Turning your passion for video creation into a profitable career on YouTube is a dream for many. But How Much Views On Youtube To Make Money? The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might think. It’s not just about racking up millions of views; it’s about understanding the different avenues for monetization and building a loyal audience.
Understanding YouTube Monetization: The Basics
There are two primary ways to earn money on YouTube: directly from YouTube itself and from external sources. Let’s break down each approach.
1. Earning Directly From YouTube
To monetize your videos directly through YouTube, you need to join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). The YPP grants you access to an AdSense account, enabling you to earn revenue from ads displayed on your videos. It also unlocks opportunities like fan funding and the YouTube Shorts Fund. Eligibility for the YPP depends on your subscriber count and watch hours – the total time viewers spend watching your content.
The YPP has different tiers, each with its own requirements:
- Original YPP: Requires at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 valid public watch hours within the past 12 months, or 10 million YouTube Shorts views in the last 90 days. This tier gives access to Ad Revenue Sharing, YouTube Premium Subscription Revenue, and all other creator benefits.
- Expanded YPP: Requires at least 500 subscribers, three valid public uploads in the last 90 days, and 3,000 valid public watch hours in the previous 12 months, or 3 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days. This tier provides access to Fan Funding and YouTube Shopping only.
2. Generating Revenue From External Sources
Even without meeting the YPP requirements, you can still earn money through external channels like brand deals and affiliate marketing.
If you have an engaged audience who trust your recommendations, brands may want to collaborate with you to promote their products. These partnerships, also known as sponsorships or paid ads, can be lucrative. Similarly, you can use affiliate links to promote products and earn a commission for every purchase made through your link.
While earnings vary based on several factors, here are some examples of potential income:
- Nano Influencers (1,000–10,000 followers): $20–$200 per YouTube video
- Micro Influencers (10,000–50,000 followers): $200–$1,000 per YouTube video
- Macro Influencers (500,000–1,000,000 followers): $10,000–$20,000 per YouTube video
Although there’s no minimum requirement for brand deals or affiliate marketing, a large and engaged subscriber base will significantly increase your earning potential. Brands are generally looking to reach a wide and responsive audience, so the more subscribers and views you have, the more they’re likely to pay.
How YouTube Pays You: Exploring Monetization Methods
There isn’t a fixed “YouTube money per view” rate. Your earnings depend on the monetization methods you utilize. Here’s a closer look at three key ways YouTube can pay you:
1. YouTube Premium Revenue
If you’re a member of the original YPP tier, you may be eligible for YouTube Premium revenue.
YouTube Premium subscribers pay a monthly fee to watch videos ad-free. When Premium subscribers watch your content, YouTube allocates a portion of their subscription fee to you. The amount you earn depends on your channel’s premium subscriber watch time.
To start earning YouTube Premium revenue, visit YouTube Studio and opt-in under the “Earn” tab.
2. YouTube Shorts Fund
YouTube Shorts are short-form videos, up to 60 seconds long, that play in a continuous feed, similar to TikTok and Instagram Reels. YouTube displays sponsored content and ads between Shorts. If you’re in the YPP and create Shorts, you receive a percentage of this ad revenue, which YouTube pools and distributes among YPP Shorts creators and itself.
Most creators earn around $0.05–$0.07 per thousand views from ad revenue sharing on Shorts. While this may seem small, it can accumulate significantly if your Shorts gain millions of views.
3. YouTube Fan Funding
Loyal subscribers can support your channel directly through Fan Funding, allowing you to supplement your income. To participate, you must be a member of at least the Expanded YPP.
Here are some ways to receive fan funding:
- Channel memberships: By enabling channel memberships, viewers will see a “Join” button on your content, allowing them to pay a monthly membership fee. In return, you can provide exclusive content and perks to your members, fostering a community and generating additional income. YouTube takes 30% of the revenue from channel subscriptions, while you receive 70%.
- Super Chat, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks: During live streams on YouTube, viewers can donate to highlight their message or animated image in the live chat. They can also purchase animations that appear on your video with a customizable comment. YouTube takes 30% of the revenue from these purchases, and you receive 70%.
When Can You Start Making Money on YouTube?
There’s no specific subscriber or view threshold to begin monetizing on YouTube. While joining the YPP requires a minimum of 500 subscribers, you can explore external revenue streams even before reaching that milestone.
Importantly, views and subscribers aren’t the only factors determining your earning potential, even with YouTube’s monetization programs. YouTube prioritizes watch hours – the total amount of time people spend watching your content – over views for monetization.
A high view count indicates that many people clicked on your video, but it doesn’t reflect how much of the content they watched. Watch hours provide a more accurate measure of audience engagement and whether viewers find your videos valuable enough to watch in their entirety. Since YouTube pays you based on ad revenue, longer watch hours increase the likelihood of ads being displayed and generating revenue, which YouTube shares with you.
Key Considerations for YouTube Growth
Instead of solely focusing on views, create videos that resonate with your audience to expand your channel and increase watch time. Consistency and building a loyal audience are crucial for sustainable monetization.
Here are some essential factors to keep in mind:
- One viral video vs. consistent content: While a viral video can significantly expand your channel’s reach and attract new followers, consistent uploads are more effective for building a channel and generating revenue, even if not every video goes viral. A larger video library allows YouTube to recommend your other content to users who engage with one video, accelerating subscriber growth.
- Quality vs. quantity: While consistency is important, avoid sacrificing quality for quantity. Determine a realistic upload schedule – whether it’s once a week or every two weeks – and stick to it. This allows your audience to anticipate new content and gives you ample time to create high-quality videos that don’t feel rushed.
- Views vs. subscribers: Aim to grow both views and subscribers for long-term success and monetization. High views indicate a video’s immediate impact and popularity, and increased views typically lead to more subscribers. Subscribers are more likely to watch videos in full, engage with them, and contribute to your earnings.
Maximize Your YouTube Earning Potential
Whether you’re pursuing YouTube revenue or income from external sources, consistency is key. However, producing regular content, especially both long-form videos and Shorts, can be demanding.
AI-powered tools can streamline your workflow. For instance, the AI Shorts feature can convert your longer YouTube videos into engaging Shorts, saving you valuable editing time.
By consistently creating high-quality content and leveraging the various monetization options available, you can turn your YouTube channel into a profitable venture.
