Alright, hear me out on this, YouTubers are basically the new type of celebrities. Now, you may try to come up with a way to disagree with me but, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a celebrity is a “famous or well-known person,” which could describe various entertainers on the web just like how it describes any ordinary celebrity.

They’re not your typical “famous person” because people think that it’s simple being a YouTuber and anybody can do it. But, the things that constitutes some YouTubers as a celebrity is the amount of money they make, their impact on social media, and of course their huge fan base. 

The saying “Lights, camera, action!” doesn’t just relate back to actors and actresses, it also applies to YouTubers as well. 

Of course anybody can upload a video to YouTube and go viral overnight but can they also post content weekly that stands out from other videos on the platform and make money off of it. This is what the top YouTubers do for a living and there’s so much more to being a YouTube celebrity than they might lead on.

To join YouTube, obviously they don’t have to audition just like a famous actor does to land a part in a movie, but that doesn’t mean we should discredit them for their hard work. Famous YouTubers put in time and effort into their videos to cater to their fans, as their fanbase is what helps them achieve and maintain their stardom.

Fans can either make or break a celebrity’s career. Celebrities will try their best to appeal to their fans in order to get money and gain more popularity. YouTubers appeal to their fans by somehow being more relatable to their audience and giving them the content that they will watch, like, and share with their friends. This allows YouTubers to then start coming out with merchandise and getting brand deals as other avenues to gain revenue.

For example, Jeffree Star is a YouTuber that does makeup tutorials but then started branching off of his YouTube views fame to start and promote a successful makeup line. According to Forbes, he is the fifth richest YouTuber having made 18 million dollars in 2018.

Just like famous athletes and entertainers, YouTubers have made an impact on society. They make video content to satisfy their viewers and get paid for it while also gaining recognition and a fanbase. For these reasons and more, the top YouTubers should be recognized as celebrities.