In a recent revelation on Monday, influencer MrBeast shared that he earned over $250,000 from a single video posted on X, shedding light on the lucrative opportunities available to major internet personalities through the social platform’s latest ad revenue sharing program.
In a post made directly on the platform, MrBeast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, enthusiastically declared, “MY FIRST X VIDEO MADE OVER $250,000!” Accompanying his statement was what seemed to be a screenshot of X’s creator payment screen, providing visual confirmation that the particular post had amassed a remarkable $263,655 in revenue.
Elon Musk, the owner of X, initiated a program in July to allow creators to partake in the revenue generated from ads displayed in responses to high-performing content. To be eligible for this revenue-sharing initiative, creators must be subscribers to the platform’s premium service.
The primary objective of this program was to motivate creators to share high-quality content on X, making it more attractive to advertisers. The move aimed to revitalize X’s core ad business and align it with other social media giants like Meta, YouTube, and TikTok, which have established systems to compensate creators for their role in driving traffic and ad revenue.
Despite initially expressing no intention of regularly posting content on X due to the high production costs of his videos, MrBeast decided to test the ad revenue sharing program by uploading an old video that featured trying out expensive cars. As of Tuesday, the video had garnered over 160 million views on X.
Following the substantial payment received from X, MrBeast took to the platform to announce his plan to give away the earned money to “10 random people that repost this and follow me” on X. However, he did not provide clarity on whether he intends to continue sharing videos on the platform.
The noteworthy payout to MrBeast suggests that creators can indeed earn a significant income through X’s nascent program, even though the platform’s ad business is smaller than that of its competitors. MrBeast, however, acknowledged that other creators may not experience the same level of success, cautioning that his situation might be somewhat misleading. He explained that advertisers likely noticed the attention his video received and purchased ads, potentially elevating his revenue per view.
MrBeast’s substantial following on the platform, with over 27.5 million followers on X, likely contributed to the strong engagement his post received, further boosting ad revenue. Notably, this follower count surpasses those of other well-known influencers like Logan Paul and Charli D’Amelio.
However, not everyone is satisfied with X’s new creator program. Former law enforcement officer-turned-conservative political commentator Dan Bongino, banned from YouTube in 2022 for posting Covid-19 misinformation, expressed dissatisfaction with his $379 payment from X. Bongino criticized the payout to MrBeast as “shady.”
Critics have raised concerns that X’s premium subscribers, who already benefit from boosted posts through the platform’s algorithm, might be incentivized to post more provocative or offensive content to increase engagement.
Media watchdog Media Matters highlighted an X user praising Adolf Hitler who claimed to have received around $3,000 in payouts from X’s ad revenue sharing program. It’s worth noting that X is currently involved in a lawsuit against Media Matters over a report alleging major brands’ advertisements appearing alongside pro-Nazi content. Media Matters has defended its work and vowed to fight the lawsuit.
In conclusion, MrBeast’s significant earnings underscore the potential financial benefits for creators on X, yet challenges and concerns about the platform’s creator program persist.
