Ultimate guide: How to be a youtuber with a children's channel

As you probably know, Youtube is one of the largest platforms out there with over 2.3 billion users and 37 million Youtube channels or “Youtubers”. And it’s no secret why; a successful Youtuber can charge brands anywhere from $10 to $50 per 1,000 views. If a video hits 1 million views, then the YouTuber makes anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 per video.

There are a ton of different niches in which Youtubers make content about, from gaming videos to DIYs, the sky's the limit (and not even that, since NASA has its own Youtube channel with live streams regularly).

However, if you were thinking about creating a kid’s Youtube channel, you are not the only one. From PewDiePie, Joey Graceffa, Smosh, MyLifeAsEva, NigaHiga, AwesomenessTV to Zoella, there are definitely a few share of successful Youtubers that make “kid-friendly” content.

In this article, we’ll be showing you how to create a Youtube channel for kids and how to grow with it while having in mind the new COPPA compliance (more on that later).

Creating a Youtube channel 101

Creating a Youtube channel is easier than it seems, the real challenge is keeping the motivation and creating engaging content that will help your follower count rise.

However, if you have no idea how to get started, below we show you how exactly to start a Youtube channel:

1. Sign in to Youtube.
2. Click your picture in the top right corner (desktop version).
3. Select “Create a Channel”.
4. Create a custom name for your channel.
5. Add details to the “about” section.
6. Customize the look of your channel with a cover photo and profile picture.
7. Upload your first video.
8. Add playlists, fill out your profile with more details, and link to your other social media accounts.

Seems easy, right? It's because it is! Whatever your case is, all you really need to start a YouTube channel is a Google account and a camera capable of recording video. This might be an old handheld video camera, your laptop or PC's webcam, or the camera on your phone

How do you sign up for YouTube Kids?

Doing this is as simple as creating content that “qualifies” and a channel that maintains eligible content. There is no sign-up process, there is no secret URL to upload to and there is no approval process.

However, you do have to upload kid-friendly content and have kid-safe videos on the entire channel (even if one video has over 18 content -that might have a curse word or an inappropriate song or gesture- YouTube kids will not display your channel), and, videos need to be properly optimized using keywords to be found in popular search, suggested search, and on google.

How to create “kid-friendly” Youtube content

It really is one of the simplest things to do: with great family-friendly content! But, if you don’t know what this “family-friendly” content is all about, here is a quick list about what people want to watch on youtube kids:

Make videos that teach something new or help learn a new hobby (think about things you wanted to learn as a kid), make videos that make people laugh (think of funny videos you watched), create videos to teach kids how to do things better (think about things you needed help with as a child but no one could help you with or things you didn’t want to ask for help or were embarrassed about), create videos that do not require kids full attention (remember, children have the attention span of an ant), create videos that resonate with trends amongst kid’s lifestyle (TikTok trends? Minecraft? There is no limit), etc.

• After uploading your video to YouTube, you need to let YouTube know that it is a kids video. You can do this in the video editor > under audience > “Is This Video Made for Kids? (required)”. Youtube needs to know if this content is approved for kids, and if it complies with the “content made for kids”, then click “Yes. It's made for kids” and that is it!

Changes to YouTube’s kids content policy

On January 1, 2020, YouTube began treating kids content differently from all other content on the platform. These changes were rolled out as a result of a settlement between Google (YouTube’s parent company), and the Federal Trade Commission and the New York Attorney General.

The goal of the policy changes to YouTube’s kids content is to create a safer viewing experience for children, and ensure it’s in line with COPPA compliance and other privacy policies. This means that many features and data collection practices are no longer available to YouTube kids content creators.

How do the new policies change creator’s content?

First of all, Creators must mark their channel as “made for kids.” If your content is not marked as “made for kids,” but the FTC determines that it is intended for children, creators will face penalties exceeding $40,000 per violation. YouTube may also terminate your account.

Another change that can severely affect the creator’s revenue is that kids content will no longer run targeted advertising, which is less than ideal for creators and advertisers alike.

And, last but certainly not least, some features essential to subscriber growth are disabled. YouTube kids content now has fewer opportunities for viewer engagement. This is because features like channel notifications and saving a video to a playlist (or to watch later) are all deactivated.

Can you still make money creating content for kids?

Regardless of what you just learnt, YouTubers with kid-focused channels can still make money from their content. If you’re in that category, take a deep breath, relax, and read below to explore all your money-making options.

A couple of ways to make money by creating “kid-friendly” content is by selling kid-friendly merchandise to your YouTube audience, funding your videos with brand sponsorships, joining extra platforms that pay kid-focused creators (like Ameba TV or Kidoodle.TV), using Google adsense, joining the “Amazon affiliate program”, getting brand deals, etc.

In conclusion, 

If you have a “Made For Kids” channel or are just starting, don’t give up hope just yet. With some creativity and grit, you can still make money from the amazing content you post on YouTube and have a ton of fun in the process.

Remember, kids are the best and it is so fun to make content that is light-hearted compared to the more brutal/grim aspects of adult life, so don’t quit before starting. Give it your best and see how with determination and consistency success will follow you naturally.