Man Exposes How Much He Made from One Million Views on YouTube Shorts

‎Content creation has become a popular career path, but success in this field is largely dependent on finding effective ways to monetize content. While social media platforms offer opportunities to generate income, not all of them provide the same financial rewards. In this article, we explore how much money content creators can earn from YouTube Shorts, particularly after one creator revealed the staggering amount they were paid for a video that reached one million views.
Discover how much a content creator can earn on YouTube Shorts with 1 million views, and compare it to other platforms like TikTok.
‎Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images; Tube Buddy/Youtube
‎Earnings on YouTube Shorts: How Much Can You Make?
‎YouTube Shorts, a short-form video feature introduced by YouTube, differs significantly from traditional YouTube videos when it comes to earnings. As a relatively new addition to the platform, YouTube Shorts hasn't yet achieved the same revenue generation potential as long-form content.
‎According to TubeBuddy, the average Revenue Per Mille (RPM)—a metric indicating earnings per 1,000 views—for a traditional YouTube video is approximately $3 (£2.46). In simpler terms, a video with 100,000 views would generate around $300 (£244) in earnings. However, the financial landscape for YouTube Shorts is markedly different.
‎For YouTube Shorts, the average RPM is significantly lower, at approximately $0.05 (£0.04). As a result, a Shorts video that garners 100,000 views would earn much less compared to its long-form counterpart, highlighting the disparity in earning potential between these two formats.
‎What About Earning for One Million Views?
‎So, how much can a content creator expect to earn from a YouTube Short that receives one million views? TubeBuddy provided some insight, revealing that it earned a modest $99 (£81) for a video that amassed 3.1 million views. This equates to roughly $32 per million views.
‎To further illustrate the low payout, vidIQ—a YouTube analytics platform—shared their earnings from one million views on a YouTube Short. Their total was an equally underwhelming $58 (£47), with an RPM of just $0.06. This stark contrast to long-form videos demonstrates the limited financial benefits of YouTube Shorts for content creators.
‎YouTube Shorts Compared to Other Platforms
‎While YouTube Shorts provides limited earnings per view, other platforms like TikTok offer a more lucrative model for creators. TikTok also uses the RPM system to determine payouts, but it generally provides higher earnings. Reports suggest that TikTok creators can earn between $20 and $40 (£16-£32) per million views through the TikTok Creator Fund (also known as the TikTok Creativity Program). However, this varies significantly depending on factors such as location and account size.
‎It’s worth noting that not all creators are eligible for the TikTok Creator Fund, as access is restricted in certain countries. Therefore, creators must often rely on brand sponsorships and other monetization strategies to supplement their income, especially if they are not part of the fund.
‎Can You Make a Living from YouTube Shorts?
‎While YouTube Shorts may not provide the same financial rewards as traditional YouTube videos or other social media platforms like TikTok, it remains a viable option for content creators looking to reach a wide audience. However, creators should be aware of the modest earnings potential from the platform and consider diversifying their income streams to maximize their revenue.

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