YouTubers are making the most of having engaged subscribers by selling merchandise to them. Most YouTubers sell a variety of products, including t-shirts, hoodies, hats, phone cases, mugs etc.

Anyone can put their logo or hashtag on a mug, but you have to have clear branding that sets you apart and tells subscribers what you’re about. They will love buying your merch if it makes them feel part of a special community and gives them a way to show you their support.

Be inspired by the content you create

If you focus on creating content you’re passionate about; you will usually find your merch ideas are inspired by the content you create. Going by the current trends, custom t-shirts and hoodies are among the best YouTuber merch options. Hats, sweaters, and socks are also popular. You can get more ideas on channels of popular YouTubes by scrolling through their profiles and videos to see what merch they offer to their audience.

If you use certain catchphrases in your videos, your audience is likely to appreciate wearing items that feature them. The visuals you use on merch should be instantly recognizable to your followers.

YouTubers will usually work with a print-on-demand company that only prints merch when customers place orders. This means they don’t have to carry stock and worry about inventory. They earn the difference between what they charge and what the company charges them for printing, packaging and shipping items.

Cater to the age of your audience

It’s no use offering merch that your audience won’t appreciate because it isn’t age-appropriate. Authentic designs relevant to your specific audience are those that will always sell best.

Gamers on YouTube usually appeal to a younger demographic and will often use colourful, gaming-inspired designs on their merch. Younger demographics want to see those bright colours etc.

Let your merch reflect your personality

If you have a big, bold, expressive personality, let your merch reflect this. Casy Neistat is a YouTuber with a massive following whose merch designs are big and bold. They often feature outlined, large graphics.

A brand logo on a black t-shirt is a popular option if you don’t know where to start. You can experiment with colours to try out the best combinations to suit your brand. Using a print-on-demand company means that you won’t lay out money on a product nobody orders.

Take a stand on relevant issues

Create merch that reflects the values you embrace on your channel. For example, if you support sustainability and zero-waste living, you can come up with some great slogans to add to t-shirts, hoodies and more. Add them to heavier or lighter items depending on the season. People who subscribe to your channel support your values and will happily purchase merch that reflects them.

Among many popular female YouTubers, Liza Koshy has a YouTube channel with more than 16 million subscribers. Her merch is funny, inspired and minimalistic. One example of her merch is an environmentally-themed hoodie. It features an earth graphic on a black background with the slogan “Save the earth – or die!”

Support causes

You could work with a cause you’re passionate about and donate a portion of your profit from every sale. For example, if you have a channel about animals, you could work on promotion together with an animal shelter. You could help the shelter and boost your merch sales at the same time.

Ryan Higa is a Japanese American YouTube creator with more than 20 million subscribers. His store is geared towards his foundation, which supports caregivers. The foundation rewards them with vacations or grants them a wish.

Create limited editions

When you sell limited edition items, you create demand. Everybody wants to get in on the action before items are snapped up by somebody else. The desire to possess an item only by a handful of other people can increase interest in it considerably.

Get feedback from your subscribers

One of the best ways to create merch that sells is to ask your subscribers what they want. Bags such as tote bags and backpacks are useful products that subscribers appear to value. Accessories like hats and bandanas are some other popular options that don’t cost a lot and are easy to ship.

Conclusion

As a YouTuber with engaged subscribers, selling merch is one of the best ways to capitalize on your popularity. It’s a great addition to your marketing strategy and helps to boost your brand awareness.