The content creation gig has gained momentum globally and many young creators have made a fortune on the video-sharing platform. Young people and even the older generation are having fun showcasing their talents with it while embracing the digital economy goodies. On the other hand, others are still skeptical of its profitability. It is a bit complex to determine the exact amount of money you can make because there are so many factors involved.
How to get paid by YouTube
But can YouTube comfortably pay bills like many influencers say? Let’s look at how much they make on the platform. Before that, let’s see how you become eligible to start earning:
1. You need to join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). Once accepted as a creator, you gain access to resources, features, and programs YouTube provides. It also allows content creators to monetize their content through avenues such as ads, channel memberships, merchandise, and YouTube Premium revenue. Understanding the revenue streams is paramount to helping you know what to focus on to boost your revenue on the site.
2. After opening a YPP account, you must have at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours within the past 12 months. It was later changed to 500 subscribers and at least 3 public uploads in the last 90 days, and either 3,000 watch hours in the last 1 year or 3 million views on YouTube shorts in the last 3 months.
3. You must have an Ad Sense account linked to your YouTube. It doesn’t pay directly to M-Pesa. Kenyan creators also open a bank account in a country that supports YouTube monetization. They can then link it to their YouTube account and start receiving payments directly to their bank accounts. YouTube’s primary payment methods on Adsense are cheque, electronic funds transfer (EFT), and wire transfer.
Factors That Influence Creator’s Revenue
- Subscriber count
- Average watch time
- Viewer engagement
- Video quality
- Consistency
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
How Much is a Million Views in Kenya?
A million subscribers is worth KES 100, 000. Though many YouTubers earn different sources of revenue on the platform, many have agreed to between KES 100 and 200 for every 1,000 views.
Also, YouTubers in Kenya receive KES 100,000 for 1 million views. A creator in the USA earns a million for a similar amount of views. This is influenced by differences in Revenue Per Mille (RPM). RPM determines how much you’ve earned per 1, 000 views depending on revenue sources like ads, YouTube Premium, and channel memberships.
Brands are also embracing influencer marketing. They are willing to pay creators based on the subscribers, engagement rate, and niche relevance. Payment for sponsored content varies from brand to brand. The bigger an influencer, the more lucrative the payment. Influencers help brands meet their target audience and engage them from there. The key is to grow your brand as a creator to a point that you stand out from the rest.
