“Only RM415 revenue after 56k views” – M’sian Creator Reveals Harsh Reality of Content Creation

Knowledge and skills are essential in content creation, and with the rise in content creators today, you need more than just “interest.” Malaysian food content creator, Che Nom, recently shared what it’s like behind the scenes, and it’s not as easy as many may have thought.

If you rely solely on YouTube ads with your low-quality videos, you’re out of the game.

Che nom

In her viral Facebook post, Che Nom, who is known for her cooking and recipe videos, said that one of her recent reels on how to make Sarawak Kek Lapis did not get her a lot of revenue. The video was released one month ago, and at the time of writing (June 18), it has gained over 57,000 views, about a 1,000 increase in views since June 15.

A month after the video went live and with over 56,000 views, Che Nom received RM415.40 in revenue. 

The cost of video production, however, is much, much higher. According to her, she has to spend up to RM16,000 a month to produce up to 6 videos.

You can refer to Che Nom’s screenshot of the breakdown below for estimation, which also includes the utility bills and the ingredients needed for cooking and baking.

“If you just started, you can’t even guarantee an income of RM2,500 a month if you gain less than 300,000 views,” she added.

Che Nom also shared another bitter truth – many creators who are not new in the industry are also struggling, especially when many audiences shifted from YouTube to TikTok, where the videos are much shorter. From the audience’s side, Che Nom said viewers are getting more picky with what they watch.

Simply put, if your video is badly edited with poor audio and visual quality, viewers will not hesitate to swipe away.

The content creator then briefly shared a few tips for those who are seriously considering venturing into content creation, namely,

• Don’t rely solely on YouTube ads.
• Think of e-books, affiliation, classes, to maximise income
• Focus on the niche that you’re good at.
• Don’t compare yourself with someone who has been in the industry for 10 years.

If you’re in the industry, what other tips do you have to share with excited young talents?

Also read: “It was a luxury to me” – M’sian Influencer Says She Was Once Poor & Couldn’t Afford RM10 Mooncake