Can AI Provide Passive Income? Week 3 Insights
Three weeks have now passed in the challenge to use AI for building a passive income channel!
In this update, I’ll break down the monetisation system for YouTube & TikTok, as well as providing an insight into current video performance.
If you are looking at ways that AI can generate passive income, keep reading.
Understanding YouTube & TikTok Monetisation
Monetising YouTube and TikTok isn’t as simple as going viral once - it requires consistency and strategy.
To join the YouTube Partner Program, you need either:
🔹 1,000 subscribers & 4,000 watch hours (long-form videos) or
🔹 1,000 subscribers & 10 million Shorts views in 90 days
Long-form content typically earns $1-$10 per 1,000 views, while Shorts ad revenue is lower at $100-$500 for 10M views. This means hitting 10M Shorts views could make less than $500, though sponsorships and affiliate links can boost earnings.
The Creator Fund (TikTok’s Monetisation system) requires:
🔹 10,000 followers
🔹 100,000 views in 30 days
Payouts are lower than YouTube, around $0.02-$0.04 per 1,000 views, meaning 1M views might earn just $20-$40. Most TikTokers make money through brand deals, rather than ad revenue.
The Challenge? Monetisation takes time. Posting daily, refining content, and analysing engagement are key to scaling. I’m testing what works to see how far this can go!
Video Performance Insights: What’s Working & What’s Not
Understanding what makes a video perform well, or completely flop, is key to growing on YouTube. This week, I posted two Shorts with drastically different results:
Video 1: Success with 8,418 Views
- Views: 8,418
- Subscribers Gained: 3
- Average Short Watch Time: 89%
- Swipe Rate: 73.1% watched, 26.9% swiped away
This video performed well, likely due to high engagement signals. The 89% average watch time suggests the content was compelling, while a high swipe retention (73.1%) meant viewers weren’t quickly skipping past. YouTube’s algorithm may have picked up on these signals early, leading to broader distribution.
Video 2: Flop with Just 1 View
- Views: 1 (just my own view!)
- Action Taken: Deleted & rescheduled for better timing
Unlike a typical low-performing video, this one never appeared on anyone’s feed. That suggests the issue wasn’t poor engagement but rather a problem with YouTube’s distribution. Possible reasons for this issue:
- Algorithm Filtering: YouTube may have determined the video wasn’t likely to engage viewers based on its title, description, or metadata.
- Content Classification Issues: If YouTube mistakenly flagged it as low quality or misclassified it, the algorithm might not have pushed it out.
- Posting Inconsistencies: Gaps in uploading may have temporarily reduced my content’s visibility in recommendations.
Key Learnings & Next Steps
- Test Different Metadata: Adjusting the title, tags, or thumbnail might help avoid algorithm suppression.
- Optimise for Algorithm Triggers: Ensuring a strong opening hook and clear topic relevance may increase distribution chances.
- Monitor Future Uploads Closely: If this happens again, it may point to a deeper issue with my content classification or channel momentum.
Be The Goldfish
Launching a faceless channel, even with the support of AI tools is a rollercoaster of emotions. Within just two days, I had the high of my best performing Short, followed by the worst so far. Like a goldfish, you have to move forward, without growing deterred by failures.
I’ll continue exploring how far AI can push passive income - and if you’re on a similar journey, I’d love to hear about your experience!
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