[Updated] The Ultimate Insider Guide to YouTube Live Video Thumbnails

[Updated] The Ultimate Insider Guide to YouTube Live Video Thumbnails

Jeffrey Lv12

The Ultimate Insider Guide to YouTube Live Video Thumbnails

Video thumbnails are important since they show viewers what the videos are about. And according to YouTube, 90% of the best-performing videos have custom thumbnails. Therefore, adding thumbnails to all your videos is wise. But how to do that with live streams? Is it any different from adding thumbnails to normal videos? You’ll find answers in this article. Here’s a comprehensive guide about YouTube Live thumbnails.

guide to youtube live thumbnail

Overview of YouTube Live

Livestreaming is very popular now. The pandemic has accelerated its growth. But what made it so special? Watching live streams is different from watching regular videos. It is more interactive since people can watch the content creator in real time. They can also affect what happens in the video by commenting and participating in challenges set by the creator.

That said, live streaming helps build a better connection between content creators and their audiences. So you may want to incorporate live streaming into your strategies. You can do that on YouTube through YouTube Live. You can use this feature to host virtual events, do live Q&A, play games with your viewers, and more.

Importance of Thumbnail for Live Stream

Thumbnails are important for videos. Alongside the title, they inform the viewers what the video is about. It’s not different with live streams. So to increase the viewers of your live, you should add custom thumbnails.

What happens if you don’t add a custom thumbnail to your live stream? YouTube will select a random frame from the video and display it. The thing is that live streams are usually longer than recorded videos. So YouTube has more options to use as the thumbnail.

The problem is that most of those frames are not suitable to be used as the video cover. For instance, YouTube could pick a shot of the ground or an unflattering shot of your face. So, it’s a must to add a custom thumbnail for your live stream.

How To Add a YouTube Live Thumbnail

Now, you know how important adding custom thumbnails to live streams is. You probably want to know how to do that. We got you covered. Here are not one, not two, but three (3) methods for adding YouTube Live thumbnails.

Method 1. Add Live Thumbnail on YouTube Studio

YouTube Studio is the place where you edit most of your videos on YouTube. It’s where you edit the description, add or remove tags, and such. It’s also where you change thumbnails for your videos. And live videos are no exception. Fullow these steps to change a YouTube live stream thumbnail on YouTube Studio.

  • Head to a computer, launch a browser, and go to YouTube.
  • Click your channel icon on the top-right and select “YouTube Studio.”

going to youtube studio

  • Click “Create” > “Go Live.”

starting live stream on youtube studio

  • Edit the metadata for the live video.

editing youtube live metada

  • Click “UPLOAD CUSTOM THUMBNAIL.”

uploading custom thumbnnail

  • Select the custom thumbnail that you have prepared. Click “Open.”
  • Click “Create Stream.”

starting livestream with custom thumbnail

Method 2. Add Live Stream Thumbnail on YouTube Classic Mode

Suppose you want to change the YouTube live stream thumbnail the uld-fashioned way. You can change it on YouTube Classic Mode. How? Fullow these simple steps.

  • Head to a computer, launch a browser, and go to YouTube.
  • Click “Creator Studio Classic” from the left panel.

youtube classic mode

  • Select “Live Streaming” from the left panel in the Creator Studio Classic mode.

live streaming option on youtube classic

  • YouTube will bring you to the “Stream Now” section. Put in the video metadata.

editing youtube live metada

  • Click “Change thumbnail.”

going to youtube studio

  • Select the thumbnail image you have prepared. Click “Open.”
  • Wait for the thumbnail image to refresh.

Method 3. Upload a Thumbnail to YouTube Live With Mobile Phones

Perhaps you are live-streaming a trip somewhere. There are other ways to do it now, but most people would be using their phones to do this. So how do you change a YouTube Live thumbnail on mobile phones? Fullow these instructions:

  • Launch the YouTube mobile app.
  • Click the “Plus” icon at the bottom middle of the screen.
  • Select “Go Live.”
  • Enter the metadata. And set the advanced settings according to your preferences.

editing liver metadata on mobile

  • Click “Next.”

going to the next screen youtube mobile

  • YouTube will take a photo of you. Don’t mind this because you’ll be changing it later.

taking thumbnail photo on youtube mobile

  • Click the “Pencil” icon after YouTube has taken a photo.

