for being gay or transgender is now officially illegal in the U.S.

On June 15th 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that the 

 totally protects workers against this type of discrimination. It’s a decision that couldn’t have come at a better time because right now, it’s 

. And to commemorate that fact, millions of people are celebrating the decision, with LGBTQ communities across the country are attending (often virtual) parties, parades, workshops, concerts, and more.

But while there are celebrations to be had, Pride Month has its own deeper historical significance. One of which is to memorialize the 

, which set a firecracker under the gay liberation movement.

On YouTube, the result of these triumphs is clear. Every day, more creators feel empowered to celebrate their sexual/gender identity before millions of viewers. It’s an incredible thing to witness because hands down, there’s no greater joy than living an authentic life.

To celebrate those who do that extremely well, we’re here to uplift some amazing YouTubers. Coming right up, here are three creators who make the LGBTQIA community proud, day in, and day out.

 is a transgender activist, as well as a talented illustrator. On her YouTube channel, she boldly uploads videos about race, sex positivity, gender, art, and more.

Never one to shy away from tough conversations, she makes videos most people wouldn’t have the nerve to share on the internet, such as “

” and “Am I Too Sex Positive” (see below).

It’s fearless content like this that makes Kat Blaque a gift to the LGBTQ community. One of her best contributions is her ability to champion transgender women while refusing to succumb to one, constricting identity.

For example, Kat is a Black trans woman, but as you’ll discover when watching her videos, she doesn’t feel the need to choose one identity over the other. And while the world may want that, Kat is not giving in to societal pressure. In the intro of her video, “Do I Even Belong In The Black Community?”, she states:

“I think sometimes when you’re LGBTQIA+ and you’re Black, you feel like you have to choose between being Black or LGBTQIA. You feel that way because a lot of Black people’s attitudes toward it is, ‘Oh, we don’t do that.”

. Judging by her content, she seems to be secure in her Pride - and the LGBTQ community needs people like her to look up to.

vlog channel with over 9.3M subscribers and 2B views

, long-time YouTube creator Joey Graceffa runs a 

 with 2.65M subscribers. Almost daily, he uploads fun streams from popular titles such as Minecraft, Roblox, and The Sims.

Joey, who identifies as gay and who came out publically in May 2015, uploads insanely fun gameplay.

One thing that stands out about Joey and his videos is that you don’t have to be a hardcore gamer to enjoy them. He mostly plays Minecraft, and seasoned gamers as well as newcomers will appreciate the light-hearted commentary in his streams.

In one such video (above), fed up with the state of his Minecraft farm, Joey chops down a massive sugarcane field. As a viewer, seeing the giant stalks come down is immensely satisfying, but not as much as Joey’s reaction to it all.

 that's generated over 2.4M subscribers, and 333M views, Hannah Hart has a powerful platform to discuss, promote, and celebrate LGBTQ topics.

Much of her content videos speak directly to the LGBTQ+ community, including a Playlist titled 

 which, to date, houses 37 of those videos. Between topics like “

,” and "Perks of Dating a Girl," (below), the list of videos in this Playlist is pretty comprehensive.

That alone makes Hannah Hart an inspiring queer creator. She’s loud and proud about who she is (an engaged lesbian), and her content aims to either inform or entertain members of the LGBTQ community.

As Pride month continues, give the YouTube channels of these creators a visit, as well as any others that inspire you. These three are pretty awesome themselves, but there are plenty more to celebrate all year long.

 then make sure to download vidIQ. Over 1 million creators use vidIQ to help with keyword and competitor research, channel audits, and so much more. 

If you’re serious about growing your YouTube views and subscribers, sign up for exclusive access to the 

Crowd with raised hands celebrating under a vibrant rainbow flag at a lively event.

Pride Month is a celebration of LGBTG+ voices and communities across the U.S. Let's take a look at some of the top LGBTG creators on YouTube.

3 LGBTQ+ YouTubers to Watch & Celebrate in Pride Month

For all the parents out there, how are your kids holding up? Are they growing restless with all the time spent indoors and need something exciting to do?

If the answer is yes, YouTube hears you, sees you, and wants you to know that help is on the way. To ease the disappointment of a summer indoors, the platform is launching 

, a learning program for kids to safely learn, grow, and have fun.

This virtual experience could replace in-person camps that temporarily closed due to the coronavirus. To that end, YouTube will provide a balance of fun content that inspires kids to stay active, as well as educational lessons to help them grow.

The platform will organize these video experiences into four categories: STEM, the arts, sports, and adventure.

YouTube’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics camp is about learning and 

. For families with teenagers, the STEM for teens section contains videos on topics like space exploration, how to build a robot, and surprisingly, how to make a lemon battery. These videos come from a range of well-known channels. 

, and Adam Savage’s Tested (below) are just a few of the information hubs that will help teens appreciate STEM.

Additionally, Camp YouTube also has STEM content for children under 13. These younger students will learn how to cook up slime, where black holes come from, what happens to the human body in space, and more.

YouTube’s art camp is an exciting place for kids to explore their inner creativity. Some of the videos that stand out in the teens section include a creative writing workshop and a 10-day guitar starter course. For the videos catering to kids under 13, there are DIY challenges, lessons on drawing, cooking tutorials, and more.

In this section’s description, YouTube says the arts camp will foster self-expression, and that certainly seems to be the case. If any kid wanted to grow creatively, from a visual or performing arts perspective, this would be the place to do it.

