Content creator Nicholas Kioko recently shared insights into YouTube’s payment system, shedding light on the disparities between payments received by users in Kenya compared to those in other countries, notably the United States.
Kioko, who relies on YouTube as his primary source of income, discussed in a radio interview the significant gap in earnings between Kenyan and American YouTubers. According to him, in Kenya, creators typically receive between Ksh 80,000 to Ksh 100,000 for every one million views on their videos. In contrast, their counterparts in the United States can earn up to $10,000 for the same view count.
Expressing the financial challenges faced by content creators, Kioko emphasized that despite the rewarding nature of content creation, the earnings do not match the investment required. He revealed that his videos typically garner between 2.5 million to 3.5 million views in Kenya, which would translate to substantial earnings if he were based in the USA. However, due to the payment structure, Kenyan creators receive significantly lower compensation.
Kioko, a father of twins, highlighted the struggle for content creators in Kenya to thrive, attributing it to YouTube’s inadequate payment system in the region. He echoed sentiments shared by fellow content creator Sammy Kioko, who lamented losses amounting to over Ksh 2 million since venturing into content creation.
Additionally, Kioko pointed out the adverse impact of currency depreciation, particularly concerning the Euro, on content creators in Kenya, exacerbating the financial challenges they already face.
