Why UK YouTube CPMs Are Shifting in 2026
The notification pinged on my phone last week. Another creator in my WhatsApp group had shared a screenshot of their YouTube Analytics dashboard. “CPM down 23% year-over-year,” they wrote. “Is anyone else seeing this?” I opened my own analytics. The numbers told a familiar story. My K-pop dance cover channel — the one I built around exclusive choreography breakdowns and sustainable fashion hauls — showed a similar dip. As someone who migrated from Bangladesh to study textile engineering in the UK, who found her creative voice through dance covers at 42, and who now relies on this income stream to fund my sustainable luxury lifestyle aspirations, these fluctuations aren’t abstract data points. They’re the difference between planning next quarter’s fabric sourcing trip and wondering if I need to pick up freelance consulting work. ...