New sources of income for youtubers

Time invested in content production

Producing quality videos is a real investment of time and resources for a YouTuber. It must select a relevant subject, conduct thorough research while avoiding plagiarism, verifying the accuracy of information based on reliable and verifiable sources. This phase often involves reading specialized articles, consulting experts or testing products to ensure the authenticity of the content. Then there are the stages of filming, editing and post-production, which can extend over several hours, or even several days. Moreover, in order to stand out, it is often necessary to invest in professional hardware such as a camera, a microphone or even high-performance editing software.

The constraints related to the algorithm

The YouTube algorithm is a key element for ensuring the visibility of a channel. It favours videos with a good click-through rate (CTR) and a high viewing time. To remain relevant, it is essential to publish regularly, with attractive titles and engaging miniatures. SEO optimization (titles, descriptions, tags, etc.) plays a key role, as does the interactions of viewers. A video that receives a lot of likes, comments and shares will be favored by the algorithm. Conversely, a lack of coherence or frequency can quickly cause a chain to fall.

Find collaborations and partnerships

Beyond advertising revenues, collaborations with brands are an important source of monetization. However, approaching companies and negotiating contracts takes time and a good communication strategy. It is crucial to choose partnerships aligned with one's audience to maintain credibility and the engagement of one's subscribers.

The requirements for monetisation and advertising

Access to monetization on YouTube is governed by strict criteria. It takes up 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of viewing over the last 12 months to join the YouTube Partner Programme. In addition, videos must comply with the rules of content suitable for advertisers, otherwise demonetization will be carried out. This means avoiding polemical issues, shocking talk or content that may be deemed inappropriate.

The Race in Views

YouTube has become a compelling world for entertainment, information and education. Yet, behind the explosion of available content, a worrying trend is emerging: more and more creators are moving away from authenticity to formatted content to generate views and please the platform’s algorithm. The more views, likes, shares and comments a video is, the more likely it is to be recommended. This system encourages creators to optimize their content not according to their intrinsic value, but rather according to what attracts the most attention.

Under performance pressure, many YouTubers are moving towards content that is not always relevant, but is sure to attract the audience. This leads to a depletion of the content in favour of quantity. Subscribers, on the other hand, are often locked into a video consumption spiral which, although distracting, does not always bring them real value.

There is a wealth of enriching content on YouTube. Educational channels, lectures, tutorials or documentaries can provide valuable information on a variety of topics ranging from science to the arts and personal development. However, these content is not always highlighted by the algorithm, which is often more inclined to give priority to what arouses immediate commitment.