Reaching 1 million subscribers on YouTube is a significant milestone for content creators, as it often allows them to live life to the fullest on the platform. YouTube creators have many ways to make money, and most of their income comes from ads that appear on their videos. The amount you earn from advertising on YouTube can vary greatly depending on factors such as the creator's niche, engagement, and audience size.
Notably, Nate O'Brien, a YouTuber with 1.3 million subscribers, revealed that he earns $440,000 a year on the platform, which translates to between $14,600 and $54,600 a month. Lifestyle content creator Tiffany Ma, another YouTuber, shared that she earns up to $11,500 a month from advertising on her videos.
To qualify for YouTube AdSense, creators must have 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. Advertisers pay YouTube a set price for every 1,000 ad views, YouTube keeps 45% of the profits and the rest goes to the content creator.
CPM rate (paid by advertiser for 1000 ad views) and RPM rate (creator's profit per 1000 video views after YouTube is disabled) are two important indicators of making money on YouTube. Content that attracts high-paying advertisers, such as personal finance and business topics, can increase an author's ad count. Other creators like Tiffany Ma of lifestyle content have learned to optimize their audience by strategically placing three to four ads per video to maximize revenue.
For many content creators, the money they earn directly from YouTube is their main source of income, providing them with a steady source of income.
