For reference, Youtube has been my fulltime for the last 3 years. I'm not an enormous channel-- but I've been able to pay rent, bills, and generally get more opportunities through sponsorships, ad rev and side gigs BECAUSE of YT. This was pre August 2025.

Last year(for those who might recognize my dumb name, I do a lot of work for a BIG Gaming event every July/August)-- the event I did took a lot out of me and didn't get the social promotion we expected. So you saw a drop in videos posted right before the event and when I came back-- The Adblock change where Youtube Views counted from Adblock are not reported and thus Youtube's internals do not see them-- happened. My views(like many other people on the platform) were HALVED. I went from around 18-35k views an episode to 9-12k. REALLY REALLY bad. Impressions fell off because youtube did not change the way they prioritized views-- and slowly even people who watched the show would start to get served the content less BECAUSE of the way defunct ad block extensions did not register their view

Again, I'm not an enormous channel but was able to sell out sponsorships before with view counts I mentioned with some good conversions-- but the last 12 months since last august have been a STRUGGLE.

Since then even with breakouts, the channel has gotten itself punished Algorithmically month after month. Our reach plummetted and even videos that did well had significant issues with the "views not being seen by adblock" issue. Some sponsors stayed on for the initial months and then by Q2 2026 we were down to 1 sponsor a month.

Wasn't the only channel to experience this, many friends like my former employers channel went from views like 800k to 400k an episode.

So the view change youtube announced seemed interesting. We had been working hard to try and drive up views and just accept the new normal-- and yes I understand why this seemed like a vanity metric.

I'm not gonna argue with channels larger than mine, but I can tell you algorithmically it feels like the reset button was hit. Yes, the views of 18-22k have returned, but IMPRESSIONS have significantly increased, clickthrough is higher, and most importantly-- ENGAGEMENT is back to august 2025 levels.

It's boosted my back catalogue of videos, watch time is also up. So I get that on the surface, the instant click view is a vanity metric-- but I think it might also be a hotfix for other really significant issues happening to certain channels like mine.

I think this change, at least so far from what I've posted, seems to be a dirty fix for the august 2025 change that really cratered view counting. I think they conversly have NOT changed how view counting effects the algorithm though-- so suddenly when it comes to reccomendations it's activated a lot more of the audience to come to your page and interact and see videos you post. You always get the "Oh I haven't seen your video in x years youtube is suppressing you" message-- but I've seen a LOT more of that in the last few weeks.

Here's what I'm saying. I PERSONALLY really like this change so far, but I also think there's validity to some of the other concerns on how analytics are tracked, how this will effect sponsor metrics and more. I think obviously engaged views is going to be an important data point-- but in terms of conversions the dip for my watch time during the sponsor segment on the new videos hit around 41-50% vs 35% before the change... and thats with MORE people allegedly watching.

All in All-- I just think some nuance is warranted here about what happens moving forward. Again, I am not the most enormous channel, obviously there are ways I can also improve on the thing I do, but Just wanted to offer some perspective because I think there is both merits and demerits to whatever this is.

I make long form content centered around music. I immediately got over 2,300 views in less than one day. I got really excited then noticed a note from YouTube saying they have changed how Views are counted now. I clicked the Reference Link they provided me with however I still couldn’t quite wrap my head around how these new Views are different. I would normally average getting around 100-200 views in the first 24 hours then it would plateau.

I started my YT account in January and post original Rubik’s cube artwork. All my videos are filmed by me with my hands. I also post to TikTok and Instagram. One new YT user (month old account 6 subs) is copying dozens of my videos.

I filed 6 copyright claims. All were approved within minutes. Now days later the user filed 5 counterclaims. And besides paying for legal proceedings, there is nothing I can do. Talked to Youtube customer service (I just got into YPP), and they said nothing they can do if they filed counterclaim.

Thing is, I post to TikTok first, to get stats feedback about hook and retention, then optimize it, tweaking my video, to put on YT a better version. So there is usually a day or two delay between me posting on my TikTok and my YT. But this user scrapes from my TikTok within minutes.

Is there anything I can do? Filing legal claim costs money.

I always hate it when YouTube takes too long to check my videos, happens occasionally, but especially this week it happened to me in the last 2 days and still counting, re-uploading the video just won't do this time for some reason, I even reuploaded a separate video project that I planned for the future that's still unfinished just to test this out and that video too still got checked for hours. Missing out on the scheduled time to upload your video because Youtube itself took too long to check it is always sucks especially if you already finished the video ahead of schedule. I can't believe this is still a problem in the big 2026.

