YouTube Earnings Transparency: My 2022 Revenue as a Small Creator

Hey there, friends!

Today I’m pulling back the curtain on something that many content creators are hesitant to discuss openly: money. Specifically, how much money YouTube actually paid me in 2022 with a small channel of under 2,000 subscribers.

I believe in transparency, especially when it comes to the realities of being a content creator. There are so many misconceptions about making money online, and I want to share my genuine experience to help anyone who might be considering starting their own channel or who’s in the early stages of their YouTube journey.

Quick disclaimer: My voice sounds a bit different in this video because I was dealing with a cold/allergy situation when filming. Not my usual tone, but we’ll roll with it!

The Video Breakdown

Before diving into the blog content, check out my full video where I walk through my month-by-month earnings and share all the analytics:

My YouTube Journey: Quick Background

For those who are new here, I’m Flor, a full-time content creator in my thirties living in New York City. I started this channel back in October 2020, posting weekly content about my life in NYC, behind-the-scenes of being an influencer, and topics I’m passionate about like books and lifestyle.

After about six months of consistent uploads, I reached monetization in June 2021. That means 2022 was my first full year of earning money through YouTube ads.

What It Takes To Get Monetized

Before I share my exact figures, let me quickly explain the requirements for monetization on YouTube (in case you’re not familiar):

You need 1,000 subscribers
Plus EITHER 4,000 hours of public watch time on long-form videos in the past 365 days OR 10 million public shorts views in the past 90 days

I have separate videos diving deeper into how I reached those first 1,000 subscribers and my initial monetization journey (I’ll link those at the bottom of this post).

My 2022 Channel Stats Overview

At the start of 2022, I had 1,572 subscribers. By the end of the year, I had grown to 1,972 subscribers. So overall, I gained 400 new subscribers throughout the year.

Total 2022 stats:

55,600 views
2,800 watch time hours
402 new subscribers

The Big Reveal: My 2022 YouTube Earnings

So how much did YouTube pay me in 2022 with my small channel?

Drum roll please…

$168.76

Yes, that’s the grand total for the entire year.

Monthly Breakdown & Life Events That Impacted My Channel

Now, let me walk you through how this played out month by month, because my life circumstances definitely influenced my content output and earnings:

January & February 2022: The Reset Months

January: $2.63 (766 views)
February: $2.96 (591 views)

I didn’t upload any new videos during these months. We had just moved from Germany back to New York, and I also visited Argentina (my home country) for about a month. These were planning months for the year ahead, plus organizing our new apartment.

Despite not uploading anything new, my previous videos—especially my NYC apartment tour from November 2020—continued to generate views. This is the power of evergreen content!

March 2022: The Comeback

March: $28.21 (6,800 views, 75 new subscribers)

This was my big comeback month! I uploaded EIGHT videos—ambitious, I know. I was posting twice weekly, including a Munich apartment tour and a 4-part series about our NYC apartment hunting process.

The views jumped significantly compared to the previous months, showing the impact of consistent, new content.

April-June 2022: First Trimester Challenges

April: $30.01 (6,700 views)
May: $19.27 (4,200 views)
June: $16.68 (3,500 views)

Plot twist! I got pregnant in March, and the first trimester hit me HARD. Nausea and extreme fatigue made it difficult to film and edit. I managed only 2 videos each month during this period.

Despite the reduced content output, April actually became my highest-earning month because the apartment hunting series from March continued performing well.

July-August 2022: Second Trimester Revival

July: $18.83 (4,400 views)
August: $14.89 (3,900 views)

Feeling better in my second trimester, I was able to upload 5 videos each month. July was also when we announced my pregnancy! Finally being able to share this news meant I could be more open about my experience and show my growing bump in videos.

My Munich apartment tour continued to be my top-performing video, but my «How to Attend Fashion Week» video posted in August quickly became a strong performer too.

September-October 2022: The Shorts Experiment

September: $15.58 (7,300 views)
October: $8.84 (13,900 views)

I experimented with YouTube Shorts during these months, repurposing some of my Instagram Reels content. I was posting 5-6 videos weekly, most being shorts. This strategy significantly increased my views (especially in October), but the revenue dropped because Shorts weren’t monetized yet at that time.

My goal with Shorts was to grow my subscriber base rather than immediate monetization, and it did help bring in new subscribers.

November-December 2022: Maternity Leave

November: $6.19 (1,800 views)
December: $4.69 (1,700 views)

My daughter Julia was born on November 10th (three weeks early!), which naturally meant my content creation came to a halt. I essentially took November through January as my maternity leave—learning how to be a parent and healing physically took priority.

Even without new uploads, my channel still generated views and a small amount of income thanks to those evergreen videos from earlier in the year.

My Thoughts on These Earnings

Let’s be real—$168.76 for an entire year isn’t going to pay the bills. But considering I was completely absent from the platform for multiple months due to first trimester sickness and then giving birth, I don’t think it’s terrible for a small channel.

What I learned is the importance of creating «evergreen» content that continues to attract viewers months or even years after publication. My apartment tours and guides consistently generated views regardless of when I last posted.

Balancing Content Types for Long-Term Success

Based on my 2022 experience, I’ve found that a successful YouTube strategy includes a mix of:

Evergreen content – Topics people will search for regardless of when they were published (apartment tours, how-to guides, etc.)
Timely content – Vlogs and day-in-the-life videos that keep your current subscribers engaged
Experimental content – Trying new formats (like Shorts) to reach different audiences

Moving Forward: Lessons Learned

If I could go back and give myself advice, I would emphasize:

Batch content when feeling well (especially important during pregnancy!)
Create more evergreen videos that have staying power
Be consistent but also kind to yourself when life throws curveballs
Diversify income streams beyond just YouTube ad revenue

Is It Worth It?

Many people ask if creating YouTube content is «worth it» financially when you’re small. My honest answer is: not if you’re only looking at ad revenue. The $168.76 I earned breaks down to mere cents per hour of work I put into filming and editing.

However, YouTube has brought me incredible opportunities beyond direct ad revenue: brand partnerships, networking connections, and a platform to share my passions. These «indirect» benefits have been far more valuable than the ad revenue itself.

Final Thoughts

If you’re thinking about starting a YouTube channel, I hope this transparency about my earnings helps set realistic expectations. The financial returns at the beginning are modest, but the platform offers so much more than just ad revenue.

Success on YouTube is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time to build an audience and create content that resonates. But if you’re passionate about creating and sharing, the community you build can be incredibly rewarding.

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Were you surprised by how much (or little) a small YouTube channel earns? Are you considering starting your own channel? Drop a comment below or reach out on Instagram.

And of course, if you haven’t already, I’d be thrilled if you subscribed to my channel for more behind-the-scenes content, NYC vlogs, and transparent conversations about content creation.

Until next time!

Flor 💕

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Flor

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