"I'm going to unionize." Bless, I love how William manages to be funny in just little text only slide inserts

The financial reviews are for the chronically nosy people who've been here from the beginning, who just like knowing things

It’s so refreshing to hear a content creator talk about keeping costs low and maintaining cost of living as much as possible, even if your income increases. It’s probably one of the worst mistakes people make in general… keeping track of how much you’re spending is key. Thanks for making these!!!

Interesting to see how the behind the scenes works. Thanks for sharing! Also, I'm an accountant. Yours isn't mad. You seem like a great client. Everything is an organized and ready to go. We only get disappointed when folks show up with the shoe box of chaos.

I love these breakdowns because there are precious few resources about content creator finances that don't feel like I'm being sold something so these are invaluable to me

THANK YOU FOR THE CAPTIONS!!! I'm autistic and have really bad auditory processing issues, your captions are so helpful! It's nice to see someone do manual captions rather than the shitty auto-caption or just no captions at all, to me it feels like you put more care into your content. Keep up the great work and I wish you a good 2023 here!! :)

I hope the "I'm just here to be annoying", shirt sold well so it can be made again. I was wearing it during my family Christmas stuff and i felt like it perfectly matched my role in the family.

You’re the only youtuber I follow that does this and I look forward to it every year, I’m so happy for you you’ve done so well! It’s so helpful for others too.

$140k without brand deals... damn she's killing it

it's refreshing that you're so transparent but lord it's rough seeing my yearly gross in a single month lmao. I wish I had the personality and the passion to do this type of stuff, it's awesome that you're able to

As an accountant, I love these videos. You give a lot of great advice that sadly a lot of people either never get or choose not to hear. Also love the fact that you view things in terms of how many hours it would have taken at a normal job. I use to do that when purchasing items, and it really helped determine if an item was worth it for me.

As someone who's hard of hearing I very much appreciate you having proper captions on your videos (and having them so speedily added to videos, very very few channels do that!). It's not perfect and does often mess up (including on this video lol), but I have seen a LOT worse out there, some channels have subtitles that are miles worse than youtube's own automated subs!

You are one of the creators for whom I am consistently interested in almost all content you upload bc the broad range of topics you cover often meshes with mine or if I don't know about them, you cover them from a really neat angle. The expenses you have are not surprising to me and in fact I find it impressive that you've been able to maintain your consistency to your style of content without falling into the trap many creators do of splashing out a ton of money into content blindly, hoping for a return.

I enjoy these videos from you because it doesn’t feel like bragging it more just an informative look at content creating. Others it does feel like bragging and telling ppl they should do it without talking about the time or negative outcomes that come from it. I was helping my friend with content creating and it is just not for me but I love seeing that it works for others. And I’m glad u are able to make this your job and I enjoy watching your videos and help me make informed purchasing decisions. Love y’a! Here’s to hoping 2023 is good to u too!

This is 100% not bragging. I’m not a KZfaqr but I am a small business owner and I really appreciate you taking the time to talk about this as openly as you feel comfortable and giving clarity to those looking to get into this. I think it’s probably reassuring to smaller creators getting into it as well as a nice break down of a few essential basics that can help others be successful as well as how to diversify your revenue streams. This just feels like someone with experience taking you under their wing and being open with them about how things work and demystifying the experience. I basically equate this to talking with your co-workers to make sure you’re all being fairly compensated so the company can’t screw you over which is a good thing to do🤷‍♀️🙌💜

It’s not bragging. It’s just really cool insight/giving us an inside look at something, which is what most of your content already is. ☺️

I’m not sure if you’d ever see this but your financial reviews help SO much as someone who wants to do what you do! Not just content wise but generally discussing things from a sociological perspective as well. thanks for uploading it even if you weren’t going to!

Amanda - I'm going to get mushy. I'm so proud of you and watching your channel grow has been fantastic. I'm glad you were able to leave the coffee shop and do this full time. You are thoughtful and work hard. I'm glad you have an editor to help you and I hope you're able to grow your team. Thank you for sharing your perspectives, opinions, and experiences with us. I hope you take some time to be proud of what you are building. This year I will work on sharing your videos more with people around me. I hope you have a great rest of your day :)

I think William needs a raise.

