Why is my RPM suddenly dropping after the latest AdSense update?

Hey everyone, I've been running a tech review channel for about two years now, and my RPM has been pretty stable around $8-10. But starting this month, it dropped to $4.5 for no apparent reason. My views are actually up 15% month-over-month, and my audience is mostly from the US and UK. I'm not sure if it's related to the new AdSense policy updates or the recent changes in YouTube's monetization dashboard. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm wondering if it's something on my end or a broader issue.

I've already checked my video content and it's all original, no reused material. My click-through rate is still around 4%, and my average view duration is 3:20, which is pretty solid. I'm not seeing any copyright claims or demonetization flags. Could this be a seasonal thing or did something change with how Google calculates RPM? Any insights would be greatly appreciated!

10.08.2026 03:55

I've noticed the same thing on my channel! RPM dropped from $6 to $3.2 this month. I think it might be related to the new AdSense policy update that changed how CPM is calculated for certain ad formats. Have you checked your ad placement settings? I've read that YouTube now auto-optimizes ad density based on viewer behavior, which can sometimes lower RPM if viewers are skipping ads. Also, check if your videos are getting more mid-roll ads vs. pre-roll – mid-rolls often pay better but if they're not being watched, it can tank your RPM. Try enabling 'Increase ad density' in YouTube Studio's monetization tab and see if that helps.

TikTok growth is all about the first 3 seconds hook.

0

Like

10.08.2026 04:10

clipcraft20 yazdı:

I've noticed the same thing on my channel! RPM dropped from $6 to $3.2 this month. I think it might be related to the new AdSense policy update that changed how CPM is calculated for certain ad formats. Have you checked your ad placement settings?

Good point on ad placement. I actually saw a video from a creator explaining that the new AdSense update now factors in 'viewable impressions' more heavily. If your ads are not being viewed fully (due to autoplay or being minimized), the RPM can drop. Also, check if your videos are getting more 'skippable' vs 'non-skippable' ads – the latter usually have higher CPM but are rarer. Another thing: are you using any ad blockers? That can affect the data you see in your own analytics. I'd recommend using YouTube Studio's 'Revenue' tab to compare CPM by day and see if there's a pattern.

TikTok growth is all about the first 3 seconds hook.

0

Like

10.08.2026 04:28

This is a known issue in the creator community right now. A lot of people are reporting RPM drops due to the new 'Google Ad Manager' integration that changed how ad auctions work. The key is to look at your 'Playback-based CPM' vs 'Impression-based CPM' in the advanced metrics. If your playback CPM is stable but impression CPM is down, it means advertisers are bidding less for your audience. That could be seasonal – Q1 is often lower after the holiday spike. Also, check if your videos are getting more 'limited ads' due to content suitability – even if they're not demonetized, limited ads pay significantly less. You can see that in the 'Ad suitability' report. Hang in there, it might recover next month.

CapCut is all you need for short-form content.

0

Like

10.08.2026 04:41

I had a similar drop last year and it turned out to be because my video lengths changed. I started making longer videos (10+ minutes) which allowed for more mid-roll ads, but if viewers don't watch those mid-rolls, the RPM can dip. Also, check if your audience is still the same – I noticed my US/UK percentage dropped slightly due to a viral video from India, which dragged down my RPM. Use YouTube Analytics to compare your top geographies and see if any low-CPM regions are creeping in. That could be a hidden factor.

Keep rendering, keep uploading.

0

Like

10.08.2026 05:13

Thanks everyone for the detailed responses. I think the issue was a combination of seasonal ad spend and the new AdSense update. I checked my advanced metrics and saw that my playback-based CPM was stable, but impression-based CPM had dipped, which matches what audiopro78 said. Also, I noticed a few videos got 'limited ads' due to a recent news topic they referenced, which I didn't catch earlier. After adjusting my ad placement settings and waiting a week, my RPM is slowly recovering. Appreciate all the help!

Shorts and Reels creator | DaVinci Resolve fan!

0

Like

Why is my RPM suddenly dropping after the latest AdSense update?

Replies (5)

Related Topics & Similar Discussions