So if it’s that easy to become a star, what’s the recipe for YouTube success -- and do we all have the ingredients at our disposal?
So you wanna be a star...
The road to the top is not easy. Any celebrity will tell you that fame is the result of hard work and years of dedication. But then how do they explain run-of-the-mill people like you and me becoming celebrities overnight on YouTube? Can fame really be as easy as posting a 2-minute video?
For some, like Charlie Davies-Carr, star of “Charlie Bit My Finger- Again,” it does seem to be that easy. Charlie, who just graduated from his diaper years, has become an Internet sensation nearly overnight, and his video has been viewed over 202 million times! So if it’s that easy to become a star, what’s the recipe for YouTube success -- and do we all have the ingredients at our disposal?
The YouTube dream
In 2005, the first YouTube clip was posted. It was a 19-second video filmed at the San Diego Zoo. Since then, YouTube has taken off- attracting 2 billion viewers a day and turning Average Joes into instant superstars. Because of YouTube, Susan Boyle can’t walk down the street without getting mobbed by fans. And thanks to YouTube, 12-year-old singing sensation/Lady Gaga cover artist Greyson Chance landed a guest appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show -- nothing to scoff at. It’s no doubt that YouTube stars are emerging literally by the minute.
Success at your doorstep?
So how can you rise to fame using YouTube? There are so many blogs and online articles claiming to have the answer, but each one is sillier than the next. One article claims you must post at least 3 videos per week to become a star. This seems a bit unrealistic for anyone with a day job! In another article’s 6-Step process to becoming famous on YouTube, Step 2 is “get lucky” -- but unfortunately you don't have much control over that. Many of these articles even include YouTube videos of not-so famous people offering advice on how to become YouTube sensations.
The real you
I think the key to YouTube fame is simple: just be yourself. It might sound cheesy, but it's true. Consider the most popular amateur YouTube videos of all time. Almost all of them feature people being themselves and doing what they do every day. “Charlie Bit My Finger- Again,” (over 202 million views) and “Hahaha” (over 125 million views) are merely parent-made home videos. The video “Guitar,” which boasts close to 75 million views, is just a clip of person playing guitar. Nothing simple, fancy or expensive - just a snapshot of every day life.
Instead of racking your brain trying to come up with a crazy concept for a YouTube video, stick to what you know and do well - you never know, your hidden talent might just bring you YouTube success!
What's your favorite YouTube video? Have you uploaded your own video to YouTube - if so, what was in the video?