[FAQ]

Hey everyone,

So my channel finally got monetized a couple of months ago, which is super exciting! I’ve been digging into the YouTube Studio analytics to understand the revenue side of things, but I’m a bit confused.

I see both “CPM” and “RPM” and the numbers are different. My CPM seems okay, but the amount that I actually see as my estimated revenue doesn’t always match up with what I expect from that number. I think this means RPM is the number I should be watching, but I’m not 100% sure.

For those of you who have been doing this for a while, which metric do you focus on more for tracking what the channel is really earning?

[Jeff Bullas]

Good question.

Short Answer: RPM is the more important metric for you to track. It represents your actual earnings per 1,000 views after YouTube takes its cut and includes all your monetisation sources.

Focusing on the types of content you create is the most effective way to optimise this key metric for revenue growth.

CPM, or Cost Per Mille, is an advertiser-focused metric; it’s the amount advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions on the platform before YouTube’s revenue share is deducted. RPM, or Revenue Per Mille, is the creator-focused metric that matters most to your bottom line. It shows your total revenue from all sources—including ads, channel memberships, and Super Thanks—after YouTube’s cut, divided by your total number of views. To increase your RPM, you should analyse your content strategy. Firstly, videos longer than eight minutes that can accommodate mid-roll ads tend to have a higher RPM than shorter videos. Secondly, content that appeals to demographics in high-value locations or covers lucrative topics like finance and technology will attract higher-paying ads, directly boosting your RPM. Finally, creating content formats that build a strong community, like regular live streams or exclusive member videos, will encourage viewers to support you through other revenue streams, increasing your overall RPM beyond just ad performance.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Author]

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