How Many YouTube Views Do You Need To Make Money? – Youtube Monetization Explained

For YouTubers that have joined the Youtube Partner’s Program, you need at least 1000 views to start making money. How much you earn depends on your RPM. An RPM of $5 and you’ll earn $5 for every 1000th view.

However, for Youtube channels that have just started out or are not in the YPP, things are a bit more complicated and the money-making progress is more dependent on getting more subscribers.

What you need in order to make money on your Youtube Channel, is to join the Youtube Partners Program and accumulate $100 worth of revenue on your AdSense account. Only after that’s done will you start getting paid for your Youtube videos based on the number of views you get and the RPM of your channel.

All this process is somehow related to views as well. 

In a nutshell, something north of around 50,000 Youtube views after the creation of a Youtube channel should be good enough to help you start making money on Youtube.

Still confused? Don’t worry. Anyone would be. 

The Youtube money-making process is definitely very confusing, which is why I have the long and right answer for you that will clear each confusion and give you a good direction into making money from a new Youtube channel.

A step-by-step guide to starting a channel from scratch, covering all the processes you’ll need to do to make the first dollar off of your Youtube channel.

Table of Contents

7 Steps To Making Your First Dollar From Youtube From Views

Since there is no exact figure of subscribers or views or watch time that will get you to start making money from Youtube, I have created the perfect guide to clear all queries relating to Youtube monetization from the first step of creating a Youtube channel to actually earning money from Youtube views.

Step #1 Enrolling in the Youtube Partner’s Program

The first thing you need to do in order to make money off your Youtube channel is to enroll in the Youtube Partner’s Program.

Youtube Partner’s Program enables content creators to monetize ads displayed on their Youtube videos and earn from it. 

Monetization from ads isn’t the only way to earn money from Youtube, however, beginner channels with less than 100k subscribers should only focus on this right now as this is the only practical option to earn yet The other methods of earning require you to be a big Youtuber with around 100k+ subscribers.

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Youtube Partner’s Program has the following requirements:

  • 1000 Subscribers 
  • 4000 hours of watch time (in the last 12 months excluding private, unlisted, deleted, ad campaigns videos)
  • Complying with all Youtube Monetization Policies
  • Residence in a region where Youtube Partner Program is available (click here to check)
  • No active Community Guidelines Strikes on your channel
  • Having an AdSense Account (this will be used to get paid from Youtube)

The requirement list is pretty simple and easy, but I’ll guide you further on how you can achieve these requirements in the quickest and efficient way that can guarantee Youtube income rolling in ASAP.

However, before we get into the technicalities, it is IMPORTANT for you to get a good understanding of some Youtube Monetization Terms.

Step #2: Youtube Monetization: Terms You Need To Understand

If you’re planning on becoming an earning Youtuber, you’ll get across these acronyms a lot so it’s better to have a good understanding of them as a headstart to your journey.

YPP: Youtube Partner’s Program

CPM: Cost Per Mile (How much an advertiser pays to display an ad on your website i.e. the amount of gross revenue and ad display generates per 1000 views)

RPM: Revenue per mile (How much you earn from an ad displayed on your video per 1000 views)

Watch Time: The amount of time a visitor watches your video. For example, if a user watches 6 minutes of a video you posted that was 10 minutes long, the watch time would be 6 minutes)

VOD: Video On Demand (All videos that are available to be viewed on your channel, anytime and by anyone)

Views: Number of times your video was watched (even if not for the complete duration)

Ad Impressions: Number of times an ad was viewed by a visitor on a video.

Step #3 Understanding How And What You Get Paid – CPM vs. RPM

Many people get confused between CPMs and RPMs so here’s a little further explanation.

CPM is what an advertiser pays for their ad to be displayed on a Youtube video after the ad has been displayed 1000 times. 

For example, if a CPM is $5, this means any advertiser, for instance, Nestle, will need to pay Youtube $5 every 1000th time their ad is viewed by someone on your Youtube video.

But, you will not be earning this $5. 

From this $5, Youtube takes their own share out which is 32%, giving 68% back to you.

This means while your CPM is $5, your RPM would be $3.4 (your earnings for every 1000 views of an ad viewed on your Youtube video).

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For a detailed guide on CPM and RPM, feel free to check Google’s own guide. However, at an early stage, the information above is all that you need to know.

