It's been a long time since I’ve given any updates on the progress of my faceless YouTube channels.
About a year and a half ago, I decided to give this business model a real shot. I kept seeing video after video in my suggested feed about how people were making tens of thousands of dollars a month with YouTube automation channels. It felt like the biggest opportunity I wasn’t currently doing, so I decided to find out for myself.
Now, four channels later, I’m back with the formula that has worked for me time and time again.
In my experience, every channel you launch is different. The channel topic plays a major role overall. You want to pick something that can eventually be broad enough to get millions of views, but specific and sub-niche enough to build a loyal following and attract passionate viewers right from the start.
For example, picking a broad topic like personal finance is a bad idea. It's too competitive, and you'll be going up against larger channels. Your videos will struggle to get views and won't get the initial push they need to perform well in the algorithm. On the other hand, a topic like "how to budget for single moms" is much more specific and a sub-niche of personal finance. It’s easier to get views early, rank videos, and maintain strong metrics against competitors so your content keeps getting suggested. Plus, it allows you to slowly broaden your video topics as you grow, eventually expanding into broader personal finance content that appeals to a larger audience.
Of course, the specific video topics matter a lot too. The goal should always be to create great videos that excel in important metrics like watch time, audience retention, and click-through rate. This gives your video the potential to be suggested and possibly go viral. In the beginning, though, it's more likely that you'll be able to rank for specific keywords and gain evergreen traffic more easily. Always research topics and keywords that give you the chance to rank and get consistent views.
It goes without saying, but the quality of your videos is crucial as well...
With that in mind, the time it takes to reach 4,000 hours of watch time and 1,000 subscribers can vary drastically from channel to channel. My second channel was monetized in just a few months, while my last channel took almost a year. It’s not an exact science, but if you understand the overall strategy and consistently produce well-researched, high-quality videos, it becomes predictable that you’ll be able to monetize a channel. This will ultimately create an asset that generates revenue each month.
That revenue typically comes from ad revenue, but the greater opportunity for YouTube channels lies in sponsored videos and affiliate marketing, or even launching your own products. Most channels, whether faceless or not, make far more money from these income streams than from ad revenue. So, don’t focus solely on ad revenue.
When I first started my journey, my strategy involved paraphrasing videos and using Creative Commons clips as B-roll over new voiceovers. As I've mentioned before, this method did generate views. However, when it came time for monetization, YouTube flagged my content as repetitive and wouldn't accept me into the partner program.
That was an important lesson. YouTube's policies on monetization are specific, but they leave the "repetitive content" clause up to the reviewer’s interpretation, which means this approach rarely works. It’s not necessarily about paraphrasing the script—it's more about using too much Creative Commons footage.
Now that we’ve covered what doesn’t work, let’s talk about what does. There are two strategies I’ve used to monetize my channels, and both can work depending on your approach...
The first strategy is what I like to call the "volume approach." This method involves creating a large number of videos quickly and cheaply. To do this, I use a tool called Invideo AI, which can create high-quality videos in just a few minutes. It can paraphrase a script for you or generate content based on a topic you provide. The AI will write the script, add a very human-like voiceover that sounds great, and overlay relevant B-roll footage from its vast library of copyright-free video clips.
This allows you to produce high-quality automation videos on nearly any topic faster than ever before, and for a fraction of the cost of outsourcing. Plus, you don’t need to be an expert on the topic or spend hours researching. The AI handles all of that.
If you want to try Invideo AI, you can do so here: https://invideo.io/i/BryanGuerra
^Use code "BG25OFF" to save 25%!
If you want an in depth Invideo AI tutorial you can watch this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/orprHsTU7fk
This "throw everything at the wall and see what sticks" approach works well in many industries. It’s like fishing with a hundred poles in the water instead of just one—you’re more likely to catch something. Any one of these videos can take off with just a little traction. Some niches perform better because the AI has more relevant clips in its library, so it’s a good idea to test a few different niches before deciding.
This approach will allow you to get a lot of videos up quickly in any niche, so you can build momentum and figure out what works for your audience.
The second approach, which I’ve used on two of my newer channels, involves spending more money upfront to create higher-quality videos. As Mr. Beast himself said, it’s easier to create one video that gets a million views than ten videos that each get one hundred thousand views.
For this method, I instruct ChatGPT to act as my YouTube scriptwriter with a specific prompt. I then either hire someone on Fiverr to record the voiceover (or record it myself if I have extra time).
You can find quality voiceover artists on Fiverr for just five dollars. Set your budget filter to five dollars and sort through the results. Some will read 500+ word scripts for this price. However, be sure to listen to samples, as some may simply provide AI-generated voiceovers, which isn’t worth paying for. Test a few people before committing to one.
After the script and voiceover are done, it’s time to add graphic overlays. Some people use stock video sites, but I’ve found that whiteboard animations create more engaging videos. These can be outsourced cheaply on Fiverr or by hiring freelancers from sites like OnlineJobs.ph. Whiteboard animations often result in more engagement than other options in my experience (especially for the price).
Of course, the niche and video topic matter a lot. While whiteboard animations work for many types of videos, they won’t be suitable for every topic. Use your judgment to decide when this approach is appropriate.
All of this assumes you've picked a good topic for your video. A mediocre video on a popular topic will perform better than the best-produced video on a topic no one cares about. Choosing topics with interest is crucial when building a successful YouTube automation channel.
As new viewers discover your videos and YouTube suggests them to others, it can lead to binge sessions and create a ripple effect on your channel’s growth. This snowball effect is something many people overlook. It takes time to gain traction, but once you do, growth accelerates rapidly, like a snowball rolling downhill.
Ultimately, if you prefer to spend time rather than money, use the volume approach. If you’d rather spend money than time, use the second approach. Both methods work as long as you consistently choose good video topics and produce content.
If you'd like to learn how to start your own Faceless YouTube Automation channel, here's a $12.99 discount link to enroll in my Udemy Course that will walk you through the entire process from start to monetization: https://www.udemy.com/course/how-to-start-a-youtube-automation-channel-monetize-it-fast/?couponCode=DA82BFFF3618CB8A823C
But as always, this is just what works for me. Hope it helps!
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