Is there anyone who doesn’t know what YouTube is? This social media powerhouse reels in more than a billion users to its platform each month, consisting of content creators and consumers. It is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Raking in over 7 billion dollars in ad revenues in just a single quarter, why would it?
Given its enormity and popularity, YouTube has produced a new breed of celebrities in YouTube influencers. These are individuals who have gained a substantial following by creating video content to entertain, teach, review, or by simply being fascinating to watch enough to go viral within minutes of its release.
How much does YouTube pay you?
Most of these YouTubers who were plucked out of obscurity have made a killing in the platform, becoming these overnight sensations, generating figures in the millions in income and followers. Hence, they are usually accorded almost the same VIP treatment as Hollywood stars, politicians, and other well-known personalities, getting invites to exclusive parties and events, or at least wherever they are recognized.
Monetizing content is a goal for most creators, and rightfully so. How much does YouTube pay you? For mega YouTubers like MrBeast, who has 126 million followers just in his primary channel, whose views range from 75 million to 85 million per video, he is estimated to pull in up to 16 million monthly from AdSense alone. Notably, MrBeast is investing heavily in his content, often presenting a big-budgeted production with insane prizes; after all, he can recoup it many times over.
But even for regular folks, you don’t have to create over-the-top content like MrBeast to earn decent YouTube money. This then brings curiosity to many people wondering, how much money can you make on YouTube? How do you get paid on YouTube? How much does YouTube pay per subscriber? You’ll find the answers to these questions and more in this article. Let’s begin.
Many believe that YouTubers receive earnings based on the views their videos accumulate. But is that really the case? Nonetheless, advertisers typically pay from $0.010 to $0.030. Before we explain this further, you have to note that YouTube will only pay your ad revenues if you have signed an agreement with the YouTube Partner Program and an integrated Google AdSense account, alongside enabled monetization options. The YouTube Partner Program is a way for content creators to monetize their videos through ads. Once you are approved for the program, you can start earning revenue from ads that are displayed on your videos.
To apply for the YouTube Partner Program, you have to meet the following conditions to be eligible for future payouts:
Please note that YouTube has been known to suspend and demonetize its publishers. They are those who have run afoul of their strict rules and regulations. Do your best and see to it that your content will not be perceived as too sensitive or controversial. So if you’ll be posting cat videos or any wholesome content, you’ll be fine.
The review process may take up to 30 days. Once the YouTube Partner Program approves, you can start accumulating revenues and receiving them through your registered payment channel.
One thing should be clear regarding how much YouTube pays per view. YouTube does not pay you based on the number of views of your videos. Instead, the number of views of the ads embedded in your content is what matters. For instance, you’re not getting paid even if you have 1 million views when there is zero ad view or click. But of course, this is an extreme scenario; you will still want to aim for higher video views because historically, this increases your potential ad views.
On average, a YouTube channel gets $18 per one thousand advertising views for each video, corresponding to a CPM or Cost per Mille (thousand) of $27. In other words, the latter amount is what the advertiser pays YouTube, who in turn takes a cut such that the publisher (you) is left with a net of 68% or $18. This amount loosely equates to $3 to $5 per one thousand video views, or $0.003 to $0.005 per view. This is more or less the amount the YouTubers will receive when they use video views as an unofficial reference.
Another factor contributing to the estimated net income is the ad viewing behavior. There are ad blockers and skip ad options that skew the earnings. Historically, around 15% of video views actually watch the ads for at least 30 seconds of its run time. Your analytics will reflect your estimated earnings, but as such, your actual income may still vary since it will depend on your total ad views. Hence these may be chump change when it comes to videos with fewer than 100,000 views. But it becomes a lucrative income stream enough to leave your day job when the views are consistently in the millions.
Depending upon your channel’s ranking, you can earn from $1 to $5 if you accumulate 1000 views per video. Bloomberg estimates that a YouTube star can earn about $5 per 1,000 views for top talent.
Embedded ads and product placements typically pay rates expressed in CPM. However, another way your YouTube channel can earn from advertisements is through CPC or Cost Per Click. As the name suggests, you get paid only when a user has actually clicked on the ad, serving as the viewer’s call-to-action (CTA). In practice, you get paid more substantially using this scheme, but you have to make sure that you have the right ads to benefit from this. The more clicks on ads, the more you earn from them.
Different niches have different rates. Health, business, auto reviews, real estate, and investing command the highest rates on YouTube. For example, a video post on crypto investment advice can command a higher CPM of $16 compared to creating a makeup commentary which only has a $2 CPM.
CPMs and CPCs are through the roof during the holidays for obvious reasons. With tech channels, for example, many gift-givers buy electronic gadgets, and often they view related content to aid their purchase decisions. Hence, their CPM is much higher, starting shortly before Thanksgiving. It then plummets for several months after Christmas.
