Ads don't generate much income, even for the professional YTs, which is why they do sponsored videos themselves, essentially running ads within their "show".
The goal is to attract many viewers and retain many viewers. IIRC the algorithm doesn't like it if people only watch a bit of your video then click away to the next one.
This is why controversy, spectacle and drama are so prevalent on the platform, creating a steady stream of engaging videos is really fricking hard!
Morris Hubbert got a reaction from IronFilm in Making Money on YouTube for Idiots (Me) 2019
Morris Hubbert got a reaction from hansel in Making Money on YouTube for Idiots (Me) 2019
Morris Hubbert reacted to kye in Making Money on YouTube for Idiots (Me) 2019