Key facts
- Eknoor Singh earns over £120,000 annually as a social media video clipper.
- Clippers can earn up to £2.30 per 1,000 views across platforms.
- Singh's viral clip of Sabrina Carpenter at the Met Gala gained significant views.
- Many clippers, however, make little to no income, mirroring the broader creator economy.
- Platforms like Clipping Culture connect brands with over 340,000 clippers globally.
Eknoor Singh, a 22-year-old from London, has found significant financial success as a professional social media video 'clipper,' earning over £120,000 a year. Singh's job involves watching longer videos provided by clients—ranging from clothing brands and record labels to movie studios and influencers—and extracting the most engaging 30-to-60-second segments to upload to platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Singh stated that his income is directly tied to the views his clips receive, with potential earnings of up to £2.30 per 1,000 views. He was inspired to pursue clipping after making $300 from a short video of popstar Dua Lipa, realizing the lucrative potential of the work. He now claims to earn "at least £10,000 a month," focusing on creating funny, quick, and engaging content, such as a viral clip of Sabrina Carpenter at the Met Gala.
While some clippers achieve high earnings, social media consultant Lia Haberman notes that the majority make little to nothing, a situation mirroring the broader creator economy. Streaming industry analyst Devin Nash also highlights the significant time investment required, with successful clippers needing to watch "hours and hours of content."
Platforms like Clipping Culture, Vyro, Whop, and Kick act as intermediaries, connecting clients with clippers and taking a fee. These sites list jobs and facilitate the process. For companies, hiring young clippers is often more cost-effective and potentially more impactful than traditional advertising. Galiano Tiramani, founder of Boxabl, reported achieving "probably a billion views" from clips for his modular home company. Similarly, Jimmy McLoughlin uses clips as "trailers" for his podcast content, generating millions of views from clips compared to tens of thousands for full episodes.
Evan Stanfield, the 21-year-old founder of Clipping Culture, believes the popularity of short videos stems from decreasing attention spans, making it a domain dominated by younger consumers. Singh himself emphasizes the flexibility of his work, stating he can earn money "anywhere" and "on holiday."