Content Creator Reveals YouTube Earnings For 10-Million-Views Video, Leaving Fans Stunned

Influencer Maddie Borge shared how much she earned from one of her videos.

Damjan

• Published in Technology
• September 22, 2024

In the current digital landscape, social media influencers have become a significant part of our everyday culture. They often showcase glamorous lifestyles, featuring frequent travel, high-end products, and impressive earnings.

There’s a widespread assumption that a viral video automatically leads to substantial income, especially one that racks up millions of views. However, the reality can be quite different, as demonstrated by a recent example from an influencer.

Maddie Borge, a content creator from Norway, detailed her earnings from a YouTube Shorts video that reached an impressive 10 million views. Her video, titled "How Much YouTube Paid Me For My 10M Viewed Shorts," aimed to demystify the actual income creators can expect from the platform.

Borge highlighted that influencers' earnings can vary greatly depending on the type of content they produce and the platforms they use. She outlined three main ways creators can earn from their short videos: sponsorships, YouTube Adsense, and the YouTube Shorts fund.

Each of these revenue streams has its potential, and Borge’s experience shows the challenges influencers face in effectively monetizing their content.

Sponsorships can provide significant income but often require building solid relationships with brands. YouTube Adsense offers earnings based on ad views, which can fluctuate widely. The YouTube Shorts fund is another option, but its payouts may not be as consistent or predictable.

The video, "How We Share a Tiny 365ft² Apartment," wasn't sponsored, so the total earnings are £0.

The first and most traditional method of earning is through sponsorships. Borge explained that having a sponsor can significantly boost a creator's income. However, she clarified that her specific video was not sponsored, which meant she earned nothing from this avenue.

This highlights a crucial point: creators may not earn any income from specific popular videos without sponsorships.

Next, Borge discussed YouTube Adsense, which generates revenue based on ads shown during videos. At the time of her video, Adsense only applied to views from laptop users, limiting her earnings.

Borge revealed that she earned just $10.56 from this revenue stream, which was surprisingly less than what she earned from the same content on Instagram. This points to the nuances of monetization across different social media platforms.

"After some quick calculations, the video made me $373," she said.

Finally, Borge examined the YouTube Shorts fund, which she described as the most lucrative of the three methods. After calculating her earnings, she found that the video generated $373 from the Shorts fund.

Adding this to her Adsense revenue brought her total earnings to $385 (around £290) for a video that lasted only 41 seconds. While this amount may seem substantial initially, it is relatively low considering the video's massive view count.

"How Much YouTube Paid Me For My 10M Viewed Shorts"

Borge’s revelations surprised many viewers and left them questioning the financial benefits of such high-view counts. Comments on her video reflected disbelief at how little she earned from 10 million views, with some viewers expecting figures in the thousands rather than a few hundred dollars.

"300 dollars for 10 million views? thought it would be way more."

"Wow, that's insanely low for that many views," a second person said, while a third added: "I thought you would make 35k."

Being an influencer can seem like a path to easy money, but the financial landscape is often more complicated than it looks. Income can come from different sources, and the unpredictable nature of social media can make it challenging for creators to secure substantial earnings, even if they’re famous.

Borge’s experience highlights that the glamorous facade of influencer life masks a complex world of monetization that many people overlook.

Damjan