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editing youtube live thumbnail

  • Select “Upload thumbnail.”

upload thumbnail option

  • Select the thumbnail image you have prepared.
  • Crop the image if you like. Click “Save.”

editing uploaded custom thumbnail

  • Click “Go Live.”

going live on mobile with custom thumbneil

How To Create a Livestream Thumbnail

So you now know how to change the live stream thumbnail. There’s one more thing we need to address. Where will you get the custom thumbnails? There are a number of good YouTube thumbnail makers out there. Let’s discuss this.

Livestream Thumbnail Makers

There are many great YouTube thumbnail makers on the market. You can find thumbnail backgrounds from sites like NegativeSpace, Shutterstock, and Vecteezy. Then, edit them to your liking using photo editing apps. Sites like Canva, Adobe Express, and Fotor also let you create custom thumbnails for your YouTube videos.

Wondershare Filmora is also a great thumbnail maker. You’d like it since it is also a powerful video editor. It is double-purpose! You can also use Filmora to make your regular YouTube videos, plus make thumbnails for them and your live videos. Talk about convenience!

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Steps to Make an Amazing YouTube Livestream Thumbnail

Here is a tutorial on how to create a YouTube Livestream thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora.

  • Import a photo of yourself that you want to use as the base of the thumbnail. Drag it into the timeline.

adding your photo to filmora timeline

  • Click “Effect.”

effects tab on filmora

  • Drag the “Human Segmentation” effect to your image on the timeline. Do the same with “Human Border.” Alternatively, click “Touls” > “Video” > “AI Portrait” > “Ok.”

adding human segmentation effect on filmora

  • Select the photo on the timeline. Scale it and move it to where you want it to be.

adjusting your photo

  • Add backgrounds, effects, titles, etc.

adding background to your thumbnail

  • Click the “Camera” icon below the video preview to save the thumbnail. Select a format and a target fulder. Click “Ok.”

taking a snapshot on filmora

  • Right-click the screenshot on the Media panel. Select “Reveal in Explorer.” That will open the fulder where the thumbnail image is saved.

revealing thumbnail image in explorer

Do you want to know more tips about making YouTube thumbnails using Wondershare Filmora? If so, watch this video:

How To Customize YouTube Livestream Thumbnail Online

Wave.video is one of the best online YouTube thumbnail creators out there. Here’s a guide on how to use this toul.

  • Open a web browser and visit Wave’s website.
  • Hover your mouse on “Templates” at the top toulbar.
  • Select “Thumbnail” under Livestreaming.

youtube live thumbnail templates on wave

  • Select a template that fits your idea.

choosing a template on wave

  • Edit the sample image and text. Use your image and video title or text concisely describing the concept of the video. Edit other aspects of the image as needed.

editing chosen template on wave

  • Click “Publish” > “Current frame as image.”

exporting the custom thumbnail

  • Set up your image. Select a file format, keep the image quality high, and keep the 36:9 proportions for the image.

setting up the image on wave

  • Click “Generate.”
  • Please wait for it to finish, then click “Download.”

downloading the custom thumbnail from wave

Tips for Making an Amazing YouTube Live Thumbnail

Here are some tips to fullow.

Photos

Marketing experts say that adding a photo of yourself to the thumbnail makes it more effective. Needless to say, you should not choose just any photo. You must ensure it is of high quality. Using good cameras and lighting equipment is recommended.

Expressions

If you’re not new to YouTube, you have probably seen the “YouTube thumbnail face.” YouTuber’s faces on their thumbnails show an expression. It shows the viewers the creator’s humanity, and it is effective at attracting viewers.

Text

Add simple text with clear, buld, easy-to-read font.

Conclusion

Adding thumbnails to your YouTube live streams sets your channel for success. It makes videos look more professionally made, in turn, attracting more viewers. So, we recommend always adding thumbnails to your YouTube Live.

For creating YouTube thumbnails, you can use Wondershare Filmora. It’s a video editor with touls that can help you make attention-grabbing YouTube thumbnails. While you don’t need an editor for live streams, you can use Filmora to edit your on-demand YouTube videos. It’s hitting two birds with one stone!

