Finding thanks in difficulty (Patreon)

YouTube is a fickle thing, especially when it comes to add revenue. More so lately than normal.

Some back-end information for you guys: A lot goes into deciding a channel's CPM or Cost Per Mille (that is, how much you get paid per thousand views...roughly). This number is based on all sorts of things including the individual channel, the category the channel is in, various demographics, past success with ads and in general just how much companies are willing to pay to be on a video. Heck even how many ad slots there are in a video matter.

Taken as a whole across YouTube average CPM is highest around the holiday shopping season, and then begins to decline before settling into an average, then increasing again for the next holiday shopping season.

However more recently (as in the past year or so) a lot more can affect this drastically including shenanigans from dumb content creators (i.e. Logan Paul and such) and also by YouTube itself.

Regardless of why, lately YouTube ad revenue has been down for much of YouTube as a whole (perhaps COVID related). First reported by other channels I dug in and sure enough I've seen a pretty sharp decline, actually having a new record low CPM (I wasn't ad ready on YouTube when Logan Paul did his stupid stuff so I've only seen my numbers post those changes).

What does that mean for the channel?

Well, nothing really except that I am once again reminded how lucky I am to have you guys. It frees me even more than I already was from desiring to chase the views or the ever moving target that is YouTube ad revenue. Does that revenue help? Of course it does and I always put it to very good use (I have a separate account just for YT money where it's all invested right back into the channel). But it can ebb and flow as it wishes and I can still be confident in all of you. This means while other channels might freak out a bit I don't have to say, go and cancel some KS pledges in response to this which is fantastic.

Really though, you guys make a world of difference and I am incredibly thankful to have you all here. You guys make more of the content on this channel possible than perhaps you know.

Because I always like to share some stuff that's going on I felt I'd share with you guys before anyone else my plans for a painting video series:

The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Miniature Painting

• Paints
• Brushes
• Lighting
• Holders
• Wet Palettes
• Cleaning/Prepping
• Varnish
• Primer
• Thinning
• Basic techniques
• etc.

So what do you think? I'd love to know which one you're most interested in!