The audience for these videos may be smaller but we are DEDICATED 😤

3:28 Hi Amanda! Authenticity can often be checked via logo plaque. Must be the same color as the bag: ☑️ Must mention Prada: ☑️ Must mention Milano: ? Must mention Dal 1913: ? So far? Inconclusive, yet that's only because I cannot discern everything on your bag's exterior plaque. The hardware ought to have branding as well; the zippers likely displaying Lampo, YKK, Riri, Opti or Ipi. Unfamiliar with the shop you mention, I'm curious to know if these are being sold as new or secondhand? This probably gives it away, since new bags are designed to contain a "sealed authenticity card" with that specific bag's serial number. There's an interior "plaque" as well, though I'm starting to get carried away.

As much as sponsorships are probably the most interesting thing from an outside perspective, it's definitely understandable that you don't share them since there are actual contracts involved. Equally though I desperately want someone to spill the beans on how much these companies pay per 100k subscribers/views.

I think the people who find this video interesting are a niche subset of your usual audience, but please keep these annual reviews going as long as you're comfortable doing so! The financial transparency is both refreshing and resourceful(:

thank you for captions amanda! its something so few youtubers, even incredibly popular ones, put an effort into. im not hearing impaired at all but i always always always watch with captions when i can because its easier for me to focus, so thank you!!!

It is so refreshing and lovely to hear someone who's a content creator be so honest and up front about how much they make from their work- I really appreciate these videos!

I'm definitely one of the people that excited waits for January, cuz I know you'll post a financial breakdown. The analytics are always so interesting, and the transparency is very appreciated. Can't wait till next years! XD

Now time to pick up the expensive hobby of being a barista at home and buy a $2k espresso machine, so we don't have to.

honestly love how transparent you are in regards to how much your videos make

I’m nosy and this is the iconic transparency I watch for

As a graphic designer it would be a DREAM to work with you Swell! Hope this is something we are notified of in the future!

*laughs* I'm here for William unionizing! Edit: I've heard people say how inconsistent Tiktok is with paying their creators and it does make me think about not putting a lot of effort into it.

I just wanted to say I really appreciate your captions!!! Most people choose to use automatic captioning and they're so much harder to read and don't often work and that stops me from watching a lot of videos. As a hard of hearing person captioning is essential for me and I really appreciate when someone takes the effort to make their videos accessible, thank you!!

This video is like the vision board for us creators stuck just under 100k. It’s always cool to see this breakdown and what to aspire to.

I look forward to these so much every year! Your very candid transparency is always so appealing, plus the bonus of pride getting to see you grow from year to year. Also, thank you soooo much for your consistent captions!!

that bag looks like Prada Saffiano Lux Small Leather Double Zip Tote. from what i noticed when you showed it, it matches the typical heavy finish Prada saffiano bags have, basically they stamp a certain pattern on the leather along with waterproofing. they make it in maaany colors, if you look up the name of the bag a lot of results pop up, it comes in bunch of sizes too - your seems to be the small one

Hey Amanda! You mentioned the jury is out on streaming vs. static content because of the volume of playback watches… I almost never watch streams live. However, I do watch them when it is integrated with the channels normal content. For example, taking this specific video and doing it as a live stream would probably work, because the same people that are interested in the financials are going to be interested no matter what. They would watch the playback because they want to know how much money you made.

Please keep doing these, it puts a realistic true perspective on content creation, and you are one of the only creators I trust on this app lol

i'm glad u mentioned captions! i really appreciate that you have captions, i see a lot of youtubers that are much bigger than you who don't have captions or have a lot of mistakes in the captions. i haven't noticed any mistakes in your subtitles and i've been watching for a while.

William... we need an "Ummm" Supercut

21K for one month made my jaw drop. Like I know compared to like bigger YTers that’s not a lot but definitely a lot more than the average working person thanks for the honesty

Not William quietly roasting her for her umms 😂

Honestly even if you are bragging I think you're allowed to. You are a great happy medium between a friend telling me about stuff and a journalist. A fair but honest look at things

The Prada is a Burgundy Saffiano

I am remembering a quote of Amanda's: "What do you bring to the table, huh?" "Six figures and a cute ass." I respect it

Creepin thru the comments to find out if Amanda's bag is fake 🧐

Prada bag, take a close look at the stitching, it will be perfect if genuine.

