Is a YouTuber a viable career?

Question

burlen · Accepted Answer

The term "viable career" refers to a career or profession that is feasible or workable and can provide a sustainable income and job security over an extended period. To that end, YouTubing can be viable career for some individuals for the following reasons:

Huge audience: YouTube is the second most visited website on the internet with over 2 billion monthly active users. This provides an enormous audience that can be targeted by content creators.

Low barrier to entry: Starting a YouTube channel requires only a camera and an internet connection. Anyone can create content from anywhere in the world and upload it to the platform. The financial cost to start a YouTube channel is less expensive.

Revenue streams: YouTube offers multiple revenue streams, including ad revenue, sponsorships, merchandise sales, and donations. This allows YouTubers to earn a living from their content and build a sustainable career.

Career growth: Successful YouTubers can grow their audience and leverage their platform to launch other businesses or pursue other opportunities in their chosen field.

YouTubing may not be a viable career for some individuals because for the following reasons:

High competition: YouTube is a highly competitive platform, with millions of creators vying for attention from viewers. This makes it difficult for new creators to stand out and gain traction.

Uncertain income: While YouTube offers multiple revenue streams, the income generated from them can be unpredictable and subject to fluctuations. This can make it challenging for YouTubers to plan their finances and create a stable income.

Time-consuming: Creating high-quality content that resonates with viewers can be a time-consuming process. This means that YouTubers may need to invest a significant amount of time and effort into their channels before seeing any significant returns.

Limited growth opportunities: While some YouTubers may be able to grow their audience and build a successful brand, others may find it difficult to scale their channel beyond a certain point. This can limit their earning potential and career growth opportunities.

Limited job security: Being a YouTuber is not a traditional career path and may not offer the same level of job security as more established professions. This can be a concern for those who value stability and predictability in their career.

WindAtMyBack · Accepted Answer

It's not really a career that you can plan with a reliable chance of success. You can go to college and get a degree in engineering, accounting, or whatever. Or you can pick a trade and get training. You can't really do that with YouTube.

Making money on YouTube is a business, and should be treated like a business. Like all businesses, you need something to sell. In order to have something to sell, you need some kind of special training, knowledge or experience. But training knowledge and experience are not enough. You have to have the personality, be good at business and be good at selling yourself.

Like any business, it's risky but can be done if you are willing to dedicate yourself to it. You need to be prepared for a slow start, and have the finances to live on until you can make enough money in your business. You also have to be prepared for it to fail.

A business and a career are not the same thing. A career working as an employee is far more reliable than a business. And odds are that you will make more money as an employee. So it's chancy. If you can make a hundred dollars a month on YouTube, then consider it a paying hobby. If it takes off, then save as much money as you can while it lasts.

CubsterShura · Accepted Answer

Yes and no. Generally relying on it alone is a bad idea because you don't know how much you will make out of it, and if you will make enough to quit your other jobs at all. Most of that YouTubers make comes from sponsors and ads. It takes effort to create good quality videos that will get views and also some luck on your side. Even if you make a lot of money it is very important to spend it wisely.

Look up the case of GlitterForever17. How she made so much money from her content but as she lost relevance went nearly homeless.

jennifer_bloom · Accepted Answer

I believe all jobs that are self governing can make you rich but not a single one is going to be both easy and cost free. If you work extremely hard at anything whether it’s YouTube or acting or banking, you can do it. But no path to riches is easy unless you pay a terrible price for it.

Anonymous · Answer

I think a lot of it depends on the person.

I would like to become more of a Youtuber... but I don't have much interest in making it a full time career. I MIGHT be more interested if I was successful in the beginning. But I see Youtube as kind of a way for me to promote myself in whatever else I choose to do. If I can make extra income from it, great... it wouldn't be the worst career ever, even full time. However - I don't want to spend ten hours a day, every day, trying to figure everything out, especially if I don't do well. I don't like how... fickle... social media can be, either. But I think it can be a good thing to start up, get an audience, and if it comes, great... but if it doesn't... I think most people need some sort of backup job, and use YouTube as a kind of hobby, and if it takes off... wonderful. That way, if it's not making sense, you aren't devastated you lost three fans/followers, and you're not obsessed over who likes you and why and how.

I don't think everyone can do it. And I think the person has to be good at marketing and promoting BESIDES being creative... and they could end up throwing thousands of dollars into something they will get discouraged by pretty quickly if they don't do it "the right way" pretty quickly. And they need to be good at "pivoting" pretty quickly. If somehow YouTube died out in a few years because of some new thing (unlikely, but it's happened), they have to figure out the new marketing for the new media quickly.

