Inside the Earnings of a 21M-Follower Influencer: The Money Made on YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok

Erika Kullberg, an attorney with a massive following of over 21 million across various social media platforms, is shedding light on the financial side of social media.

Kullberg focuses on creating personal finance content for YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. She also assists people in claiming what they deserve, such as $1,000 for being bumped from a flight. Her popular videos include how she managed to clear over $225,000 in student loans in under two years and why she left a high-paying $250,000 corporate law job.

“For me, YouTube stands out as the most lucrative social media platform,” Kullberg shared with Entrepreneur.

In a recent video posted on Thursday and previously shared on her website, Kullberg revealed she has two million subscribers on YouTube, with her videos amassing approximately 273 million views.

The Financial Impact of YouTube Videos

Kullberg’s YouTube earnings are a testament to the platform’s potential for content creators. A 48-second video she uploaded in December 2022 garnered 4.1 million views, earning her $106.85. In contrast, a 12-minute video from three years ago with slightly fewer views (3.8 million) earned a whopping $45,000.

A significant portion of this income—$44,900 out of $45,000—came from watch page ads.

Over the past five years, Kullberg’s total earnings from YouTube, excluding taxes and brand sponsorships, exceeded $353,000. This impressive figure highlights the substantial revenue that can be generated through strategic video content and audience engagement on YouTube.

@erikakullberg

Comparing Earnings Across Platforms

Despite her massive following on other platforms, Kullberg earns significantly less outside of YouTube. TikTok, where she boasts 9.2 million followers and 542 million views, has only brought in $5,756 over the past two years.

Facebook, however, has proven more lucrative. With 4.5 million followers, Kullberg has earned $20,251 in about the same time frame, nearly four times her TikTok earnings.

“It’s actually not much extra work to monetize on different platforms,” Kullberg explained to Entrepreneur. “I’m using the same short videos and posting them across TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram, and Facebook.”

Interestingly, despite having 5.3 million followers on Instagram, Kullberg makes no direct income from the platform since Instagram stopped paying creators directly.

The Path to Monetization and Influencer Aspirations

Achieving monetization on YouTube wasn’t instantaneous for Kullberg. It took about three months of posting weekly videos before she started earning revenue. This journey reflects the broader trend among Gen Z, with 57% expressing a desire to become influencers, according to a recent report.

The aspiration extends beyond Gen Z, as 41% of adults across various age groups also express interest in becoming influencers.

A survey by HypeAuditor found that the average annual income for an influencer is $35,640, underscoring the potential for substantial earnings in this growing field.