Have you ever wondered how much YouTube pays its creators when they finally get monetized?
Spoiler: it’s not always what you’d expect Join me as I dive into my own journey to monetization on Youtube, and how much I made in my first 30 days. But that’s not all—I also asked six other YouTubers to guess my earnings and share their own experiences with YouTube monetization. If you’re curious about the variety of journeys creators take, be sure to watch the video embedded below.
For now, let’s focus on my experience—the highs, the lows, and, of course, the numbers.
How much Youtube paid me in my first month (VIDEO)
Hear my journey to monetizing my channel, as well as the journeys of 6 other full time content creators, in the video below! Keep scrolling for the sparknotes on my own story.
My Journey to Becoming a Monetized YouTuber
I was accepted into the YouTube Partner Program exactly two years after I started my channel in December 2021. For those who don’t know, the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) is what allows creators to earn money from ads shown before, during, and after their content—a dream for any aspiring YouTuber.
But getting there was far from easy… for me at least.
The Requirements for Monetization
To qualify for full monetization on YouTube, you need:
- 1,000 subscribers, and
- 4,000 watch hours (the total time viewers have spent watching your videos) within the past 365 days.
Alternatively, you can qualify through 10 million Shorts views in the past 90 days, but let’s be real—I am not a shorts creator.
These requirements may not seem overwhelming at first glance, but they’re tough to hit, especially for smaller channels. And here’s the kicker: once you’ve been creating for over a year, you’re constantly competing with your own past performance. Any watch hours you earned over 365 days ago stop counting toward your goal.
That was one of the biggest hurdles I faced.
Why I Started My Channel
I launched my YouTube channel after a TikTok of mine went viral in late 2021. The video, titled “How Much I Made as a Micro-Influencer Balancing a 9-to-5”, sparked a tidal wave of questions. People wanted to know how I was able to earn so much money while being a relatively small creator.
TikTok’s short format didn’t allow me to dive into the level of detail I wanted, so I turned to YouTube. I thought I could funnel my TikTok audience over to my new channel and hit monetization quickly.
Spoiler alert: It didn’t work out the way I’d hoped.
The Slow Climb to 1,000 Subscribers
While I was lucky to start with about 500 subscribers in the first month (thanks to my TikTok audience), things slowed down after that initial boost. My watch hours, in particular, lagged behind.
I hit 1,000 subscribers at the 8-month mark, but I was nowhere near the required 4,000 watch hours. By November 2023—nearly two years into my journey—I had only racked up 1,090 watch hours for the year. At that point, I was seriously questioning whether I was cut out for YouTube.
The Turning Point
In December 2023, everything changed.
After months of experimenting with my content strategy, I posted a video titled “How Pinterest Changed My Life”. It started strong, but two weeks later, it shot up in views. That video not only brought in new watch hours but also boosted the performance of my older videos, creating a snowball effect.
Suddenly, my subscribers spiked, my watch hours flooded in, and I hit the requirements for the YouTube Partner Program just in time for my channel’s two-year anniversary.
How Much Did I Make in My First 30 Days?
Drumroll, please…
In my first 30 days of being monetized, YouTube paid me $636.
My first-ever YouTube paycheck, which included the last few days of December and my January earnings, totaled $668.
Breaking It Down
Here’s a closer look at my earnings:
- Highest-paying day: January 2nd, with $41.42 earned.
- Lowest-paying day: January 27th, with $8.12 earned.
- Main revenue source: The Pinterest video, which was my top performer during this period.
It’s worth noting that I was monetized just as that video’s popularity began to fade. If I’d been monetized earlier, I probably would’ve made even more.
Why Did I Earn More Than Most New YouTubers?
Most creators don’t earn this much in their first month of monetization. Here’s why my experience was different:
- A Spike in Views: That Pinterest video brought in about 80,000 views and 5,000 watch hours in a single month. This was far from normal for my channel at the time.
- My Niche: My channel focuses on business, entrepreneurship, and content creation—topics that tend to have higher RPMs (revenue per mille, or earnings per 1,000 ad views). My RPM for this period was $7.88, which has since increased to $18 as my niche has solidified.
If I had squeaked into the Partner Program with just enough watch hours to qualify (as many creators do), I likely would’ve earned only a fraction of this amount.
What Happened After the First Month?
After every high, there’s a fall.
In my second month of monetization, my earnings dropped to just under $250. While that’s still something to celebrate, it was a reminder that YouTube income can be unpredictable. My views had leveled out after the spike, and my earnings reflected that.
Can You Live Off AdSense Alone?
In short: not yet.
While $636 in my first 30 days was a great start, it’s clear that AdSense alone isn’t enough to sustain a full-time income—at least not for me. Most creators, myself included, rely on additional income streams like sponsorships, affiliate marketing, or selling products.
That being said, I’m incredibly grateful for what I’ve earned so far and excited to see how my channel grows in the future.
Final Thoughts on my YouTube Monetization Journey
My journey to YouTube monetization was anything but smooth. It took two years of trial and error, moments of doubt, and a lot of persistence. But crossing that threshold and earning my first paycheck was a huge milestone—and a sign that all the hard work was starting to pay off.
If you’re on your own journey to monetization, I hope my story inspires you to keep going. And if you want to hear from other creators about their experiences, be sure to check out my full video embedded above.
Here’s to the next milestone!
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