Places with higher disposable income will command a higher CPM than those posting videos in smaller economies and third-world countries. However, being located in a large-economy country should be matched with high targeted viewership to attract advertisers to your channel, which brings in bigger potential earnings.
For advertisers, those between ages 45 and 54 are the most viable market since they are considered at the peak of income earning. If your content speaks to such individuals, you will lure in more advertisers than if you target the younger age group.
Content creators often ask, if not beg, their viewers to subscribe to their channel. This leads people to ask about how much YouTube pays per subscriber. Do they get paid for every new subscriber they gain? No. Despite over 2,000 channels having one million subscribers or more, it is not the basis of computing their YouTube income. Advertising views dictate your payouts. But that doesn’t mean your subscriber count is useless.
The number of YouTube subscribers is a good indicator of people who are interested in your videos; thus, they are also likely to view your content more often. Based on past showings, around 10% to 15% of them will watch a new video post. They also tend to share the content and comment on it more.
YouTube channels with high subscriber counts increase their visibility in search queries and perceived value. They become more attractive to others that eventually subscribe to the channel. It’s an “I want what they’re having” type of thing.
While YouTube does not pay you by the subscriber, your numbers show better odds of getting higher views and, more importantly, higher ad views. Publishers can also leverage their number of subscribers to potential sponsors, product partners, and affiliate marketing deals where they earn income on top of their YouTube payouts. They differ from traditional YouTube ads in that you pitch the product yourself within your content.
After carefully considering your YouTube Partner Program application, YouTube finally approved it; what now? Make sure that your AdSense account is also set up with verified identity and address. And then you can begin to earn from your videos! But if your post garners 5,000 views amounting to $15, for example, you can’t claim it yet. There is a payment threshold of $100 or above, which you can achieve when you reach 25,000 views or thereabouts.
YouTube can pay you through Electronic Funds Transfer, wire transfer, or check, depending on your country. Once you reach the $100 payment threshold, your payout will be processed within 21 days.
You must know that you don’t have to rely solely on YouTube advertising payouts to support your videos. To make the most out of your content’s money-making potential, you should explore other avenues below that may prove more financially rewarding.
Promoting products within your videos in exchange for a commission for every sale you make is a good supplement to your YouTube income. It is also favorable to the advertiser because they will only pay if you make a sale. Hence, this deal is easier to negotiate for both parties.
When planning for a big creative project, you can use crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter.com, where your supporters can contribute any amount they are willing to part with. Come out with a teaser video and include your goal of raising funds for it.
Viral videos that have gained massive appeal are the best candidates for licensing, so you can also earn from other creators using them for their purpose.
YouTube provides a secondary income stream via its ad-free YouTube Premium, a membership subscription. A portion of the proceeds from the paid membership fees is allocated among content creators based on the viewed hours of its members.
Selling merchandise such as shirts, totes, and coffee mugs on your YouTube channel not only adds to your potential revenues but also establishes your brand to your audience.
Your digital tipping jar, super chat is a YouTube feature that allows viewers to give any amount to you during a live stream. Super thanks or viewer applause is similar but can be accessed anytime and is available at different price points.
Publishers get a share of ad revenue for short videos (YouTube shorts) based on their views. They can also become eligible for bonuses, the amount of which ranges from $100 to $10,000.
You can treat your subscribers to exclusive content by asking them to join your membership program. As such, members will pay recurring monthly fees to enjoy your additional perks for them.
Monetizing your YouTube content can be a bonus for some but for others, you can turn it into a legitimate income stream. Enlist your channel on YouTube Partner Program once you’ve reached 4,000 watch hours and a minimum of 1,000 viewers to start earning real money.
Although YouTubers are not paid per view of their videos but by their advertising views, your overall number of views and subscribers play a key role in your ad viewership that leads to income generation. Hence promoting it is essential in growing your channel and making it more financially satisfying. You can also augment your revenues for your YouTube posts by directly working with sponsors, selling merchandise, procuring external funding, using other YouTube income-generating facilities, etc.
If your YouTube channel posts plant videos, for example, and attracts a niche following with 100,000 subscribers, companies selling fertilizers and plant supplies would likely come knocking on your door. You can work directly with them to promote their products. Consequently, you get paid either upfront or through sales commission resulting from your endorsement.
It would be best to put a lot of time and effort into getting subscribers because they will probably comment, like, and share your videos. You can gain more YouTube views and earn more money by placing the correct advertisements. The number of subscribers you have is not directly related to the number of views your video receives from YouTube, but they are a significant factor.
Even if YouTube does not pay you for the number of subscribers you have, you still can’t neglect the importance of having YouTube subscribers on your channel. And this is the reason why most the music creators end with a message of “Subscribe to my channel.”
