I Lost 80% Of My YouTube Ad Revenue Overnight

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the author's experience with a sudden decline in their YouTube AdSense revenue due to YouTube detecting "invalid traffic" on their channel. It explores the reasons behind this issue, YouTube's policies, and the author's strategies to mitigate the impact on their business.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The author's experience with declining YouTube AdSense revenue

1. What happened to the author's YouTube AdSense revenue?

• The author experienced a drastic decline in their YouTube AdSense revenue in early May, going from over $500 in April to only $130 in May, and was in danger of not meeting the payout threshold again in June.

2. What was the reason behind this decline in revenue?

• YouTube detected what it considered "invalid traffic" on the author's account, which is traffic meant to artificially increase ad revenue and is unfair to advertisers. As a result, YouTube refunded money to the advertisers and limited advertisements on the author's videos.

3. How did the author feel about this situation?

• At first, the author felt this was very unfair, as they did not participate in any actions that should have caused the invalid traffic. However, the author acknowledges that while it is frustrating and feels unfair, YouTube is allowed to take this action to protect its platform.

[02] YouTube's policies on invalid traffic

1. What actions does YouTube consider as invalid traffic?

• YouTube has shared a post on invalid traffic, and the actions they say creators should avoid include:
  • Artificially increasing views or clicks
  • Paying for views or clicks
  • Using bots or other means to inflate metrics

2. What does YouTube suggest for creators who have not participated in these actions?

• YouTube suggests that invalid traffic can still occur even if the creator did not drive the invalid traffic. The resolution is to stop driving the invalid traffic or wait for the traffic to go away on its own, and then the ads will slowly return to normal.

[03] The author's strategies to mitigate the impact

1. What is the author's main solution to ease the blow of losing 80% of their AdSense revenue?

• The author suggests that a business relying on a single income stream that they do not control is incredibly dangerous, so the solution is to have other revenue sources. The author has their own products (templates, courses, membership) and affiliate products, which have helped sustain their business during this time of decreased YouTube revenue.

2. What else does the author recommend to protect oneself personally and financially?

• The author recommends ensuring that you are personally and financially set if you lose a revenue stream, such as keeping a full-time job or having multiple revenue streams. This means you do not have to go into desperation mode if a revenue stream is removed.

3. What is the author's overall advice for YouTubers regarding YouTube's policies?

• The author advises that whenever you are using a platform like YouTube, you have to remember that you are building on a platform you do not have control over. YouTube can create policies that negatively impact you at any time, so it is important to protect yourself and your business accordingly.