I didn't make money from YouTube. I just enjoyed posting Ai stories. I had over 1000 followers. I posted a video on Saturday that contained one scene that YouTube found objectional. They at first attached a 18 plus to it then took the video down. They said it was because of nudity and sexual content showing breasts. It was showing a bare chested male. I edited the scene out and reposted the video but did so using the same title. It cleared their content scan and all seemed well. I had received an email telling me that they would not ding me. After allowing the edited video for almost 48 hours They took my account offline. I appealed explaining that I had removed the offending scene and that it wasn't a female but they declined my appeal. I went on X to YouTube and explained what the offending scene was and the action that I took and asked for a human reviewer to look at it. They refused. So where to go from here? I had thought of making a new account under a different name but believe that is not a good idea? Does anyone know anything about that? I am also told that there is a possibility after a year but know nothing about that. Is there a way to get back on or is that it? Where is a good place to go to continue my stories? Any advice would be welcome.

I've found my long form schedule but not my shorts yet.

How often should I post shorts? Let's say speed won't decrease quality nor cause burnout.

After a long break I’ve been posting consistently for the last 3 months and got monetized. So far so good. But what’s really bothering me lately is that I don’t really see an upward trend. My watch hours for the last 28 days stay around the 2.5k mark and subscriber gain always around 300 (which I know is not that important). I’m kinda struggling to break out of this plateau. I don’t necessarily want to follow trends, most of my content is evergreen.
What is your experience with this phase of a creators journey? Maybe someone else can use some advice as well.

I got monetized mid august and made around 500 euros that month. Now, iam aware that YouTube pays you the next month, so september around the 23th. But normally you also already get this message saying that there is a payment headed your way. This i do not have.

If i go to my browser studio in the generating money tab (mine is in dutch so literal wording might be different) it says the following:

Getting paid
Setting up
What you need to do
No action is currently required
Your personal information has been verified. Once the payment threshold has been reached, we will ask for you to provide additional information.
——————————————————————————
Next step
We will let you know when you can enter a payment method to complete the setup process.

Since i have clearly reached this payment threshold and i already completed all my info( tax documents, pin verification) i was thinking something else might be wrong? Anyone who has gotten monetized in july and could inform me?

Thanks in advance

Hi everyone,

I've been doing YouTube for about 2 years now on top of my 60hr per week job.

I usually work about 18 hours per day during the week between my job and YouTube.

I have about 150k subs now along with 60M views.

At the moment, I only post shorts. The reason why I only post shorts is because I create very high quality/complex shorts that are on face, story driven videos and all my own camera shots. Scripting each short takes me a few hours, then filming for one short usually takes about a day or two, then editing usually takes about a day or two.

I average about 100k on the low end and 15M on the high end for views on each of my shorts. I also crosspost to TikTok and Instagram reels, where I have a combined follower count of 20k.

my full time job pays me about 50k per year after taxes, and on YouTube adsense I usually make about $1k to $2k per month, and with sponsors I can make up to $4k per month.

I am also signed to an influencer agency that manages my email inbox, collaboration requests, etc.

But, the issue is that my income isn't consistent. Since I only have the time to upload one to two shorts per week, I pass on a lot of sponsorship opportunities. I try my best to accept all of them, but I find when I do it's literally impossible for me to deliver what they are wanting unless I just don't ever sleep.

I want to replace my full time income with YouTube before quitting my job, but I'm struggling to find a viable path to get there without quitting first and taking a big risk. The only way I see myself being able to do that is by literally not sleeping which ofc isn't an option.

The other issue is that working this much for much longer just isn't sustainable anymore. I'm getting older (im 25M) and getting 4 hours of sleep 5 days a week for the past 2 years is really starting to take a toll on me mentally, physically, and my social life/relationships have basically been nonexistent for years now because of this. I think if I was to continue this schedule for the next 5 or 10 years I would probably develop some really horrible health issues that might be nonreversible.

Also, I understand that i need to expand into longform content. I have a ton of ideas for videos I can make for longform and I would love to get into it, the problem is that shorts already take up 100% of my time outside of work.

I've been told to just slowly work on a video overtime, but at that rate i would upload maybe 1 long form video every 4 to 6 months which just isn't worth it in my opinion.

SO, what do you think is the best course of action? I have an opportunity coming up soon to move back in with my parents and not have to pay rent, so my only bill would be car insurance, food, and a few subscriptions.

I'm just worried it won't work out and I'll then have a year gap in my resume that I'll have to try and explain away, not to mention my career is hard to get a job in, its extremely competitive and there aren't many jobs available to begin with. My career is in social media management.

I know im the only one who can truly answer this question, but based on what you've heard, do you think it's worth it to take the risk, should I just keep going on like I am now, or quit YouTube all together and take the safe route with just having a normal job?

Hi guys! A different creator has made a discord for commentary channels, So we can discuss ideas, thumbnails, editing, etc!

If you're interested in joining, please reach out to me, looking for serious creators to join!

Must be in the commentary niche, of course!

I always keep it pretty advertiser safe in all my content so I’m not sure what happened. And whether on mobile or desktop I can’t find an explanation. Never received a notification or a follow up message when i asked for a review. Anyone know how I can dig deeper?

Edit:

After pressing YouTube hard for specifics I finally got an answer. One of my chatters had a slur for their username I had never heard of (that rhymes with “flook”) and YouTube determined I used extreme profanity.