Step #4 Getting Accepted Into The YPP FAST

Since the only way your Youtube channel can start earning money at this point is to get accepted into the Youtube Partner’s Program, you need to take steps that will help your channel cross the minimum requirements of YPP as soon as possible.

Here is how you do it:

1000 Subscribers Goal

The number of subscribers you get never really has a direct effect on how much you get paid, but the more subscribers your channel has, the more likely it is for your videos to get more views and watch time that will help you get paid more.

So, since the start of your channel, be interactive with the community in a way that your audience is encouraged to subscribe to your channel.

DO NOT have a goal of creating just one video and hoping it to go viral. That may get you tons of watch time and views on your channel, but will not help you gain subscribers, which means no money made.

Create videos regularly. Around 2 videos a week is a good start. And be interactive.

Encourage your audience to comment on your videos to better understand what your subscribers are looking for and make your videos around those topics.

4000 Hours Watch Time

Since the goal is 4000 hours of watch time and not views, click baiting is not an option.

The only options you have to achieve that watch time quickly is having a good subscribers list and your videos be enticing and fun to watch.

Youtube is extremely saturated. This means finding a niche of video making that is not touched by anyone else could make you unique and help you enjoy a boost in watch time in the start but it’s near impossible.

However, Youtube audiences don’t work like that. There are thousands of Youtube reaction channels that go under the same niche but people still watch them. 

Why? Subscriber’s loyalty.

Focus on organic subscribers that are loyal to you and that watch your videos throughout the durations.

And, make sure your videos have as little fluff as possible to ensure the viewer’s attention span isn’t lost in between and they don’t click away.

Misc. YPP Requirements

The other YPP requirements are easy to follow.

The country of residence where YPP is available is necessary. The only option to help you pass that is to be somewhere the YPP program is available.

To avoid Community Guideline Strikes, create family-friendly content. Research well before using audio, videos, and images to make sure they don’t get a copyright strike.

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Lastly, read the Youtube Monetization Policies to comply with them and create an AdSense account.

Step #5 What To Do After You’re In The YPP

Once you reach the YPP requirements, Youtube will automatically put your channel under review and unlock monetization for you.

If your channel seems good to go, the monetization option for your Youtube channel will then be unlocked.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Now you can earn money from Youtube based on the ads that are displayed on your Youtube videos. 

To make the best of it, enable all types of ads to be shown on your Youtube videos from the Youtube Studio options.

Step #6 How Many Views Do You Need To Make Money Once You’re In YPP?

Once you’re in the YPP, Youtube will only start paying you once you’ve reached the earning mark of $100.
This, and future earnings, will be dependent on your CPM.

Your CPM can be viewed in your Youtube Studio. 

This CPM will be decided by your channel on a number of factors. The most influential factors would be your geographical location, the niche you make videos in, and the price advertisers of your region are willing to pay in your country.

If you belong to a developed country with rich advertisers, your CPM may be somewhere around $10, however, if you’re from a developing country, the advertisers in your country may not be willing to pay too much. Hence, your CPM may be low, at around $5.

If, for instance, your CPM is $5 and your subsequent RPM is around $3, you’ll be earning $3 per every 1000 views on your videos.

This means, to hit the $100 mark, you’ll need to get around 34,000 views to earn $100.

Once you hit the $100 mark, your earnings will be directly related to the number of views your videos get. 

$3 for 1000 views. $30 for 10,000, and $300 for every 100,000 views.

Step #7 Other Ways To Make Money As A Youtuber

Once you’re in the YPP and are earning through views, there are other methods you can generate income as well. However, you’ll need to fulfill some requirements to unlock those methods.

The table below shows 4 other ways you can earn money being a Youtuber, and how to unlock each stage:

Earning MethodRequirements
Selling MembershipsHave more than 1,000 subscribers
Selling MerchandiseHave more than 10,000 subscribers
Unlocking Super Chat & Super Stickers For SubscribersResidence in a country Super Chat is available
Earning From Viewers Using Youtube PremiumViewers to be watching your videos through Youtube Premium

Summing Up

So there you go. Hopefully, you now understand better how making money is not directly related to views in the first stages, but once you’re in the YPP, your earnings will be your RPM per every thousandth view.

This guide also puts importance on how one viral video or millions of views aren’t as important if you don’t have a good subscriber base.

Hopefully, this cleared your confusion, and good luck to a successful Youtuber journey!

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