Creators on the internet primarily earn money through several common methods. This overview details these methods and provides a transparent look at the speaker's earnings from a YouTube channel with over 150,000 subscribers.

Common Monetization Strategies for Creators:

• Platform Payouts:

  • YouTube pays creators through ad revenue and channel memberships. Ad revenue depends on advertisers paying to feature ads on videos, with rates (CPM, or cost per mille/thousand views) varying by content niche. Finance content, for example, attracts high CPMs, while other niches may earn less.

  • The ad revenue split on YouTube is 55% for creators on long-form videos and 45% for creators on Shorts.

  • Channel memberships offer viewers exclusive content for a monthly fee, with the platform taking a share.

• Brand Deals: Brands pay creators for sponsored content, which can be short integrations within a video or entire videos dedicated to the brand.

• Digital Products: Creators can sell their own products, such as one-on-one consulting, coaching services, apps, digital templates, or access to paid communities.

• Affiliate Marketing: Creators partner with companies and earn a commission when their audience purchases products or services through provided affiliate links.

The Speaker's Earnings Breakdown:

• Direct YouTube Payouts:

  • In a recent 28-day period, earnings were $715, an above-average month due to a successful video. Typical monthly YouTube ad revenue is $300-$500.

  • YouTube memberships contribute approximately $15 per month after YouTube's share.

  • Over the past year, total YouTube earnings were $8,500 from 5.5 million views. A viral video with nearly a million views earned about $2,900, reflecting a lower CPM ($3.21 RPM - revenue per mille) compared to potentially more lucrative niches.

  • Longer videos can command higher CPMs due to more ad slots; for instance, one 44-minute video had a nearly double CPM compared to his most viral video.

  • Historically, monthly earnings were around $300-$400, but have increased to $500-$1,200 per month more recently.

  • Lifetime earnings from YouTube since 2020 total $20,000.

• Brand Deals:

  • No brand deals have been done recently by personal choice.

  • Past short-form sponsored videos ranged from $1,000 to $10,000, typically averaging $2,000-$5,000.

  • Estimated potential earnings for a long-form video integration are $1,000-$4,000.

• Digital Products:

  • Current offerings include consulting for app developers ($200 for a single session, $500/month for ongoing support), which has generated $400 from two clients so far.

  • Two self-built apps generate approximately $3,500-$4,000 in total per month. While promoted on the YouTube channel, the majority of app revenue is attributed to off-platform strategies.

• Affiliate Marketing:

  • The speaker does not currently earn from affiliate marketing, though acknowledges its significant potential, with some creators earning $10,000-$20,000 monthly via platforms like TikTok Shop.

The speaker notes that current income is not exceptionally high, primarily because brand deals, a significant revenue stream for many creators, have not been a recent focus. This may change with continued growth in long-form content viewership.