Being a YouTuber can be lucrative. Big names like Mr Beast, Ryan Kaji and Markiplier have built sizable fortunes by racking up millions of views. But how much does YouTube pay them and just how profitable might your channel be?
YouTube generated ad revenue of over $30 billion in 2023 alone. If you want to take a bigger cut of this pie, getting more views is generally the way to go. But to get a clearer picture of how much is on offer, you’ll want to know how much YouTube will pay for each view. Spoiler alert, there isn't a simple answer!
In this article we’ll show you how everything from your niche to your audience’s location will affect your channel’s revenue. You’ll get a better understanding of why some videos earn more than others, so you can set your sights on earning as much as you can from YouTube.
- How to make money from YouTube
- The factors that affect your YouTube earnings
- How much does YouTube pay per view?
- How much does YouTube pay for 1 million views?
- Tips to help you maximize your YouTube earnings
The basics of making money from YouTube
Before you dream of making millions, it’s important to understand how monetization on YouTube works. To start earning from your videos, you first need to qualify for YouTube’s monetization scheme, the YouTube Partner Program.
Looking to join the YouTube Partner Program? You’ll need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours to unlock its full features. Check out the full entry requirements and learn how to hit them in our guide to the YouTube Partner Program.
Once you meet the entry requirement for the YouTube Partner Program, your channel can start earning you money through Super Thanks, memberships and other revenue streams. But by far the biggest money-spinner on YouTube is ad revenue.
In simple terms, the more views you get, the more ad revenue your channel will earn. But working out the precise amount you can make becomes more complicated when you realize that different types of content don’t necessarily make the same amount of money. We’ll go into why that is in the next section.
Creators can also make money outside of YouTube from the likes of sponsorships and products. Just look at Mr Beast launching Feastables, or the Logan Paul and KSI colab on Prime. If you want a full lowdown of the different ways you can earn from your channel, check out our guide to YouTube monetization.
What affects the YouTube ad revenue you make?
You might think that hitting a million views would guarantee a big payout, but the exact amount can vary wildly. Earnings are not based solely on view count, but on factors like how engaged those views are and whether high-paying advertisers want to appear next to your video.
Different types of content can generate completely different amounts for their creators. Marques Brownlee could make $20k for 1 million views of his tech content, while an Emma Chamberlain Fashion Week diary might make $5k for the same views - you can see the variation in our round-up of the most profitable YouTube niches.
Take a look at the five main reasons some videos earn more than others.
- Your niche 🫵
The type of content you create plays a big part in how much money you’ll make from ad revenue. But while you might think that a popular niche will make a channel more profitable, it isn’t always the case.
Sometimes more specialist subjects, like personal finance or real estate, can attract advertisers willing to pay more to have their adverts shown to your audience. For an idea of which channels make the most money, check out our guide on the most profitable YouTube niches.
- The types of companies who advertise ✈️
Think about who is going to pay money to appear alongside your content. If they’re selling big ticket items like holidays or technology, they’re likely to have a bigger advertising budget than an independent Etsy seller. The key to earning higher ad revenue is to build an audience that consists of the types of customers these businesses want to target.
- The quality of the adverts themselves 🔥
This one’s out of your hands but can make a big difference. The best adverts keep viewers watching and encourage people to click on them. When that happens, the advertisers are charged more to advertise next to your videos - which means more revenue for you.
The problem is, you’ve got no control over which ads will appear on your channel. And if your audience is being served forgettable clips they can’t wait to skip over, that’s going to affect your earnings.
- Your audience’s location 🌎
Advertisers will pay more to reach potential customers in higher-paying markets and wealthier countries. Adverts shown to viewers in countries with higher ad spending, like the USA and Canada, tend to generate more revenue. So if a good chunk of your audience comes from countries like these, your revenue is likely to be higher as a result!
- Video engagement 🎣
The best way to increase your ad revenue earnings is to create content people stick around for. Videos that keep viewers watching longer can host more ads, increasing your potential earnings.
Don't forget that boosting your engagement also gives your video a better chance of being picked up by YouTube's algorithm. Score a viral hit that has people hooked and the money you make from ad-revenue will only keep climbing!
Working out how much YouTube pays per view
Now that we know the factors that can affect how much you earn, let’s take a look at the figures. To work out how much YouTube will pay for each view you get, we need to compare the revenue made by different videos. Which is where RPM (Revenue Per Mille) comes in.
RPM is a measure of the amount of money content will make for every 1,000 views. Top paying niches on YouTube, like channels offering real estate advice and business strategies, can make as much as $30 for 1,000 views. However, the vast majority of YouTube channels are likely to see a lower RPM of between $1-$6.
How much does YouTube pay for 1 million views?
Once you know the RPM of your YouTube channel, it’s time to get the calculator out! To work out the amount of ad revenue you’ll earn for a million views, simply multiply your Revenue Per Mille (RPM) by 1,000.
Say you’ve got a real estate channel with an RPM of $30, you could earn as much as $30,000 if your video hits the 1 million view mark. However, if your vlogging channel is closer to the typical RPM range of between $1-$6, you’re more likely to earn between $1,000-$6,000 for a million views.
Tips to maximize your YouTube ad revenue
Understanding YouTube ad revenue is one thing, but why not use these insights to make your channel more profitable? If you want to boost the ad revenue your content brings in, follow these tips:
💎 Stick to high-paying content ideas and niches:
It makes sense that advertisers will pay big bucks to reach their target audience. Give your channel a better chance of earning a slice of their advertising spend by creating content which taps into lucrative audiences. We’ve given you a headstart by rounding up the most profitable YouTube niches.
👀 Keep people watching for longer:
Your viewers are more likely to stick around if your video keeps them hooked. And if YouTube’s algorithm sees your audience watching for longer, it’ll recommend your content to a larger audience. The end result? More ad revenue! Learn how to keep people watching longer with our guide on average view duration on YouTube.
👋 Engage with your audience:
YouTube’s algorithm loves a video that sparks comments and racks up likes. It shows that the content resonates with its audience and is worth being shared further. So if you’re able to get people to engage with your videos, you’ll soon find them popping up in people’s feeds across YouTube. Small things like asking people to drop a comment or hit the like button can have a big impact.
📈 Aim for as many views as possible:
This one’s super obvious, but there are steps you can take to maximize your views and claim more ad revenue as a result. We’ve broken down the best way to bump up your view count, so check out how to get more views on YouTube in 8 easy steps.
Knowing what affects your YouTube ad revenue can help you make more money
As you can see, working out exactly how much YouTube will pay for each view isn’t straightforward. It’s a complex equation that decides how much each video will take from ad revenue. And that’s before you consider how to go about boosting your views to maximize your revenue!
The good news is that knowing what affects your YouTube ad revenue will give you pointers on how to make more money. You can target niches that attract higher paying advertisers and optimize your videos to give them a better chance of racking up more views.
Do those right and you’ll soon increase the money your videos make from ad revenue alone. And if you want to look at ways to diversify the ways you can earn from your channel, make sure you check out our guide on YouTube monetization too.