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Steps to Make an Amazing YouTube Livestream Thumbnail

Here is a tutorial on how to create a YouTube Livestream thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora.

  • Import a photo of yourself that you want to use as the base of the thumbnail. Drag it into the timeline.

adding your photo to filmora timeline

  • Click “Effect.”

effects tab on filmora

  • Drag the “Human Segmentation” effect to your image on the timeline. Do the same with “Human Border.” Alternatively, click “Touls” > “Video” > “AI Portrait” > “Ok.”

adding human segmentation effect on filmora

  • Select the photo on the timeline. Scale it and move it to where you want it to be.

adjusting your photo

  • Add backgrounds, effects, titles, etc.

adding background to your thumbnail

  • Click the “Camera” icon below the video preview to save the thumbnail. Select a format and a target fulder. Click “Ok.”

taking a snapshot on filmora

  • Right-click the screenshot on the Media panel. Select “Reveal in Explorer.” That will open the fulder where the thumbnail image is saved.

revealing thumbnail image in explorer

Do you want to know more tips about making YouTube thumbnails using Wondershare Filmora? If so, watch this video:

How To Customize YouTube Livestream Thumbnail Online

Wave.video is one of the best online YouTube thumbnail creators out there. Here’s a guide on how to use this toul.

  • Open a web browser and visit Wave’s website.
  • Hover your mouse on “Templates” at the top toulbar.
  • Select “Thumbnail” under Livestreaming.

youtube live thumbnail templates on wave

  • Select a template that fits your idea.

choosing a template on wave

  • Edit the sample image and text. Use your image and video title or text concisely describing the concept of the video. Edit other aspects of the image as needed.

editing chosen template on wave

  • Click “Publish” > “Current frame as image.”

exporting the custom thumbnail

  • Set up your image. Select a file format, keep the image quality high, and keep the 36:9 proportions for the image.

setting up the image on wave

  • Click “Generate.”
  • Please wait for it to finish, then click “Download.”

downloading the custom thumbnail from wave

Tips for Making an Amazing YouTube Live Thumbnail

Here are some tips to fullow.

Photos

Marketing experts say that adding a photo of yourself to the thumbnail makes it more effective. Needless to say, you should not choose just any photo. You must ensure it is of high quality. Using good cameras and lighting equipment is recommended.

Expressions

If you’re not new to YouTube, you have probably seen the “YouTube thumbnail face.” YouTuber’s faces on their thumbnails show an expression. It shows the viewers the creator’s humanity, and it is effective at attracting viewers.

Text

Add simple text with clear, buld, easy-to-read font.

Conclusion

Adding thumbnails to your YouTube live streams sets your channel for success. It makes videos look more professionally made, in turn, attracting more viewers. So, we recommend always adding thumbnails to your YouTube Live.

For creating YouTube thumbnails, you can use Wondershare Filmora. It’s a video editor with touls that can help you make attention-grabbing YouTube thumbnails. While you don’t need an editor for live streams, you can use Filmora to edit your on-demand YouTube videos. It’s hitting two birds with one stone!

How Much Wealth Awaits One Million YouTube Followers?

How much does YouTube pay for 1 million views? As a YouTuber, you become a business, and it helps to know the YouTube views to money earned.

If you are trying to earn a living on YouTube, one of the most excellent marks of a successful creator is often earning 1 million views on the platform (click here for tips on how to do that ). It usually serves as a benchmark for a time at which a channel is relatively sustainable. However, rather than meaning a YouTuber has made it big financially, reaching 1 million views is more likely to say they can expect to start making real money.

When you hit 1 million views on any video on YouTube, you’ll have a nice paycheck. You’ll likely have to hit 1 million views on at least a few other videos before you could consider quitting your full-time job and doing YouTube as your primary source of income. This article will explore what 1 million views mean for your YouTube channel. We will look more into how revenue is calculated on YouTube and what you can expect to earn-out of a video with 1 million views.

In this article

01 $2000 for 1 million views

02 How is the revenue calculated?

03 CPMs and CPCs

04 How monetization is changing

$2000 for 1 Million Views

In a case study performed by Standupbits and Josef Holm, a YouTube channel is created with over 3500 comedy clips that a comedian and stand up actor had put together over the years. The YouTube clips took extensive time to upload, and the library was prevalent. The YouTube ad revenue only equated to around $2000.

