YouTuber

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A YouTuber is a type of content creator and social media influencer who uploads or creates videos on the online video-sharing website YouTube, [1] typically posting to their personal YouTube channel. [2] The term was first used in the English language in 2006, and subsequently appeared in the 2006 Time Person of the Year issue. [3] [4]

Contents

Influence

Influential YouTubers are frequently described as microcelebrities. [2] Since YouTube is widely conceived as a bottom-up social media video platform, microcelebrities do not appear to be involved with the established and commercial system of celebrity culture; rather, they appear self-governed and independent. [5] [6] This appearance, in turn, leads to YouTubers being seen as more relatable and authentic, also fostered by the direct connection between artist and viewer using the medium of YouTube. [2] [7]

In 2014, the University of Southern California surveyed 13–18-year-olds in the United States on whether ten YouTube celebrities or ten traditional celebrities were more influential; YouTube personalities took the first five spots of the ranking, with the YouTube duo Smosh ranking as most influential. [7] [8] The survey was repeated in 2015, and found six YouTubers on the first ranks, with KSI ranked as most influential. [7] [9] Several YouTubers and their influence were subjects for scientific studies, such as Zoella, [2] and PewDiePie. [10] Numerous studies in the late 2010s found that YouTuber was the most desired career by children. [11] [12] [13]

YouTubers' influence has also extended beyond the platform. Some have ventured into mainstream forms of media, such as Liza Koshy, who, among other pursuits, hosted the revival of the Nickelodeon show Double Dare [14] and starred in the Netflix dance-comedy film Work It . [15] In 2019, Ryan's Mystery Playdate , a show starring Ryan Kaji, the then-seven-year-old host of the toy review and vlog channel Ryan's World, began airing on the Nick Jr. Channel; [16] later that year, NBC debuted A Little Late with Lilly Singh in its 1:35 am ET time slot. Singh's digital prominence was cited as a reason for her selection as host by then-NBC Entertainment co-chairman George Cheeks. [17] In 2024, Canadian YouTuber Jasmeet Singh Raina, otherwise known as JusReign, released his half-hour comedy series titled Late Bloomer. In addition to expanding into other forms of media, several YouTubers have used their influence to raise money for charity or speak out on social issues. Notable examples include James Stephen "MrBeast" Donaldson and Mark Rober, who helped raise over $20 million with their Team Trees campaign, [18] [19] and Felipe Neto, who publicly criticized Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. [20] In 2020, Time named Neto and fellow YouTuber JoJo Siwa to its annual list of the world's 100 most influential people. [21] [22]

Due to this level of influence, in 2013, University of Michigan associate professor Robert Hovden argued for the creation of a new index similar to the g-index and h-index to evaluate a person's output and impact on YouTube. [23]

Monetization

Total annual earnings of the top ten YouTuber accounts, and the income of the single highest-earning account 2017- Top earners on YouTube - column chart.svg
Total annual earnings of the top ten YouTuber accounts, and the income of the single highest-earning account

YouTubers can earn revenue from Google AdSense. Additionally, they can supplement their income through affiliate links, merchandising, and 3rd party memberships using platforms such as Patreon. [24] Popular channels have garnered corporate sponsors, who pay to be included in the videos. [24] In 2018, Walmart, Nordstrom, and others sought YouTube stars as influencers. [25]

In the early days of YouTube, there was no way to monetize videos on the platform. Much of the site's content was homemade and produced by hobbyists with no plans for making money on the site. [26] [27] The first targeted advertising on the site came in the form of participatory video ads, which were videos in their own right that offered users the opportunity to view exclusive content by clicking on the ad. [28] The first such ad was for the Fox show Prison Break and solely appeared above videos on Paris Hilton's channel. [28] [29] At the time, the channel was operated by Warner Bros. Records and was cited as the first brand channel on the platform. [29] Participatory video ads were designed to link specific promotions to specific channels rather than advertising on the entire platform at once. When the ads were introduced in August 2006, YouTube CEO Chad Hurley rejected the idea of expanding into areas of advertising seen as less user-friendly at the time, saying, "We think there are better ways for people to engage with brands than forcing them to watch a commercial before seeing content. You could ask anyone on the net if they enjoy that experience and they'd probably say no." [29] However, YouTube began running in-video ads in August 2007, with preroll ads introduced in 2008. [30] In December 2007, YouTube launched the Partner Program, which allows channels that meet certain metrics (currently 1000 subscribers and 4000 public watch hours in the past year) [31] to run ads on their videos and earn money doing so. [30] The Partner Program allowed for the first time YouTube personalities to make a living from the platform. [32] : 7 

