YouTube logo on phone | Photo by Szabo Viktor on Unsplash
YouTube is reporting some results from an assessment of its activities.
The platform noted significant growth in the number of channels generating more than $10,000 (R150,000) a year.
The past year was also punctuated by the success of Shorts. We take a closer look.
Up 40%. That’s the increase in the number of YouTube channels generating more than $10,000 a year in 2021, according to an open letter from YouTube’s CEO. The 40% increase was observed compared to the year 2020 and was drawn from all across the world. The exact number of channels in this category, however, has not yet been released.
Susan Wojcicki was enthusiastic about how the streaming platform was helping monetize content for its creators. Despite the pandemic, YouTube had a real impact in the world economy. More than 800,000 jobs were supported thanks to YouTube in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Korea, the United States, Japan, and in the European Union.
The head of the platform revealed these observations by referencing a series of reports published by Oxford Economics.
Wojcicki also hailed the success of Shorts, the short-form videos similar to those seen on TikTok. The tool has proved to be a big draw for viewers, with 5 trillion views being counted from its launch in 2020.
For 2022, the CEO is already betting on podcasts and NFTs, which are currently on the rise. YouTube fully intends to exploit their possibilities for its platform.
She said: “As podcast usage continues to grow, we expect it to be an integral part of the creator economy.”
This past week, YouTube unveiled the names of African creators who have been selected to join a global cohort of 135 from around the world in its flagship YouTube Black Voices Fund initiative.
According to YouTube, “the fund focuses on investing in black creators from around the world who are telling fresh and authentic stories.”
“While the group of creators from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa comes from varied professional, social and academic backgrounds, one common thread connects them all: the desire to make a difference in their communities and Africa through relatable and insightful content,” added YouTube.
As part of the YouTube Black Voices Fund Class of 2022, each of the 26 African YouTubers selected will receive seed funding alongside dedicated support to help them develop their channels.
They will also take part in bespoke and hands-on training, workshops and networking programmes.
Additional reporting by Kaunda Selisho
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