Stop Listening to Passive Income “Gurus” on YouTube

If you’ve ever used YouTube for more than five minutes, your attention has likely been caught by a smiling, fast-talking YouTuber who claims to be an Amazon millionaire. You’ve probably listened as they threw around various acronyms associated with apps or Amazon processes for Amazon Sellers. As they told you how you could finally walk away from your oppressive 9-5, you felt… exhilarated. Your dopamine levels had been thoroughly spiked. You’ve been robbed of your time and convinced to invest money in more apps and processes. That’s because these “gurus” are just leading you down a rabbit hole of endless expenses to go nowhere.

How Fake Amazon Gurus Really Get Paid

Amazon gurus on YouTube are nothing more than content creators, and the more you watch, the more they get paid. Whenever one of these so-called gurus turns on a camera, there’s a 99% chance they’re earning several streams of income or more at that very moment. There’s nothing wrong with this, but it is something to be aware of as they hawk information, opinions and products your way.

YouTubers earn money based on the number of people who sign up for a service… using the YouTubers’ client codes.

YouTubers are sponsored many different ways. Their fans can donate to them directly on YouTube through “stars”. Some YouTubers have “Patron” accounts where users can subscribe for off-YouTube content as well. These are some of the better, more respectable ways YouTubers earn money.

Many of them are brand affiliates well. In this way, YouTubers earn money based on the number of people who sign up for a particular service or app using the YouTubers’ client codes. These affiliations won’t make a content creator wealthy on their own, but they’re a great part of the supplemental income.

… lack of transparency might lead to some viewers believing a YouTuber actually uses the product [they’re promoting].

Furthermore, some companies directly sponsor YouTubers, and this is where it might get murky. YouTubers who stand on political soap boxes are seen by viewers pushing “nicotine toothpicks” for sponsors. Doing business with nicotine companies on a platform that so many kids use is counterproductive at best, but it’s how some of them earn their money.

Sponsorships become an issue when the fake YouTube Amazon guru fails to be transparent about their relationship with the manufacturer of whatever product they’re promoting. This lack of transparency might lead to some viewers believing the content creator actually uses the product. This belief could make viewers more likely to buy a product. If that viewer knows the content creator is being paid to say nice things about the product, that viewer understands it is not an endorsement and make a more informed decision.

The Takeaway

YouTube gurus promising you riches through being an Amazon Seller are selling you a dream, and they’re being paid to do so. YouTubers earn money through sponsorships, brand affiliations, video views and more. Their goal is to keep you roped in and coming back. Be careful when listening to the advice of a YouTuber. As the old saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, turn the channel.

This article was written by Jermaine Reed, MFA, the Editor-in-Chief of The Reeders Block. Join the email list to get notifications on new blog posts and books. This article is 100% human-written. And remember, if you see an error, that’s what makes us human. Subscribe and share.