How to Earn $3,400 per Month with Short Video Challenges

Short-form video content has become one of the most popular and profitable formats on platforms like YouTube Shorts and TikTok. A trending format — list-based challenge videos — is gaining massive traction. These videos engage viewers by presenting a series of tasks or questions that get progressively harder, encouraging them to watch until the end. In this article, you’ll learn how to create these videos, where to source materials, and how much you can realistically earn.

What Are List-Based Challenge Videos?

These are short videos that present a series of questions or tasks, grouped by difficulty levels. For example:

• Easy Level: "Find the odd one out: apple, banana, dog, orange."
  Answer: "Dog, because it’s not a fruit."
• Hard Level: "Which country was the first to land on the Moon? (USA, Russia, China)."
  Answer: "USA."

Such videos work because of:

1. Psychology: Viewers feel compelled to finish the challenge, boosting completion rates.
2. Visual Simplicity: The clean and engaging design appeals to a broad audience, making the content viral.

How Does This Make Money?

1. YouTube Shorts

• Average earnings per 1,000 views (RPM): $0.15–$0.20.
• Example: A video with 23 million views could earn ~$3,400.

2. TikTok Creator Rewards

• Payments per 1,000 views range from $0.40 to $1.00 (average: $0.60).
• Example: A video with 55 million views could generate ~$33,000.

Even with just 1 million views, you could earn $150 on YouTube Shorts and $600 on TikTok.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Challenge Videos

Step 1. Find Stock Videos

Stock videos are short clips used as backgrounds.
Examples: nature scenes, cityscapes, abstract patterns.

Where to Find Them:

• Canva (built-in free stock videos).
• Pexels (free, high-quality stock footage).
• Pixabay.

Tip: Start with neutral visuals like landscapes or abstract animations. These attract attention but don’t distract from the text.

Step 2. Prepare Content Using ChatGPT

1. Sign up at ChatGPT.
2. Request:
   • "Generate 10 progressively harder questions on the topic of [your niche]."
3. Example Questions:
   • Easy: "Which of these is a fruit? (apple, bread, sugar)."
   • Medium: "How many legs does a spider have? (6, 8, 10)."
   • Hard: "What’s the fastest animal? (cheetah, eagle, antelope)."
4. Select the best questions.

Tip: Focus on popular topics like movies, music, memes, or trivia to attract a larger audience.

Step 3. Add Text and Design

1. In Canva:
   • Create a bold title (e.g., red background, white text).
   • Add difficulty levels: Easy (green), Medium (orange), Hard (red), Extreme (purple).
   • Place question numbers next to their levels (e.g., 1, 2, 3 for Easy).
2. Group the elements to make editing easier.
3. Create multiple slides with new questions and backgrounds.

Tip: Use clear fonts like Roboto Bold. If the text is hard to read, add shadows or increase its size.

Step 4. Generate Voiceovers with 11 Labs

1. Sign up at 11 Labs (free tier offers 10 minutes of audio).
2. Input your question text and choose a voice.
3. Download individual audio files for each question.

Tip: Choose a dramatic or engaging voice to keep viewers hooked.

Step 5. Combine Video and Audio in CapCut

1. Download CapCut.
2. Upload your Canva video template and audio files.
3. Add auto-captions with the "Auto Subtitles" feature.
4. Include progress bars and sound effects (e.g., ticking clocks).
5. Export the final video in MP4 format (1080p).

Step 6. Adjust Video Length for Platforms

• For TikTok: Videos must be over 60 seconds to qualify for Creator Rewards. Recommended length: 60.1 seconds.
• For YouTube Shorts: Videos must be under 60 seconds.

Tip: Create videos that are 60.1 seconds long. For YouTube Shorts, trim them to 59.9 seconds in the YouTube editor. This way, you can reuse the same content for both platforms.

Example Earnings

1. YouTube Shorts:
   • A video with 5 million views could earn ~$750.
2. TikTok:
   • A video with 5 million views could generate ~$3,000.

Minimum: Even 1 million views can bring in $150 on YouTube and $600 on TikTok.

Conclusion

List-based challenge videos are a simple yet profitable way to earn money, even for beginners. Using free tools and templates, you can create viral content with minimal investment. Start making your own challenge videos today and watch your earnings grow!