Since its launch 13 years ago, YouTube, the world’s largest video-sharing website with over a billion users, has changed the media landscape. As a result, a billion hours of content are consumed every day, and the top influencers receive tens of millions of dollars in ad sales and collaborations.
The platform has become a gold mine for influencers looking to develop and make investments in their brand and ingratiate themselves to a global audience. However, since the boundaries between conventional media and YouTube are blurring, it’s expected that celebrities from the silver screen and beyond would eventually see YouTube as a more viable platform for their talents.
YouTube can provide an established star with the ideal platform to develop their image, launch new brands, interact with fans, or exhibit their work to a broader audience, as long as they stay away from controversy. For example, consider how Victoria Beckham and Rihanna—both well-credited musicians who have found new artistic outlets—have recently applied their fashion and beauty expertise to the creator’s video center. This transition is part of a more significant market trend worth watching in the coming year.
SHAWN JOHNSON EAST – 654K SUBSCRIBERS
Shawn Johnson is the only person on our list who has yet to achieve a high degree of celebrity in the entertainment industry. However, Johnson, a former Olympic gymnastics gold medalist, has since launched her own YouTube channel, posting two videos per week and focusing on lifestyle blogging and her marriage. Like Snooki’s, her robust content schedule helped her channel develop a solid fan base, which has increased by 43 percent in the last year.
NICOLE POLIZZI – 807K SUBSCRIBERS
Nicole Polizzi, better known as Snooki to fans of the reality star’s antics on Jersey Shore, has amassed a sizable YouTube following, and frequently vlogs about her family life. Snooki’s YouTube channel grew in popularity in 2018, and had a nearly 50% increase in subscribers.
RUSSELL BRAND – 1.4M SUBSCRIBERS
Russell Brand, a credited comedian and actor, has had a solid and consistent presence on YouTube for many years, with his massive subscriber base rising by a modest 20% in the last three years. Brand mainly posts advocacy content on a variety of topics related to politics, investments, and culture.
MADELAINE PETSCH – 3.4M SUBSCRIBERS
Madelaine Petsch is best known for her role on CW’s Riverdale, but since launching her YouTube channel last year, she has amassed millions of subscribers. She vlogs about her daily life and has collaborated with food network’s Tasty and Gordon Ramsay. Outside of acting, her reputation as a YouTube influencer has led to endorsement deals with makeup company Il Makiage.
WILL SMITH – 4.2M SUBSCRIBERS
When megastar Will Smith began uploading content late last year, he made a splash. In an effort to associate itself with celebrities and more lucrative advertising deals, the usually private actor has teamed up with YouTube to create videos as part of its ‘YouTube Originals’ programming. Smith’s videos include vlogs about his family, music-making, and The Jump, his Originals collection.
GORDON RAMSAY – 7.9M SUBSCRIBERS
Ramsay is best known for his expletive-laden outbursts on TV shows over the years, and he has amassed a massive YouTube following. Recipes, cooking lessons, and clips from some of his shows including Hotel Hell can be found in his YouTube channel. Ramsay has, to some degree, been ahead of the curve in several ways, consistently uploading videos for the past nine years and amassing a sizable subscriber base.
ARIANA GRANDE – 29.4M SUBSCRIBERS
Grande has regularly posted behind-the-scenes content on her channel, offering fans a close look at her performances and music videos. As a result, she is one of the most influential YouTubers in the world. Taking advantage of this, YouTube cast Grande in her own YouTube Premium series, Dangerous Woman Diaries, which will feature an exclusive look at her 2017 world tour. Grande’s acquisition by YouTube marks an ambitious leap into the mainstream, as she will look to capitalize on the platform’s potentially lucrative fan base.