How Much YouTube Paid Me In Year 1

Summary

In this video, the creator reflects on their first year as a full-time YouTuber, celebrating 100,000 subscribers and 33 million views. They share insights into the equipment, software, and brand partnerships that have shaped their journey, including their experience with agents and monetization on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Highlighting both successes and challenges, the creator offers advice on content creation, focusing on long-form content, engaging with an audience, and staying consistent. They also discuss the importance of luck and perseverance in growing a channel and achieving success.

Takeaways

• 😀 The YouTube channel reached a milestone of 100,000 subscribers and 33 million views, marking the transition to full-time content creation.
• 😀 The creator's first viral success came from a filmed charity river journey using a self-built plywood boat, which was shared widely and built confidence to create more content.
• 😀 Equipment choices include using iPhones (12 Pro and 14 Pro Max) for durability, Insta 360 X3 for action shots, and DJI Mini 4 Pro for aerial shots.
• 😀 The creator uses a DJI Mic Mini for compact, long-lasting, and high-quality audio for filming in outdoor conditions.
• 😀 Editing was initially done on iPhone with iMovie, but now uses Final Cut Pro on a 2019 MacBook Air and CapCut for quick short-form edits.
• 😀 Instagram and Facebook do not pay creators directly, but TikTok has earned the creator £770 from 90 million views, at a rate of £4 per 1,000 views.
• 😀 YouTube has paid the creator £16,800 in their first year, with most revenue coming from long-form content at £3.45 per 1,000 views, and a smaller share from short-form content.
• 😀 Brand partnerships have been a significant revenue source, with offers ranging from £16 to £31 per 1,000 views, much higher than YouTube's ad rates.
• 😀 The creator works with an agent to negotiate better brand deals, and agents typically earn a 15-20% commission on successful partnerships.
• 😀 Key advice for aspiring creators: Start with available equipment, focus on long-form content, don’t expect easy transitions from short-form to long-form content, and have a clear mission for your channel.

Q & A

What milestone did the creator achieve in the first year of their channel?

The creator celebrated their channel's one-year anniversary, reaching 100,000 subscribers and 33 million views, marking the point at which they became a full-time YouTuber.

What was the creator's first successful social media moment?

The creator's first success came by chance when a lock keeper filmed them traveling in a plywood boat built from scrap bikes. The footage went viral and has been viewed over 100 million times, giving them the confidence to create more content.

Why did the creator stick with iPhones for filming rather than switching to a dedicated camera?

The creator stuck with iPhones due to their dustproof and waterproof capabilities, which were crucial for filming during watery journeys and dusty shed renovations. However, they plan to upgrade to a dedicated camera in the future due to storage and battery limitations.

What tools and equipment did the creator use for filming and editing?

The creator uses an iPhone 14 Pro Max for A-camera shots, an iPhone 12 Pro as a B-camera, an Insta 360 X3 for action shots, a DJI Mini 4 Pro for aerial shots, and a DJI Mic Mini for audio. For editing, they started with iMovie on their phone but now use Final Cut Pro on a 2019 Mac Air M1, and for short-form content, they use CapCut.

What is the creator's stance on monetization on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok?

The creator shared that Instagram and Facebook do not pay creators, while TikTok paid them £770 for 90 million views, which works out to about £4 per 1,000 views. Despite this, TikTok's payments are better than Instagram and Facebook, but still less profitable than YouTube.

How much did YouTube pay the creator in their first year, and how was it split between long and short-form content?

In the creator's first year on YouTube, they earned a total of £16,800, with £15,000 coming from long-form videos and £1,500 from short-form. They earned about £3.45 per 1,000 views for long-form content and £5 per 1,000 views for short-form.

What advice did the creator offer regarding short-form vs. long-form content?

The creator recommends focusing on long-form content earlier rather than later, as it generates more revenue than short-form. They also suggest producing fewer but higher-quality videos, as it's easier to get a million views on one piece of content than many views on many smaller videos.

What types of revenue sources did the creator explore besides YouTube ad revenue?

Besides YouTube ad revenue, the creator explored Patreon, YouTube channel memberships, merchandise, and brand partnerships. They also noted that brand partnerships can be a significant source of income, with payments ranging from £16 to £31 per 1,000 views.

How did the creator find their agent, and what role does the agent play?

The creator found their agent by networking with other creators in their niche. The agent helps negotiate better deals for brand partnerships, often securing agreements that the creator wouldn't have been able to arrange on their own.

What qualities do agents look for when considering content creators for representation?

Agents look for content creators with high engagement, consistent views, attractive audience demographics, and ideally, a willingness to appear on camera. Agents also prefer creators who have brands or partnerships reaching out to them for paid collaborations.