Earn on YouTube | 12 Pay-Per-View Revenue-Maximizing Strategies

YouTube offers several monetization options for creators. In other words, you can earn money from your content. 

Among these features, pay-per-view stands out as a possible revenue stream. At its core, pay-per-view allows creators to earn money based on the number of views their videos receive.

Understanding how YouTube pay-per-view works is essential to maximizing your earnings. 

There are many nuances of this system. Learning the ins and outs gives you a leg up. It’s the best way to increase your views and turn YouTube into a healthy passive income stream.

By the end of this blog, you will

• Have a better understanding of YouTube pay-per-view and how it works.
• Find out about the factors affecting your YouTube revenue.
• Learn how much you can potentially earn with YouTube as a course creator.
• Learn the top 12 strategies for maximizing your earnings.

Understanding YouTube pay-per-view

The YouTube Partner Program includes a system for earning money based on views. This system relies on advertisements displayed on videos. When a viewer watches or clicks on an ad in your video, you earn a piece of the advertising revenue.

The more views a video gets, the more you can earn. The greater the number of views and clicks on ads, the more money you make. The trick is getting people to click. 

These could be:

• Sponsored cards that display ads relevant to the video, including products featured in the video. They appear within the video player, and viewers can browse through them.
• Non-skippable and skippable video ads. These appear before the video starts or at regular intervals during the video.
• Overlay ads that are like banners appearing at the bottom of the video while it’s playing.

How does YouTube calculate pay-per-view?

YouTube calculates earnings through a metric called CPM (Cost Per Mille). It represents the amount advertisers pay YouTube for every thousand ad impressions.

There’s another related metric, RPM (Revenue Per Mille). This metric determines the amount of money you receive (your percentage of the total earnings), accounting for the total revenue earned per thousand video views.  

These two calculations consider various factors, including:

1. Audience demographics: Advertisers pay more for certain audiences. Think of those with higher purchasing power. Or within a specific age group.
2. Content niche/industry: Certain niches or industries attract higher advertising rates. The difference comes from their market value. Healthcare and insurance are by far the most expensive when it comes to CPM, while automotive, retail, and science and technology are among the cheapest.
3. Seasonality: Advertising spending can vary throughout the year. Some seasons have higher rates due to increased market activity.
4. Geographic location: The rates can differ based on the audience’s location. Advertiser spending varies by country.
5. Type of ads: For example, non-skippable ads cost advertisers more. Why? The only way to avoid them is with YouTube Premium. So, if a creator’s video features non-skippable ads, they’ll earn more.
6. Viewer engagement: Engagement metrics can influence earnings from views. Some metrics include watch time and interaction with ads.

How much can you earn through pay-per-view?

Because so many factors influence the calculation, there’s no straightforward answer. Influencer Market Hub says creators could earn up to $18 per 1,000 views.

You can use the Google AdSense calculator to predict your earnings. Google Adsense isn’t the same as YouTube pay-per-view. But its concept is the same: creators earn money through ads displayed on their content. And the fact that Google owns YouTube lends the AdSense calculator some credibility.

Just select your location and niche for an estimate. (Image Source)

How do you qualify for pay-per-view?

Before we get into the strategies, let’s review one more important factor. How do you become eligible for pay-per-view?

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Here’s how: 

1. The featured videos must be original. Make it advertiser-friendly (no adult themes). It shouldn’t infringe copyright laws. It must follow YouTube’s monetization policies and community guidelines.
2. Have more than 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months. ’Valid public watch hours’ means the video’s setting is ’public, and the views are genuine. That means they aren’t generated by bots. Your videos aren’t played repeatedly in the background.
3. Have at least 1,000 subscribers.
4. Have an AdSense account (where you’ll receive payment). 
5. Pass YouTube’s channel review. It can take up to a month for approval. 

12 strategies to maximize YouTube pay-per-view earnings

Any strategy to maximize earnings must revolve around increasing genuine views. The more views ‌a video has, the more of its ads viewers see. The result? More revenue.

Consider our 12 strategies and turn YouTube into a genuine second income.

1. Optimize video content

None of the remaining 11 strategies matter if the video isn’t high-quality.

High-quality videos‌ include the following:

• Clear visuals and audio
• Compelling storytelling‌
• Thoughtful editing

   
Use thumbnails and the title to allure users to click. (Screenshot provided by the author)

Engaging content also prompts viewers to share videos. In return, you can expand your reach and attract a broader audience. 

