How Much Money Do YouTubers Make? A Comprehensive Guide

YouTube has taken the world by storm, with a plethora of creators carving their niche in the platform. But have you ever wondered how much money these YouTubers make? It’s a question many people have been asking, and in this article, we’re here to answer it.

The Top 10 Highest-Paid YouTubers of All Time

Let’s start by looking at the top 10 highest-earning YouTubers thus far, according to Forbes:

1. Ryan Kaji – $29.5 million
2. Dude Perfect – $20 million
3. Anastasia Radzinskaya – $18 million
4. Rhett and Link – $17.5 million
5. Jeffree Star – $17 million
6. Preston Arsement – $14 million
7. PewDiePie – $13 million
8. Markiplier – $13 million
9. DanTDM – $12 million
10. VanossGaming – $11.5 million

Many of these creators utilize different revenue streams to increase their earnings. For instance, Ryan Kaji, who leads the pack by a huge margin, earns money from brand deals, merchandise sales, and ads. Similarly, beauty YouTuber Jeffree Star has his own makeup line that has helped surge his earnings.

These creators are not just successful because of their content. They’ve built successful businesses around themselves and leveraged their platforms to create multiple streams of income. They’ve also found a way to connect to their audiences and cultivate a loyal following over the years.

How Do YouTubers Actually Make Money?

It’s a common misconception that YouTubers mostly earn money from ads. Although ads are a considerable revenue stream, there are numerous other income sources for creators on the platform. In this section, we’ll explore different ways that YouTubers make money, including:

• Ads: Creators earn money from ads displayed on their videos. Ad rates depend on the subject matter of the video and the audience’s location.
• Brand deals/sponsorships: Creators earn money from promoting a product/brand in their content or dedicated videos.
• Merchandise sales: Creators earn a percentage of the profits made on merchandise that they sell, such as t-shirts, hoodies, and other clothing items.
• Channel memberships: Creators can offer extra features to their subscribers and earn money from memberships.
• Affiliate programs: Creators can earn a commission for promoting a product and getting their audience to purchase it.
• Crowdfunding: Creators can use platforms like Patreon and GoFundMe to receive donations from their loyal fans.

Take, for instance, lifestyle YouTuber Zoe Sugg, a.k.a. Zoella. She made a considerable sum from ads, but she also earns money from book deals, her beauty range, and collaborations with brands and other creators.

The Average Income of a YouTuber

Now that we’ve looked at how YouTubers can earn money, let’s discuss how much they can make.

The earnings of a YouTuber vary considerably and depend on multiple factors such as niche, the audience type and size, engagement rates, and more. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, YouTubers with up to 100,000 subscribers can make an average of $12 to $160 for every 1,000 views. So, if a video gets one million views, this could earn them anywhere from $1,200 to $16,000.

Take, for example, food YouTuber Binging with Babish. He created his channel in 2016 and now has over eight million subscribers. According to an interview with CNBC, Andrew Rea makes six figures each year with ads and sponsorships for his channel.

The Key Factors That Impact How Much Money a YouTuber Makes

Several factors impact how much a creator can earn on YouTube. Here are some of the most important ones:

• Demographics of your audience such as age, location, and gender.
• Engagement rates of your videos such as likes, comments, and shares.
• The length of your videos; longer videos tend to earn more money.
• Content quality, including the uniqueness of the topic and production quality.
• Revenue streams utilized, with some being more profitable than others.

These factors can vary considerably depending on the individual creator.

YouTubers vs. Traditional Celebrities

Recent years have seen several YouTubers reach celebrity status, earning them big bucks from various sources, including the platform. So how do their earnings compare to their traditional celebrity counterparts?

An Influencer Marketing Hub article revealed that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who is among the highest-paid celebrities in the world, earned around $87.5 million in 2020. However, worth noting is that unlike these traditional celebrities, YouTubers tend to have more than one avenue through which they earn their money. Thus the earnings comparison is not apples-to-apples.

How Much Money Do Small YouTubers Make?

Small YouTubers are creators with under a certain threshold of subscribers. Are they making any money? If so, what can they earn?

The truth is that monetization for small channels is challenging. Content creators who have less than 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time cannot monetize their content. It makes it less likely for these creators to make a living from their channel unless they utilize other means of income outside of YouTube.

Nonetheless, some small creators have found success despite these challenges. Take Sarah Hawkinson, for instance. She’s a YouTuber specializing in horror and alternative make-up tutorials. Forbes featured her in their list of highest-earning YouTubers of 2019. Sarah’s channel generates over 5 million monthly views and earns around $50,000 per year.

A Day in the Life of a High-Earning YouTuber

Ever wondered how a YouTuber who makes a lot of money spends their day? Let’s take a look.

First, creators who earn significant amounts of money tend to work long hours and have developed their channels into full-blown businesses. Hence, it’s common for YouTubers with millions of subscribers to work with other people, such as editors, cameramen, and assistants. During a typical day, a YouTuber might spend time filming and editing videos, attending meetings, and communicating with their audience on various social media platforms.

Compared to traditional celebrity lifestyles, YouTubers are more involved in their brand and are often their business’s proprietor. It’s an excellent opportunity to follow their passion and make a living doing what they love. However, it’s hard work and requires a certain level of dedication and entrepreneurial skills.

Conclusion

There’s plenty of money to make on YouTube, but it requires creators to have a well-laid-out strategy on how they market themselves and utilize various revenue streams. The income level for creators varies considerably depending on several factors, including niche, audience type and size, engagement rates, content quality, and various revenue streams utilized. In other words, there is no fixed amount that creators earn on the platform.

If you’re an aspiring YouTuber, it’s essential to have clear goals, produce high-quality content that resonates with your audience, and build a loyal following. With hard work, dedication, and a bit of luck, you too might one day make it to the top of the list of highest-paid YouTubers.