YouTube conquered the world in the 2010s – where does it go from here?
Ten years ago, YouTubers, vloggers and influencers didn’t exist. Less than a month into the 2020s, these careers are continuing to shape the online entertainment industry. But in the midst of fierce competition, feuds and scandals, what does the future hold for YouTube, asks Sirena Bergman
At the turn of the last decade, YouTube was four years and 10 months old. “YouTuber” wasn’t a word. Neither was “influencer”. There was no such thing as a “beauty guru” or a “daily vlogger”. Viral videos were grainy images of cats play-fighting, cute toddlers whining “Charlie bit me” and Lonely Island parody videos.
When Forbes published a list of the most influential internet celebrities in February 2010, the only YouTuber on it was Shane Dawson, who had been creating videos for around two years. At the time, his channel had 1.2 million subscribers and he was earning $315,000 (£240,000) a year from ad revenue.
He is a perfect illustration of how the platform (and the internet at large) has transformed through the decade. In 2010, Robert J Thompson, founding director of the Bleier Centre for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University, told The New York Times that Dawson “is kind of a cross between Ernie Kovacs and the most potty-mouthed kid in the eighth grade”. Now, he’s more likely to be described as the Louis Theroux of YouTube.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies