How much does YouTube pay for 1 million views?

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8 Min

Last updated

05 Oct 2024

YouTube Monetization 

The amount that YouTube pays creators for 1 million views can vary a lot and depends on several factors. In this article, we will understand what affects the amount of money YouTube creators make.

YouTube Monetization 

YouTube offers creators several ways to monetize their channels. YouTube's payment process is largely focused on ad revenue, and the amount you earn per view can vary widely. Let's take a look at two options:

  • Cost Per Mille (CPM)

CPM is the cost per thousand ad impressions. It shows how much advertisers are willing to pay to show their ads to 1,000 viewers.

  • Revenue Per Mille (RPM)

RPM is the revenue per thousand views that you receive. YouTube gets 45% of its revenue from adverts, so you get 55%.

Does YouTube Pay Per View?

To this question, we can answer both yes and no. On average, YouTube pays between $0.003 and $0.005 per view. For 1 million views, you can expect to earn between $3,000 and $5,000. However, not everything is as simple as it seems.

As we have already said, YouTube pays creators not so much for watching videos, but for watching channels on adverts. So, every time the users watch or click on an advert, the creators get paid.  

For all the creators who are connected to the YouTube Partner Programme (YPP), there is one important point for efficient monetization the correct placement of the ad breaks.

AIR Media-Tech's partners had cases where they saw a significant increase in revenue just because we moved their ad breaks to the right time slots in their videos.

Contact our experts if you want to increase your monetization revenue too. We’ll automatically place the right ad breaks to improve your results with the Ads Revenue Boost service!

With the YPP, creators can enable different monetization features like ad revenue sharing, Super Chat, channel memberships, and merchandise sales. The total amount of YouTube monetization revenue is largely dependent on the types of monetization the creator has enabled and how their audience engages with those features.

YouTube Revenue Depends on Video Content

So, how much does YouTube pay artists for 1 million views? The payment for 1 million views strongly depends on the theme of the channel. The content type plays a key role in determining how much a YouTube channel gets paid. For example, channels specializing in product reviews, how-to tutorials, travel, and educational content tend to perform better financially. We recently researched YouTube niches that are the most profitable. Check out those niches, to find out what suits you best.

Disclaimer! The numbers and data in this article are approximate. Real figures can vary due to factors like video length, number of ads, niche, and more. For the latest info on how much YouTube pays for 1 million views, feel free to reach out to our experts.

These types of videos are attractive to advertisers looking to reach a targeted and receptive audience, as they often provide valuable information to viewers. Gaming, finance, technology, and fashion/beauty/health niche channels are also known to generate significant revenue as they attract large and passionate followings. Let’s look closer!

Educational YouTube Channels

Creating educational content is one of the most profitable YouTube channel ideas. At $5-15 CPM, education includes tutorials, courses, lectures, educational inspiration, and nursery rhymes. Channels offering educational content, like CrashCourse or TED, can earn around $5,000 to $15,000 per month.

Technology Niche 

Tech-related content tends to have higher CPMs (cost per mile), including product reviews, tutorials, and gadget comparisons. For example, Unbox Therapy and Marques Brownlee, who have very popular and well-known tech channels, can earn $4,000-$10,000 per million views.

Gaming YouTube Channels 

Gaming is one of the most popular niches to consider when creating a YouTube channel. Gaming channels can include game walkthroughs, game reviews, strategy, and even hour-long streams where you can watch other people play a particular game.

Being part of a gaming niche could be the right thing for you if you're interested in games and want to make money. Here you can take a look at the top 5 gaming YouTube channels and their strategies for making money. 

Our partners recently reached 125 billion YouTube views, achieving milestones of 100K, 1M, 10M, and 100M subscribers. AIR Media-Tech is the ultimate space for content creators, offering tools and solutions for every challenge you might face. Join AIR Media-Tech and grow faster with us!

Travel YouTube Channels

If you're going to travel anyway, you might as well document the experience and share it with the rest of the world. For travel YouTubers, this has meant more opportunities to collaborate with brands and local tourism boards, and CPMs are starting to climb back to $2. With your earnings, you can sponsor your adventures, as RPMs are often in the range of $2 - $7 in the travel niche.

Fitness and Health Niche 

Channels focusing on exercise, nutrition, and wellness often attract health-conscious audiences, increasing ad rates. Fitness YouTubers, like Chloe Ting and Jake Paul, can earn between $2,000 and $8,000 for 1 million views by sharing workout routines and healthy recipes.

For successful YouTube channels, advertising isn't usually their main source of revenue. There are many other ways to earn more, including brand deals, distributing content, translating content, YouTube memberships, and more. You can find out all about these methods. Get in touch with us at AIR Media-Tech if you need help diversifying your revenue streams.

What influences YouTube channel earnings

As you can see, advertising and the right niche have a key impact on earnings, even with 1 million views on a video. Let's look at them closer:

  • YouTube Niche: your channel's revenue hinges on the niche you select, audience size, and competitive landscape.

  • Video Topic: once you have chosen your niche, various factors such as views, subscribers, and content quality influence revenue.

  • Video Topic Intent: сonsider how well your theme matches YouTube SEO and user intent, such as what users are looking for versus your content.

  • Video Length: the length and quality of your YouTube video matter; longer videos often generate higher ad revenue.

  • Viewer Location: the viewer's location affects ad revenue, as YouTube pays differently based on viewer location.

YouTube monetization offers great opportunities but is directly dependent on the creator. By creating quality content and working with partners like AIR Media-Tech, you can turn your channel into a source of income. Immerse yourself in YouTube marketing processes, keep at it, and see your revenue grow!