We have been invited to have ads on a few of our accounts. They have a modest amount of traffic (~80,000 views) but none of them has ever made a dime.

Thanks Travelin cat, so what motivates so many people to create so many videos? Now in the billions as I understand...

Well, many do make money. But I'm thinking you need to have hundreds of thousands of views per video to make any real money.

topics are also important

what kind of numbers would you expect if the video received 500 visitors a day?

Zip. Or near zip.

Been there, done that and had one that hit 2.3M (million) views and was just enough to feed four at a restaurant above McD but well below Gordon Ramsey.

That was the high point... after viral disappeared... NOTHING.

I can honestly say I have never, ever, clicked on an ad or followed a link out of Youtube. Even the videos that I think are fantastic I can rarely remember who made it or what channel it is from. Although there is one exception, good old Khan Academy (I love the way he distills and simplifies a traditionally complex subject). There are just too many highly relevant options. I'm imagining the future of youtube lies in the classroom...

I am still trying to get to the bottom of what motivates 'so many' people in some cases - create a myriad of videos...?

What motivates people is that in many cases the videos are the adverts. YouTube and other video sites are awash with book and film trailers and other promotional material.