How to Build a Passive Income Stream with Video On Demand: A Practical Guide for Content Entrepreneurs and Professionals

If one thing defines the 2020s, it’s probably the rise of the hustle and grind culture. There are plenty of online gurus giving people unreasonable advice about constantly buying real estate or investing in the latest crypto craze. They usually finish their pitch by trying to sell you their online course about building passive income.

Most of the time, this sounds too good to be true, because it is. But generating income with minimal ongoing effort after the initial work is done isn’t just a fantasy. What you need is a tired and true product that’s valuable to you as a creator and your customers or audience.

Whether you’re a professional content creator, entrepreneur, educator, coach, or any type of creative, Video-On-Demand is your ticket to monetizing your expertise and content around the clock. In 2025, the global VOD market is worth around $133.44 billion. In five to ten years, it just might double, so why not dip your toe in the game now?

As the COO of Dacast, a leading streaming and hosting platform built for secure video delivery, I know a little about monetizing video content. In this article, I’ll share how anyone can generate passive income with VOD and help you build a sustainable VOD strategy.

Table of Contents

• Why VOD Is Ideal for Passive Income
• The Key Pillars of a Passive VOD Strategy
• Best Practices for Long-Term Passive VOD Revenue
• How Dacast Supports Passive VOD Income
• Common Challenges of Turning VODs Into Passive Income and How to Overcome Them
• FAQ
• VOD: The Smart Way To Make Passive Income

Why VOD Is Ideal for Passive Income

Before we continue, let’s answer the question “What is passive income?”. Simply put, passive income is money you can earn that requires minimal to no effort after your first investment of time or resources.

Think royalties from a book, earnings from rental property, or, you guessed it, revenue from video content that continues to sell or generate subscriptions without constant, hands-on involvement. Just upload your already produced and edited video content to an OTT platform like Dacast, and enable video monetization.

The beauty of VOD lies in its scalability. Once you create, upload, and monetize the video, it can be consumed by 10, 100, or 10,000 people without additional effort on your part. And it’s not limited to just one industry or type of content. Anyone can use it for basically anything. As for specific ways of how to make money with video on demand, you can create:

• Online Courses: Course on SEO strategies by a marketing expert that sells monthly to new learners.
• Fitness Programs: A 30-day workout plan by a personal trainer, monetized via subscriptions or one-time purchases.
• Sermons: Archived church sermons, offered as paid content for members or global audiences.
• Creative Workshops: A series of pottery-making tutorials by an artist, available for purchase.
• Documentaries: An independent filmmaker’s documentary on local history, offered for rent or purchase.
• Concerts/Performances: Archived live music performances or theatrical productions, accessible through a subscription.

The Key Pillars of a Passive VOD Strategy

However, if it were as simple as uploading random videos and monetizing them, everybody would be doing it. For this to be a viable and long-term source of income, you’ll need to approach it methodically and have a monetized video content strategy.

Content Creation with Longevity

The first step in securing yourself recurring video revenue is creating content that remains relevant and valuable over time. We call this evergreen content. It must have high production quality, and most importantly, actual value for your audience.

First, choose your niche. For example:

• Educational courses: digital marketing, coding, photography, etc.
• Wellness routines: yoga, meditation, strength training.
• Faith-based material: sermons, devotionals, religious education.
• Corporate training: compliance videos, onboarding guides.

Then, focus on quality. Invest in decent production. Clear sound and 1080p or 4K resolution make a big difference in quality.

Top Tip: Repurpose live streams into VOD products. You can edit a single 60-minute webinar into a multi-part course, extending its lifespan and value.

Choosing the Right Video Hosting Platform

When people hear of on-demand content monetization, they automatically think “YouTube!”. However, YouTube is not always the best solution for sustainable, controllable income. Why, you ask?

1. YouTube controls your monetization and ad revenue.
2. Monetized creators only earn between $0.002 and $0.025 per ad view or impression.
3. Getting your content monetized is a process.
4. You have little control over branding or user experience.
5. Your content may be shown alongside competitors or unrelated ads.

When your goal is long-term, recurring income, you need a platform that lets you keep control, and keep more of the revenue. That’s why using white-label video hosting platforms like Dacast can be far better alternatives to YouTube for video monetization. With Dacast, you get:

• No ads (unless you want them).
• Full control over your pricing and monetization method.
• Secure video streaming with DRM and password protection.
• Custom branding to reinforce your identity.
• Analytics to see what is resonating with the audience.

Top Tip: Prioritize platforms with comprehensive analytics to understand viewer behavior and content performance. Knowing what works for your audience makes it easier to optimize your passive income.

