British beauty vlogger Zoella already boasts an empire of 6.6 million YouTube followers and a line of branded products. And with her (ghostwritten) novel Girl Online becoming the UK's fastest selling book of 2014, where next?
While UK vlogger Zoella has signed a book publishing deal with Penguin, who's the next generation of YouTube superstars? It might just be EvanTubeHD - the channel of an 8-year-old kid who's estimated to be earning close to $1.3 million a year through his viral videos.
In an average month, people watch 6 billion hours of footage on YouTube. Research from Variety has indicated that "the five most influential figures among Americans aged 13-18 are all YouTube sensations, thoroughly eclipsing mainstream celebrities."
BookTubers: the internet brings teens back to books
case study·
25 Sep 2014
Generally, e-reading simply involves tablets and e-books – but a new relationship is developing where literature and online virality are intertwined. Booktubers are broadcasting their favourite reads to thousands of fans. But how has YouTube become a home to bookworms?
One in three teens claim they could make money by creating YouTube videos. The success of social media stars like Bethany Mota shows that celebrity endorsements aren't influential as they used to be. Today's teens want inspiration from cool kids who could easily be their mates.