Although StandUpBits had uploaded thousands of clips and received over 1 million views on their channel, their library was only able to earn around $2000 from the ad revenue sharing. It’s estimated the group had spent approximately $25,000 to finish off the clips, edit them, and upload them, which means they invested far more in the channel than they earned.

If you are thinking about a career on YouTube, reaching 1 million views might seem like an excellent target for making a successful page, and it is, but reaching 1 million views doesn’t magically guarantee financial success.

How Revenue is Calculated

In order to understand how revenue is calculated over the YouTube marketplace, a YouTube user needs to first understand what the partnership program entails. Basically, a YouTube partner has the ability to monetize their videos and serve ads on their content.

In order to join this program you need to be able to commit to uploading ad-friendly (nothing controversial) content that is completely original and high quality and which also adheres to all of the community guidelines and YouTube’s Terms of Service (YouTube actually just introduced a couple of stricter rules - click here for YouTube Monetization 2018 ).

As of February 2018, to qualify for ad revenue, the YouTube channel must have:

1. You will need to have 1,000 subscribers.

2. You will need to have accumulated 4,000 hours of watch time over the last 12 months.

The AdSense revenue that you earn through YouTube will vary depending on a large number of factors related to the specific ads running and what type of content you produce.

Understanding CPM and CPCs

What is CPM?

CPM stands as the ‘cost per mille’ or ‘cost per thousand.’

Your CPM is the amount you earn for 1000 ad impressions (1000 viewers clicking on an ad or watching a skippable ad). Your CPM is usually related to the demographics of your users, the content you regularly post, the length of time on the videos that you post, and the gender of your viewers. YouTube CPMs can vary depending on the advertising bid the company has submitted with Google. The lowest bids can be around .33 cents per thousand views, and other advertisers can spend as much as $10 for 1000 views.

For example, gaming is the most prominent genre on YouTube, and there are many gaming-related ads to go around, but most of them are very low-paying (i.e., ads for free online games). Only YouTube gamers with extensive subscriber bases get higher-paying ads.

What is CPC?

CPC means ‘cost per click.’ A CPC ad interprets an ‘ad impression’ as a click on an ad rather than a viewer merely seeing it. Most YouTube ads are CPC ads, but skippable video ads are CPV (cost per view), and impressions are based on viewers watching the ad instead of skipping it.

Changes on YouTube and How You Can Earn More

Changes that have affected the way that revenue is calculated are the ability to skip ads and the lower click rates on advertising through YouTube. A huge portion of viewers uses ad blockers, which eliminates them as potential sources of revenue.

Ultimately earning ad revenue is a big game of reaching targeted demographics and achieving ongoing viewership for your videos. It does matter where your viewers are going to be viewing from, and the audience that your viewers are in (viewers from areas with more disposable income to spend on the products advertised to them are worth more to advertisers, as are viewers who are interested in higher-cost items).

Forming relationships with brands and doing product placements or sponsored videos can be a great way to earn more revenue than you will through AdSense. Just make sure the brands you build relationships with are relevant to your audience and that you incorporate the advertising in ways that don’t annoy your viewers.

Use the right keywords in your titles, descriptions, and tags. Without this keyword information, YouTube may pair your video with advertisers that aren’t right for your audience. First, using the wrong keywords won’t put your content in front of the viewers who want to see it, and, second, the ads that run won’t be a good fit and thus are less likely to be clicked on. It’s also imperative that you focus on the metadata of every video. It can take some extra time to add in all of this information for each video, but it is well worth it if you are trying to get paid from YouTube.

Click here for 4 ways to start growing your channel faster.

So, how much does YouTube pay for 1 million views? Not as much as you might think. But don’t give up, because ad revenue is not the only way to make money through YouTube. Here are 4 alternative ways to make money as a YouTuber .

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free

filmora

02 How is the revenue calculated?

03 CPMs and CPCs

04 How monetization is changing

$2000 for 1 Million Views

In a case study performed by Standupbits and Josef Holm, a YouTube channel is created with over 3500 comedy clips that a comedian and stand up actor had put together over the years. The YouTube clips took extensive time to upload, and the library was prevalent. The YouTube ad revenue only equated to around $2000.

