100k subscribers isn't 100k fans. A fan, in the past, would be someone who shelled out $15 for your album and goes to your shows. A "fan" in this context is som

100k subscribers isn't 100k fans. A fan, in the past, would be someone who shelled out $15 for your album and goes to your shows. A "fan" in this context is some guy who stopped by your youtube video, hit skip on your ad, clicked subscribe, watched a little and left and maybe checks out your next video or two. The monetization per fan here is pretty stark. You would get a few bucks in pocket from the first example and next to nothing from the second. Selling 500,000 records is decent cash. Getting 500,000 views of a jokey video that caters to kids or the easily distracted isn't.