How Much I Made My First Year Monetized on YouTube (The Honest Truth)

How much does YouTube actually pay a small youtube channel? After one full year in the YouTube Partner Program, I'm sharing my real YouTube earnings, AdSense revenue, RPM, CPM, and what I learned during my first year monetized. After one full year of being monetized, I finally sat down to look at my YouTube earnings—and let's just say they weren't exactly what many people expect. In this video I'm sharing: • My total YouTube AdSense earnings after one year • What surprised me the most • Why views don't always equal income • How affiliate income compares to YouTube ads • Whether YouTube monetization has been worth it • Advice I'd give to new creators working toward monetization If you're thinking about starting a YouTube channel or you're working toward your first 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours, I hope this honest breakdown helps set realistic expectations while encouraging you to keep creating. I truly believe every creator's journey is different, and this is simply my experience after my first year in the YouTube Partner Program. If you enjoy honest creator content alongside Disney vlogs, travel tips, and mom life, I'd love to have you subscribe! MY FAVORITE DISNEY RESOURCES ✨ Free Disney Packing List: (Insert your Google Drive link) 🛍 Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/its.laurennicole 🎒 Disney Park Bag Essentials: https://www.amazon.com/shop/its.laurennicole/list/U1M89JG2AOGC 🎢 Disney Trip Essentials: (Add your list) 💜 Follow Along Instagram: https://instagram.com/its.laurennicole TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@its.laurennicole Facebook: (Add Facebook link) Substack: (Add Substack) LTK: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/Lauren_Joya 🏰 Hi friends! I’m Lauren-If you're a Disney loving adult, let's be friends! I am a lover of all things Disney and I travel to Disney World multiple times a year with my preschooler Lucia. On my channel I share a lot of travel tips and Disney content as well as a little Disney humor sprinkled in between Be sure to like and subscribe for more Disney adventures! ✨ On this channel, you’ll find: • Disney World vlogs & park days • Cruise vlogs (hello, Disney Cruise Line!) • Packing tips & must-haves for Disney moms • Budget-friendly travel tips + planning hacks • Mom life + travel with kids (featuring Lucia!) Whether you’re planning your next trip or just need a little Disney fix, you’re in the right place. New videos every Sunday and Wednesday —make sure to subscribe and come along for the magic! for business inquiries please contact itslaurennicole@yahoo.com favorite travel agent website: https://www.flyakitevacations.com/ 🛍️ SHOP + FREEBIES Shop my Amazon Storefront: 👉 https://urlgeni.us/amazon/euo7eS Download my FREE Disney Cruise Packing Guide:https://shorturl.at/MaKpq Shop my looks on LTK: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/Lauren_Joya Shop my poshmark:https://poshmark.com/closet/laurennicole630 💕 LET’S BE FRIENDS Instagram:its.laurennicole TikTok: its.laurennicole Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575155159442 🎵where I get my music- https://share.epidemicsound.com/iuxdmk ✨ Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe! ________ ✨ FTC DISCLAIMER This video is not sponsored. Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase through them—at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting my channel! 00:00 Introduction 01:00 How long did it take? 02:37 How did I do it 04:01 challenges 04:59 Breaking it down by Month 11:20 Final number 11:45 Recap of how much per month 12:32 Best Performing vlogs 13:05 Expenses to make it happen 14:35 Why do I make youtube content 16:34 Final Tips for new vloggers