How YouTube earnings are transforming rural lives in northern mountains

The 31-year-old couple from Khau Cau village in Lam Binh District, Tuyen Quang Province, run a YouTube channel with 108,000 subscribers. Their latest vlog captures them catching crabs in streams to sell at the local market, foraging for wild vegetables in the forest and cooking lunch.

As the cameraman, also her cousin, counts down—"three, two, one"—and starts recording, Mui and her husband begin their tasks. They refrain from talking to ensure the background sounds of birds and flowing water are clearly captured. Familiar with the camera, they complete each scene within minutes, efficiently scooping up crabs with nets, rinsing them and placing them in a basket.

Back at their hillside shelter, while Mui tends the fire to cook rice, Chai and the cameraman enter the forest to gather wild greens. The episode, which lasts over 40 minutes, concludes with the couple enjoying their meal. "It only takes minutes for viewers to watch, but each video takes us three days to plan, shoot and edit," she says.

Truc Thi Mui (in blue), 31, from Khau Cau Village, Phuc Yen Commune, Lam Binh District, northern province of Tuyen Quang, and her husband Ha Ton Chai (next to her) create YouTube content about rural mountainous life, January 2025. Photo courtesy of the couple

Before becoming YouTubers, the couple worked in a factory in Bac Ninh Province, each earning about VND10 million (US$398) a month. While this income was higher than from farming, it barely covered rent, food, their children's education, and wages for labour working in their rice fields. After years of work they had no savings.

In 2022, inspired by fellow villagers who had found success on YouTube, the couple quit their jobs. They returned home and built a hut in the mountains, using rivers, streams and terraced fields as scenic backdrops for their content. Their survival-themed videos require them to venture deep into the forest, explore remote areas and sometimes spend the night up in trees.

For construction-themed videos, they learned to cut wood, sharpen stakes and dig foundations, carefully planning camera angles to enhance the visuals. Some videos take days and even months to make, such as those documenting wild boar hunting, which involve risky but thrilling acts she believes will captivate viewers. "Every time we go into the forest we get bitten by leeches and mosquitoes. It is exhausting, but that is what makes the videos engaging."

Their content is primarily aimed at international audiences intrigued by life in Vietnam's mountains. This global interest drives high viewership, and advertising revenues per view is significantly high. To attract foreign audiences they have learned to create English titles. In two years, with only a smartphone, they have uploaded over 400 videos on their "Ha Ton Chai" channel and now earn tens of millions of dong (VND1 million = $40) a month.

 

 

How YouTube earnings are transforming rural lives in northern mountains

Dân bản phất lên nhờ làm Youtuber

Mui's family is one of hundreds in Phuc Yen Commune who have taken up YouTube content creation. According to Mu Thi Ve, vice chairwoman of the commune, says it has six hamlets with 300 households and 6,000 members, primarily from the Dao and Tay ethnic groups. While they previously farmed or worked in factories, since 2018 nearly every household has started a YouTube channel.

The two most active villages, Khau Cau and Na Khau, have six to seven families earning several hundred million dong (VND100 million = $4,000) a month from YouTube. Many have built better homes and bought cars. They also create jobs, hiring camera operators, video editors and extras.

The financial boost has benefited the community, as residents have donated to build schools, repair roads, and provide scholarships for disadvantaged students.

"Since people started making YouTube videos, about 50% of households have escaped poverty," Ve says.

The shift to content creation has changed social dynamics. Instead of gathering to drink alcohol, villagers now spend time filming. Divorce rates have declined as couples find harmony working together on YouTube. Local traditions and culture are being widely shared online.

Huyen, owner of a YouTube channel with over 100,000 subscribers, films a video about local specialties in Lang Can Town, Lang Can Commune, Lam Binh District, on Dec. 31, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Nguyen

This digital revolution is extending beyond Phuc Yen, with other areas in Lam Binh District also seeing a surge in YouTube creators. It is now common to see villagers carrying cameras as they visit markets or trek through the mountains.

According to the district Department of Culture and Information, YouTube content creation has become widespread, particularly among young people leveraging technology to generate income. Most showcase the region's culture and daily life, bringing positive exposure to the community. Some YouTubers work independently, while others collaborate with other villagers, ensuring steady incomes for all involved.

Families in Lang Can Town, Lam Binh District, collaborate to film videos of building houses with bamboo in January 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Nga Thanh

Cong Hao, 31, of Lang Can Town launched a YouTube channel in 2018, focusing on outdoor camping. At the time only about a dozen households in the district were doing this. Initially he struggled with YouTube's community guidelines, leading to some videos being penalized or removed. Lacking a clear content strategy, he abandoned his first channel despite amassing 60,000 followers and went to work.

But when YouTube's popularity surged in Lam Binh in 2023, he made a comeback. His new channels focus on survival skills, daily life and farming. He collaborates with others. Creating a high-quality channel with cameras and other paraphernalia costs around VND100 million, he says. "I now run four different YouTube channels with various themes. Developing multiple channels ensures a steady income for everyone involved." Every month he and his team earn VND10-15 million per person.

Ly Thi Tam, 27, of Lang Can Town also found an opportunity on YouTube. Initially she tried running her own channel but struggled. To support her family she and her husband moved to Bac Giang Province for factory jobs, leaving their children behind.

A year ago, they moved back and partnered with Hao to create videos about life in the mountains. Now each of them earns over VND10 million per month, providing financial stability and savings.

"Instead of working in a factory far from home, YouTube has given us financial security and the opportunity to stay with our family. We plan to pursue this long-term."