How do ASMR YouTubers earn their money?
A so-called "ASMRtist" (a combination of ASMR and artist) usually does not earn money by uploading videos alone, because these are usually available to users for free on the video platforms. After all, who would spend money on the normal content that is available in abundance for free? Although it would be conceivable to pay for the normal content and have it provided as a download, for example, the revenue opportunity here is likely to be rather low, so that the ASMR videos are normally offered completely free of charge on YouTube.
So there are other ways how to earn some money with ASMR videos:
Advertising
The usual YouTube advertising can be found with ASMR rather only at the beginning of the video. With ASMR you will not find any advertising within the video or at the end, otherwise the relaxation process is disturbed and the ASMRtist videos will not be viewed anymore. Therefore, with the pure YouTube advertising in the ASMR area probably rather little money is earned compared to other sources of income!
Therefore, the ASMR-YouTuber fall back mainly on the following revenue opportunities and of course use their reach (after all, there are channels with many millions of subscribers and regular viewers):
Sponsored content
A bit more difficult in the ASMR area, but definitely feasible. Be it new clothes to showcase or new beauty products to apply, some advertising deals can be made to have products shown and promoted in the video.
Affilliate
Links to products at stores like Amazon. For the buyer there is no disadvantage, because he can buy the item at the normal price at the respective store and the ASMR-YouTuber then gets a compensation from the store, but not from the buyer. This is also thus the most unobtrusive way of revenue, since the links are mostly in the info box and are not forced on the viewer.
Patreon, OnlyFans, YouTube memberships or similar models where people pay something monthly for support.
This is where it gets interesting, especially for the more well-known YouTubers who have a large fan base. Here, the fans are usually no longer exclusively concerned with the ASMR videos, but with the person himself. The YouTuber has made a name for himself and therefore receives support. In return, he usually offers his patreons, or his members, special content or the opportunity to vote for future videos. Thus, these members have access to content that is otherwise not publicly available on the video portals. Some YouTubers in the ASMR area also go so far as to offer "personal" videos, even sometimes live streams, which are then only made available to a specific member. However, it is not uncommon to see sexually tinged content here.
Merchandising
Popular is of course also the creation of own merchandise, such as T-shirts or other clothing with any specific symbols or sayings. For this purpose, providers such as Spreadshirt are usually used, whereby the YouTuber has nothing to do with the production and delivery of the merchandise itself and instead receives a commission per item sold. Some of these items are also raffled off by the YouTuber in small raffles.
Streaming, e.g. on Twitch
In between and with sufficient reach, live streams on platforms such as Twitch are also worthwhile, where viewers can send money to the streamers with an online currency available there in the form of coins or emojis.
Links to donate (PayPal donations, digital coffee fund).
Another possibility to earn some money are the digital coffee cups, which can be filled voluntarily by the users with the amounts they want to donate. Of course, this is not a secure source of income, as unfortunately only very few are willing to give anything. But it is also very unobtrusive.
