Why does my son's popular video have high views but no revenue?

One possible explanation for the lack of revenue could be the geographical location of the viewers. Some countries have much lower CPM (Cost Per Mille) rates, which means that even if the video has a lot of views, the revenue generated could be minimal or nonexistent if the majority of views come from those lower-paying regions.

Sometimes, there may be delays in the revenue reporting system. YouTube's algorithms can take time to process new data, especially after a video suddenly gains a lot of traction. However, it’s concerning that this delay is lasting over a week without any revenue updates.

It’s also important to keep an eye on YouTube Analytics to compare monetized playbacks against total views. If a lot of views are coming from sources that do not generate ad revenue, that could explain why the earnings have not increased, despite a spike in viewership.

Another factor to consider is the type of ads being served on the video. The number of monetized playbacks can significantly impact revenue. If a large portion of views comes from users who are not part of the target audience for ads (like premium YouTube members or users with ad blockers), it can lead to zero ad impressions despite high view counts.

You should double-check the video settings. If the video is inadvertently marked as 'made for kids,' it may restrict the types of ads that can be shown, resulting in fewer or no ad impressions. It's crucial to ensure that the monetization settings are correctly configured.