How to Monetize YouTube Videos Without AdSense (Try Using Affiliate Links Instead)
For those of us who don’t want to spam our YouTube viewers with advertisements, there are better alternatives out there.
The easiest way is to recommend products (mentioned in your video) using affiliate links. When someone purchases a product through your affiliate link, you earn a commission. You’re basically promoting someone else’s product for a share of the sale. This can be a lucrative strategy and a more personalized, less intrusive approach than AdSense or formal partnerships.
Add Affiliate Links To YouTube Videos
- Step 1 – Add Your Website to Your YouTube Channel
Sign into YouTube, go to Creator Studio > Channel > Status and Features > External Annotations. Add and verify your website. Then under the Advanced tab, add it as an Associated Website. You may need to use Google Search Console. Full instructions here. 
- Step 2 – Get Your Affiliate Links
Find merchants or products to promote by signing up for affiliate programs on sites like Amazon, ShareASale, or CJ. Once approved, create your affiliate links. 
- Step 3 – Cloak Your Affiliate Links
Use a URL cloaking plugin (like Thirsty Affiliates for WordPress) so your annotations link to a URL on your site (e.g.,/go/maxcdn) which then redirects to the merchant. This lets you use only your associated website URLs in YouTube annotations. 
- Step 4 – Add Affiliate Links to YouTube Videos
Edit your video, click the Annotations tab, and Add Annotation. Set the timing, add your cloaked link near the bottom, save, and test. You can also include links in the video description—no cloaking needed—though using a shortener like Bitly helps keep them tidy. 
You’re Done—Now Go Create More YouTube Videos
Planning tutorial or review videos around affiliate-friendly products can boost conversions, since viewers are already seeking solutions. For example:
- Q: How do you connect a MacBook to multiple monitors?
A: Buy an HDMI adapter (link to an Amazon product). - Q: How do you make your website load faster?
A: Upgrade to a faster hosting service (with an affiliate program). - Q: What’s the best TV for a conference room?
A: Find top-rated models on Amazon (affiliate link).
Now that you know how to monetize YouTube videos without AdSense, start implementing affiliate marketing in your videos. It can be more lucrative—and viewers won’t mind a helpful link instead of intrusive ads. Just follow YouTube’s guidelines!
If you have questions about video monetization or affiliate marketing, let me know. And if this guide helped, please share it.
Cheers,