YouTube Shorts RPM Crashed? Why Creators Are Earning Almost Nothing
As a small content creator hustling day in and day out on YouTube Shorts, I’ve built my routine: daily posts, replying to every single comment, riding trends, and keeping everything family-friendly because, honestly, every cent of ad income counts. It’s never been a gold mine, but until July, the RPM (Revenue per Mille) was at least respectable. It felt like all those late nights editing and responding were paying off. Then, almost overnight as August rolled in, everything changed.
The RPM Crash: From “Decent Pay” to “Is This a Joke?”
Before the end of July, my YouTube Shorts RPM hovered between $7 and $9. Each viral short with anywhere from 100,000 to 200,000 views would bring in a nice $50, sometimes even $100 on a really good day. It wasn’t enough to replace a day job, but it helped pay for rent, groceries, and for the first time in my life, created the hope that maybe this could be something real.
But as soon as the calendar flipped to August, disaster struck.
My numbers were still strong—new Shorts were hitting 80k, 150k, and even 250k views. But the money just didn’t add up. In total, for all those videos and all that reach, I earned just $11.49.
I rechecked everything:
- Monetization was still enabled.
- No strikes, no copyright warnings, all-green across the YouTube Studio dashboard.
- Content was 100% advertiser-friendly.
- My traffic wasn’t suddenly 90% from non-monetizable countries — the top viewers were US, UK, India.
And yet: my RPM had collapsed to $0.45. That’s not one bad day — that’s a total decimation. For perspective, I was earning less than I did before Shorts monetization even launched. At first, I honestly thought it was a glitch, a reporting fog, a bad data sync. But after two days, then three, nothing changed.
Am I Alone? Nope. The Community Is Screaming
Like anyone desperate for answers, I hit Reddit and Twitter/X. What I found nearly made me sigh with relief—misery loves company, right? Post after post, creators were saying:
- “RPM went from $12 to $1 overnight. Anyone else?”
- “I have 300k+ views and made $3.98 since August 1st. Something’s totally broken.”
- “My Shorts income just disappeared. Is this a new policy?”
And it’s not just small creators. Major channels with millions of subscribers reported 70–90% drops in Shorts RPM starting August 1st, 2025. Some even showed their analytics graph literally going flat, as if revenue had completely switched off.
What Might Actually Be Causing This?
YouTube, in classic form, hasn’t made an official statement (yet). All we’ve got is speculation from frustrated creators and data-nerds on forums. Here are the main (unofficial) theories bouncing around:
- Payment Calculation Bug:
Many think this is a backend bug—either a delay or a reporting issue in how RPM is displayed. This happened before with the main Partner Program in early 2024, where actual revenue caught up after a lag. - Sudden Ad Inventory Drop:
It’s true, August is a slow ad month in many markets, but that explains a dip, not a complete nosedive. Some believe YouTube may have quietly tweaked the ad split for Shorts, leaving creators in the dark. - A Stealth Monetization Update:
Others suspect YouTube is testing a new model or stricter rules for which Shorts qualify for revenue, maybe linked to retention, originality, or video format. - A System-Wide Bug:
The most likely scenario is a technical problem, affecting thousands (even millions) of Shorts creators at once.
My Analytics: “Everything Is Up — Except My Income”
Just to keep it real, here’s what my typical numbers looked like for July and the first few days of August:
| Metric | July Avg | Aug 1–5 Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Views | 120k/day | 135k/day |
| RPM | $8.21 | $0.73 |
| Revenue | $68.12 | $9.45 |
| Sub Gain | +112 | +139 |
So, views and new subs are up. Videos are hitting. The only thing nosediving—hard—is the RPM, the very measure determining whether this side hustle can someday be a real job.
What I’ve Tried (And What’s Actually Worth Doing)
If you’re riding this same nightmare, here’s what I suggest:
1. File a Report With YouTube Support
It can feel like shouting into a hurricane, but numbers matter—even to YouTube. Document your problem:
- Go to YouTube Studio → Help → Send Feedback.
- Attach screenshots comparing July and August RPM, view counts, and revenue.
- Reference the “RPM bug affecting Shorts from August 1st.”
If thousands of creators log cases, YouTube has to notice. Even if it doesn’t fix the income today, it speeds up visibility.
2. Cross-check Desktop vs. Mobile Studio
Oddly, some creators see different numbers on mobile versus desktop Studio. Cross-verify both—sometimes one UI updates faster than the other, or is less broken.
3. Don’t Stop Posting Consistently
This advice is tough to follow, but crucial: Keep making Shorts. If this is a reporting glitch (and yes, that’s likely), YouTube has historically paid retroactively. If you quit now, you might lose your audience and momentum — and not get the owed revenue even after a fix.
4. Diversify — Add More Revenue Streams
Don’t put all your eggs in YouTube’s basket right now. Options:
- Drop affiliate links or sponsorships in pinned Shorts comments.
- Focus on longer-form videos for a higher CPM.
- Drive your following to Instagram, Threads, Ko-fi, or newsletters.
- Offer digital downloads, tutorials, or consulting sessions if you have an engaged, niche audience.
What Hurts Most
What’s soul-crushing isn’t just the money (though, yeah, rent is real and bills need to be paid). It’s the silence. YouTube could say “Sorry, we know Shorts RPM is down, hang on while we fix it.” But for now, creators are left guessing and worrying, with entire online communities erupting over what feels like a digital rug pull.
If This Is You—Don’t Blame Yourself
It’s so easy to spiral and start doubting your own work. I thought maybe I wasn’t “ad-friendly,” or maybe my videos suddenly sucked. The truth: this isn’t your fault. The evidence is everywhere—creators of all sizes, across all types of content, in top-tier ad markets, all getting the same result. To stay updated on monetization policies and any known technical issues, visit the YouTube Help Center – Shorts Monetization Guide for official documentation and troubleshooting tips.
Final Thoughts from Someone in the Trenches
YouTube Shorts gave hope to thousands of small creators when RPMs were finally stable and fair. This bug, policy change, or inventory glitch feels like a betrayal, especially to those just starting to feel secure. Yet, if there’s one comfort, it’s in community. The flood of posts, screenshots, and creator support reminds me that nobody’s alone here.
Keep documenting. Keep speaking up. Keep making Shorts, but also, take care of yourself. This platform has changed before, and it will again — but we’re always stronger (and louder) together.
If YouTube finally speaks up, or this changes, I’ll update everyone. Until then, don’t refresh your RPM every five minutes. It hurts. Focus on your craft, and let the numbers catch up when YouTube does.
If you’re also struggling with disappearing views, especially on short-form content, you might want to check out this deep dive into why Instagram Reels views dropped for so many creators.
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