How Much Does YouTube Pay in Kenya?

YouTube is one of the world’s most popular social media networks.

Since its launch in Kenya in 2011, many people have joined the platform as content creators, while others join as viewers. 

For most Kenyan content creators, YouTube is an additional source of income. Besides their day job, they create YouTube content and earn from it. Others have gone further and turned YouTube content creation into their full-time job.

So, how much does YouTube pay in Kenya? And is it enough to sustain a livelihood?

This article discusses Kenyan YouTube content creators’ earning potential. Let’s get started.

How Much Does Youtube Pay in Kenya?

According to statistics from Kenyan YouTubers, 1000 views on the platform typically pay between KSH 100 and KSH 200. For 1 million views, a content creator can expect to earn KSH 200,000 or more.

How to Set up a YouTube Channel

Setting up your YouTube channel in Kenya is a pretty simple process.

  1. First, you need to have a google account. If you need a new one, you can create it by visiting google.com on your browser. 
  2. At the window’s top right corner, click on “sign in.”
  3. If you already have a Google account, open your browser and click “youtube” at the top left corner. This will take you to the youtube site.
  4. On the youtube site, in the top right corner, click on your google account profile picture. A drop-down menu will appear with a list of options.
  5. Click on “create a channel,” which will take you to an edit channel screen. Here you will need to upload a profile picture and enter a name for your channel. Alternatively, you can choose to retain the present name and profile picture.
  6. Update other settings. These include where to upload new videos, who can watch your uploaded content,  and many others.

After setting up your channel, you can create exciting and engaging content and post it on the global platform.

When Do You Start Making Money via YouTube?

Having created a YouTube channel and published your first video, your channel must fulfill some requirements to earn from it.

They include;

  1. Four Thousand Watch Hours

Watch hours are measured by the time your viewers spend watching your content, not how long a video is. If you upload high-quality and engaging content, getting to the 4000-hour mark gets easier.

In addition, you must attain the hours in one year. Any hours gathered more than one year ago are not included in calculating the total hours for monetization eligibility.

  1. One Thousand Subscribers

You must have at least one thousand subscribers to get monetized on Youtube. Posting high-quality and engaging content also helps you gain more subscribers fast.

  1. Apply for Monetisation

Even if you have at least a thousand subscribers and 4,000 watch hours, you still won’t make money. You have to apply for monetization to get paid as a YouTuber.

Once your application is accepted, you can join the YouTube Partner Program and earn from your videos.

How Do You Earn Money from YouTube?

After getting accepted into the YouTube Partner Program, you need to create an AdSense account and link it to your YouTube account to earn money and get paid.

Here are the steps to create and link a new AdSense account to your channel

  1. Sign in to your youtube studio.
  2. Click the monetization tab on the left menu.
  3. On the sign-up for google AdSense card, click start.
  4. Enter your youtube account password.
  5. Choose the google account you would like to use for AdSense.
  6. Verify your email address.
  7. Provide all the required contact information and submit your AdSense application.

AdSense will inform you via email once your application gets approved. This can take several days. Once approved, your AdSense account becomes active.

Adsense earnings are measured based on Revenue Per Mille

Revenue Per Mille (RPM) Explained

RPM is the estimated revenue you earn for every 1000 views. It varies depending on various factors.

For example, if you rely on Adsense to monetize your videos, your RPM will be between ksh.100 to ksh.200. But if you are promoting other brands, like companies, the RPM can get to more than Ksh. 2000.

It’s important to note that RPM varies from industry to industry. Some have very high rates, while others have lower rates.

If your videos get organic traffic from the USA and Canada, you will have RPM as high as ksh.500

How to Increase Your RPM

RPM is not a constant rate. As such, you can increase it. To grow it, you can do the following:

  1. Create exciting, high-quality content.
  2. Create content for a specific target audience.
  3. Use relevant and appropriate keywords in your titles and descriptions.

Who Are the Most-Paid Kenyan Youtubers?

Many Kenyans have mastered the art of making more money on Youtube. Here are some of the highest-paid Kenyan YouTubers.

  1. Timothy Kimani (Njugush TV)

Timothy Kimani, famously known as Njugush, is one of the highest-paid Kenyan content creators. He does a lot of comedy content, featuring his wife, Celestine, in most of them.

In addition, his channel also has another insightful program, Cele’s Reflection, that is hosted by his wife.

His channel has 602,000 subscribers and over 98 million views. He earns approximately Ksh. 1 million every month from it.

Njugush has also partnered with several major brands in addition to producing his content. This also makes him a good amount of money.

  1. Crazy Kennar (Tales of Crazy Kennar)

Kennedy Odhiambo, famously known as Crazy Kennar, is among the most-paid YouTubers. He is a young and fast-rising comedian who works with a team of other creators to create comedy videos.

His channel has a total of 543,000 subscribers and over 137 million views. And his monthly earnings range between ksh.600,000 and Ksh. 1.5 million.

  1. Mungai Eve

Mungai Eve’s channel is focused on providing entertainment by uncovering stories from first-hand sources.

Her channel has a total of 635,000 subscribers and over 117 million views. On average, she earns between ksh.700,000 and Ksh. 1.5 million every month.

  1. Sauti Sol

This is a Kenyan-based music group with four members; Bien, Chimano, Polycarp, and Savara.

Their channel has over 971,000 subscribers and over 263 million views. And they earn over Ksh. 4.5 million monthly from the video streaming platform.

How much YouTube pays according to video views in Kenya?

Here is a table showing potential youtube earnings for Kenyan youtube content creators.

The number of ViewsEstimated Amount of Income
1,000 viewsKsh.100
10,000 viewsKsh.1,000
20,000 viewsKsh.2,500
50,000 viewsKsh.7,000
100,000 viewsKsh.15,000
200,000 viewsKsh.30,000
500,000 views Ksh.70,000
1,000,000 viewsKsh.150,000
2,000,000 viewsKsh.300,000

The amount you can make is not pegged at 2 million views. If you have more video views, the amount of money you make increases.

Final Take on How Much YouTube Pays in Kenya

YouTube has proven to be a steady source of income for many content creators in Kenya. Most of the highest-paid YouTubers make millions monthly from the video streaming platform.

You can also make a living as a full-time content creator. All you may need is to

  1. Follow the steps of creating a youtube account highlighted above. 
  2. Ensure you create high-quality, engaging content that draws in and retains your audience.
  3. Once you’ve attained the monetization requirements, apply for it.

Henceforth, you earn from your videos based on the number of views they receive.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the monthly salary of a Kenyan YouTuber?

There is no specific amount that a YouTuber makes monthly. It all depends on the view count you have achieved in that month.
A YouTuber can earn more than 1 million Kenyan shillings a month.

Is there a limit to how much I can get paid by YouTube?

No. There is no limit. The more views your videos receive, the more money you can make. And your Transfers will get paid the whole amount.

Does YouTube pay based on the number of subscribers?

YouTube doesn’t pay you according to the number of subscribers. The essence of subscribers is to have people following your account to access your videos in the future easily. Just that.

Does YouTube pay through Mpesa?

No. YouTube does not pay via Mpesa. The payment methods available include
Checks, Wire Transfers, Electronic Funds Transfers, Rapida For Kenyan YouTubers.

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