Although StandUpBits had uploaded thousands of clips and received over 1 million views on their channel, their library was only able to earn around $2000 from the ad revenue sharing. It’s estimated the group had spent approximately $25,000 to finish off the clips, edit them, and upload them, which means they invested far more in the channel than they earned.

If you are thinking about a career on YouTube, reaching 1 million views might seem like an excellent target for making a successful page, and it is, but reaching 1 million views doesn’t magically guarantee financial success.

How Revenue is Calculated

In order to understand how revenue is calculated over the YouTube marketplace, a YouTube user needs to first understand what the partnership program entails. Basically, a YouTube partner has the ability to monetize their videos and serve ads on their content.

In order to join this program you need to be able to commit to uploading ad-friendly (nothing controversial) content that is completely original and high quality and which also adheres to all of the community guidelines and YouTube’s Terms of Service (YouTube actually just introduced a couple of stricter rules - click here for YouTube Monetization 2018 ).

As of February 2018, to qualify for ad revenue, the YouTube channel must have:

1. You will need to have 1,000 subscribers.

2. You will need to have accumulated 4,000 hours of watch time over the last 12 months.

The AdSense revenue that you earn through YouTube will vary depending on a large number of factors related to the specific ads running and what type of content you produce.

Understanding CPM and CPCs

What is CPM?

CPM stands as the ‘cost per mille’ or ‘cost per thousand.’

Your CPM is the amount you earn for 1000 ad impressions (1000 viewers clicking on an ad or watching a skippable ad). Your CPM is usually related to the demographics of your users, the content you regularly post, the length of time on the videos that you post, and the gender of your viewers. YouTube CPMs can vary depending on the advertising bid the company has submitted with Google. The lowest bids can be around .33 cents per thousand views, and other advertisers can spend as much as $10 for 1000 views.

For example, gaming is the most prominent genre on YouTube, and there are many gaming-related ads to go around, but most of them are very low-paying (i.e., ads for free online games). Only YouTube gamers with extensive subscriber bases get higher-paying ads.

What is CPC?

CPC means ‘cost per click.’ A CPC ad interprets an ‘ad impression’ as a click on an ad rather than a viewer merely seeing it. Most YouTube ads are CPC ads, but skippable video ads are CPV (cost per view), and impressions are based on viewers watching the ad instead of skipping it.

Changes on YouTube and How You Can Earn More

Changes that have affected the way that revenue is calculated are the ability to skip ads and the lower click rates on advertising through YouTube. A huge portion of viewers uses ad blockers, which eliminates them as potential sources of revenue.

Ultimately earning ad revenue is a big game of reaching targeted demographics and achieving ongoing viewership for your videos. It does matter where your viewers are going to be viewing from, and the audience that your viewers are in (viewers from areas with more disposable income to spend on the products advertised to them are worth more to advertisers, as are viewers who are interested in higher-cost items).

Forming relationships with brands and doing product placements or sponsored videos can be a great way to earn more revenue than you will through AdSense. Just make sure the brands you build relationships with are relevant to your audience and that you incorporate the advertising in ways that don’t annoy your viewers.

Use the right keywords in your titles, descriptions, and tags. Without this keyword information, YouTube may pair your video with advertisers that aren’t right for your audience. First, using the wrong keywords won’t put your content in front of the viewers who want to see it, and, second, the ads that run won’t be a good fit and thus are less likely to be clicked on. It’s also imperative that you focus on the metadata of every video. It can take some extra time to add in all of this information for each video, but it is well worth it if you are trying to get paid from YouTube.

Click here for 4 ways to start growing your channel faster.

So, how much does YouTube pay for 1 million views? Not as much as you might think. But don’t give up, because ad revenue is not the only way to make money through YouTube. Here are 4 alternative ways to make money as a YouTuber .

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free

filmora

02 How is the revenue calculated?

03 CPMs and CPCs

04 How monetization is changing

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## $2000 for 1 Million Views

In a case study performed by Standupbits and Josef Holm, a YouTube channel is created with over 3500 comedy clips that a comedian and stand up actor had put together over the years. The YouTube clips took extensive time to upload, and the library was prevalent. The YouTube ad revenue only equated to around $2000.