I tell my God kids that Esports (which they obsess over) CAN be viable. If they want to do it, great. But they need to work on school, and learning how to read and do math FIRST instead of spending five hours every day watching other Esports stars. That won't cut it. If they're really into it, GENUINELY into it, they need to save for a console. They need to learn cinematography. They need to network and get sponsorships. They need to get good at the games - not every game on the market. They need to still get classic exercise and train. They need to learn how to read contracts. Watch their eye health. And if they JUST want to sit and watch others do it then it's not viable FOR THEM.

Anonymous · Answer

Now? I don't think so. The world is going through some major changes and tech companies got hit the hardest. A lot of the things on YouTube are cringe. I remember late 2000s, 2010s "social experiments" were big. Although I found them heartwarming or funny, looking back it's awful. What I found heartwarming was just for clicks and views (ex: giving a homeless man money), there is no generosity there, it's (look how nice I am). Not saying people can't make money off YouTube. But it's more likely that a girl who's very pretty and does try on-hauls, rants about her life or gossips about others will have a larger YouTube following then a guy promoting a fitness channel, that's just my opinion. by the way, girls should NOT expose their life that way. I've heard male YouTuber's say it took them yearss to get noticed. I thought about creating a sneaker channel on YouTube and doing sneaker reviews but I don't like to be in front of the camera. We live in a such a triggered society if people find out your political affiliation or religion or gender preference people could "cancel" you.

Since it's online for the world to see that could bite someone in the behind who plan to quit YouTube one day and just work a regular job, an employer may say, this person said this about what a true marriage entails with a man and a woman, no we can't have someone with those types of views working with us. I don't post my life online. I understand girls and women do it for major validation and self esteem issues, guys and men as well. Me personally, I went to university, pursuing my Masters, working for a good company, saving money, getting married, being happy, travelling but not living a luxurious life style, financially sound but modest at the same time, that's what I want.

drummerdude25 · Answer

If you’re a true professional at content creation, sure… like the production value is on point and you’re putting out good content. The PRESENTATION you know?

And even then, it doesn’t have to be crazy either, to be good… the lines can and are a bit blurred there. There’s a creative element, where you don’t have to look like or have a professional studio or set… you just have to have a brand that catches on. Maybe that involves simply filming crudely on your phone, or whatever… it’s just like an “IT factor” type thing. There are no “rules” per se.

And if it catches on to the point where you can support yourself and you’re making content that people find value in, why wouldn’t it be a viable career? It takes a lot of work though, you can’t just turn on your camera one day and suddenly you’re making YouTube money…

Astarlessnightsky · Answer

Yes and no.

There are many youtubechannels who are a small business, cutter, directore, writer, animator working together to release a new video everyday, and the revenue and ad sponsorship pays enough for all.

However there are also hundreds of channels who are just a hobby and money is just enough to pay the bills for the next video.

And you can't influence how big your channel gets, and if youtube changes something in their ad payments, you can't do anything about it.

So its good to pursue it, but have a backuplan ready when things don't work out.

horatiohornblower · Answer

It’s possible but unlikely. Probably as good of odds as trying to make a living in Hollywood. The fast majority get nowhere. A tiny percentage make a middle class income. A fraction of a percent get rich.

Youtube might be harder in some ways. As you have to be the creator, director, producer, marketer, manager, cinematographer, &c. All in one package.

A lot of those who do well. Already had some wealth to start with. They could afford to fail and give 100% attention to their product or they could afford costs to pay someone to assist them.

crossdressingrihno · Answer

Yeah, absolutely. I mean there are Youtubers out there who makes so much money that in a span of about five years, they already have enough money for their child’s college education, even though they don’t even have a child. That is a ridiculous amount of money.

Is it a stable career? Depends on how you look at it. On one hand, YouTube and the rest of the Internet is constantly changing. On the other hand it can be predicted. Actually, a lot of big Youtubers out there are big because they predict the algorithm. PewDiePie is a prime example of that.

Noodle_fan · Answer

u can make good money if ur content is entertaining , but at the same time , it is rare kind of content ( it means other youtubers may never did it before)

for example , u can check youtuber named slightly homeless , a dude bring his camera and record him self live in public , his main content is mostly about hitting on random girls in the public and he get rejected all the time , he make good money because his viewers love that kind of content , it is funny to them , so they give him non stop donations ( he is using stream element , it is because if people send donation directly to youtube , they will take 30% of each donation)

the conclusion , it will be harder to make money from youtube if u make content that many other youtubers already did.

MrOracle · Answer

Most of the videos you watch are likely made by creators in the top 1000 of creators on YouTube - which means you rarely watch a video from the other 20 million creators.

