As YouTube continues to be one of the largest platforms offering great opportunities for content creators to monetise their videos, many aspiring creators wonder, “How much does YouTube pay per view?” The answer is more nuanced than simply calculating earnings per video view, as YouTube’s monetisation is closely tied to its ad system. While views are important, the real revenue comes from ads served on your videos.

In this blog, we’ll break down the various factors that affect how much YouTube pays per view, how the platform’s payment system works, and how content creators can maximise their earnings.

YouTube offers various ways to monetise your content, ads being just one of them. Sponsorships, channel memberships, and other revenue streams make YouTube a compelling option for anyone looking to earn while doing what they love.

Source - YouTube Beats Cable TV in Ad Revenue

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How Much You Can Earn Per View on YouTube

Here’s an estimation of how much YouTube pays based on ad views at different milestones to give you a quick answer. Remember that these figures vary depending on factors like your audience’s location and your content’s niche.

Earnings Per View Milestones (UK-Based)

Earnings Per View Milestones (USA-Based)

Earnings Per View Milestones (India-Based)

Note: These are rough averages. Actual earnings depend on CPM, watch-through rates, and the niche of the content.

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Understanding YouTube’s Payment System

The key to understanding YouTube’s payment system is recognising that YouTube doesn’t pay per video view but rather per ad view.

While it might be tempting to think that more video views directly translate to more earnings, that’s not quite how it works. YouTube’s payment system is based on ad views. This means you only earn money when ads are shown to viewers and those viewers engage with them. More ads viewed equals more earnings.

Video Views vs. Ad Views

• Video views refer to the total number of times a video has been watched.
• Ad views occur only when an ad is shown on the video, and the viewer watches or interacts with it.

This means a video can have millions of views, but revenue will be limited if ads aren’t watched. YouTube’s ad revenue comes from advertisers bidding to place ads on videos. When viewers interact with these ads (by watching them for a certain period or clicking on them), content creators earn a portion of that revenue.

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How to Become Eligible for Ad Revenue on YouTube

To earn through YouTube, creators need to join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). This program allows creators to access monetisation features like ads, channel memberships, and Super Chat.

Requirements to Join the YPP:

To be eligible for YPP, you must meet one of the following thresholds:

1. 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months.
This milestone allows YouTube to evaluate whether your content is suitable for advertisers and helps establish your channel’s engagement levels.

2. 1,000 subscribers and 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days.If you specialise in YouTube Shorts, you can qualify for the YPP by reaching 1,000 subscribers and achieving 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days. This requirement recognises the growing popularity of short-form content on YouTube and provides an alternative path to monetisation.

After meeting these criteria, creators can apply for YPP. Once approved, they can start earning revenue from ads and other monetisation features on their videos.

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Factors Affecting YouTube Ad Revenue

Several factors affect how much you earn per ad view, making YouTube’s monetisation system more complex than just calculating views. Here’s what influences your earnings:

1. Watch-Through Rate 

The watch-through rate refers to how many viewers watch an ad fully without skipping. Higher watch-through rates generally lead to better ad revenue, as advertisers prefer engaged audiences.

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2. Location’s CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions)

CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions) is the amount advertisers are willing to pay for every 1,000 impressions (ad views). This rate can vary significantly depending on multiple factors, including the viewer's location and the type of content. Typically, CPM rates tend to be higher in regions with larger advertising budgets and greater competition, leading to a wide range of potential earnings for creators across different markets.

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3. Availability of Different Ad Formats

YouTube offers multiple ad formats, such as skippable ads, non-skippable ads, bumper ads, and display ads. Some ad formats pay more than others. For instance, non-skippable ads usually generate more revenue compared to skippable ones because advertisers are guaranteed full ad exposure.

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4. Industries with Varying CPM

The industry or niche your content caters to also influences ad revenue. Advertisers in competitive industries, such as finance, technology, and healthcare, often pay more for ad placements, resulting in higher CPMs for those types of videos.

Here’s an example of differences in CPM based on your niche/ industry:
1.Travel Vlogger:

• 500,000 views on a travel vlog.
• CPM of ₹35 due to moderate advertiser demand.
• Estimated earnings: ₹17,500.

2. Personal Finance Channel:

• 500,000 views on a personal finance video.
• Higher CPM of ₹150 due to competitive advertising in the finance niche.
• Estimated earnings: ₹75,000

As you can see, earnings can fluctuate greatly depending on the niche, even for videos with the same number of views.

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5. Advertiser Competition and Bidding Process

YouTube’s ad system operates on a bidding process where advertisers bid for ad placements on videos. High competition in popular niches leads to higher CPMs, which means more revenue per ad view for content creators.

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6. Long-Form Content vs. Shorts

Creators with long-form videos tend to earn more per view because these videos can support multiple ad formats, such as skippable and non-skippable ads, which pay higher rates than the ad formats used in YouTube Shorts.
For example:

• A YouTuber with a tech review channel earned around £70,000 from a video with 1 million views, primarily due to higher-paying ads in the tech niche.
• In contrast, a creator with a viral Shorts video receiving 10 million views earned just £25,000 because YouTube Shorts don’t allow for the same variety of ad formats as long-form content.

For a more detailed understanding of YouTube’s ad revenue analytics, refer to this page by Google Support.

