YouTubers Have Mastered the Groundswell

Entrepreneurs of the Internet

How “YouTubers” have taken over

Call them what you will: goofy, passionate, celebrities. But whatever you call them, they all identify with a specific community: YouTubers.

“YouTubers” make up a part of the 23% of the creator population on the internet. Though they are few in numbers, the community is growing every year. But in this YouTuber game it’s not just about the numbers of views, but rather building a fan base and brand.  In fact, many of the most popular YouTubers out there have pulled in tens of millions of subscribers and have a nationwide influence on culture.

YouTuber, Troye Sivan, speaking to the YouTube community

            In this post I will be specifically looking at 3 YouTuber “empires” to show how they command the groundswell through YouTube and several other social media outlets.

These YouTubers are:

 ·        Superfruit

·        Jenna Marbles 

·        Tyler Oakley

Superfruit

Superfruit is made up of Mitch Grassi and Scott Hoying, two members of the popular a capella group, Pentatonix. They’ve been doing their vlog for only a year and they’ve already gathered a very dedicated following on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and various fan blogs on Tumblr. 

YouTuber Stats:

• 840,771 subscribers

• 54,285,526 views

• Joined Aug 4, 2013

Superfruit include “Weekly Obsessions” and “This is a Really Great Song Doesn’t Listen to Anything Else Today.” These segments promote a product or person that both Hoying and Grassi are currently “obsessed” with that week. This exposes their fan base to new products, artists, and music through “word of mouth” over social media. Hoying and Grassi also use this platform to incorporate their singing talents and mention their group, Pentatonix. They do not miss the chance to self-promote. 

Jenna Marbles

           

Jenna Mourey goes under the YouTuber alias, Jenna Marbles. She’s been making videos for 4 years since the age of 24. Jenna says what’s on her mind and listens to her fans on what they want to hear about. Now most of her content is on the casual side, and contains strong language and sexual references. But she respects her fans and the groundswell of topics that conversationalists, critics, and joiners on the internet want to hear and see her cover on her channel.

YouTuber Stats:

• 14,076,575 subscribers

• 1,568,333,904 views

• Joined Feb 16, 2010

Jenna stands her ground on her beliefs and has even stood up for feminist issues. She made a comment on a YouTuber who has been harassing woman on his channel and calling it “pranking.” 

Many other YouTubers stand with this issue including Laci Green. 

Though Jenna plugs several people and products in her videos from 5 Hour Energy to MAC make-up products, a good deal of effort is put into the self-promotion. Jenna have several social media platforms to promote herself and her videos on YouTube, her sign-off always includes a word about subscribing to her channel and that she puts our a new video every Wednesday. In addition to her YouTube channel, she has her own blog, merch, Tumblr, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Tyler Oakley

           

Tyler Oakley is an entertainer and advocate for LGBTQ community. Oakley has been making videos for 7 years since he was the age of 18.  

YouTuber Stats:

• 5,562,269 subscribers

• 276,398,518 views

• Joined Sep 18, 2007

Tyler's Official Tumblr Profile,
which he uses for his "official" blog

Tyler raising funds for the Trevor Project 

Tyler highlights insights and lessons based on his life. He empowers his fans and the YouTube and LGBTQ community. 

He is devoted to his communities and his devoted fans, or as he affectionately refers to them as "his people." He is known for interviewing at red carpet events and speaking at projects like "It Gets Better" and the Trevor Project. He not has a grasp on the groundswell, but has influenced it through the people and relationships he has reached out to through YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and Instagram. 

Tyler's official Facebook page, pictures and other links posted to promote
his channel, tours, and his overall lifestyle to "his people" 

Obviously Tyler Oakley's channel and brand includes many "YouTube Challenges" and other rather silly and creative collaborations with fellow YouTubers, but this just adds value to his brand and image. The "silly stuff" actually is key to establishing a relationship with "his people." Doing the challenges and collaborations make him relatable and helps generate creative content for his channel.

Watch video here

Watch video here

Tyler highlights insights and lessons based on his life. He empowers his fans and the LGBTQ community. He also offers viewers “The Hookup,” which offers them discounts on products Oakley promotes in his YouTube videos. With Tyler Oakley you not only get a supportive entertainment figure, but access to the products and people a part of his life. 

You’re not just getting entertainment or advice, but a product and a lifestyle.  

Tyler Oakley is one of prime examples of an influential YouTuber. He uses his influence to support causes he believes in, and has done dozens of collaborations from other YouTubers, to celebrities, to the First Lady herself, Michelle Obama.

Tyler has mentioned several products on his channel from Warner Parker glasses to concert tickets, but just like all other YouTubers he has formed a style that starts and ends with self-promotion. He has his "sign-in" and "sign-off," which includes mentions subscribing and "liking" his videos, as well as links to his profile on several social media platforms.

The Take Away

One of the biggest “take aways” when we examine popular and influential YouTubers is:

• YouTubers can spread the word about things they love by promoting brands
• YouTubers develop their own editing and presentation style and become their own product
• YouTubers can make “collabs” with other YouTubers become an opportunity for cross promotion