Building a YouTube Business in 2025: What Works Now?

In this episode, we dive into the evolving world of YouTube and the creator economy with Desiree. She takes us on a journey through the pre-COVID and post-COVID eras, comparing how creators used to build their brands with strategies focused on ad revenue, brand partnerships, merchandise sales, and affiliate marketing. But when COVID hit, everything changed. Desiree discusses how the pandemic reshaped the landscape, with a surge in online platforms and creators forced to pivot quickly. From the rise of TikTok to the shift towards building communities over chasing subscriber counts, she shares insights on creating unique content for multiple platforms, developing diverse revenue streams, and staying adaptable in a saturated market. Whether you're a seasoned content creator or just starting out, this episode offers valuable lessons on thriving in the ever-changing world of online content creation. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Building a YouTube Business in 2025: What Works Now? 01:28 - Pre-COVID YouTube Business Landscape 09:24 - Post-COVID YouTube Business Landscape 13:17 - How COVID Changed the Creator Economy 17:29 - Building a Community Over a Subscriber Count 20:33 - Multiplatform Community Plan 22:05 - Market Saturation 22:58 - Community-Centric Monetization Strategy 25:20 - Diverse Revenue Streams 26:57 - Signature Product 27:20 - How to Build a Sustainable Creator Business 28:55 - Outro --------------------- The Funded YouTuber is brought to you by GigaStar, the Parent Company of GigaStar Market, an SEC-registered funding portal and member of FINRA. Learn more at https://bit.ly/48xqpw9 Neither GigaStar nor its affiliated companies provide legal, regulatory, financial, or tax advice. Any opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and are for informational purposes only. The information and opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice and do not take into account the particular investment objectives, financial situation, or needs of any specific investor(s). Investment offerings are speculative, illiquid, and involve a high degree of risk, including the risk of loss of your entire investment. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.