by By: Kendall Kriska
Influencers have become key players in the social media word, especially YouTube. This free platform allows these people to create content and post literally whatever they want. It starts as a simple idea, which turns into a video that people begin to see and from there they spread like wildfire. These influencers begin to gain followers and are presented with sponsorship deals, which is the point where their life shifts from being a simple video creator to an influencer. Being an influencer comes with a lot of pressure of having to continually put out content that gets not only good engagement, but growing engagement. Engagement is the most important thing a YouTuber can have to be successful. This is how they begin to make money from this platform and start their career as a “YouTuber.” People oftentimes think that being a YouTuber is not a real job, like how people would say cheerleading is not a real sport. However, being a YouTuber is much harder than people would think. Having to constantly come up with new exciting content, having to see millions of negative comments on projects they worked so hard on, and having to produce and edit multiple videos a week so they can remain a constant trend.
YouTube influencers are different than the ones on Instagram in the sense that they start off as video creators. Instagram influencers usually start off wanting to become influencers and are more about the glitz and glam of photography. This platform is viewed as more materialistic and “fake.” Yes, YouTuber’s almost always have Instagram’s, but it is their secondary platform, as their main focus is on their video content. I have always been drawn to YouTube because of that creative authentic side, which is why these people make for such great influencers, especially for the categories that their videos are on. For example, the makeup industry is sky rocketing as men are starting to be more vocal about wearing makeup. Both men and women have been creating channels that are either makeup tutorials, reviews, new looks, trends, etc. Since these “gurus” go through so many products, it only makes sense that they would know which ones are the best, which is a huge part of why people watch them.
James Charles, for example, is a fully modernized version of a YouTube influencer as he is one of the first popular male makeup users at only nineteen years old. He got his first big break at seventeen when he was named CoverGirl’s first male ambassador. Since then he has become a major makeup influencer because not only does he produce videos about makeup, he wears it and has gone through so many different products people are drawn in to see what he has to say. He is one of the fastest growing YouTuber’s in the industry and is passing up people who have been doing this for double/triple the amount of times he has. Charles gains around 46,544 followers a day on Instagram and YouTube, which is about 1,396,320 a month. He started off creating his videos all on his own and now he has a full team, advanced technological equipment and a full content calendar schedule of upcoming content. Charles also has his own makeup products, as he came out with makeup brushes and his first palette this past November called the Artistry Palette. He partnered with Morphe Cosmetics, which is an extremely well known makeup brand. This launch was extremely successful and sold out in less than ten minutes with record breaking results. Aside from the makeup, Charles has a full clothing line called Sisters Apparel that is thriving as well. Not only is Charles a makeup artist and video creator, he is becoming a full business man before he is even twenty with an estimated net worth of eight million dollars.
Influencers are the same in the sense that they all endorse products for their fans, however, YouTubers start off in the business as video creators, whereas Instagram influencers typically just want followers and fame. The creativity in the YouTube world is unmatched and growing by the second. Producing interesting content that gets people excited is a daily challenge, but one YouTubers have to do if they want to remain successful and trending. The more quality videos they put out, the more engagement and sponsorships they get, which will make them rise as an influencer even further. It is understandable that people put influencers all under the same microscope, but if you take a step back, they really aren’t all the same.
Instagram/Twitter: @kendall_kriska
Good outlook on the pressures on influencers. It is interesting to see these influencers online apologizing for not putting out new content every few days or so, especially since most of them began doing what they do out of passion and for themselves, and how they become so easily pressured by their followers.
Hi Kendall, I really enjoyed your view on influencers on YouTube! YouTube is definitely an over looked platform at times, but I think it can be better than Instagram too. Influencers are able to share more about their life experiences, be more open about themselves, and are able to show subscribers their day to day life without over posting. I also really appreciated that you mentioned James Charles, since he has come so far in his YouTube career and has made groundbreaking progress in makeup, and YouTube. YouTube has become a career for influencers through their own personal creativity and the engagement they receive from their subscribers/followers.
