YouTube has always been an amazing avenue for content creators and in recent years has developed a cult following of popular YouTube Celebrities or rather individuals known as “Vloggers” top Vloggers such as PewDiePie, h3h3 productions, and JennaMarbles have been known to have a net worth of upwards of 15.6 million dollars.
Even before advertising contracts each of their channels produces $2.50 per 1,000 views at minimum 450,000 views per video a day often over shooting that into the 1-2 million view range. One can quickly understand without doing the math the amount of ad revenue these individuals produce and it’s astronomical.
In August of 2006 YouTube launched its first advertising concepts in which users who utilized the Participatory Video ads or (PVA’S) and Brand Channels. Those with smart business practices and any hint of talent quickly took advantage of this new and easy to use way to monetize on their own YouTube channels launching many successful and promising careers. However, their monetization systems alone are not enough to sustain a healthy and normal lifestyle.
There are a multitude of reasons why some individuals succeed and others don’t when perusing a career as a professional YouTuber. The main reason being that it’s extremely competitive. Second being, YouTube has a real problem with constantly updating their algorithms. Monetization within the community can be a real financial rollercoaster and most recently updated copyright policies has become a real nightmare for once flourishing video game reviewers.
However, some individuals have taken preventative measures to maintain their success as content creators by generating a new forum of monetization in the forum of viral marketing. As a fan of automotive sports, I tend to follow a verity of professional YouTubers within the scene the most recent up and coming individual is a channel by the name of AdamLZ.
Now, like I said I originally started following AdamLZ simply because his content relates to my interests he started in the world of BMX sports but as he grew older in recent years his talents have landed him into the world of drifting. I have been and will always be a major gear head. I have a strong connection to that community and his channel focuses on his up and coming stardom in the local drift scenes.
As of 2016 it is estimated that AdamLZ’s current net worth is upwards of 600,000 dollars. A Graduate of University of Central Florida - Burnett Honors College he has utilized his knowledge and net worth to focus on becoming a brand himself. Through YouTube he has successfully utilized his own identity to advertise for his own clothing brand LZMFG. He sells a verity of BMX and Drift related apparel anything from t-shirts to Keychains.
Not only has he allowed the YouTube monetization system to progress his own brand and virtually provide him with a forum of advertising in which he is the soul profit of. It has also allowed him to bring on multiple partners and sponsorships. Often in the daily life of a Vlog you’ll find this YouTube personality taking anywhere from a thirty second to a minute to plug brands such as stamps.com, blue apron, as well as an up and coming watch company he supported through kick starter called MVMT. Now, It might seem as if I’m praising AdamLZ for using his online fame for profit. But, he’s just one example of many individuals who make a healthy and successful living by viral marketing.
As attention spans shorten and traditional broadcast media dies. Brands often are looking for new and innovative ways to promote themselves. AdamLZ is nothing more than an intelligent successful business man making use of that fact. However, the individuals who are really profit are the brands being promoted. Instead of losing labor costs on large production budgets and airtime for lengthy advertising campaigns. They can simply contract out to multiple large YouTube celebrities and make the same impact to their brand.