How Peter McKinnon earns $2M a year from YouTube

Executive overview

Most creators rely on ad revenue. Peter McKinnon runs five distinct income streams from a single YouTube channel, turning 5.2M subscribers into nearly $2M annually.

Brand deals alone generate more than four times his ad revenue — and long-term partnerships eliminate the monthly sponsorship scramble.

Five revenue streams broken down

1. AdSense — 7.8M monthly views, ~70% monetised at $7 CPM = ~$459K/year
2. Merchandise partnerships — co-branded lines with Nomadic (backpacks) and PolarPro (filters); 20% cut on sales = ~$260K/year
3. Brand deals — five sponsorship mentions/month at $10K + one full integration/month at $20K = ~$840K/year
4. Amazon affiliate — camera gear links in every video description at 5% commission = ~$260K/year
5. Digital asset sales — Lightroom presets, motion graphic packs priced $15–$30 on Sellfy = ~$150K/year

Business principles behind the model

• Diversify income so a dip in one stream doesn't collapse the whole business
• Use business partners (e.g. Nomadic handles production) to stay focused on content
• Lock in recurring sponsorships with companies like Squarespace and Epidemic Sound rather than hunting new sponsors each month

Missed opportunities identified

• Higher-end branded gear (e.g. a co-branded Canon camera) beyond backpacks
• An owned online photography school rather than relying on third-party platforms
• A MasterClass partnership to expand reach and brand positioning
• Email list — petermckinnon.com currently sends visitors to social only, leaving no direct audience channel if YouTube changes its rules