How many subscribers do you need to earn a living on YouTube?

I know someone who makes well over $100,000 a year with only 100,000 to 150,000 subscribers. His secret? He uploads every day and maintains excellent viewer retention, averaging 50,000 to 70,000 views per video. His CPM (Cost Per Mille) was around $3, but he also streamed on Twitch, which made up a significant portion of his income. This shows that consistent content creation and diversifying your platforms can really help boost your earnings.

There are numerous factors that influence how much you can earn on YouTube. For instance, your audience demographics can significantly affect your RPM (Revenue Per Mille). Channels targeting wealthier nations tend to earn more because advertisers are willing to pay a premium to reach those viewers. Additionally, the type of content matters; finance-related channels often have higher RPMs compared to entertainment or gaming channels.

At 16.6k subscribers, I can confidently say that I'm making more now than I ever have in my life through a combination of ad revenue and affiliate marketing. This highlights that subscriber count isn't the sole determinant of income; it's really about how you leverage your channel and the partnerships you form.