During the 2010s, the ability for YouTubers to achieve wealth and fame due to success on the platform increased dramatically. In December 2010, Business Insider estimated that the highest earner on YouTube during the previous year was Dane Boedigheimer, creator of the web series Annoying Orange , with an income of around $257,000. [33] Five years later, Forbes released its first list of the highest-earning YouTube personalities, estimating top earner PewDiePie's income during the previous fiscal year at $12 million, more than some popular actors such as Cameron Diaz or Gwyneth Paltrow. [34] Forbes estimated that the tenth-highest earner that year was Rosanna Pansino at $2.5 million. [a] That year, NME stated that "vlogging has become big business." [36] The rapid influx of wealth within the YouTube community has led some to criticize YouTubers for focusing on earnings more than the creativity and connection with their fanbase that some claim was at the heart of the platform before expanded monetization. [37] [38] [39] In August 2021, it was reported Kevin Paffrath made $5 million in just the first 3 months of 2021 and his YouTube analytics showed he made "several million" in ad revenue within the prior 12 months. [40] By 2021, YouTuber earnings had expanded even more, with Forbes estimating that the highest earner that year was MrBeast at $51 million. [41]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ In December 2020, Forbes estimated that the highest-earning YouTuber was Ryan Kaji at $29.5 million. The tenth-highest was Jeffree Star at $15 million. [35]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">YouTube</span> Video-sharing and social media platform

YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim, three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States, it is the second-most visited website in the world, after Google Search. In January 2024, YouTube had more than 2.7 billion monthly active users, who collectively watched more than one billion hours of videos every day. As of May 2019, videos were being uploaded to the platform at a rate of more than 500 hours of content per minute, and as of 2023, there were approximately 14 billion videos in total.

The American online video sharing and social media platform YouTube has had social impact in many fields, with some individual videos of the site having directly shaped world events. It is the world's largest video hosting website and second most visited website according to both Alexa Internet and Similarweb, and used by 81% of U.S. adults.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internet celebrity</span> Person who has become famous through their use of the Internet

An internet celebrity, also referred to as an internet personality, is an individual who has acquired or developed their fame and notability on the Internet. The growing popularity of social media provides a means for people to reach a large, global audience, and internet celebrities are commonly present on large online platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, which primarily rely on user-generated content. Some internet celebrities are also social media influencers, known simply as influencers, due to their social influence online.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natalie Tran</span> Australian YouTuber and actress (born 1986)

Natalie Tran, also known online as communitychannel, is an Australian YouTuber, actress, comedian, television presenter, and writer. On YouTube, she became known for her comedy videos in which she discusses everyday issues. She began posting on YouTube in 2006 while attending University of New South Wales. From 2006 to 2016, her channel consisted primarily of observational comedy videos with monologues. Tran was the most subscribed-to YouTuber in Australia and one of the highest-earning YouTubers globally in the late 2000s and early 2010s. She ceased uploading routinely to YouTube in late 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shay Carl</span> American video blogger and YouTube personality

Shay Carl Butler, known by his online alias Shay Carl, is an American YouTuber. He has three YouTube channels, two of which have over three million subscribers. Butler and Corey Vidal developed a documentary called Vlogumentary on a $200,000+ budget that was funded with an Indiegogo campaign and raised by mostly from his viewers. Vlogumentary was released on April 20, 2016. Forbes called Butler one of the "most successful video entrepreneurs on YouTube" and in 2011 The New York Times featured Butler's production company Maker Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PewDiePie</span> Swedish YouTuber (born 1989)

Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, better known as PewDiePie, is a Swedish YouTuber known for his comedic videos. Kjellberg's popularity on YouTube and extensive media coverage has made him one of the most noted online personalities and content creators. He has been portrayed in media as a figurehead for YouTube, especially in the genre of gaming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Markiplier</span> American YouTuber (born 1989)

Mark Edward Fischbach, known online as Markiplier, is an American YouTuber, actor, filmmaker, and influencer. One of the most popular YouTubers on the platform, he is known for his "Let's Play" videos of indie horror games. He was listed by Forbes as the third highest-paid content creator on the platform in 2022, and has won four Streamy Awards and a Golden Joystick Award. He has spun-off his YouTube fame into a media career, venturing into acting and filmmaking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KSI</span> English boxer, influencer and rapper (born 1993)