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Revenue Share and Calculation

When you start earning through YouTube, it's essential to understand how the platform shares its ad revenue with creators. YouTube retains a portion of the earnings, and the share you receive depends on the type of content and monetisation features you use.

This revenue model has been incredibly lucrative for YouTube. As of the first quarter of 2024, the platform's worldwide advertising revenues reached significant levels, highlighting its vast potential for creators to generate income.

Here’s how the revenue breakdown works:

1. 70% from Channel Memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks
Creators keep 70% of the revenue generated from channel memberships, Super Chat donations, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks. These additional revenue streams can boost your overall earnings beyond ad revenue.

2. 55% of Ad Revenue on Public Videos
For long-form content, YouTube pays creators 55% of the revenue generated from ads shown on their public videos. The remaining 45% goes to YouTube.

3. 45% of Revenue from Shorts Feed Ads
YouTube keeps a larger share of ad revenue for Shorts, with creators earning 45%. However, with shorts' viral potential, this can still lead to substantial earnings, especially if you regularly hit millions of views.

YouTuber Earnings Beyond Monetisation

It’s important to note that YouTuber earnings don’t solely rely on YouTube’s ad monetisation. Many creators supplement their income through sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and merchandise sales. A study from 2023 showed that 60% of top-earning YouTubers make more from sponsorships than from YouTube ad revenue alone, emphasising the importance of diversifying income streams.

For instance:

• A travel YouTuber might partner with travel gear brands for paid promotions.
• A finance channel could generate affiliate commissions by promoting financial tools or platforms.

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Advice for New Content Creators

As a new YouTuber, your primary focus should be on building your audience and creating content that resonates with them. Here’s some practical advice to help you succeed:

1. Importance of Niche Topics
Finding a specific niche is crucial for standing out on YouTube. Whether it’s tech reviews, beauty tutorials, or travel vlogs, focusing on a particular subject helps you build an audience that’s genuinely interested in your content. 

It can also lead to higher ad revenue if you’re in a lucrative category. Research niches with higher CPMs, such as finance, business, or tech.

2. SEO Research for Video Topics
Conducting SEO research for your video topics can help you rank higher in YouTube searches. Use tools like Google Trends and TubeBuddy to identify trending topics and high-traffic keywords in your niche. Adding these keywords to your video titles and descriptions will help you reach more viewers.

3. Creating High-Quality Content
Quality matters as much as quantity on YouTube. Invest time in crafting engaging, well-edited videos. High-quality production not only attracts more viewers but also encourages longer watch times and higher watch-through rates, which can boost your earnings.

4. Optimising Video Titles and Descriptions with Relevant Keywords
Well-optimized video titles and descriptions can significantly improve your video’s discoverability. Include relevant keywords naturally within your titles and descriptions to make your content more searchable. Don’t forget to add a compelling thumbnail—this plays a big role in grabbing attention.

5. Diversify your income sources
Relying solely on YouTube ad revenue can limit your earning potential, especially when considering that ad rates fluctuate based on factors like seasonality, viewer location, and video type. To build a sustainable and profitable career on YouTube, it’s crucial to diversify your income streams. Many successful YouTubers generate significant revenue outside of ads through sponsorships, affiliate marketing, merchandise sales, and direct services.

Diversifying your income streams beyond ad revenue is essential for long-term success on YouTube, especially as ad rates fluctuate. SuperProfile allows you to diversify your income streams by helping you set up a professional link-in-bio, where you can showcase your content, offer paid consultations, and engage with your audience in new ways. This can be a great way to diversify income streams by offering personalised services or selling digital products.

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How to Increase Your Earnings Per View

If you’re already monetising your channel, there are several strategies to increase your earnings per view.

1. Strategic Placement of Mid-Roll Ads
For long-form content (longer than 8 minutes), using mid-roll ads is a smart way to increase earnings. These ads appear during the video and tend to generate more revenue than pre-roll or post-roll ads. Just ensure the ads don’t disrupt the viewer experience by overdoing it, as too many ads can annoy viewers and hurt engagement.

2. Engaging with Your Audience and Responding to Comments
Engaging with your audience encourages viewer retention and repeat views, which in turn improves ad revenue. 

Building a loyal audience is also key to sustained success on YouTube. Respond to comments and engage with your audience regularly. When viewers feel connected to you, they are more likely to watch your videos in full, which can increase your ad revenue.

You can start selling digital products and services to your viewers, increasing your revenue streams and adding more value to your audience. SuperProfile makes this process seamless, enabling you to sell anything from eBooks, guides, or courses to exclusive memberships, helping you unlock new opportunities to earn directly from your fans and followers.

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Conclusion

YouTube offers endless opportunities for creators to monetise their content, but it’s essential to understand the platform’s payment system to maximise your earnings. With YouTube paying per ad view rather than per video view, content creators need to focus on both the quality of their content and the engagement they generate. By selecting the right niche, optimising video titles and descriptions, and strategically placing ads, you can boost your revenue.

However, ad revenue alone shouldn't be your only focus. Diversifying income streams through sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and selling digital products can significantly enhance your earnings. SuperProfile makes it easy to set up a professional storefront for selling digital products or offering 1:1 consultations, all in one place. This ensures you’re not solely reliant on YouTube’s fluctuating ad revenue.

Ready to take your earnings to the next level? Create your SuperProfile today and start offering personalised services or selling digital products to your audience. The future of monetisation is within your control—don’t limit yourself to just ad revenue!