When you place your first video on YouTube, you are unlikely to earn anything. You have a long way to go before being considered an influencer. When PewDiePie uploaded his first video in 2010, he was unknown, just like any other beginner YouTuber can be.
It is, however, possible to eventually emerge from YouTube’s graveyard of poor performers if you have enough perseverance and on-camera talent. If you have chosen to pursue affiliate marketing, you should by now start seeing some AdSense revenue each month. Having somewhere around 20K to 50K subscribers, you can be called an influencer and earn a minimal amount.
The owners of YouTube channels can relax once their subscriber count reaches millions. There is increasing recognition of these channels as influential in their niche as they gain popularity.
Currently, over 2,000 channels have one million subscribers or more. All of them are earning a good amount of money. To get a better idea, let’s check some metrics from Pixelvalleystudio: a successful average is to get around 3 to 5 subscribers per 1000 views. Subscriptions are the most important call to action for viewers. Around 10% to 15% of them will see a new YouTube on your channel.
We know how many can earn when having a certain number of views or subscribers. It’s time for us to find out if we’re meeting the criteria for getting paid on YouTube.
You need at least $100 in views to get paid by YouTube. Therefore, if you receive $5 per 1,000 views, you must earn 20,000 views. The YouTube Partner Program was created to make this possible, which allows you to get paid through advertisements on your page.
For consideration, applicants must meet the following requirements:
YouTubers creating music or any other content should have 1000 subscribers at the least. In addition, the YouTuber should have achieved 4000 watch hours in the last year. The Youtuber should sign the terms and conditions of the YouTuber partner program to earn income from their music videos.
To get paid through advertisements, the YouTuber must have an AdSense account. In the last step, the YouTuber should get reviewed and, in the end, has to be approved by the regulatory authority. This step ensures that the YouTuber legally posts content without being alleged for any strike or copyright content.
As soon as you are a member of the Youtube Partners Program, you can start monetizing your videos. There are two ways to do this: paying per thousand views (CPM) or paying per click (CPC). The CPM model allows you to generate revenue from every 1,000 views you accumulate, while with the CPC model, you can generate revenue from the number of people who click on the ad placed on your webpage.
However, you should note that Google pays out 68% of the revenue when displaying AdSense ads. For example, you will receive $680 from AdSense revenue on a video that generates $1,000.
Now, content creators can make a good income through passive methods. Below are some additional ways YouTubers can supplement their income:
Now that we know how much does YouTube pay you, it is time to understand how we can earn with different replacements on YouTube.
Music creators and other YouTubers often review products. Do you watch their videos? Is it possible to have a YouTuber mention their “favorite brand” in their video? Why would someone promote a product for free?
This is affiliate marketing.
Youtubers review or mention affiliate links when they review or mention product(s) or services (e.g., software for marketing). YouTubers earn a percentage of sales when viewers click on the links in video descriptions and purchase.
Music creators usually have a lot of fans. There will be so many people who would love your music. They’re your true fans. Now the goal is to take help from them to grow your channel.
To run their video operations smoothly, for-profit and nonprofit channels rely heavily on this type of patronage. It is astonishing how viewers will open the floodgates of generosity when your content is entertaining, interesting, or valuable.
You might already know how to start a YouTube channel and make money. However, if you have already created a viral video with mass appeals, such as a funny clip of your dog, you can make money by licensing your content.
If your videos become viral, TV news channels, morning shows, online news sites, and other creators may contact you about the rights to use them.
Alternatively, you can list your videos on a marketplace, such as Juken Media, where the right people will be able to find and purchase your content more easily.
It costs $9.99 per month to watch YouTube ad-free with YouTube Red. YouTube does not require video ads to generate revenue; content creators can still make 55% of the revenue. CPM rates have either increased or decreased in YouTube Red. To get income from YouTube Red Subscribers, make sure to do your research.
The last in our list of ways to earn money on YouTube is creating your merchandise. A popular video gamer or vlogger you follow might sell apparel to their fans through their online store.
Large followings of YouTubers often turn their channels into brand names, trading items such as t-shirts, bags, hats, and accessories. This is an excellent way of earning income through YouTube.
As a rule of thumb, to be eligible for monetization through the YouTube Partner Program, you need at least 1,000 subscribers (plus at least 4,000 watch hours in the past year). Even if you have fewer subscribers, some of the other monetization strategies in this post can help you earn more money.
Nevertheless, the only way to reach a thousand subscribers in a short period is through YouTube channel promotion.
One of the best ways to promote your YouTube channel is with the help of Songlifty. Whether it’s a tutorial video or you are searching for how to promote a song on YouTube, Songlifty has got your back. Songlifty provides you with promotional tools for YouTube, Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok.
In the modern digital era, the music industry has witnessed a significant shift in how music is created, distributed, and consumed. With this transformation comes the need for effective promotion
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