The video platform YouTube generates 2,600 full-time jobs in Belgium and has contributed €39 million to the Belgian economy in 2020, a study by the consultancy firm Oxford Economics confirmed.
According to YouTube, there is a Belgian audience of 7.5 million, aged 18 or over. Every day, a YouTube viewer in Belgium spends at least 35 minutes on the platform.
"This large number of views generates significant revenue for YouTube creators,” said the subsidiary of the Alphabet group on Tuesday. “The same goes for the music and media companies that are present on the platform. These players, in turn, generate economic activity and jobs in their internal supply chains, as well as in the economy as a whole.”
How YouTube creators make money
Getting your view count up is not the only way you can earn money. The YouTube model gives creators various ways to gain profit by placing advertisements on their videos or selling merchandise.
Moreover, fans can support their favourite creator by getting a YouTube Channel Membership, monthly paying an amount of €2,99 or more, as members get to choose between subscription tiers. The higher the tier, the more they pay and the better the membership perks (such as badges, custom emojis and exclusive content).
At the moment, there are 550 Belgian YouTube channels that have more than 100,000 subscribers, 38 channels hit the milestone of one million.
"Their content is also viewed outside Belgium. More than 90% of the viewing time of Belgian channels comes from outside Belgium. This also makes the platform all the more attractive for advertisers," YouTube points out.
