Yes, YouTube revenue is based on views. It is important to understand that the way YouTube's revenue system works is that Ads are placed on videos, and you will be compensated for each view when someone watches the ad. Generally speaking, YouTube pays for every thousand views, or "CPM," which stands for "cost per thousand." Every individual view is worth more than the CPM rate, and so the more views you receive, the more money you make. Additionally, YouTube pays more for certain categories of Ads, such as skippable ads and non-skippable ads. All of these factors contribute to the amount you will make from your videos.
In addition to Ads, YouTube Partners can also make money through YouTube's Partner Program. This program is an additional way to monetize videos by enabling advertising against videos and allowing users to earn a commission off of video sales. From the Partner Program, you can also earn money from SuperChat, a feature that allows viewers to pay to have their comment stand out in the chat box during a live streaming event.
To maximize revenue potential through YouTube, it is vital to understand best practices for creating content, using appropriate tags and descriptions, targeting relevant audiences and creating engaging videos. Additionally, it is incredibly important to be aware of YouTube policies, guidelines and its overall ecosystem, as this will help you to optimize revenue.