Making some money is pretty easy on YouTube: You simply upload original content, enable ads to be served on your videos, link up an AdSense account and watch the pennies trickle in.
Making a significant amount is a lot more difficult though, and really just comes down to getting as many views as possible.
Making money on YouTube
The techincal part is pretty easy.
Before you start: Make sure you have both a Google Account and a Google AdSense Account
When uploading the video, click the "Monetization" tab and check the “Monetize with Ads” box.
If the video is already live and you want to monetize it, open your Video Manager and click the “$” sign next to the video that you want to monetize. Check the “Monetize with Ads” box.
But if you want to make BIG money with YouTube you need 3 things:
- A good idea
- The ability to market yourself all over the web
- Patience. Don't expect your first submission to turn into Gangnam Style. Keep working at it until you hit the big time.
I would recommend reding the Mashable artcile 'How to make money from YouTube' http://mashable.com/2012/08/24/how-to-make-money-from-youtube/
Also just follow and learn from all the accounts and "YouTubers" that are successfully bringing in the big viewing figures.
