Scammers are working overtime as candidates push for donations, even as small as five dollars. With emotions running high, be cautious of fake headlines and misleading donation links.
A simple new way to make money on YouTube
Google is making it easier than ever to make money on YouTube. If viewers like what they’re watching, they can now “tip” the video creator to support new content in the future. It’s like crowdfunding for YouTube!
For viewers, this means that when you watch a video by a creator that takes tips, you’ll see an icon in the left corner of the screen. Hover over it, and it will reveal a “support” banner. Click on it, and you can choose exactly how much you’d like to donate.
The tipping option is only available in the U.S., Australia, Japan and Mexico right now. You can donate whatever amount you want through a Web browser or on the YouTube app for Android gadgets. Like normal crowdfunding sites, YouTube takes a cut of the donations. In the U.S., it takes 5% plus a 21 cents per donation.
YouTube will keep your donation a secret unless you want others to know about it. You can leave a comment on the video that will include a “special badge” to let others know that you’re supporting the video. Only the video creator will know your donation amount.
Really popular YouTubers and channels can make a lot of money through ads, but this should help less known creators and new users get off the ground. So, if you see something you like on YouTube and want to see more, make sure to “tip” the person behind the camera.
$2 billion
MacKenzie Scott’s donation spree this year. Since her split from Jeff Bezos in 2019, she’s dished out $19.2 billion. She got 4% of Amazon in the divorce. About 75% of her cash donations have gone toward fighting poverty. She’s still one of the richest women in the world, with a net worth of almost $41 billion.