It’s going to get noisy for this virtual 

, but that’s OK, right? It’s a good idea to move your nice rugs, coffee tables, and lamps out of the way, because here, you can expect everything from running drills to basic soccer moves.

The video content for both age groups is pretty exciting. On the teen side, a baseball history overview and football training tips are just two videos that could potentially hook young viewers. Also, there’s an ultimate kickball lesson that looks like an absolute blast for anyone, kid or adult.

One of the unexpected benefits of the sports camp is that it contains videos on meditation. You can find them in both the teen and under 13 sections, and YouTube did a great thing by adding this wellness content - especially when kids are cooped up inside.

 helps kids appreciate the natural wonders around them, big and small. They’ll learn about what to bring when going on a hiking trip, the fun activities they can do outdoors, nocturnal wildlife, and more.

While the goal of this camp is to bring the outside world inside, kids could take some of these lessons to the backyard too. There are photography adventure videos that kids could repeat in their own neighborhoods, as well as a guide for using binoculars.

The STEM, Arts, Sports, and Adventure sections make up the bulk of Camp YouTube, but the program has even more benefits, such as:

Campfire talks on race and discrimination

Break time clips that share snack recipes or craft ideas

Traditional summer camps are risky during a pandemic, but Camp YouTube is a great alternative to explore. It inspires kids to learn new things and get moving physically, which is exactly what summertime is all about.

Smiling girl with raised arm and space doodles near YouTube play button on blackboard background

After a long few months of lockdown and homeschooling, YouTube wants to bring the excitement back to learning with its new Summer Camp

YouTube Brings on the Learning & Fun with its Summer Camp Initiative

The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many other Black people at the hands of the police and others, have sparked protests and riots across the world.

But outside of their families, and local communities, the names of those who have died still might not be as widely known by the public without video evidence. But when racial injustice goes viral, it amplifies conversations about inequality in ways that the justice system does not and can not.

Following the death of George Floyd, social movements were initiated, fundraisers were organized, and new laws were penned to create change. It’s almost too magnificent to believe, but that’s 

YouTube seems to understand this more than any brand. As a pioneer of online video, the company is using its platform to support anti-racism - both independently and with the help of talented creators.

To help spread the word, we’re highlighting important conversations from creators, plus what YouTube is doing to help. Keep scrolling to hear their perspectives, then do everything you can to support the 

 is highlighting racial justice issues. These featured videos, which you can view as playlists on YouTube’s own channel, share perspectives from Black creators, educational resources, and historical viewpoints on race.

Here are the 10 Playlists YouTube is promoting:

How to Talk to Kids About Racial Injustice

The videos within these playlists, namely “

”, discuss what it’s like to be Black in America. These featured creators talk about why Black people are angry and tired, what Black Lives Matter protests are really about, how to stay positive during dark times, and more.

Marques Brownlee on Tokenism and Racial Profiling

In terms of YouTubers creating conversations around racism and inequality, top tech expert 

 explains the loneliness of being the only Black person in white spaces. In a video published on June 4th, he taps into his youth, expressing his love for golf, ultimate frisbee, and making tech videos.

Although these things were great in the beginning, Marques confirms that as you climb the ranks, there’s much less diversity.

As a result, he began to question everything. Did he make the professional ultimate frisbee team because he was good enough? Or were decision-makers using his skin color to satisfy diversity quotas?

Being a competitor was almost enough to distract him from those worries, Brownlee says. Almost. He’d snap back to reality while driving away from practices, hyperaware of how he could be stopped by police for next to nothing.

To Brownlee, this painful duality—being tokenized but also hunted by authorities isn’t something we should try to disprove. He states:

“Not only is racism obviously unacceptable, but we also have to actively work against it. There’s always, somehow, people twisting that, making it political, making it a two-sided thing. I don’t understand how being anti-racist can possibly be controversial.”

Uninterrupted on the De-humanization of Black Athletes

, a sports network co-founded by Lebron James is also front and center of the conversation. The publisher uploaded a video on June 12th imploring sports fans to view professional athletes as more than just their jobs.

The video addresses the paradox of rooting for Black athletes on fields, courts, and arenas but nowhere else. It states:

“You ask us to move the chains, apply pressure, go for the jugular. You scream our names and wear our names and protect our names because we’re supposed to be family. But what about out here? Are you willing to scream for these names out here?”

Under that quote from the video, four names quickly flash across the screen: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, and Trayvon Martin. Uninterrupted doesn’t hold back in its message. The moving rhetoric of the narrator gives undeniable truth to every scene on the screen.

Important Conversations: Allyship and Black Trans Lives Matter

YouTube’s Spotlight playlists are only one way to join the conversation. TV personalities Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert are addressing racism on their own channels too.

By publishing videos about what it means to be anti-racist and 

, they are supporting Black lives and anti-racism.

These are great videos to watch because they normalize what allyship is supposed to be - using your platform, money, or time to dismantle racism as a non-person of color.

As a pioneer in online video, YouTube is supporting #BlackLivesMatter both as a brand, and as a platform for Black creators.

Lydia Sweatt

Posts Written By Lydia Sweatt

This Is How Cooking Experts Can Make Money on YouTube

Over 100 Million People Are Now Watching YouTube via TV

How to Make Money on YouTube as a Beauty Professional

3 LGBTQ+ YouTubers to Watch & Celebrate in Pride Month

YouTube Brings on the Learning & Fun with its Summer Camp Initiative

Black Lives Matter: How the YouTube Community is Amplifying Black Voices

Hey, YouTube Creators – Are You Doing OK?