What are the 11 most profitable YouTube channels? Do you remember the days when people were complaining that Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) paid a mindboggling $1.6 billion for Youtube? Nowadays Facebook is paying more than 10 times that for a smartphone app. YouTube has definitely changed the online landscape. From being a platform to post any type of video media freely, it has become one of the most booming businesses online. Today a lot of video websites try to emulate the success that YouTube has. However, in terms of popularity YouTube is unrivaled. The most significant thing that YouTube has done in recent memory is to give people the opportunity for a career and fame. YouTubers are considered as one of the highest earning people online and many are trying their hand at creating their own channel to try and emulate the others’ success.
Depending on your viewpoint, you can even count YouTube as a contender for the 5 Most Profitable Online Businesses You Can Start Today. The competition however is very tough nowadays with more and more people starting their careers through the website. One of the main reasons YouTubers earn well is because of ads. They get paid depending on how many people view their videos as well a how many interact with their videos via subscribing, liking and commenting.
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Insider Monkey has compiled information from the data website Social Blade and the YouTube Money Calculator to give you an accurate ranking of 11 most profitable YouTube Channels. We ranked these channels based on an estimated channel/video views. The exact figures earned by these websites are a function of their video impressions. Our revenue estimates are extremely conservative as we assumed that these channels earned revenue only from banner ads. We didn’t take into account video ads which have much higher CPMs. We also didn’t consider ancillary revenues obtained when these viewers visited each channel’s other websites or purchased merchandise sold by these channels. Sites with more subscribers are likely to repeat their strong performance in the future. Let’s find out more about the 11 most profitable YouTube channels.
11. News
BBC – Over 2.7 Billion Views
Overall Earnings $3-9 Million
News has been one of the things that have been really changed because of sites like YouTube. BBC has the most subscribers in this category providing the network additional revenue.
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10. Instructional Videos
Expert Village – Over 3 Billion Views
Overall Earnings $4-10 Million
Instructional Videos are one of the convenient things that was bought about by YouTube. This appeals a lot to people who are interested in learning new stuff as well as figuring out how to do a certain task. Channels like Expert Village offer a variety of content for different topics.
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9. Movies/Trailers
Movieclips Trailers – Over 4.5 Billion Views
Overall Earnings $6-15 Million
The internet and YouTube has helped movies market and build hype. Promotions like trailers are very popular online and are often the first platform to receive updates on the latest stuff. There are different channels out there but Movieclips Trailers takes the lead over other channels.
8. Games Media
IGN – Over 4.6 Billion Views
Overall Earnings $6-16 Million
It’s hard to say if video games became more popular on YouTube or if YouTube became more popular because of video games. The internet remains as one of the best sources for the latest updates in the gaming world. Channels like IGN have definitely been earning well because of this.
7. TV Show Based
Ellen Show – Over 4.8 Billion Views
Overall Earnings $6-17 Million
Popular TV shows that have tie-ins online have become very popular. One trend that is getting all the views today are day shows or late night shows that post their individual segments online. It’s a good way to earn money aside from the actual TV airing.
6. Sports Entertainment
WWE – Over 5 Billion Views
Overall Earnings $7-18 Million
It doesn’t matter if it’s real, wrestling remains as one of the most popular sources of entertainment today. This is evident by how popular their channel is. Though many believe that the sports entertainment business is far from its glory days, they still bring out quality stuff and is supported by a lot of people, celebrities and athletes.
The highest earning channels are still to come. Let’s go to the second half of this list of 11 most profitable YouTube channels.
5. Entertainment
Machinima – Over 5.5 Billion Views
Overall Earnings $7-19 Million
Whether it is unique content related to pop culture or video games, it has gotten the attention of the majority of online viewers. This is what channels like Machinima do. The constant content they put out has made them rise to the top.
4. Animation
Get Movies – Over 5.5 Billion Views
Overall Earnings $7-20 Million
It seems that even children and the younger generation are using YouTube to fulfill the roles of TV shows. This has been the trend with channels like Get Movies that have been providing animation shows for children. What’s really impressive about their channel is that it isn’t even primarily in English.
3. Toys
FunToyzCollector – Over 8 Billion Views
Overall Earnings $10-27 Million
YouTube also gives opportunity for collectors to fund their passions. A lot of people go to YouTube to check out new products and some actually just enjoy the feel of watching new products being opened and reviewed. There are numerous similar channels but FunToyzCollector takes the crown for having the highest profit among them.
2. Music
emimusic – Over 8.5 Billion Views
Overall Earnings $11-29 Million
Music has been one of the reasons that made YouTube so popular. Being able to listen or watch that new music video for free has bought convenience and changed the way we listen to music. Channels like emimusic have taken advantage of this.
1. Let’s Play/Walkthroughs
PewDiePie – Over 10.1 Billion Views
Overall Earnings $13-35 Million
YouTube is now filled with gamers posting their let’s play commentaries and walkthroughs and it is all because of this person. PewDiePie or Felix Kjellberg is the highest earning YouTuber today and his subscriber base is growing at a very rapid pace. The reason he is very popular is because of his dedication to his fans, content, and also because of his comedic nature.
This has been the list of the 11 most profitable YouTube channels. Learn from the success these channels have made.
