In short
RPM is creator revenue per 1,000 views, so it moves even when views stay flat. Most often the cause is one of five factors: season and ad prices, viewer countries, the Shorts share of views, the share of views without ads and the number of ads per view. To find the main one, compare equal periods and look at each factor separately.
What RPM is and why it moves#
YouTube defines RPM as how much you earned per 1,000 views across all sources: ads, YouTube Premium, channel memberships, Super Chat. RPM is calculated after YouTube’s revenue share. The difference between RPM and CPM is covered in RPM, CPM and YouTube revenue.
The key consequence: RPM divides by all views, while revenue depends on how many of them saw ads and at what price. That is why the same views can produce different revenue.
Channel RPM
Five reasons RPM changes#
1. Season and ad prices
Advertisers spend unevenly through the year. YouTube lists time of year among the factors that affect CPM, and therefore your revenue. In high-demand periods ads get more expensive, and after them prices drop. When comparing months, remember that one of them may sit on such a shift.
2. Viewer countries
Ad prices differ by country. If the share of viewers from one country grows while another shrinks, RPM changes with the same views. Check the Audience section in Studio to see which countries grew.
3. Shorts share
Shorts are monetized under a different model than long videos and usually earn less per view. If Shorts bring a larger share of channel views, overall RPM falls even though long videos earn as before. Look at RPM by format.
4. Views without ads
Not every view is monetized. YouTube notes that RPM can go down when unmonetized views increase, even if revenue is the same. The reasons vary: videos with limited ads, Premium viewers, countries where ads are not shown.
5. Ads per view
How many ads a viewer sees per view depends, among other things, on the ad slots in long videos. If popular videos gained slots in good pauses, this factor can rise. If slots disappeared or were flagged, it can fall. Even so, a coincidence in time does not prove the cause; see our guide on evaluating a placement change.
How to find the main cause#
Work from simple to complex:
- Compare equal periods. 28 days against 28 days, not a month against a week.
- Split formats. Long videos and Shorts separately.
- Look at countries. Which countries changed their share of views.
- Check the monetized share. Did any videos get limited ads?
- Check ads in your top videos. Do they have slots, and are any flagged?
Usually one or two factors explain most of the change. Account for the rest, but do not look for the main cause there.
How it looks in the Monvilo dashboard#
Monvilo collects data from Studio and breaks a revenue change into factors in the “Why revenue changed” block. You can see how much came from viewers, the share of views with ads, ads per view, ad prices and revenue outside ads. Below are detailed explanations marked as exact figures or estimates.
The breakdown explains the numbers but does not prove causes. If you changed ad placement in the same weeks, the dashboard marks it on the timeline; compare with season and audience in mind all the same.
Frequently asked questions#
RPM is down but views are growing. Is that bad?
Not necessarily. If growth came from Shorts or countries with cheaper ads, RPM falls while total revenue can still rise. Look at revenue and RPM together.
Can I raise RPM just by adding ad slots?
Slots are only an opportunity for an ad, and revenue from them is not guaranteed. Ads per view is just one RPM factor, and extra slots can bother viewers.
What period should I compare?
Use equal periods of the same length, preferably at least 28 days, and keep seasonality in mind: neighboring months can differ even without any changes on your side.
Sources#
Checked October 25, 2026: ad revenue analytics on YouTube, Shorts monetization, monetization icons. Dashboard screenshot: Monvilo 2.25.0 with demo data. The diagram is illustrative, with no real figures.