Random comment but those purple stone earrings you're wearing are STUNNING and they really look good on your skin tone and eye color. Idk anything about color theory but that particular purple is super lovely on you!

"I'm going to unionize" 😆😆😆💀

These videos are good to show how KZfaq runs from a creator perspective cause it not something creators talk about often

I'm a little sad that you don't share sponsorship info, it would help a lot of new content creators estimate their value. Still, I appreciate the information that you did share

Thank you for this video 👍 Unrelated niche here, but going through the "quitting youtube" video binge and this was a suggested vid. We are hitting the exact opposite cycle shown in your graph here!Views were great, steady 200k-500k average and now since the start of the year a 10k video is good. RPM dropped around $5 while CPM has remained the same (KZfaq will try to explain this off in support chat). In a way it's been a blessing because it pushed us off platform to start other ventures (merch, patreon, thatch guide, etc). Since this happened, we are realizing what you are saying here by diversifying and not relying on even sponsorships. Many other creators push the sponsorships hard because KZfaq is returning less and less to its creators. Ever since the "invalid traffic" glitch things just different with the algo. Sometimes I think we need a creators union around here to get some stability (shout out the video editor, I'm with you!)🤣✊We haven't even accepted any sponsorships yet because most are completely unrelated brands. Thoroughly enjoyed your breakdown though, even after we've seen 20 of these "how much does youtube pay" videos! Cheers~ ✌

Love seeing behind the curtain, very few creators share these metrics in an accessible way. It's also super encouraging that you don't need to have 1mil subscribers to make a living on youtube! Thanks for making swell content.

I love seeing these and I definitely don’t think it’s bragging, and I think it shows that you really do put so much work into this channel and you deserve every penny! So glad I found your channel in 2022

as someone who only found your channel last year, i only just recently saw one of your financial roundup videos last month when i was going through your whole back catalog (KZfaq doesn't promote that video on my homepage, it's usually your product or event reviews). i found it fascinating and really educational and i'm really glad you made one again for this year. i'm excited for what's about to be my first full year subscribed to your channel and am looking forward to watching it grow even more!!

I always just assume sponsorships make ballpark 50-100% over KZfaq for the year, with no real basis for that assumption. If it's more than that, then I'm only happy for any creator because that's an incredible success. I'd be worried if it was less though...

Please never stop doing these, the information is fascinating and I love coming back to these each year, I think I've been subbed since just before the pandemic and it's been fascinating to watch your channel grow and to listen to your experience of being a creator here on KZfaq and I personally think you're making some of the most useful content surrounding financials and other details surrounding the creator landscape and I honestly really appreciate the work you do with these reports as well as the rest of your videos.

I think for sponsorship if you ever share them, you could mention the total amount made. No break down just the total

I know you said these videos don’t perform well, but THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THEM! I kept refreshing your channel the last few weeks because I was so excited.

I like hearing your voice, it's got such a friendly cadence that makes it easy to listen and learn but also clean my house. So honestly I'll watch pretty all your videos, including the yearly reviews! I think it's cool to see how it looks from the creators point of view too

This video took me from a viewer to a subscriber. I appreciate the transparency and honest talk about what it takes to be an LA based creator, your story telling is great to get me interested in the experiences even if I don't know who the people are at Ace Fest or who's participating at Chess Boxing, and I will buy a 'Williams Union' shirt the second it's on the FourthWall.

I appreciate these videos, not enough people talk about the business side of being a content creator, people only get shown the flashy stuff.

I love how the pre-roll ad for this video was one of those "I make 60k a month with less than an hour of work from home each day." financial freedom scam classes.

You have informed me on such interesting pop culture topics over the past few years! I like this video specifically because it gives a realistic view of what it takes to make a living as a content creator. Thanks Amanda!

For anyone wondering about the bag: It's a Prada Galleria Mini that appears to be a rarer version of burgundy. From what I can see it looks like the burgundy bags photograph very differently in different kinds of lighting, going from a brighter red to a kind of moody brown with the browner ones being older. It looks like as fashion trended towards brighter colors they might have tweaked the dye to be brighter. While obviously none of us are holding the bag and can't make any formal judgements there ARE some Prada Galleria Mini's that do have a similar coloring. Real or not it's a good looking bag!

it was fun to see Will get to interject in the video! "I'm gonna unionize" lol

I get really anxious when I drive and I listen to your videos like a podcast and it helps a lot! Thanks for doing these!

