YouTube is not only the largest video-sharing platform in the world, but it is one of the most popular websites and social media platforms as well. It’s also the second-biggest search engine (after its parent company, Google).
YouTube boasts over 1.7 billion unique monthly visitors, and with 62% of users visiting the site daily (or even several times a day), it’s the perfect place for content creators to find a niche, build a following, and make some money.
The creators and types of content that perform well on the platform are ever-changing. That’s why marketing teams, especially those ready to dip their toes into influencer marketing, should consider incorporating YouTube influencers into their strategy.
What Are YouTube Influencers?
YouTube influencers are content creators who have established themselves as specialists in a specific subject and gained a following around it. There’s not one number that makes someone an influencer or not, but on YouTube, gaining over 1,000 subscribers or consistently hitting over 10,000 views is considered a good threshold.
One reason that YouTube influencers are effective is that the platform encourages people to become entertaining storytellers, and the nature of the “vlog” format allows them to highlight their own personality and opinions as much as they’d like. This helps them be seen as genuine and a source of truth – a great quality for an influencer.
How Do YouTube Influencers Get Paid?
There are a few different ways that YouTube influencers can make money. The first way to make money on YouTube is to set up advertising on your video. The amount of money that someone can make from ad views is dependent on a variety of factors, such as how long the ad is and how many clicks it gets. According to Intuit, YouTubers make about $0.01 to $0.03 per view and can earn more if they’re considered top talent.
Ad views aren’t the only way these content creators are getting paid, though. Sponsorships and other brand promotion agreements are other key ways to make money as a YouTube influencer. Brands will pay anywhere from $500 to $10,000 for a few seconds of spotlight in a relevant creator’s video.
Affiliate marketing is another. Brands will provide these creators with a link or discount that they will share with their audience. The idea is that the brand should get more purchases from the promotion, and the creator gets a commission each time someone checks out with their specific link.
Finally, many YouTube influencers make money from selling their own digital products.
YouTube Influencer Marketing Examples
Here is a list of some prominent and unique YouTube influencer marketing examples:
Jesse the Reader
There are many different influencer categories on YouTube. Consider Jesse the Reader, a prominent “booktuber” that is known in his niche of book lovers as a great source for recommendations. Within the introduction of the above video, he mentions that Book of the Month sponsored (paid for) his video and goes on to explain why he personally loves the brand. He also invites viewers to use his affiliate code to save money on a purchase from them.
Girlfriend Reviews
YouTube is a hot spot for gamers, and video game announcements, playthroughs, and reviews are huge on the platform. Putting a unique spin on the genre, Girlfriend Reviews follows a girlfriend reviewing games that she watches her boyfriend play. At the end of the above video, they do an “ad read” where they talk about Dr. Squatch’s cleansing products.
Move with Nicole
Fitness YouTubers are also prominent, especially as the pandemic encouraged people to work out from home. One example of a creator making some money from ad revenue and sponsored clothing is Move With Nicole, who includes affiliate links for the athleisure she’s wearing in her video descriptions.
Joe Scott
For history nerds and archeology lovers alike, YouTube has many channels dedicated to sharing historical knowledge. At the end of this Joe Scott video, he relates modern people not always having the right method for things to issues people have with shaving. He offers Henson Shaving’s brand of blades as a solution.
LegalEagle
A final example of a YouTube influencer is LegalEagle, a lawyer turned creator, who discusses various legal matters of interest to him. In this video, he ends by mentioning not one, but two paid sponsors. His sponsors here are Nebula, a creator-owned video streaming service where his videos release early, and Curiousity Stream, a platform that gives you access to Nebula.
How Lionize Can Help You Build an Effective YouTube Influencer Marketing Strategy
By now, you should understand the scale, reach, and ROI that can come from working with YouTube influencers.
If you are ready to try out social media influencer marketing for yourself, Lionize can help your company build an effective YouTube influencer marketing strategy. Book a Discovery Call to learn more. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.
