Vlogging, or video blogging as it is otherwise known, is a way of life to today’s YouTubers. Every day, countless videos are uploaded on video sharing platforms like YouTube and Vimeo by self-styled people from around the world.
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These are mostly vloggers who showcase their obscure, and sometimes weird, talents through the power of video, and while at it, have a go at becoming instant celebrities. YouTube, which Google acquired in 2005, is the de-facto destination of vloggers.
Working a hot dog stand to earning 10s of millions of dollars a year vlogging on YouTube
What is a YouTuber
A YouTuber is YouTube vlogger, a person who regularly video blogs and gains fame and popularity on YouTube.
How Much Do YouTubers Get Paid
Youtube gets close to 4 billion views per day, and according to Alexa, it is the second most popular website in the world. So, it is of no surprise to learn that the top video uploaders on YouTube are also some of the biggest, most powerful, most famous, highest paid, and most influential internet personalities in the world.
Forbes is taking note of YouTubers now as the income of vloggers is exponentially increasing by the year , these internet celebrities, the top YouTube vloggers earned a combined $70.5 million in the 12 months ending in June 2016.
While we discuss what videos we would turn to laugh at if Felix Kjellberg decides to actually quit, here is a list of the top YouTube stars in the world, determined by the total number of channel subscribers and other parameters. (Don’t know who Felix is? We have got you covered.)
Lets review some of the top YouTubers:
Fine Brothers
This YouTuber duo create online content in the form of sketches and web series, and probably best known for their hit show running since 2010, “REACT”, this American duo consisting of Benny Fine and Rafi Fine are two of the pioneers of Youtube vlogging.
They began publishing their content on their channel from as early as 2004, and have quickly come to expand their repertoire, adding videos like sitcoms, television shows, and even feature films. With a YouTube channel created in 2007, they have uploaded more than 1000 videos which have garnered close to 4.5 billion views from over 14.5 million subscribers, these guys are heavyweight veteran YouTubers.
Interestingly, in early 2016, their YouTube channel lost hundreds of thousands of followers when they tried to license and trademark the term “React”.
Vegetta777
With over 16 million Youtube subscribers, this Spanish born YouTuber is the most prolific vlogger in this list, with over 3100 videos uploaded and counting.
His videos, which are colorful gaming vlogs, commentaries of him playing video games like Minecraft, have been watched close to 6 billion times. However, don’t be fooled if you can’t understand a thing when you go to his channel. He narrates only in Spanish.
Yuya
This 23-year old Vlogger from Mexico, who goes by the name of “lady16makeup”, is a beauty Vlogger. Her videos are directed at women and mostly are DIYs about make-up and beauty. She often experiments with the latest beauty styles that are in vogue and tries to ascertain their feasibility, much too comical outcomes.
With the right amount of humor, and an aim to promote gender equality, she is one of the most loved YouTubers in the country. She has over 16.6 million followers and is the 16th most subscribed YouTube channel owner.
In 2015, women’s magazine Bustle named the Mexican youngster, Yuya the highest paid beauty blogger in the world, with Ad Age estimating that she earned something to the tune of $41,000 a month. And here we thought make-up was overrated.
Jenna Marbles
This New YorkYouTuber runs the top YouTube channel owned by a woman, and is known for her slapstick comedy videos. She does a lot of stuff: from reviewing apps to doing carpool karaoke to poking fun at stereotypes.
More than 16.6 million people have subscribed to her YouTube channel, with her videos receiving over 2 billion views. Her videos about obscure DIYs have attracted the attention of authoritative publications such as ABC News and the Guardian.
In 2011, The New York Times featured an article on her video titled, “How To Avoid Talking To People You Don’t Want To Talk To”.
Nigahiga
A black belt rank holder in Judo and a trained wrestler, this talented YouTuber is a comedian and has over 18.8 million subscribers to his comedy videos. Ryan Higa, who is of Japanese descent, started with lip-syncing videos, which he uploaded on his YouTube channel in mid-2006. But, he is now more popular for his how-to sketches where he pokes fun at superheroes and ninjas.
Although music copyright held him back for some time in the last decade, he has managed to convince YouTube to put his videos back online. Your videos get more than 3 billion views and Google doesn’t listen to you? Not going to happen.
VanossGaming
Video game commentary seemed to be the shiz right now as Vegetta777 has already shown us. While Ozzy Man Reviews is the adult version of commentating, 24-year old Evan Fong from Canada makes it easy for the lower age groups.
His videos are centered around him playing video games with his friends’, and delivering a light-hearted take on the gameplay. Started in 2011, Vanoss, as he is fondly called, has more than 19 million followers.
El Rubius
Another young Spaniard in the list, Ruben Gundersen is the top YouTuber of Spain. His videos mostly include gameplay with commentaries and vlogs where he samples stuff from films to social media.
He does it with so much panache that kids love him and want to be him. Started in 2011, El Rubius OMG has close to 22 million followers with the total video hits touching 4.5 billion.
In December 2016, he interviewed Chris Pratt and JLaw, and that is enough to make sure that you take him seriously.
Smosh
Talk about diversity Youtubers and you think of Smosh. The duo from America have owned their channel since 2005, and since then, have held the crown of the most subscribed channel thrice – yep bringing ‘trice’ back into fashion, means 3 times.
The loudness and brightness in their YouTube content, which includes video sketches and honest trailers, have helped them gain popularity over the previous decade.
With a website that boasts of a million hits a month, Smosh is regarded as one of the most influential YouTubers of all time. They even have a film, Ghostmates.
HolaSoyGerman
Holasoygerman is a bilingual YouTuber and the only YouTuber in the list with two different channels, both of which have massive numbers of subscribers, Chilean vlogger German Garmendia is known for his fast-paced music videos where he also commentates.
First started vlogging in 2011, Garmendia’s channel is the second most subscribed on YouTube. He has won the MTV Icon of the Year award twice, in 2014 and 2015, years in which he also appeared on YouTube Rewind.
PewDiePie
Arguably the most loved YouTuber or gamer currently around, he was born Felix Kjellberg in Sweden. He used to work at a hot dog stand to fund his videos, which are mostly video game commentaries.
By commentating on the gameplay, he also reviews them, which has immoderately affected the indie video game industry, so much that one negative review from him is enough for the game to bite the dust. The only vlogger who has also used his channel for humanitarian purposes, Kjellberg’s channel has retained the most number of user subscriptions since 2013.
In November 2016, PewDiePie said that he was facing issues with YouTube’s algorithm, and announced that he would delete his channel if and when it reaches 50 million subscriptions. Well, it already has, and Pewdiepie’s channel is still live.
IME magazine called him one of the most influential people in 2016, and Forbes tells us that Pewdiepie took home around $15 million that year, testifying that he is also the most successful.
Notable to the times that we live in, Kjellberg lives with Marzia Bisognin (aka CutiePieMarzia), also a YouTuber, whom he met online.
Become a YouTuber and Start Earning
While these twelve people dominate YouTube, there are tons of other vloggers who are out there, possibly creating better content. You can be one of them, too.
Check out our buying guide for the best cameras for YouTube. If you are a budget buyer we also have an article on the cheapest vlogging camera with all the important features you need.
Vlogging is a trending seriously profitable profession right now, and checking our Get Started section will help you find ways and techniques to gain more users and to be the next artist sponsored by YouTube Red.