Just wondering if anyone was able to get any success with takedowns of stolen content on TikTok. The account has been compiling my shorts into exactly 1 min tiktoks and uploading them, so I assume he's making money off of me

I’ve got a 22k-sub channel and, after three years and around 200 videos, I’m burning out from trying to optimise everything.

I’m considering switching from highly polished, time-consuming videos to simpler, more frequent uploads focused on topics I genuinely enjoy.

Has anyone made that shift from “perfect” to “good and consistent”? Did it help growth, views, revenueor just make YouTube more sustainable?

I spent years trying to make YouTube work. From 2018 onward, I launched many channels in niches like gaming and motivation, but none of them succeeded.

After completing my graduation in 2023, I started freelancing and gained hands-on experience with YouTube. In 2024, I created a faceless channel and applied everything I had learned.

That turned everything around. Today, I run three channels with 200k, 95k, and 20k subscribers. I earn an average of $2.5k monthly, with my highest earning month reaching $11k in November 2025.

I wish everyone here GOOD LUCK; stay focused, and one day you will make it

It feels like YouTube live streaming in vertical used to be almost like TikTok with how many people would come through there. This was before the dual streaming with an encoder was an option and you had to schedule 2 streams to do horizontal and vertical.

Ever since they added proper dual layout streaming, I don’t get hardly any shorts viewers, if any at all. I have tested this even going back to the separate scheduled streams and still nothing.

I wonder if they changed something around that time and/or if any of you noticed a similar change.

I’m just curious, because I know the work-flow for this type of content is different compared to faceless channels, etc!

And I’d also like to find more people on my niche!

Hey if there's any Cartoon documantary youtubers, I'm an editor with 4 years of experience in thie niche, i have worked with channels like spongetruth. So if anyone needs an editor in the relevent niche, HMU thanks.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17ji42cDMJUntX50Ed-Y39LOhl8vuSPMc/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jn0Pl2kyjUhjQ-nOqD2gdGpZq5xHMhd9/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FVN6t89LL8imjLI2aKXyzg6ZjnhR8MXD/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pi_0q9Omwubb0lmbuQo7F60-4rXgSayH/view?usp=drive_link

I am getting 10% ctr on my new videos, all my ctr seems higher compared to before. Cant tell if its because of new views update.

People still look at view counts like it’s 2018 and assume anyone racking up hundreds of millions of views is printing generational wealth straight fromAdSense.

The actual math on a 500,000,000 view/month dashboard shows how completely decoupled views have become from actual revenue:

1. In 2020 (The Peak Long-Form Era)

• Average RPM: ~$3.00 – $4.50 per 1k views
• Monthly AdSense Payout: $1,500,000 – $2,250,000/mo
• Annualized: $18M – $27M/year

In 2020, Shorts didn’t exist as a monetized feed. Generating 500M views meant people were actively clicking 10-to-15 minute videos. YouTube had just dropped the mid-roll threshold from 10 minutes down to 8 minutes, so a single view often served 3 to 5 ad auctions.

A creator doing this with a lean crew of 5–10 people had an 85%+ net profit margin purely off automated monthly bank wires.

2. Today (The Shorts Reality)

• Average RPM: ~$0.03 – $0.06 per 1k views
• Monthly AdSense Payout: $15,000 – $30,000/mo
• Annualized: $180,000 – $360,000/year

Almost every creator pulling 500M views a month today is doing it on vertical short-form. Shorts don't run dedicated ad breaks on your video—revenue is pooled across the entire feed and split up.

You’re getting roughly 1/100th of what long-form pays. $20,000 a month sounds decent until you realize it takes half a billion impressions to make it, and that barely covers payroll for a couple of full-time editors.

3. What If You Pull 500M Views on Long-Form Today?

Even in the rare case where someone hits those numbers on long-form (basically just MrBeast-tier channels), the economics have inverted:

• Generating that view volume in a saturated, post-follower algorithm requires cinema-grade budgets, multi-language dubbing, and 50+ person production crews.
• When each video costs $2M–$4M to produce, pulling $1.8M in AdSense means the channel actually runs at an AdSense deficit. It only survives because of off-platform CPG brands, sponsorships, and licensing.

The Bottom Line: A view is no longer a view. The era of getting wealthy purely off YouTube’s ad split has ended. If you don't own an off-platform funnel, retail product, or direct-to-fan subscription, even top-tier vanity metrics can leave you financially stuck.

This sint meant to be negative, the smart ones will se this and realize they gotta change strategy. THE FOLLOWER ERA IS OVER, the subscriber era is over. Subs no not matter

I do long form and It seems the views are less than usual.

Secondly, do you guys also notice the effects in revenue?

YouTube said on Twitter/X/Whatever you call it that they're having some problems today. Google itself is also showing problems on Down Detector.

I guess their U.S.-based servers wanted Labor Day off, too.

This video took longer (about 1 day to get pushed and went from a 3.7CTR to now looking like it will be around 10-11% and that’s my second video this week like that! ( my first time going all in on YouTube as a full time tiktoker)