Buy a YouTube channel - Everything you need to know!

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Buying and selling YouTube channels is an increasingly profitable endeavour and the proof is in the number of channels we have for sale at Trustiu. However, many people still have doubts regarding these types of sales. How do they work? Is it legal to buy a YouTube channel? How much might a YouTube channel cost? How long do these operations take? At Trustiu we want to clarify these questions, so keep reading this article and discover all you need to know about buying a YouTube channel.

Is it legal to buy a YouTube channel?

The answer is YES! Buying or selling a YouTube channel is completely legal and has happened for several years. So much so that the world's largest Multi-channel networks (MCN's) have built their businesses by acquiring various YouTube channels. The YouTube team sometimes helps in these processes as has already happened with Trustiu. This in itself already speaks of the good relationship we have with YouTube as a business.

How much can a Youtube channel cost?

To set a price for a YouTube channel we must first understand where the value of a channel is. These are the main points to take into account when you want to know how much a YouTube channel is worth:

• How many followers does the channel have?
• Is it monetized?
• If so, what is the monthly revenue?
• How old is the channel and what is its evolution?
• Does it have any strikes?
• How many videos does the channel have?
• Where is the channel’s audience?
• Is there a face associated with the channel?

How many followers does the channel have?

Channel followers are something to keep in mind, but, contrary to popular belief, they are not the main factor in a channel valuation. Did you know that it is possible to buy fake followers for a YouTube channel? It’s true! In addition to the amount of followers a channel has, it is necessary to know if those followers are real. This is also not difficult to detect and in Trustiu we help discover the truth.

Is it monetized?

A YouTube channel can generate revenue and when this happens we say that the channel is monetized, one of the most important points for the evaluation. What most people and companies want is to buy a monetized YouTube channel and this is for a reason. In order for a channel to be monetized it has to meet certain requirements dictated by YouTube; namely 4,000 hours of views in the last 12 months and 1,000 subscribers. To reach these requirements we have to invest time, and as we all know, time is money.

What is the monthly revenue of the channel?

The best way to see the importance of these points is through an example:

In this example we have 3 YouTube channels, AAA, BBB, CCC, and these three channels have exactly the same average revenue in the last 12 months (here being 1.000 €). However, they also have different evolutions. The AAA channel has been decreasing in revenue and has received an average of € 450 per month in the last 3 months. The CCC channel has stable behavior and almost always earns € 1,000 per month, even in the last 3 months. Lastly, the BBB channel has grown considerably in recent months, earning an average of € 2,100 per month in the last 3 months. Looking at the evolution of these channels we can see how important is this analysis. All these channels can be good investments, but the expectation on the return of investment is also different for each case.

Does the channel have any strikes?

A strike is the worst punishment that YouTube can give to a channel and it may even result in the deletion of the channel. Strikes may arise for a variety of reasons but are almost always associated with copyright infringement. This process is not as fast as most people think. In order for your channel to be deleted you have to suffer 3 strikes in 3 months and lose your right of reply in the 3 strikes. This means the 3 strikes have been validated by YouTube and they gave sufficient reason to the author of the strikes. On the other hand the strikes are also not permanent, as they have a time limit and disappear after 3 months. That being said, this is also a very important point to take into account when you want to buy a YouTube channel.

How many videos does the channel have?

The quantity and quality of the videos the channel has should also be considered an asset- This means a channel with 2 videos published will most probably not have the same value as a channel with 200 videos published.

Where is the channel audience located?

The location of the audience is very important. Buying a channel with 100,000 followers from the United States is not the same as buying a channel with 100,000 followers in Brazil and it's easy to see why. The CPM in the United States is much higher than in Brazil, i.e. when you upload a new video on the US channel it will earn more money than the Brazilian channel, if we think that both videos would have the same views.

Is there a face associated with the channel?

We almost never remember this when we start a YouTube channel, but if a channel has a face associated with it, its transition after the sale it will be much more complicated and sometimes impossible. Do you ever wondered what it would be like if PewDiePie wanted to sell his channel? It would be impossible to replicate the videos he makes. This example is extreme but you can understand the idea. Channels that have no associated faces are usually those where transitions after purchase can run more smoothly.

How do I transfer a YouTube channel account?

A YouTube channel may be associated with multiple email accounts (Primary Owner, Owner, Manager). However, each YouTube channel has only 1 primary owner and this is the account that has access to all channel functions. This account is considered the owner of the channel. When you buy a YouTube channel the first thing to do is to ask the current primary owner to put you in as the owner of the channel and then replace you as the channel's primary owner. This request takes 24 hours to be validated due to YouTube policies and only after this time will you actually own the channel. After 24 hours the next step is to delete the other accounts associated with the channel so that you have full control. At Trustiu we help throughout this process to safeguard the safety of all involved.

How to buy a Youtube channel?

At this point you already know most of the points that you should take into consideration before buying a YouTube channel. To buy a YouTube channel you just have to search and find the contact details of the channel owners if you want to buy and reach an agreement with them. In Trustiu this is precisely what we do, we talk directly with several YouTubers and try to find out the best deals to put in our marketplace. If you want to buy or sell any YouTube channel please contact our team through the following email: support@trustiu.com.