Olajide Olayinka Williams "JJ" Olatunji, better known by his online alias KSI, is an English influencer, professional boxer, and musician. He is a co-founding member of YouTube group the Sidemen, the CEO of Misfits Boxing, and the co-owner of Prime Hydration, XIX Vodka, Sidemen Clothing, restaurant chain Sides, cereal brand Best Breakfasts, and pre-made lunch brand Lunchly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lilly Singh</span> Canadian YouTuber (born 1988)

Lilly Saini Singh is a Canadian YouTuber, television host, comedian and author. Singh began making YouTube videos in 2010. She originally appeared under the pseudonym Superwoman, her YouTube username until 2019.

jacksepticeye Irish YouTuber (born 1990)

Seán William McLoughlin, better known publicly as jacksepticeye, is an Irish YouTuber whose videos focus on gaming, comedy and vlogging.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DanTDM</span> English YouTuber (born 1991)

Daniel Robert Middleton, better known as DanTDM, is a British YouTuber, gamer, and author. He is primarily known for his Let's Play videos, particularly those featuring Minecraft, Roblox, Pokémon and Five Nights at Freddy's. Middleton's YouTube channel, which he started in 2012, has amassed over 29 million subscribers and 19 billion views as of 2024, making him one of the most popular content creators on the platform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ali-A</span> English YouTuber (born 1993)

Alastair Aiken, better known by his online alias Ali-A, is a British YouTuber known for Call of Duty and Fortnite commentaries and vlogs. He is one of the highest-paid professional online gamers. His main channel Ali-A has a subscriber count of over 18 million, with its total views exceeding 6 billion. His second channel, More Ali-A, has a YouTube subscriber count of over 19 million and a total of over 6 billion video views. On 23 April 2018, Ali-A created a new channel, titled "Clare & Ali" with his partner, Clare Siobhan. The channel has since gained over 1 million subscribers and generated more than 68 million video views. In September 2020, he created a fourth channel titled "Ali-A Plays", where he uploads content relating to the Call of Duty franchise only. Currently, the channel has more than 430,000 subscribers and more than 26 million video views.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Logan Paul</span> American influencer and professional wrestler (born 1995)

Logan Alexander Paul is an American influencer, professional wrestler, entrepreneur, and actor. He is also known as 'The Maverick', has over 23 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, and has ranked on the Forbes list for the highest paid YouTube creators in 2017, 2018, and 2021. He is the co-founder of beverage company Prime and snack brand Lunchly. Paul has also run the Impaulsive podcast since November 2018, which has over four million YouTube subscribers. As a wrestler, he has been signed to WWE since June 2022 where he performs on a part-time basis and is a former WWE United States Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liza Koshy</span> American actress (born 1996)

Elizabeth ShailaKoshy is an American YouTuber, media personality and actress. Her main YouTube channel has amassed almost 17 million subscribers, and her two channels have a combined total of over 3 billion views. She has received four Streamy Awards, four Teen Choice Awards, and a Kids' Choice Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan's World</span> Childrens YouTube channel

Ryan's World is a children's YouTube channel for children aged 2–6 featuring Ryan Kaji along with his mother, father, and twin sisters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MrBeast</span> American YouTuber and businessman (born 1998)

James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson, better known by his online alias MrBeast, is an American YouTuber, internet personality, philanthropist and businessman. He is known for his fast-paced and high-production videos featuring elaborate challenges and lucrative giveaways. With over 330 million subscribers, he has the most subscribers of any YouTube channel, and is the third-most-followed creator on TikTok with over 104 million followers. He also has over 60 million followers on Instagram and 30.9 million on X.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Dobrik</span> Internet personality (born 1996)

Dávid Julián Dobrík is an Internet personality, and YouTuber. He found early success on the video-sharing platform Vine before starting his vlog on YouTube in 2015. In 2019, he co-founded the photography app Dispo. Dobrik entered the United States as a child, and was later protected under the DACA program, before eventually being granted permanent residency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CarryMinati</span> Indian YouTuber and streamer (born 1999)

Ajey Nagar, better known as CarryMinati, is an Indian YouTuber, streamer and rapper. He is known for his roasting videos, comedic skits and reactions to various online topics on his channel CarryMinati. His other channel CarryisLive is dedicated to gaming and live streams. With over 43 million subscribers as of September 2024, he is the most-subscribed individual YouTuber in Asia.

Jason Matthew Ethier, popularly known as ImJayStation or JayStation, is a Canadian Internet personality and former YouTuber, noted for controversial content produced between 2015–2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dream (YouTuber)</span> American YouTuber and Twitch streamer (born 1999)

Clay, known online as Dream, is an American YouTuber, Twitch streamer, speedrunner, and singer primarily known for creating Minecraft content.

References

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