Hey there! It’s Flor here, coming to you from my little corner of the internet in New York City. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’m all about transparency when it comes to the creator economy. Today, I’m pulling back the curtain on something many creators have been curious about: YouTube Shorts monetization.
It’s been exactly six months since YouTube started allowing creators to earn money from ads displayed before Shorts. So, I figured it was the perfect time to break down exactly how much I’ve earned, what worked, what didn’t, and whether Shorts monetization is actually worth your time.
The Video Breakdown
Before we dive into the numbers, check out my detailed video where I walk through all the stats month by month:
My Shorts Strategy Going In
When YouTube announced they’d start monetizing Shorts in February 2023, I decided to go all in. My approach was twofold:
- Consistency: I aimed to upload two Shorts every single day in February (spoiler: I actually did it!)
- Repurposing: I took content from my Instagram Reels, TikToks, and even chopped up some of my long-form videos
But here’s the thing—I wasn’t actually expecting to make much money. My primary goal was to reach new audiences, particularly Gen Z viewers who prefer short-form content, and hopefully convert them into subscribers. Any revenue would just be a bonus.
The Month-by-Month Breakdown
February 2023: Going All Out
- Uploads: 56 Shorts (2 per day!)
- Views: 23,200
- Shown in feed: 75,700 times
- Likes: 512
- New subscribers: 51
- Revenue: $1.35
February was my most consistent month. I pre-scheduled two Shorts every single day, which was honestly exhausting but I wanted to see what maximum effort would yield. The result? Just enough for half a subway ride in NYC (current fare: $2.90).
My top performers were surprisingly random: a clip of someone biking on Fifth Avenue, a close-up of my hair bun, and footage from our Maldives honeymoon/babymoon. Each of these earned between 8-20 cents.
March 2023: Slowing Down
- Uploads: Started with 2 per day, then tapered to 1 every few days
- Views: 10,100
- Shown in feed: 31,200 times
- Likes: 215
- New subscribers: 20
- Revenue: $0.50
In March, I couldn’t maintain the February pace. I uploaded consistently for the first nine days, then scaled back significantly. The results were pretty proportional—roughly half the views and subscribers compared to February.
April 2023: The Slump
- Uploads: Only 2 (for the entire month!)
- Views: 585
- Shown in feed: 1,500 times
- Likes: 12
- New subscribers: 1
- Revenue: $0.02
April was… well, a disaster in terms of consistency. I focused on my long-form content and only managed to upload two Shorts. The payoff? Two pennies. You could literally find more money on the sidewalk.
May 2023: Attempting Recovery
- Uploads: 12 Shorts
- Views: 1,400
- Shown in feed: 5,200 times
- Likes: 47
- New subscribers: 1
- Revenue: $0.07
In May, I tried to get back on track with about one Short every 2-3 days. But I was starting to notice something: the competition was intensifying. More creators had caught on to Shorts monetization, meaning more content was flooding the platform, making it harder for individual Shorts to get traction.
June 2023: Life Happens
- Uploads: 5 Shorts
- Views: 497
- Shown in feed: 1,300 times
- Likes: 12
- New subscribers: 0
- Revenue: $0.03
June was a challenging month personally. My family and I traveled to Argentina so our daughter could meet relatives and friends, but then we all got sick. Working was the last thing on my mind, and it showed in my output across all platforms. For the first time, I gained zero new subscribers from Shorts.
July 2023: The Taylor Swift Effect
- Uploads: About 10-12 Shorts
- Views: 18,800
- Shown in feed: 37,900 times
- Likes: 900
- New subscribers: 22
- Revenue: $1.41
July turned things around dramatically! I started posting Shorts about my experience at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert in New Jersey, and they absolutely took off. My top performer, a clip from «The Man,» reached 7,000 views during July (and has since grown to over 20,000). This became my highest-earning month, though still just $1.41.
The Grand Total
After six months, here’s the shocking bottom line:
- Total uploads: 87 Shorts
- Total views: 54,600
- Total shown in feed: 152,900 times
- Total likes: 1,700
- Total new subscribers: 95
- Total revenue: $3.39
That’s right—just $3.39 for half a year of work and over 54,000 views. That’s barely enough for a coffee in NYC, let alone a meaningful income stream.
Is YouTube Shorts Monetization Worth It?
Now for the million-dollar question (well, the $3.39 question): Is Shorts monetization worth your time?
If you’re in it primarily for the money, I’d have to say no. The math just doesn’t add up. Even if you managed to get 100,000 views on every Short (which is ambitious) and earned roughly $7 per Short based on my RPM, you’d need to post daily for a month to make around $200. And that’s assuming consistent viral performance.
The RPM (revenue per mille) for Shorts is significantly lower than for long-form YouTube content. This isn’t surprising—Shorts ads are shorter and less engaging than the multiple mid-roll ads you can place in longer videos.
My Current Shorts Philosophy
Thankfully, YouTube ads aren’t my primary income source (I’ve done separate videos breaking down my multiple revenue streams as a creator—links in the description!). This allows me to approach Shorts with a different mindset:
- Audience Building: I use Shorts to reach new people, especially younger viewers who might not discover my long-form content otherwise
- Minimal Extra Work: I only repurpose content I’ve already created for Instagram Reels or TikTok
- Subscriber Acquisition: For me, gaining those 95 new subscribers was more valuable than the $3.39 earned
Final Thoughts
While the monetary returns from Shorts have been laughably small so far, I’m still planning to continue posting them—but with realistic expectations. If you’re a creator weighing whether to invest time in Shorts, I’d recommend viewing them as a discovery tool rather than a revenue stream.
That said, the platform is still evolving. As YouTube continues to refine its Shorts monetization, we might see improvements in RPM over time. For now, I’m treating any actual earnings as a nice bonus to the real value: finding new followers who connect with my content.
I’d love to hear about your experience with YouTube Shorts! Are you a creator who’s seen different results? A viewer who discovered a new favorite creator through Shorts? Drop a comment below and let’s chat!
Until next time, Flor 💕
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