How to Make Money on YouTube Without Creating Videos

Think about your favorite YouTube channels. Some of them are run by creators who film themselves, but others might simply share helpful, entertaining, or educational content in unique ways without even showing up on camera. If you’re like me, and not a fan of being on camera or creating your own videos, here’s what I found.

Take my friend Alex. He’d always wanted to make money on YouTube, but he was very busy with his full-time job, and there wasn’t enough time to spend on editing videos. But he still wanted to make a side hustle to earn extra income. However, he didn’t want to face the pressure of constantly coming up with new ideas for original content either.

Here’s what he did: instead of thinking about it for 3 months, he finally decided he was going to explore how others were succeeding without the traditional approach. Two weeks later, he found ways to curate, compile, and repurpose content, all while building a successful YouTube channel. In this post, I’m going to walk you through several proven ways that Alex tried to make money on YouTube, even without ever creating his own videos—and you can do it too.

1. Curate and Compile Content

Alex found one of the easiest ways to start earning from YouTube was by compiling existing content into something new, making it more engaging. So he tried it out, and by week 3, he could finally start monetizing his channel.

So what are compilation videos? These videos are a format that’s been growing on YouTube for years. They often feature the best moments from viral clips, user-generated content, or curated educational material. A very good example is channels that edit funny cat videos or those top gaming moments. It’s not about creating completely original content by yourself, but using other videos to pull together into a new, high-quality video. It’s mainly about adding value through editing.

How You Can Do This:

• Choose a niche you’re passionate about, whether it’s comedy, tech reviews, or motivational content.
• Source content that is either copyright-free or falls under fair use (such as commentary, transformation, or educational purposes).
• Edit and compile the clips into a cohesive video that’s fun to watch or informative.

By only curating other’s content, you can save so much time and effort on creating videos, allowing you to focus on just research and editing.

2. Make Money with Affiliate Marketing

After Alex grew his channel a bit more, he also used another powerful way to earn money on YouTube: affiliate marketing. This is done by recommending other brands’ products, whether it’s in your video or by posting a link in your video description. Whenever someone buys it through your link, you earn a commission automatically. You don’t need to create your own video to show the product; you can edit “best of” list-type videos.

How You Can Do This:

• Find affiliate programs related to your niche, whether it’s tech, beauty, fitness, or books.
• Create videos around existing products or services—like “Top 10 Gadgets Under $50” or “Best Apps for Productivity.”
• Place your affiliate links in the video description and encourage viewers to check them out.

The important part is promoting products that you genuinely believe in, not just a random product on the internet. If you provide valuable products, your audience will keep buying more from your referral links.

3. Leverage YouTube's Content ID System for Monetization

Another way Alex tried to make money without creating his own videos was through YouTube’s Content ID system. This method works especially well for music channels. For example, you can create lyric videos, music compilations, or even mixes using tracks that are available for monetization through YouTube’s Content ID system.

Think about it as a channel dedicated to music lovers that features lyric videos or even the best remixes of popular songs. That type of content doesn’t require you to create your own music; it’s mostly about research and editing, so you bring your audience a new experience.

How You Can Do This:

• Choose music that’s available for monetization (be sure to have the correct permissions).
• Create lyric videos or compilations, adding visually appealing elements to engage your viewers.
• Upload your content to YouTube and apply for monetization.

This method works best for channels focused on music, art, or entertainment that use existing songs or media you can find online. You could try a series of videos with special use, for example, “Best Songs for Workouts” or “Most Popular Songs of the 80s.”

4. Offer Video Editing Services to Other Creators

After Alex developed his video editing skills, he also started getting some freelance jobs when he had more free time. He offered video editing services to others who needed help. If you have the skills, this could be a steady income stream.

So rather than creating videos and filming yourself, you could work behind the scenes, helping others build their channels while getting paid for your work.

How You Can Do This:

• Build a portfolio with sample editing projects, such as before-and-after editing examples.
• Offer your services on freelance platforms like Fiverr or Upwork, or reach out to YouTube creators directly.
• Market yourself to YouTube channels that might be looking to outsource their editing.

By offering these services, you can first create some videos to show your portfolio, and reach out to creators who might need help. With these services, you can essentially turn your passion into a business without needing to create your own content.

There are a lot of ways to make money on YouTube without creating your own videos. Those are the best 4 ways Alex did. He realized there’s no limit to what you can achieve: you can use affiliate marketing, offer services like video editing, even curate content—and you don’t need to be on camera every day to make it happen. The most important thing is to choose one, start putting it into action, stay consistent, and keep refining your strategy with YouTube metrics. You’ll achieve better results, and it can even be the results that are beyond your expectations.