Monetization Models That Generate Passive Income

Unlike YouTube, a specialized ​VOD platform usually offers creators several ways to monetize their content. They also make it possible to choose (or combine) monetization based on your audience and content style:

• Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD): Viewers pay a recurring fee to access your content library. Ideal for creators with growing catalogs. For example, a fitness coach offering monthly workout plans ($15/month for unlimited access).
• Transactional Video on Demand (TVOD): Viewers pay a one-time fee for specific content, perfect for premium events. For example, a motivational speaker selling a $25 workshop that consists of multiple videos.
• Ad-Supported Video on Demand (AVOD): Free content with ads, suitable for high-traffic creators. For example, a cooking channel using ad-supported video streaming to monetize recipe videos via pre-roll ads
  
• Bundles and Licensing: Package content (e.g., a 10-video course) or license it to institutions. A corporate trainer could license compliance videos to companies for $500 annually.

Top Tip: Diversify your strategy. Don’t rely on just one monetization model. Offer a mix of free (AVOD) to attract a wide audience, and premium (SVOD/TVOD) options for higher-tier viewers.

Build a Simple Video Sales Funnel

Even if your videos are well produced and highly informational, they won’t reach their intended audience on their own. You’ll need to establish an effective sales funnel directing clicks and views to your content. The setup doesn’t have to be complicated, as long as it has the main stages:

1. Grab attention: Use YouTube Shorts, TikTok, or Reels (e.g., short trailers, teasers, or highlights) to introduce your VOD content and include clear calls to action to learn more.
2. Drive to a landing page: Direct interested viewers to a dedicated, branded page with embedded VOD player (Dacast offers private video hosting) where they can find full details about your video product without distractions.
3. Collect leads: Offer a valuable freebie (like a mini-course or exclusive video) in exchange for email addresses, building your direct communication channel.
4. Follow up: Use email marketing to nurture leads with additional value, promote new releases, and upsell related content, converting prospects into loyal customers.

Top Tip: Make your funnel more effective by integrating interactive elements directly within your VOD content and strategically use retargeting ads to re-engage viewers who have shown interest but haven’t yet converted.

Automation Tools to Make It Truly Passive

Considering all the work that goes into VOD content, you’d be right to question the “passive” part of this type of revenue generation. Good news is, there are ways to minimize the hands-on work. Use automation tools for:

• Scheduled Releases: Schedule videos to automatically release every week or month, or set expiration dates for limited-time offers.
• Pricing Tiers: Offer free trials or tiered subscriptions (e.g., $5/month for basic access, $15/month for premium content).
• Marketing Integrations: Connect Dacast with tools like Zapier or email platforms (Mailchimp, ConvertKit) to automate promotions and follow-ups.

Top Tip: Combine the VOD platform‘s built-in scheduling features and integrations with marketing automation tools to automate content delivery, access changes, and targeted email sequences for a truly passive process.

Best Practices for Long-Term Passive VOD Revenue

Now, having a sound strategy is a good start, but to make this a stable, or even better, a growing revenue source in the long term, you must follow a few best practices. They will help maximize revenue, improve viewer retention, and keep your content valuable over time. Here’s how top creators keep their earnings growing:

How Dacast Supports Passive VOD Income

Once your strategy is in place and your content is optimized, the next step to generating income is hosting them on a platform that allows video monetization. At Dacast, our mission is to empower content creators, educators, businesses, and organizations to take control of their video strategy without relying on ad-based platforms or surrendering control to algorithms.

Our all-in-one platform is built specifically for scalable and monetizable VOD delivery. It’s easy to see what sets Dacast apart from other platforms.

Secure Hosting and DRM Protection

Dacast prioritizes content security with DRM, password protection, and domain/IP restrictions to prevent unauthorized access and piracy. It also uses HLS encryption for secure data transmission, with options for geo-blocking to limit access by region.

HTML5 Video Player

Dacast’s white-label HTML5 video player is compatible across all modern devices and browsers, including smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and desktops, with no configuration required. The player supports adaptive bitrate streaming, automatically adjusting video quality based on the viewer’s internet speed, ensuring smooth playback even on fluctuating connections.

Built-in Monetization Tools

Dacast supports multiple revenue models, including SVOD, TVOD, and AVOD. Creators can set custom pricing, promo codes, and viewing windows through an integrated paywall, allowing flexible monetization strategies. Dacast’s secure video paywall supports global payment gateways, making it easy to process transactions in multiple currencies. You can also add CTAs within videos to drive conversions, such as upselling a premium course.

Custom Branding and Embedding

Dacast’s white-label platform lets you add your own branding to every video. The player can be embedded on any website or social media platform using simple embed codes, creating a cohesive viewer experience. For example, a church can embed a sermon series on its website, styled to match its branding, without external ads or logos.

