Running a YouTube Channel is always a money intensive exercise. Even if you can use your smartphone camera to record yourself and what you do to initially get some viewers, you might want to get serious into grabbing more eyeballs, such as wanting to be the most viewed airsoft channel on YouTube. Then some money will be required such as action cameras, mounts, microphones editing software, and transportation. It will get even more taxing when you get more viewers as you need to give fresh content as often as you can to maintain and increase your viewership.

From there, you start thinking of monetizing your channel. YouTube got revenue sharing plans in place for YouTubers and some are getting big bucks out of it. We do not know how much Novritsch, DesertFox Airsoft, Airsoftology, Scoutthedoggie, and other airsoft YouTube celebrities earn from their YouTube videos, but they sure are earning from them.

Perhaps YouTube ad revenue sharing may not be enough and you want to add more revenue streams so you do not need to rely on just YouTube revenue sharing. That is valid point to consider so that you can wring more revenues, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. We all need to eat and profit from what we do so we can improve our video content.

Now, you can start charging for product placements or when reviewing products on your YouTube viewers. You will need to think about this thoroughly as an issue for those influencers on social media is that they are failing to disclose this properly. In a story on Engadget says:

Your favorite YouTubers are covering smartphones, makeup, clothing, sneakers, video games and other consumer goods. But how do you know if they're doing it because they simply love something or if it's a brand endorsement? There's nothing wrong with the latter, though it does turn problematic if they're not telling you about it. And as the influence of YouTube personalities grows, particularly among millennials, more and more companies are looking to those personalities to promote their products.

You will need to consult the YouTube guidelines as failure to disclose acceptance of monetary payments for such endorsements or product placements may result into having that content removed. Your country’s laws is also something that you will have to consider when accepting paid promotions, such as the FTC in the USA which explicitly says that any paid promotion should be labeled as an “advertisement” or  “sponsorship” or else face legal action that can amount into crippling fines as well as lawyer fees.

Airsoft YouTubers are sometimes sent products to review by vendors. It is always recommended that they explicitly state in their videos that this x product was sent to them by this x company provided that they are to review as they see it rather than as what the company expects them to say. What is even more commended is that they reveal that they are paid for when endorsing a product. We do not know if airsoft YouTube celebrities are doing this, or revealing if they are being paid for any endorsement.

As in the Endgadget story, YouTubers should be more upfront, honest, and transparent to their viewers and that the latter will appreciate such.  So if you are accepting payment to do a favourable review of a product, then be honest about it and say it is a “sponsored” review and your viewers will evaluate on their own if you are giving them bullshit or appreciate the content.

Keep that mind and good luck in becoming the next big airsoft channel on YouTube.