The Challenges of Making Money From YouTube

Youtube - The YouTube myth goes like this: Post some videos, attract viewers and then cash in on revenue generated from ads. It sounds simple and effortless, so that’s the story everyone regurgitates and uses to sell get-rich-quick schemes. However, the reality is that you cannot make a healthy income based on YouTube ad revenue alone.

“Even if advertisers are paying a decent amount to promote their products through video ads, only a portion of their expenditures ever make it into content creators’ pockets,” says entrepreneur Michael Johnston. “For example, if advertisers are paying an average of $20 per 1,000 ad impressions, the videos where those ads are being shown may only generate $2 or $3 per 1,000 views.”

In other words, you’re only going to make a couple of thousand dollars for every million views. And, make no mistake about it, getting millions of views is very challenging. The good news is that YouTube ads aren’t the only revenue-generating opportunities for creative individuals willing to work hard and develop actual business plans.

Advertisers want targeted YouTube channels with a defined demographic.  They’d much rather place their ads on a specific type of person than a random user.  Think of this as a narrow sniper approach vs the wide spray of a shotgun.

Make your videos with a specific type of person in mind.  This is basic advertising 101; identifying your target demographic.  Don’t tell me that your demographics are 21 – 55 year old women.  This is the shotgun approach that’s too general and vague.  Do you talk to a 21 year old girl the same way you’d talk to a 55 year old lady?  Of course not.  Define your audience and create videos that’s catered to them.