YouTube is one of the most popular and recognizable websites out there. Not only do people of all ages have it among the rest of their social media accounts, but it’s an easy way to get new content quickly.
Television falls away to broadcasting sites like Netflix and Hulu, which provide a large collection of video entertainment in bulk that you can binge watch as often as you’d like. However, YouTube is constantly churning out new content that feels more inclusive and invites viewers to relate with “real people” on a very personal level. And, being from the generation that’s seen Fred and Smosh through Buzzfeed and homemade Vine compilations, at one point or another, you may have thought about becoming a YouTuber yourself.
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It’s the new American Dream! You get to spend your time on social media, be on your phone or computer each day, connect with people AND get paid for it. But anything that sounds that good can’t be easy.
Expecting to make a living off of your YouTube channel is like becoming the next Brad Pitt in Hollywood. While the YouTube Partner Plan in 2012 made it easier to make money by slipping a few advertisements into videos, it still takes thousands of subscribers to have this opportunity, and even then, you can’t expect more than $100 from advertisers, according to talent manager Josh Zimmerman.
And while it’s possible to make a living off of YouTube, the amount of work and screen time is incredibly stressful. Olga Kay, a YouTuber who makes roughly $100-130k a year, uploads about 20 videos to her channels weekly and most of her money goes back to building her brand – i.e. hiring staff, creating merchandise and buying equipment. She also spends every waking moment trying to think of new material to keep her relevant.
British YouTuber Will Lenney spends hours researching, writing scripts and filming before even beginning the editing process. He has his days laid out for main channel posts and vlog posts, sleeps four hours to get things done, stays active on social media (with rules like “Insta/snap stories 5-10 a day”) and says he goes for long spans of time where his only social interaction is the barista he gets coffee from.
Although the rise to YouTube “stardom” is difficult, rare and stressful, it doesn’t always have to rule your life in a negative way. Jenna Marbles says in an interview with Larry King that she typically films, edits and uploads all on one day, which is typically dubbed by her as every “Wednesday-slash-Thursday”. She also has a vlog channel, but it is only updated occasionally.
However, her live-in boyfriend, YouTuber Julien Solomita, typically uploads vlogs daily. And while he spends a majority of the time filming and editing these videos along with the many other projects he helps run (Last Minute Trips, Waffsicle) and those that Jenna and him have started together (their own Twitch stream, the Jenna & Julien Podcast), his vlogs give us a look into their seemingly-normal lives. Julien’s videos feature regular activities such as going to the gym, meeting up with friends, relaxing and watching TV, going shopping, cooking dinner and playing with their dogs. While the amount of content the two create together is extensive, they genuinely love what they do and are able to balance it with living.
Getting started may be hard, and the work may be stressful, but with a bit of luck, it is a potential career path. However, with a path that makes it so easy to lose yourself on, it seems important to ground yourself with other hobbies and friends.