Have you ever wondered how much money you can make from posting YouTube Shorts? I did too. So I decided to run a little experiment. I posted one YouTube Short every day for 40 days straight to see what would happen. No fancy equipment, no viral hacks—just consistent posting and real results.
In this article, I’ll break down:
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How much YouTube paid me
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What worked and what didn’t
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Tips for anyone thinking about starting their own Shorts journey
Let’s get into it.
Why I Tried Posting 40 Shorts in 40 Days
I’ve always enjoyed watching Shorts—they’re quick, fun, and addictive. I kept hearing creators say, “Shorts are the future,” and how they help grow your channel. But I wanted to see for myself if that was true. Could I really get paid by YouTube for 15-second videos?
So, I gave myself a simple challenge: Post one Short every day for 40 days.
No excuses. No overthinking. Just hit upload daily.
What I Posted (and How I Made It Easy)
To keep things realistic, I didn’t overcomplicate the content. I focused on topics I enjoy—quick life hacks, funny moments, and simple motivational quotes.
Here’s how I kept it manageable:
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Recorded most videos on my phone
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Used free editing apps like CapCut and InShot
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Kept each video under 60 seconds
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Made sure to use trending sounds and relevant hashtags
Honestly, the key was consistency over perfection. Some videos were great, others flopped—but I kept posting anyway.
My YouTube Channel Stats (Before vs After)
Before I started, my channel was pretty quiet. I had around 230 subscribers, and barely any views. No monetization yet, and no real strategy.
Here’s what happened after 40 days:
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Subscribers: Jumped to 1,180
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Views: Over 230,000 total views
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Watch Time: 900+ hours (mostly from Shorts)
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Revenue: A total of $42.17 from Shorts ads
Yup, $42 for 40 Shorts.
Not enough to quit your job—but enough to buy a nice dinner or a couple of movie tickets.
So… How Does YouTube Pay for Shorts?
This is something that confused me at first.
Unlike regular long-form videos, Shorts don’t earn money the same way. For longer videos, creators get paid through ads that run before or during the video. But for Shorts, YouTube puts ads between Shorts in the feed, and then splits that revenue among creators.
Here’s the simple version:
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YouTube creates a big pool of ad money
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It looks at how many views each creator gets
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Then pays out a small portion based on those views
So even if your Short goes viral, the money per view is pretty low—usually just a few cents per thousand views.
What Worked Best
After 40 days, I started noticing patterns. Here’s what performed best for me:
1. Relatable Content
Shorts that made people say, “That’s so me!” got shared more. For example, a clip about procrastinating got over 40,000 views.
2. Using Trending Sounds
When I used music or audio clips that were already popular, my videos got pushed more by the algorithm.
3. Posting Consistently
This was probably the most important factor. Even if a video didn’t do well, posting every day helped my channel grow over time.
What Didn’t Work
Not everything was sunshine and viral fame. Some things just didn’t work:
1. Random Topics
2. Overediting
Funny enough, the videos I spent hours editing sometimes got fewer views than quick, raw ones. Simpler seemed to be better.
3. Posting at Random Times
When I posted at inconsistent hours, views dropped. Posting at the same time (for me, around 6 PM) helped build momentum.
Is It Worth It?
Did that time and effort justify to be spent for only $42?
Absolutely.
Here’s why:
- I learned a lot about what goes into making videos themselves.
- I never experienced growth in my channel.
- I made the creation of videos an everyday affair in my life.
- To explain – I did see earnings with YouTube.
Obviously $42 is not the repayment of debts, but I’ve only dedicated 40 days to the payment. Try to think where you can be in 6 months or a year if you won’t stop doing it. Morally, before things really start to gain momentum, a lot of content creators believe a full 100–200 videos is necessary. It is particularly evident to me these days more than at any other time.
Now, here’s the advice I’d give anyone on the verge of getting into the world of Shorts content.
If you’re unsure whether or not you should develop Shorts, then my best tip is:
- Start now. There’s no need right away to have perfect lighting or pricey equipment.
- Keep making content even though it appears difficult to progress at the start.
- Concentrate on two or three themes without straying from them to signal your content with YouTube’s algorithms.
- Use popular music and hashtags, but do not lose your own voice.
- Have fun with it. Enjoy filmmaking, not obsessing about views.
Final Thoughts: The Bigger Picture
Creating Shorts is like one who sows seeds. As a rule, some ideas spread like wildfire, but others do not spread that fast – but by doing things consistently, eventually you’ll start seeing results.
Even if I earned only $42, I found something incredibly gratifying:<< momentum. As I’ve managed to develop a modest following, my next 40 Shorts could do even better.
If you still question, now is the time to act.
Who knows? That short you write next may be the short that catches on.
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