Why is my RPM so low on Shorts? I have 10M views but only $50

Hey! That's actually pretty normal for Shorts. Shorts RPM is notoriously low compared to long-form because the ad revenue is split differently. YouTube pays a portion of the Shorts ad pool, and it's based on your share of total Shorts views, not on a per-view CPM. The average Shorts RPM is around $0.05-$0.10, so $5 RPM would be amazing. Wait, did you mean $5 RPM? You said $50 for 10M views, that's $0.005 RPM, which is extremely low. That suggests something else is going on.

First, check your AdSense for Shorts eligibility - you need 1,000 subscribers and 10M valid public Shorts views in 90 days. If you're monetized, then the low RPM could be due to music licensing. Even if you're not copyright claimed, using trending sounds that are not in the Shorts music library can redirect revenue to the music owner. Make sure you're using sounds from the YouTube Shorts audio library or original audio. Also, check your video's "Monetization" tab in YouTube Studio - if any video has a yellow icon, revenue is going elsewhere.

Another factor: viewer location. Even if your audience is US/UK, some of those views might be from countries with lower CPMs. Also, engagement (likes, comments, watch time) affects how YouTube values your content. Try to increase your average view duration - if people swipe away quickly, your RPM drops. I'd recommend checking your revenue by video to see if certain videos are dragging it down.

I followed your advice and checked my monetization tab. Turns out 3 of my top videos had a yellow icon because I used a trending song that wasn't in the Shorts library. I switched to original audio and the RPM on new videos is already at $0.08. That's a huge difference! Thanks for the help, problem solved!