YouTube Wants To Help Edgy Creators Earn More Ad Revenue

It's no secret that YouTube creators are frustrated with the platform's many changes, not the least of which are ones that impact a channel's ability to earn revenue from advertisements. Of particular issue are creators who create what YouTube refers to as 'edgy' content, the kind that is allowed on the platform but not likely to draw in many enthusiastic advertisers.

Advertisers have played an important, if not indirect, role in shaping the type of content created for decades. Shows and other works that appeal to younger audiences while avoiding excessively controversial or unpleasant topics tend to draw in the most advertisers, while the wrong sort of shows — even if they appeal to viewers — may cause advertisers to flee, leading to networks and platforms restricting or otherwise abandoning the content.

When it comes to YouTube, many creators are left with the difficult choice of either adjusting their content to appeal to the most advertisers or staying true to their work, but at the expense of their ad revenue. Advertisers may avoid content that features anything from mature content to excessive adult language and even controversial subject matter like mukbangs.

Without adequate ad revenue, these creators may be forced to depend on financial contributions from followers. In its latest update on the platform, YouTube revealed that it is working to change this by identifying advertisers who are willing to run ads on content featuring the dreaded yellow icons, which indicate that they're limited when it comes to which ads will run.

YouTube says that this effort resulted in 'hundreds of thousands' of ad dollars rolling in for videos that have the yellow icons in its first month. Examples of advertisers who may be targeted for these videos include ones that want to promote an R-rated movie, according to the company. The matter is discussed in the video above.