YouTube is demonstrating Coronavirus (Covid-19) videos: Making money with fear in the critique

Youtube demonetates Coronavirus – By monetizing on Youtube, Creator (people who publish new videos) can earn money passively. This gives them the freedom to record new videos. A good principle that can also be exploited like in the case of Covid-19 (Coronavirus from China). Danger or “hype”? Today demonstrators Whoever shocks gets clicks. Whoever gets the most clicks earns the most money. The calculation is that simple.

Coronavirus (Covid-19): Youtube blocks advertising revenues

However, there are also black sheep among Youtube users. We already reported about one case a few days ago, here we dealt with the hacked Youtube channel of a musician (confidential). Here a hacker took over the channel and directed the income to an account that is difficult to trace (or in other words: Youtube doesn’t care about 100.000 followers). Now there is a new phenomenon: earn money with “Cornavirus” (Covid-19) videos. Youtube is drawing consequences and stops monetization for all related videos. So all corona videos on Youtube will be monetized.

A statement from managing director & owner Stephan M. Czaja in an interview for Business Insider. Since the article was so well received, here is an extra to the interview with more, detailed information about the demonetarization of Covid-19 videos on Youtube.

The important thing is not to panic. Compared to the annual flu epidemic, Covid-19 is a media hype, but not a threat. Why and how, we explain here in this article. But before we come to the analysis, here is an interesting Youtube Live Video with current Covid-19 cases in all relevant countries.

Infected in real time

Here you can see the number of infected persons or confirm cases in the live ticket. But is Covid-19 really dangerous? An example shows that much around the virus is much “noise and smoke”. Because, the normal flu wave in 2017/2018 alone has caused the highest number of deaths in Germany in the past 30 years, an estimated 25,100 in Germany alone (source: Tagesschau). Covid-19 has claimed “only” 1,000 lives – so Covid-19 is a worldwide hype and many people take advantage of it, not only the “news channels” – but more about that later.

How does monetization on Youtube work?

People who publish videos on Youtube and have many followers or views (views of the videos). That means, people who watch their videos bring cash money. Youtuber live from advertising interference. These advertisements are shown at the beginning of a video or as banners while the video is running. With each fade-in the Youtuber earns money. That means every time a person sees an ad. A youtuber earns even more when clicked or bought. However, the income is limited, under 100,000 views per video, only little money can be earned. Business is mass.

How much does one earn with one video view?

Depending on the subject matter, the merit varies. Youtuber, which discuss simple and frequently discussed topics videos in their videos, e.g. “Make Up” earn much less per call than for example Youtuber, which deal with a special topic, as well as real estate or capital investments gold, etc. Finally, each individual view is worth less than “only” 1 cent. The masses make the difference.

Whoever creates a video with 100,000 views has already earned 200-500 Euros.

Whoever publishes two videos every week earns accordingly (simply calculated) about 400 – 1.000 Euro. In addition, however, there are the new calls of the old videos, again 80 – 200 Euro more. In the coming week it is then already 400 – 1,000 euros for new videos and 160 – 400 euros for new calls of the old videos. Thus the own Youtube channel pays off fast, by passive income (advertising incomes and/or Monetisierung of the channel)

Which content works on Youtube?

There are two types of content that are frequently accessed. One form are very personal videos, with private content and emotions of people. This is also the origin of the phenomenon of “influencers”. The second form are shocking messages of death, war, quarrel and mourning at best, they provide the most hits, views and clicks. Content that is also known from the news.

<“Sensational” content

Coronavirus (Covid-19) as click trigger

Of course, people’s concern increases when they hear about the virus in all the news. Even though the number of cases is very small compared to the regular influenza that comes every year, there is constant media attention. On breakfast television, people talk about Covid-19 in the news, even late at night in talk shows.

Information is first searched for on the Internet, and the number of searches for Covid-19, or “coronavirus” in general, increases accordingly.

Visualization: Virus stem

Google also reacts in the search results

If you currently google for “Cornavirus”, you will not find videos and pictures suggested as usual. Also no “frequently asked questions” are shown, also no “similar search terms”. The search results currently show “help and information” from the World Health Organization (WTO) and “safety instructions” from the WTO.

• Https://www.google.com/search?q=coronavirus

Danger from cornoavirus is overrated

Anyone who thinks that the current virus wave that is the subject of worldwide attention is bad is wrong. It is relatively harmless, but it is a staple of news in all its facets.

You already knew that the strong flu epidemic in 2017/2018 has caused the highest number of deaths in Germany in the past 30 years. An estimated 25,100 people died from influenza at the time – in Germany alone! Corona is already at its peak has a little over 1,000 deaths worldwide (thus “only” 2% of the “regular” influenza victims, which alone in Germany). So the proportionality is utopian, considering the media time the virus is currently getting.

Conclusion: Youtube (Google) acts responsibly

While many are getting on the bandwagon of Covid-19 and using the current hysteria around the virus for their own profit, Youtube is reacting in an exemplary manner. By demonstrating videos related to the coronavirus, they are (at least) stopping the financial incentive for people to publish more content when it comes to pure “click fanaticism”.

Does the action remove the incentive of this disproportionate “sensational news” theme? Nevertheless, many people will want to collect clicks; after all, an above-average video (high number of hits) also attracts the attention of users in relation to their own channel. Even if this one video is not remunerated by advertising revenue, the other content will still be.

A comment from managing director & owner Stephan M. Czaja in an interview for Business Insider. Information about the demonetarization of Covid-19 from videos on Youtube.

Coronavirus? You’ll find a lot of information here:

• COVID-19 explained