Hey Kendall!
I’m glad you chose to talk about influencers, especially focusing on influencers involved in YouTube and/or Instagram. It’s interesting that you say that YouTuber’s start off in the business as video creators, whereas Instagram influencers typically just want followers and fame. Is that true? That sounds right to me, but I’m sure there are YouTuber’s out there that only create their YouTube accounts to become famous/gain followers. You’re right though, YouTube content creators need to have more technical knowledge in order to create good content. Thank you for providing James Charles as your example. Using his background definitely helps break down the process of a big company making a connection with a popular influencer.
Hi Kendall,
I really enjoyed this piece you wrote. I never think to acknowledge the fact that since youtube is all video-based content- unlike Instagram which is heavily photo-based- we have a more personal interaction with those influencers. I feel that for our generation, myself included, we often get trapped into these perfect influencers that have set unrealistic expectations due to the fact that it is solely based on a photo that can be manipulated and photoshopped to change our perception. There is a difference between wanting fame and wanting to connect, that is the reason micro and nano influencers are as popular as they are. Companies want to use people that are real, and that will feel are a friendly face advertising a product; not a celebrity.
Thanks so much for the read!
Bella
Hi Kendall,
I’m glad you focused on Youtube influencers because I think that is a huge platform that is sometimes forgotten about. Youtube is special because people have more freedom and ability to post longer and more indepth content and I think that is why Youtubers are able to connect so deeply with their fans. The fan-Youtuber connection is uniquely deep and I think that is why Youtubers are so successful when partnering with brands or creating their own products.
Hi Kendall,
I really enjoyed your blog post about Youtube influencers. I enjoy watching Youtube influencers who make videos about fashion, beauty, and fitness. I feel like I can connect with Youtube influencers on a deeper level that I can on Instagram. It is easy for someone’s life to look perfect on Instagram and I think that people are a little bit more authentic on Youtube. We get a deeper look into their lives and it is more evident when they are promoting a product because they genuinely like it, or because they are simply being paid for it.
This post is so interesting to me! I have seen people across all platforms go viral but the way that Youtubers go viral is so different. It seems like they can literally get famous from the videos they post, take Jimmy Tatro for example. He started on youtube and now he has been on tv shows. It is honestly amazing how people can make a name for themselves through their presence and influence online.
Hi Kendall,
It’s refreshing to hear a perspective about YouTube influencers since we mainly focus on other platforms in class. I really enjoy watching YouTube videos as well. Some of my favorite creators are Safiya Nyggard and Ingrid Nielson. The video format allows for their personalities to shine, and I think that’s what makes the audience feel a genuine connection to them. You can really see the reach of YouTube influencers on other platforms too, since many of them generally have millions of followers on their Twitter and Instagram accounts.
Thank you Kendall for your post.
It is a very good point that you mention the influencers are different in different platforms and you mention Youtube, which becomes more and more important in social media. Since video can create better engagement or even the most engagement of all. Youtube is in a very good position to gain popularity and gain better viewers from that point of view. Moreover, with many tutorial not only in make up industry but in cooking, construction, fashion and lifestyle, Youtube becomes the median where consumer meets products and services through the Youtuber’s content and stories. It is such a perfect platform that opens so many door to every stakeholders and can create so many different for all. As you can see in Instagram they try to incorporate videos through Instagram stories, where people can post a short video or the Instagram TV, so that companies can put a long video on it.
All in all, I believe that Youtuber can be able to attract more audiences through this win win situation, which can be bring about sustainable growth for Youtuber, products and viewers.
That would be challenging coming up with fresh content all the time, especially videos! There is certainly pressure in the YouTube space to stay relevant. Plus, that is alot of time you have to devot to planning, filming, editing, and then posting a video. There is a big opportunity cost associated with a YouTubers time! Thanks for your post and adding this perspective! I had not thought about it before.