I enjoy these videos because you break everything down great. As for analytics I find it very interesting to see trends and how during some parts of the year ad revenue is up or down.

"Swell Entertainment: I Became a Professional KZfaqr So You Don't Have To" 😄

My favourite videos are probably the ones where you discuss something obscure from TikTok or the like. I am happy to see that those are doing well for you profit wise. I am looking forward to seeing your work from the coming year!

Decided to play a little guessing game to keep my mind busy when an ad interrupted you at "one hundre-" and guessed the last two numbers would be 63. Currently looking into a potential career as a psychic

Not bragging, pay transparency is so important. i love this. I wish you did talk about sponsorships. I also think it's good to remind/explain how 1099s result in 30% taxes after the fact - I believe you have to pay ~30% of that $140k to taxes yourself?

I think I became an active subscriber during your boom in July. It's been fun watching your deep dives into new experiences, products and pop culture. Thank you for the insight!!!

I randomly found your Gone Girl Cruise video, because I follow a lot of cruising, and stayed for the rest. Love the convention reviews and would be interested in more travel type stuff. Love your practicality and willingness to tell all in whatever content you make.

HOW on earth are these less well viewed?? They're one of the videos I most look forward to! I think they're a fascinating insight into the business of youtube. What I would like to know more about is which videos performed best and worst, and what you think went into that. E.g. popular/trending topics, something no one else was covering, cross over audience, etc. I would also like to know more about how your views compare to subscribers, and does that make a difference to your analytics. E.g. X video got viewed by almost all my subscribers, and that video did really well, or Y video got viewed by mostly outside audiences, and it did well, or whatever!

really nice to see you being successful on youtube

William saying he’s going to unionize made me cackle😂

I was expecting a "I went to the tarte Dubai trip" video cause istg you go everywhere to make videos for us

i fricken love these financial youtube videos. keep doing them

I love seeing you talk about your finances. I just like data in general.

I have absolutely no intention or desire to become a YT content creator but I do find these videos fascinating as someone who just likes finance stuff. Shout out to you for making captions such a priority- that's awesome!

19:53 "'merika" captions into "markup" made me laugh. Glad you had a good year! Hope this year treats you well

to be honest I would like to know more about your sponsorships. But not just the pay from the sponsorships, the process of it, how you negotiate price, genuinely just the overall process.

I love the financial review! I'm a poor undergrad from Spain but I still find it so fascinating haha. Been watching you since tanacon btw

That's it, that's your income!

Love that I got distracted and paused this video to go watch your TikToks!

I would love a cameo from William tbh

I went back thru your videos and realized I hadn’t seen any of your vids before July but nearly all since then. The algorithm is wild

Found your channel this year and love it. Also for fake bags check the inside. The fake bags don't put the effort to make it as good as it should be.

I've seen other creators say they'll go over how much they make and they give estimates and wiggly numbers. I appreciate your hard numbers! I also appreciate the subtitles. I have a really hard time hearing/comprehending everything that is said without them, even though I'm a native English speaker.

I appreciate your transparency! We've been conditioned to not share our earnings since it keeps the Capitalist machine running, so thanks :)

Even if someone were to assume you are bragging (which I don’t think u are imo), this is still super helpful and frankly encouraging info to have. To know that someone at a level I desire to be at someday is being transparent about their income helps solidify my drive ya know

I love William's snarky asides from the editing room.

This candid side of you is why I watch your channel. I have no interest in watching 'influencers' flashing their 7000sqft house that they cannot afford.

future episode: evidencing a Prada bag with a questionable colourway 👑♥️

Subtitles that aren't auto-generated are a godsend

Thank you so much for doing this. I avoided watching your other breakdowns because I felt like I was being intrusive. But my curiosity got the better of me this time. I may have cried a little when you talked about what you made in July last year. I've been fortunate enough to get a significant increase recently so financially, I'm finally solid. But that July amount is what I used to make in a whole year from a full time, 40 hour/week job.

I feel like I'm the only one that really wants to know if the prada bag is real

honestly I just like listening to Amanda talk I don’t care what the topic is

you saying how many were subscribed vs. not made me realize i was not subscribed, lol. just SMASHED that subscribe button.

Bless your editor and his lovely follow up notes