Although StandUpBits had uploaded thousands of clips and received over 1 million views on their channel, their library was only able to earn around $2000 from the ad revenue sharing. It’s estimated the group had spent approximately $25,000 to finish off the clips, edit them, and upload them, which means they invested far more in the channel than they earned.

If you are thinking about a career on YouTube, reaching 1 million views might seem like an excellent target for making a successful page, and it is, but reaching 1 million views doesn’t magically guarantee financial success.

How Revenue is Calculated

In order to understand how revenue is calculated over the YouTube marketplace, a YouTube user needs to first understand what the partnership program entails. Basically, a YouTube partner has the ability to monetize their videos and serve ads on their content.

In order to join this program you need to be able to commit to uploading ad-friendly (nothing controversial) content that is completely original and high quality and which also adheres to all of the community guidelines and YouTube’s Terms of Service (YouTube actually just introduced a couple of stricter rules - click here for YouTube Monetization 2018 ).

As of February 2018, to qualify for ad revenue, the YouTube channel must have:

1. You will need to have 1,000 subscribers.

2. You will need to have accumulated 4,000 hours of watch time over the last 12 months.

The AdSense revenue that you earn through YouTube will vary depending on a large number of factors related to the specific ads running and what type of content you produce.

Understanding CPM and CPCs

What is CPM?

CPM stands as the ‘cost per mille’ or ‘cost per thousand.’

Your CPM is the amount you earn for 1000 ad impressions (1000 viewers clicking on an ad or watching a skippable ad). Your CPM is usually related to the demographics of your users, the content you regularly post, the length of time on the videos that you post, and the gender of your viewers. YouTube CPMs can vary depending on the advertising bid the company has submitted with Google. The lowest bids can be around .33 cents per thousand views, and other advertisers can spend as much as $10 for 1000 views.

For example, gaming is the most prominent genre on YouTube, and there are many gaming-related ads to go around, but most of them are very low-paying (i.e., ads for free online games). Only YouTube gamers with extensive subscriber bases get higher-paying ads.

What is CPC?

CPC means ‘cost per click.’ A CPC ad interprets an ‘ad impression’ as a click on an ad rather than a viewer merely seeing it. Most YouTube ads are CPC ads, but skippable video ads are CPV (cost per view), and impressions are based on viewers watching the ad instead of skipping it.

Changes on YouTube and How You Can Earn More

Changes that have affected the way that revenue is calculated are the ability to skip ads and the lower click rates on advertising through YouTube. A huge portion of viewers uses ad blockers, which eliminates them as potential sources of revenue.

Ultimately earning ad revenue is a big game of reaching targeted demographics and achieving ongoing viewership for your videos. It does matter where your viewers are going to be viewing from, and the audience that your viewers are in (viewers from areas with more disposable income to spend on the products advertised to them are worth more to advertisers, as are viewers who are interested in higher-cost items).

Forming relationships with brands and doing product placements or sponsored videos can be a great way to earn more revenue than you will through AdSense. Just make sure the brands you build relationships with are relevant to your audience and that you incorporate the advertising in ways that don’t annoy your viewers.

Use the right keywords in your titles, descriptions, and tags. Without this keyword information, YouTube may pair your video with advertisers that aren’t right for your audience. First, using the wrong keywords won’t put your content in front of the viewers who want to see it, and, second, the ads that run won’t be a good fit and thus are less likely to be clicked on. It’s also imperative that you focus on the metadata of every video. It can take some extra time to add in all of this information for each video, but it is well worth it if you are trying to get paid from YouTube.

Click here for 4 ways to start growing your channel faster.

So, how much does YouTube pay for 1 million views? Not as much as you might think. But don’t give up, because ad revenue is not the only way to make money through YouTube. Here are 4 alternative ways to make money as a YouTuber .

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free

filmora

02 How is the revenue calculated?

03 CPMs and CPCs

04 How monetization is changing

$2000 for 1 Million Views

In a case study performed by Standupbits and Josef Holm, a YouTube channel is created with over 3500 comedy clips that a comedian and stand up actor had put together over the years. The YouTube clips took extensive time to upload, and the library was prevalent. The YouTube ad revenue only equated to around $2000.