Real-Time Analytics Dashboard

Dacast provides a comprehensive analytics suite to track video performance, including viewer counts, geographic locations, engagement rates, and revenue per title. You can export data as CSV reports for deeper analysis or filter by content type to identify top performers.

Global CDN Delivery

Dacast partners with top-tier CDNs like Akamai to provide you with fast, low-latency streaming worldwide, even for high-bandwidth 4K content. The multi-CDN approach routes viewers to the closest server, reducing buffering and ensuring pristine video quality in regions like North America, Europe, Asia, and even China, a rare feature among competitors.

Multi-Platform Simulcasting

Stream VOD content to multiple platforms (e.g., Facebook, YouTube, Twitch) simultaneously to expand reach, while keeping your primary hosting on Dacast for monetization.

Common Challenges of Turning VODs Into Passive Income and How to Overcome Them

FAQ

1. What is VOD (Video on Demand)?

VOD is pre-recorded video content that viewers can access anytime, from any device, not just during a live broadcast. It allows creators to host and share educational, entertainment, or informational videos on-demand. VOD is common for online courses, training, fitness programs, sermons, and more. It provides audiences convenient, flexible access to content, and monetization opportunities for content owners.

2. Can I really earn passive income with VOD content?

Yes, you can. Once you have a library of valuable video content, upload it to a secure platform with built-in monetization. There it can generate recurring income with minimal ongoing effort. Whether you use subscriptions, pay-per-view, or bundles, VOD becomes a digital asset, earning you money 24/7 as new users discover and purchase access without your constant involvement.

3. What kind of video content is best for passive income?

Evergreen content and videos that stay relevant over time work best. This includes online courses, fitness routines, professional training, how-to guides, spiritual teachings, and niche tutorials. The key is offering consistent value that doesn’t rely on trends or real-time events. Content with clear outcomes or skills development often performs best, especially when it solves a problem or fulfills a recurring need.

4. How to make money with Video on Demand?

To make money with VOD, create valuable content, choose a secure video platform like Dacast, and apply a monetization model. Build a simple sales funnel to drive traffic, use email marketing to nurture leads, and automate as much as possible. Repurpose existing content to start fast, and scale your income with data-driven adjustments over time.

5. How do I monetize my VOD videos?

You can monetize VOD through several models: subscriptions (SVOD), pay-per-view (TVOD), ad-supported content (AVOD), bundles, or licensing. Platforms like Dacast let you set pricing, restrict access, and embed secure paywalls directly on your site or landing page. Choose a model based on your content type, audience size, and how often you plan to update your video library.

6. Why not just use YouTube for video monetization?

YouTube offers limited control, low revenue per view, and places distracting ads on your content. You also don’t control your branding or pricing. For professionals who want to sell access to premium content, YouTube is better for discovery, not monetization. A white-label platform like Dacast offers ad-free, secure hosting with full monetization tools and brand control, giving you more revenue and ownership.

7. How secure is my video content on a VOD platform?

Platforms like Dacast offer password protection, token-based access, geo- and domain-restrictions, and advanced DRM encryption to prevent unauthorized sharing or downloads. These tools protect your revenue and give you full control over your digital assets by ensuring only paying or authorized users can view your videos.

8. Do I need to create new videos all the time?

One of the biggest advantages of VOD is reusability. Evergreen content can generate income for months or even years with little to no updates. You can repurpose existing live streams, webinars, or lessons. To keep things fresh, consider updating or bundling older content periodically. There’s no need to create new videos constantly unless your model requires it.

9. How much should I charge for my videos?

Pricing depends on your niche, content value, and audience. You might start with $5–$15 for individual videos, $20–$50 for bundles, or $10–$30 per month for subscriptions. Test different models and get feedback from viewers. Offering free trials or tiered access can help convert leads while allowing you to experiment and optimize pricing based on real-world performance.

10. How can I track the success of my VOD income stream?

Use analytics to monitor views, watch time, conversion rates, and revenue per video. Platforms like Dacast provide real-time dashboards that track engagement, geographic reach, and device usage. You can also integrate with email or CRM tools to measure lead generation and sales. Use these insights to adjust pricing, optimize content, and double down on what works best.

VOD: The Smart Way To Make Passive Income

If you’re a content creator or professional of any kind who is still wondering “How to make passive income online​?” why not try video-on-demand? It’s a scalable, smart way to generate income with low overhead. You don’t even need to be a full-time streamer or broadcaster to benefit from this model.

The first step to building passive income with VOD is repurposing what you already have: a webinar, a live stream, or a workshop, and hosting it on Dacast. Our platform’s monetization tools, secure hosting, and analytics make it easy to turn your videos into revenue.

Sign up for a free 14-day trial, no credit card needed, and see how simple it is to have your videos work for you!

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