'At least Rs 50 lakh for...': Top influencers on unconventional jobs, trends, viral videos

Chartered Accountant and YouTube finance content creator, CA Rachana Ranade, along with YouTuber and music producer Yashraj Mukhate, said choosing an unconventional career in a competitive era can both be risky and rewarding at the same time. The YouTubers with millions of subscribers discussed their experiences and strategies for succeeding on the YouTube platform. 

Giving a background on the earnings in the field, both the content creators said the money in the business depends on creators and subjects. 

"As YouTube's popularity continues to rise, aspiring content creators are grappling with the question how much one can earn per month or a year. I feel a finance creator can earn a shade more than an entertainment video creator even if the numbers of the entertainment video is more than the other one. The revenue is generated from just ad sales of these videos. A good content can fetch you Rs 50 lakh a year. Some even earn Rs 1 crore or more on their videos," Ranade said at a podcast with actor R. Madhavan on YouTube. 

In India, YouTube boasts over 467 million active users, offering a lucrative opportunity for content creators to monetise their passion. Depending on various factors such as content type, audience demographics, and ad views, creators in India typically earn between Rs 50 to Rs 200 per 1,000 views on average.

However, earnings can vary significantly based on the niche and viewer location. CPM (Cost Per Mille) measures the advertising cost per 1,000 views, while RPM (Revenue Per Mille) represents the creator's actual earnings, including revenue from ads, memberships, and other sources.

Creators do not receive direct payment for views but instead earn through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). To start earning from your videos, they must meet the following criteria -- Have a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and accumulate at least 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months.
 
The influencers emphasized the significance of content creation in today's digital landscape. They highlighted how the streaming of videos has revolutionised the consumption of content across various genres, encompassing entertainment, news, music, and education. 

Ranade, a qualified CA, simplified intricate financial terminology for easy understanding. Having passed her CA exams on the first try, she opted for a teaching profession at a young age. Rachana has successfully instructed over 10,000 students in live sessions in Pune and reached more than 100,000 students through online platforms. She said her 90 minute video on YouTube went viral, which was basically on stock market and investment in markets. 

Talking about getting into YouTube platform as content creators, Ranade said that the basics of making videos is that you should know your subject well. 

"I did my math properly and I am doing that now. When I started as a YouTube content producer, my husband had a stable job and my basics of roti, kapada, makaan and internet were covered. So, I tried going out of zone. In 2019, I was selected for YouTube content creator contest. That time I saw many famous content creators like Bhuvan Bam, Flying Beasts and all. There are many famous creators who had come after quitting their flourishing careers. Then I thought it is worth a try," Ranade said.

"I started with Rs 20,000 as my monthly salary. I started as a college professor for 3 years. After 3 years, I was working at 7-8 places where I was teaching MBA, CA students and I was also a Sebi research person. Initial 10 years, I realised that there was bare minimum money related knowledge. I started with students and then also taught mid-level and senior-level management officers. I learned myself and also taught that you should have multiple sources of income. So, you should have A, B, C, D streams to grow wealth. I opted for YouTube in 2019," Ranade said.  

On the other hand, Mukhate, known for his viral song Rasode Mein Kaun Tha, is a qualified engineer, who started singing jingles and making music videos just after his graduation.

Talking about job security, backup plans on choosing YouTube content creation as profession, Mukhate said his engineering degree was his safety net as he had decided that if his gig didn't work, he would go for a regular engineer job.

"When started my gig in music and jingles, I was sure I would do something or the other in this field. This was much before my video went viral. I had thought I would assist someone, I will make short films, I will make videos, anything. I was sure of clicking because I had spent time in making my craft right," Mukhate said.