Some people have called YouTube a phenomenon. And you know what? Those people are right. YouTube is riding the wave of people’s viewing and entertainment habits. There was a time when it was all about what to watch, a person had to settle for whatever the networks chose to give them at any given time.

But times have changed. Now, thanks to things like YouTube, you can pretty much watch whatever you want, whenever you want. Offering this kind of freedom has made YouTube very popular. Millions of people visit the site every day. And this is something you can take advantage of.

You see, while you can use YouTube for free (whether you’re just watching the videos there or providing the videos that other people will watch), you can also make money on YouTube. Quite a lot of money, in fact, in several different ways.

And this doesn’t just apply to those you’d expect, like aspiring screenwriters and producers. Although, if you are, you can definitely benefit from YouTube. You, and maybe a few collaborators, can write and produce a movie, upload it to YouTube, and make final sales on DVD or other products. And, if your video is popular enough, you shouldn’t be surprised if some doors open for you in “Hollywood.”

But you don’t have to be in the entertainment business to make money on YouTube. Any type of business, offering any type of goods or services, can benefit from posting videos on this popular site.

For example, if you’re selling a product, you can put a video that demonstrates how it works and how it could benefit a potential buyer, on YouTube, with a link back to your site. Anyone who sees your video and is interested could follow that link and purchase your product.

And do you know what is good about YouTube? People who visit the site see all kinds of videos, even of things they weren’t previously interested in. With the help of a YouTube video, you can end up selling your product to people who didn’t even know a product like yours existed, or who would want to buy it, just ten minutes before.

Posting videos on YouTube can also help drive more traffic to your site, which is something everyone wants. A popular video on YouTube can get thousands of views a day. And many of those viewers could end up following the link back to your site and joining your business or buying your products or services. If you have Google Ad Sense ads on your site, those viewers could also end up clicking on those ads, putting a lot of Ad Sense dollars in your pocket.

And these are just some of the ways you can make money on YouTube. By putting your creativity and thinking outside the box to work, I’m sure you can think of many more ways to turn YouTube videos into higher profits.