What do you think are the odds against you getting into the top 1000, with 20M people all fighting to get there?

OfMiceandMen · Answer

I suppose, however, the majority of tuber's are in their prime for a year or two then fizzle out. Even if you make a million or two doing it, the funds won't last your entire lifetime unless you live in a country where costs are extremely low.

Once you buy a house, pay utilities, vacations, etc. that two mill tends to drop off pretty quickly.

nitsuj86 · Answer

I would say that it's not... until it is.

What I mean is most people can't make enough to live off of. If you really want it, then continue to do it until you can make enough to pay all your bills. If that doesn't happen, then it's not viable. If you can make it to that, then of course it is.

BeMuse · Answer

No because it depends on a single employer. If that employer decides to turn on you for whatever reason (i. e. political differences) or has financial problems then you are all the sudden homeless. You have no real ability to negotiate your salary. A career is a profession. You are building skills and work experience which are portable within an industry. When better opportunities present themselves, you move to a new company taking your skills and experience with you.

Ms_Facesitter · Answer

I don't think it is if you only care about the views and money. If you love what you do, you might get there. And do what you want to do, not what everyone else does, because if you're a copycat, why would we watch you when we can watch the same somewhere else?

NostalgiaSenpi · Answer

Technically, no. As a YouTuber, you can not start making money just by creating a YouTube channel; you must gather enough subscribers to warrant a cut of the ad revenue generated on your channel. For instance, the average earnings of a YouTuber with 36,000 subscribers is $1,600 per month. That's not very much.

Apulu_Imback · Answer

Yes it is, my cousin is an animator and he earns huge money from YouTube and insta, but he's also focusing on standing his own company and has no plan to rely on YouTube forever. He graduated like a year ago.

Razp_Sorbet · Answer

Yes. If it can make you enough money to live then it's viable. However it's one of those careers that can just be ripped out from under you very suddenly and then you basically have to start over again.

Anonymous · Answer

Only if you’re great at it. Any career like this is highly competitive and highly volatile. YouTube is finicky about their community guidelines and selectively enforced them. One channel can be promoting something that violates the guidelines while someone else is simply accused of violating the guidelines and gets suspended or shut down because someone was vindictive (Eliza Bleu **cough cough**)

Just have a backup plan in case the whole YouTube gig goes south.

AviatorTom · Answer

It can be. Best is when the YouTuber has a career in which they can make interesting videos. There are several auto mechanics that do just that.

MemeSupreme · Answer

it's a viable hobby until it makes enough to be a full time job, but that type of job can easily be fucked if you make a mistake

LovingJo · Answer

Of course!! It's a huge source of entertainment for millions of people. So why would it not be a lucrative business opportunity? I watch YouTube every single day.

thatshydork · Answer

It can really end at any moment so I wouldn’t say it’s that reliable but I know that people can make descent money from it.

WhitneySnow · Answer

Yes. But only if you have a good screen presence and something interesting to show off or talk about.

genericname85 · Answer

it's as much a "viable career" as being an artist is. because besides skills, you also need a crap load of luck in order to succeed in this branche.

Anonymous · Answer

Youtube is Good as a full time career with endless amount of possibilities. but it requires research, hardwork, dedication, consistency etc to be a successful youtuber.

sheikalana · Answer

It can be but it take times, effort and consistency to build a following that will allow you to have visibility and make money out of it.

exitseven · Answer

no, most of these kids are living in mom's basement. Go to a good college, major in business' or the sciences and get a good job.

Nikki1989 · Answer

No, it is not, and I know several people with popular YouTube channels.

normalice · Answer

If it results in enough money to feed oneself, yes. Otherwise, no.

AngryCarl2 · Answer

Not really, and certainly not if you value your sanity.

Anonymous · Answer

No. And if you don't know why... Well you deserve the poverty stricken career-less loser life you will inevitably get.

LickSmack · Answer

For many people, it can be.  Seems totally reliant on power and internet connectivity... If anything goes wrong, *pop*

Guanfei · Answer

Only for a few people, and most of them already have a career. Youtube is overcrowded and everything that could be done has been done.

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Certainly is for many. Totally depends on your content and what you can provide that people wanna see.

clampfan101 · Answer

If you can pull it off, apparently so. It sounds very difficult, though.

TallAnon · Answer

For 0.0001% yes. Don't go into it expecting even 100 views in the first year.

Anonymous · Answer

I suppose, if that whole professional athlete thing doesn't pan out.😆😆😆

invalid1 · Answer

I know friends whose careers on YouTube

LiamJHayden · Answer

For a very small %.

Fuentes · Answer

If you make it

Is a YouTuber a viable career?

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