YouTube terms

Revenue

The total amount of money earned from a video or channel.

What is revenue in YouTube?

Revenue in YouTube primarily refers to the money generated through its various monetization methods. The most common way is through advertising revenue, where ads are displayed on and during videos, and YouTube shares a portion of this revenue with the video's creator. This is known as AdSense revenue.

Another source of revenue is YouTube Premium, a subscription service where users pay a monthly fee for ad-free viewing and other perks. A portion of this revenue is also shared with creators based on how much their content is viewed by Premium subscribers. Additionally, creators can earn revenue through channel memberships, merchandise shelf, Super Chat, and YouTube's Partner Program.

How much revenue does YouTube generate annually?

As of my last update, Google, YouTube's parent company, does not disclose the exact amount of revenue generated by YouTube separately. However, in February 2020, Alphabet, Google's parent company, revealed that YouTube's ad revenue in 2019 was $15.15 billion, which was approximately 10% of Google's total revenue. This figure does not include other sources of YouTube's income, such as subscriptions for YouTube Premium and YouTube TV, which could significantly increase the total revenue.

It's important to note that these figures can vary year by year due to a variety of factors, including changes in advertising rates, the number of users, and the amount of content viewed. Additionally, the impact of global events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can significantly affect advertising revenue. Therefore, for the most accurate and up-to-date information, it's recommended to refer to Alphabet's official financial reports.

How is revenue calculated on YouTube?

Revenue on YouTube is primarily calculated through advertising. Advertisers pay to have their ads shown on videos, and YouTube shares a portion of this revenue with the video creators. The amount of revenue a creator earns depends on a variety of factors, including the number of views their videos receive, the number of clicks the ads on their videos receive, and the type of ads being shown.

In addition to advertising revenue, YouTube creators can also earn money through channel memberships, merchandise shelf, Super Chat, and YouTube Premium revenue. Channel memberships allow viewers to join a channel through monthly payments. Merchandise shelf allows creators to showcase their official branded merchandise on YouTube. Super Chat is a feature that lets viewers pay to have their messages stand out during live chat. YouTube Premium revenue comes from Premium subscribers who watch your content. However, these additional revenue streams are only available to creators who are part of the YouTube Partner Program, which has specific eligibility requirements.

What percentage of revenue do YouTube creators receive?

YouTube creators receive a percentage of the revenue generated from ads displayed on their videos. The exact percentage can vary, but typically, YouTube creators receive 55% of the ad revenue, while YouTube itself keeps the remaining 45%. This is known as the YouTube Partner Program, which allows creators to monetize their content on the platform.

However, it's important to note that the actual earnings of a YouTube creator can be influenced by various factors. These include the type of ads that run on their videos, the pricing of those ads, the number of views the video receives, and the number of clicks the ads receive. Additionally, YouTube also deducts its own costs before the revenue is split. Therefore, the actual amount that creators receive can vary widely.

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