Although StandUpBits had uploaded thousands of clips and received over 1 million views on their channel, their library was only able to earn around $2000 from the ad revenue sharing. It’s estimated the group had spent approximately $25,000 to finish off the clips, edit them, and upload them, which means they invested far more in the channel than they earned.

If you are thinking about a career on YouTube, reaching 1 million views might seem like an excellent target for making a successful page, and it is, but reaching 1 million views doesn’t magically guarantee financial success.

How Revenue is Calculated

In order to understand how revenue is calculated over the YouTube marketplace, a YouTube user needs to first understand what the partnership program entails. Basically, a YouTube partner has the ability to monetize their videos and serve ads on their content.

In order to join this program you need to be able to commit to uploading ad-friendly (nothing controversial) content that is completely original and high quality and which also adheres to all of the community guidelines and YouTube’s Terms of Service (YouTube actually just introduced a couple of stricter rules - click here for YouTube Monetization 2018 ).

As of February 2018, to qualify for ad revenue, the YouTube channel must have:

1. You will need to have 1,000 subscribers.

2. You will need to have accumulated 4,000 hours of watch time over the last 12 months.

The AdSense revenue that you earn through YouTube will vary depending on a large number of factors related to the specific ads running and what type of content you produce.

Understanding CPM and CPCs

What is CPM?

CPM stands as the ‘cost per mille’ or ‘cost per thousand.’

Your CPM is the amount you earn for 1000 ad impressions (1000 viewers clicking on an ad or watching a skippable ad). Your CPM is usually related to the demographics of your users, the content you regularly post, the length of time on the videos that you post, and the gender of your viewers. YouTube CPMs can vary depending on the advertising bid the company has submitted with Google. The lowest bids can be around .33 cents per thousand views, and other advertisers can spend as much as $10 for 1000 views.

For example, gaming is the most prominent genre on YouTube, and there are many gaming-related ads to go around, but most of them are very low-paying (i.e., ads for free online games). Only YouTube gamers with extensive subscriber bases get higher-paying ads.

What is CPC?

CPC means ‘cost per click.’ A CPC ad interprets an ‘ad impression’ as a click on an ad rather than a viewer merely seeing it. Most YouTube ads are CPC ads, but skippable video ads are CPV (cost per view), and impressions are based on viewers watching the ad instead of skipping it.

Changes on YouTube and How You Can Earn More

Changes that have affected the way that revenue is calculated are the ability to skip ads and the lower click rates on advertising through YouTube. A huge portion of viewers uses ad blockers, which eliminates them as potential sources of revenue.

Ultimately earning ad revenue is a big game of reaching targeted demographics and achieving ongoing viewership for your videos. It does matter where your viewers are going to be viewing from, and the audience that your viewers are in (viewers from areas with more disposable income to spend on the products advertised to them are worth more to advertisers, as are viewers who are interested in higher-cost items).

Forming relationships with brands and doing product placements or sponsored videos can be a great way to earn more revenue than you will through AdSense. Just make sure the brands you build relationships with are relevant to your audience and that you incorporate the advertising in ways that don’t annoy your viewers.

Use the right keywords in your titles, descriptions, and tags. Without this keyword information, YouTube may pair your video with advertisers that aren’t right for your audience. First, using the wrong keywords won’t put your content in front of the viewers who want to see it, and, second, the ads that run won’t be a good fit and thus are less likely to be clicked on. It’s also imperative that you focus on the metadata of every video. It can take some extra time to add in all of this information for each video, but it is well worth it if you are trying to get paid from YouTube.

Click here for 4 ways to start growing your channel faster.

So, how much does YouTube pay for 1 million views? Not as much as you might think. But don’t give up, because ad revenue is not the only way to make money through YouTube. Here are 4 alternative ways to make money as a YouTuber .

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  • Title: [Updated] The Ultimate Insider Guide to YouTube Live Video Thumbnails
  • Author: Jeffrey
  • Created at : 2024-08-20 13:04:23
  • Updated at : 2024-08-21 13:04:23
  • Link: https://eaxpv-info.techidaily.com/updated-the-ultimate-insider-guide-to-youtube-live-video-thumbnails/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.