Question 1

How does YouTube split ad revenue with creators?

Accepted Answer

For long-form videos, YouTube's standard ad revenue split is 55% to the creator and 45% to YouTube. For Shorts, the revenue from ads shown between videos is pooled, and creators receive 45% of the total allocated to them based on their share of the total Shorts views.

Question 2

How much do Shorts pay compared to long-form videos?

Accepted Answer

Shorts pay significantly less per view than long-form videos. The RPM for Shorts is often between $0.04 and $0.07, while long-form gaming videos can have an RPM of $4 to $8. This means you need hundreds of times more Shorts views to equal the ad revenue from long-form content.

Question 3

What earnings can I expect per 1,000 watch hours?

Accepted Answer

There's no direct payment per watch hour. Revenue is based on ad impressions. However, you can estimate it. If your RPM is $6 and you get 1 ad impression per minute of watch time (a rough estimate), 1,000 watch hours is 60,000 minutes/impressions. This would be (60,000 / 1000) * $6 = $360 per 1,000 watch hours, before YouTube's cut.

Question 4

How much do channel memberships usually earn per member?

Accepted Answer

YouTube's revenue share for memberships is 70/30 in the creator's favor. For a $4.99 membership, a creator typically receives about $3.50 after YouTube's cut. This is a very stable and high-margin source of income.

Question 5

How is Super Chat revenue shared and taxed?

Accepted Answer

YouTube takes a 30% cut of all Super Chat, Super Sticker, and Super Thanks revenue. So, a $10 Super Chat nets the creator about $7. This income is fully taxable and should be reported along with all other channel earnings.

Question 6

Should I publish more Shorts or long-form to increase revenue?

Accepted Answer

For direct ad revenue, long-form video is far more lucrative per view. However, Shorts are a powerful tool for channel growth and discovery. A common strategy is to use Shorts to attract a large audience and funnel them to your more profitable long-form content and live streams where they can become members or send Super Chats.

Question 7

How to model sponsorship pricing using YouTube metrics?

Accepted Answer

Sponsorship pricing is often based on your average 30-day viewership. A common industry rule of thumb is to charge a CPM of $15-$30 based on your average views. For example, a channel that averages 100,000 views per video might charge between $1,500 and $3,000 for a dedicated video integration.

Question 8

Can I monetize Shorts if I don't meet long-form partner thresholds?

Accepted Answer

Yes, YouTube has separate eligibility criteria for Shorts monetization. To be eligible through Shorts, you need at least 1,000 subscribers and 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days. This is an alternative path to the YouTube Partner Program if you don't meet the 4,000 public watch hours requirement from long-form videos.

Question 9

How to estimate revenue from repurposing streams to VOD?

Accepted Answer

This is a highly effective strategy. To estimate, take the average VOD views you get from a repurposed stream and multiply it by your VOD RPM. For example, if a 2-hour stream is edited into a 15-minute VOD that gets 50,000 views with a $5 RPM, that's an additional (50,000 / 1000) * 5 = $250 in ad revenue from that single piece of repurposed content.

Question 10

How are ad RPMs different across regions?

Accepted Answer

RPMs are significantly different. Advertisers pay the most to reach audiences in Tier-1 countries like the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia. A view from a US viewer might be worth 5-10 times more in ad revenue than a view from a viewer in a Tier-3 region. This is why audience geography is a critical factor in a channel's total earnings.

Question 11

How to include merch & affiliate in YouTube revenue projections?

Accepted Answer

To include merch, you must use your net profit, not gross sales. Calculate this as (Total Sales) - (Cost of Goods Sold) - (Platform/Fulfillment Fees). For affiliate income, take your average monthly payout. These are external income streams that you add to your net YouTube revenue to get a complete picture.

Question 12

What percentage of revenue should be saved for taxes & agents?

Accepted Answer

As a self-employed creator, a safe rule is to set aside 25-35% of your gross income for taxes. If you have an agent or manager, they will typically take a commission of 10-20% on the deals they secure for you (like sponsorships). These are major costs that must be factored into your financial planning.

YouTube Gaming Revenue Calculator — Ads, Shorts RPM, Memberships & Super Chat (2025)

How YouTube Creators Make Money in 2025 — VOD RPM, Shorts, Memberships & Super Chats Explained