Understand your target audience to improve your video content and attract more views. Then, tailor your content to their preferences and needs.

2. Use effective keywords and tags

Help people find your videos by using relevant keywords. Add them to titles and descriptions and apply relevant tags.

These help the algorithm understand the content and context of your videos. That way, you give yourself the best chance to appear on SERPs. The goal is to appear for relevant searches. Or land as a recommended video suggestion on a user’s home page.

To maximize this effect, it’s crucial to: 

1. Conduct keyword research.
2. Understand your audience’s search behavior.
3. Use ‌keywords relevant to your content and popular among viewers.

Thorough keyword research helps you understand what your target audience is searching for. Tools like Google Keyword Planner can offer insights into relevant search terms. 

Some other ways of finding keywords include:

• Type a search term into YouTube and let YouTube’s autocomplete finish the search. This approach gives you insight into the types of searches popular among users in your niche.
• Analyzing competitor videos. Look through the “Popular videos” section to better understand what your audience is looking for.

   
Autocomplete provides an insight into what people are searching for. Once you find your keywords, integrate them into the:

• Video title
• Video description
• Video tags

Remember, these keywords must match your content. 

Tip: Use long-tail keywords. They’re less competitive and more specific. You can attract a more targeted audience. Also, consider using a mix of broad and niche tags to cover various search intents. 

3. Engage with your audience

Viewer engagement is crucial in increasing pay-per-view on YouTube. It signals to the platform that your content is valuable and engaging. As a result, YouTube promotes it further in search results and recommendations.

Engaged viewers are more likely to: 

• Watch videos for longer
• Interact by liking, commenting, or sharing
• Return to the channel for more content‌

These actions are positive signals to YouTube’s algorithms.

High engagement rates improve your video’s visibility. How? When your audience engages with your video, they often share it with their social networks. This, in turn, increases your brand visibility by expanding your reach and exposing you to new audiences. 

More views equals higher potential earnings from ads displayed on your videos.

So, how do you get your audience engaged? Apart from producing relevant videos, do the following:

1. Encourage viewers to like, comment, and share the video.
2. Respond to each comment.
3. Use a call-to-action (CTA) to generate engagement. For example, ask questions or for opinions.
4. Run giveaways and online contests, with the prerequisite for liking and commenting on a video as an entry. 
5. Analyze the comments section to identify the content your audience is after, including feedback on NPS platforms and how you can improve their integration or showcase their value more effectively in future videos.

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4. Invest in YouTube Shorts

Using YouTube Shorts is a great strategy to maximize YouTube earnings. They’re short in format, which is perfect for microlearning. 

For example, course creator Gemma Bonham-Carter uses YouTube Shorts to promote her courses on online business building and strategizing. She also repurposes them on her Instagram and TikTok profiles. 

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YouTube favors Shorts in their discovery features. That said, they offer a chance for your content to appear to users who might not have found your channel otherwise.

Engaging Shorts can lead viewers to explore your long-form videos. As a result, it increases overall views and watch time across your channel.

The quickest way to generate Shorts is to turn your long-form videos into bite-sized segments. So, there’s no need to spend additional time shooting fresh Shorts.

Additionally, YouTube continues to develop monetization features for Shorts. This includes the recently introduced Shorts Fund. It gives creators new avenues to earn revenue.

5. Offer channel memberships

Channel memberships allow content creators to generate extra revenue. It’s simple. You can offer exclusive perks to subscribers who pay a monthly fee.

This feature allows fans to support their favorite creators. In return, they receive special benefits such as: 

• Never-before-seen video content
• Custom badges
• Live chats
• Emojis

Here’s an example of a channel membership to the Ballinger Family:

(Image Source)

People paying for a membership are more likely to return to the channel. That means they’ll watch more content. More views equals more revenue from display ads.

The membership supplements your income. But it also leads to higher revenue from pay-per-view.

6. Leverage super chats

Super chats offer a unique way for YouTube creators to monetize their live streams. It allows viewers to pay to have their messages highlighted in the chat during a live broadcast.

This feature provides a direct revenue stream and enhances viewer engagement. How? It gives fans a platform to stand out. And they have a better chance of interacting with the content creator. 

The more a viewer pays, the longer their message gets displayed. This method encourages higher contributions.

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For creators looking to enhance their live streaming capabilities, integrating a live video streaming SDK can add sophisticated features like whiteboard, virtual backgrounds, quizzes, and live captions. 

Additionally, an SDK can enable streaming the same content simultaneously across multiple platforms, expanding reach and potentially increasing revenue.

Like channel memberships, super chats are a revenue generator in their own right. But they also create a sense of community. Community increases video visibility and views, and supercharges pay-per-view earnings.

7. Partner with other YouTubers

Partnering with creators with similar or complementary audiences can expose your content to a broader viewer base. 

As long as the partnership makes sense and is true to your brand, you can enjoy an influx of new subscribers. In return, you can supercharge views on new and historic videos.

Take, for instance, this collaboration between Paige Brunton and Nesha Woolery. Paige invited Nesha to chat about how she juggles and feels about managing both a course creator business and being a YouTube influencer. 

(Image Source)

Both channels benefit, as do their audiences. Nesha answers questions about how she got started, which career is more profitable, and how she divides her time. Paige and Nesha both get additional exposure by tapping into each other’s audience. It’s a win-win-win.

Collaborations like this can take various forms, such as: 

• Cross-promotional content
• Guest appearances
• Co-hosted videos

8. Establish a regular posting schedule

Set a consistent schedule and stick to it. Once per week. Twice per month. It’s up to you. But commit to it.

Why? The creators that establish reliability can create a sense of anticipation among their audience. Doing so encourages viewers to return regularly for new content.

Eamon & Bec have turned their Sunday posting schedule into a slogan, “See You Sunday.” Publishing one video per week has amassed over 1.26 million subscribers. 

Consistent engagement helps to build a loyal viewer base. A large following is the key to sustaining and increasing view counts over time.

Regular uploads signal to the YouTube algorithm that your channel provides value. In return, this can enhance your content’s visibility in search results and recommendations.

9. Use YouTube Premieres

YouTube Premieres is a feature that allows creators to schedule and debut a video as a live event. The goal is to create anticipation and buzz around the content. This feature can boost pay-per-view earnings in several key ways:

1. Create anticipation: By scheduling a premiere, creators generate anticipation among their audience. This can lead to higher initial viewership, as fans may schedule to watch the video as soon as it’s released, like a TV show or movie premiere․
2. Live engagement: During the premiere, viewers can interact in real time through live chat. Engaged viewers are more likely to watch the content for longer. That means they’ll watch more ads. Plus, they might interact with monetizable features like super chat. 
3. Increased visibility: YouTube may provide more visibility to premieres. YouTube might show them in certain parts of the platform, which can attract a larger audience. A bigger initial audience can translate to higher ad revenue and increased watch hours.

10. Add cards and end screens

End screens are visual elements that users can click on. Display them in the final moments of your video. Why? They allow you to promote other videos.

Similarly, you can add cards during your video to prompt viewers to explore more content.

 An example end-screen showing related videos. (Image Source)

Use these features to point viewers toward your related videos or playlists. Doing so can boost your overall view count. It also encourages longer watch sessions, thus increasing pay-per-view earnings.

11. Promote your videos

Use social media, blogs, forums, and other online marketing techniques (such as email marketing) to share your content. It’s an easy way to boost your visibility beyond YouTube’s built-in audience.

It’s worth considering spending some time on other platforms to build an audience and use those channels to divert content to your videos.

Effective promotion is powerful. It can:

• Extend the reach of your content
• Enhances viewer engagement
• Increases potential earnings

Related: 10 Steps To Use YouTube to Promote Online Courses

12. Organize your videos using playlists

Organize your videos into well-curated playlists. Doing so will guide viewers through a structured viewing experience. It also encourages them to watch multiple videos in one session.

Structure your playlists around specific topics, series, or content types. That way, you make it easier for viewers to find content that interests them and keep them engaged longer.

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This organization improves the user experience. It also benefits your channel’s metrics. As we mentioned, increased watch time leads to better visibility in recommendation algorithms.

Wrapping up

The key to achieving success and maximizing pay-per-view earnings on YouTube is experimentation. Find what resonates most with your audience and aligns with your content goals.

Above all, none of these strategies work without the foundation of high-quality videos. Make your content engaging and valuable with high production quality. These factors underpin every aspect of your success on the platform. 

Focus on quality and refining your approach. Through strategic experimentation, you can enhance your YouTube presence. In return, you’ll boost your earnings over time.