Over the last few years, a new class of ultra-celebrity has emerged: The YouTube star.
Typically making videos aimed at tweens and teens, YouTube stars like PewDiePie and Jenna Marbles are estimated to make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year off advertising and sponsorship deals. One recent study even suggested young viewers trust YouTube stars more than traditional celebrities, like TV and movie actors. That’s probably because YouTubers are talented at connecting with their audience on a more personal level than mainstream celebs.
All this has big implications for the entertainment business: As teens go, so goes the nation. That’s why companies like Netflix are adding more content for teens, in some cases giving big deals to already-established YouTube personalities.
To learn more about YouTube stars and how they make so much money, watch the video above.
The 15 Most Bizarre Moments From the Consumer Electronics Show
A brand ambassador tests Samsung's Gear VR headset at the Samsung Galaxy booth on Jan. 6, 2015.Jae C. Hong—APFrank Lee, Brand Marketing for LG Electronics MobileComm USA, demonstrates the enhanced selfie feature on the new LG G Flex 2 mobile phone on Jan. 5, 2015. Michael Nelson—EPAAttendees lay on Serta mattresses at the Serta stand on Jan. 6, 2015.Robyn Beck—AFP/Getty ImagesJoe Clayton, CEO of Dish, arrives on stage banging a bass drum followed by company mascots during the Dish news conference on Jan. 5, 2015. Rick Wilking—ReutersA transparent TRW model car is seen on Jan. 6, 2015. Yang Lei—Xinhua Press/CorbisAt the 'Unveiled-event' a young woman has a look at salad on Jan. 4, 2015. Britta Pedersen—dpa/CorbisThe drone 'Nano' from 'Zano' on Jan. 8, 2015. Britta Pedersen—dpa/CorbisAttendees interact with wity screens that run on Intel's Realsense technology on Jan. 6, 2015.Michael Nelson—EPAAn attendee wears Altspace Virtual Reality head ware on Jan. 6, 2014.Michael Nelson—EPASony Electronics President and COO Mike Fasulo displays the Sony 4K Action Cam at a press event on Jan. 5, 2015.David Becker—Getty ImagesConsumer Electronics Association President and CEO Gary Shapiro exits a Mercedes-Benz F 015 autonomous driving automobile after it was unveiled at a Mercedes-Benz press event on Jan. 5, 2015.David Becker—Getty ImagesA display shows Panasonic's virtual make-up mirror at a Panasonic news conference on Jan. 5 , 2015.Steve Marcus—ReutersSelfie sticks of the company 'Noosy' displayed on Jan. 8, 2015.Britta Pedersen—EPAWorld freediving champion Stig Severinsen holds his breathe underwater for a total of 5 minutes, 35 secs to demonstrate the functionality and accuracy of the Masimo SET pulse oximetry device on Jan. 8, 2015.Robyn Beck—AFP/Getty ImagesWorkers install an advertisement for a new S'UHD TV from Samsung Electronics on the side of the Las Vegas Convention Center on Jan. 4, 2015.Steve Marcus—Reuters