The concept of making videos on YouTube full time might have seemed ridiculous when the platform first came out in the mid 2000s, but over the subsequent decade plenty of content creators were able to establish themselves and turn their passions into careers. Seventeen years after YouTube first launched, there are countless content creators who are self dubbed YouTubers, and while many have branched out into other platforms as well YouTube continues to be their bread and butter.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that several creators who were gaining fame during the early days of the platform have fallen off of the radar, and many of the ones that managed to survive are quite different from how they used to be. It’s become quite common for a YouTuber to suddenly stop posting content one day, and in some cases they return a while later although many refuse to return at all.
The case of Dan Howell is a great example of this phenomenon. The YouTuber was one half of the famous Dan and Phil duo, and he stopped posting new videos for well over a year after he posted one in which he came out as gay. After coming back, he posted an extended video that talked about why he left, and one thing in particular that he referenced was something he called YouTube brain because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up ruining a lot of careers.
YouTube Brain is not exactly a concrete phenomenon, but you can see inklings of it here and there in numerous creators and their careers with all things having been considered and taken into account. The constant demand for content from hordes of followers, having to adhere to strict rules lest your content gets taken down by the algorithm and competing in a saturated market has resulted in many YouTubers turning to increasingly outrageous antics to keep their careers alive.
The stressful nature of this career path is resulting in a lot of YouTubers getting burned out, especially when their fame attracts audiences that aren’t interested in their original niche such as gaming, vlogging or whatever they had been focusing on. In spite of the fact that this is the case, YouTubers would never want to lose their following and this puts a lot of pressure on them to find out how they can stay competitive.
Countless YouTubers have found themselves facing social ostracism following revelations of past misdeeds, and they usually try to come back to their careers through the now infamous YouTuber Apology Video. Many are wondering if this business model is sustainable or if it is just making it harder for people to enjoy doing what they love. Most YouTubers have to move away from the work they are passionate about so that they can keep the machine running, and while the industry does not look like it’s going to collapse anytime soon, there is always a chance that things could escalate as the pressures of the job start to mount.
H/T: Vox.
Read next: New Breed of Startups Seek to Facilitate Follower Cross Pollination Between Platforms
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that several creators who were gaining fame during the early days of the platform have fallen off of the radar, and many of the ones that managed to survive are quite different from how they used to be. It’s become quite common for a YouTuber to suddenly stop posting content one day, and in some cases they return a while later although many refuse to return at all.
The case of Dan Howell is a great example of this phenomenon. The YouTuber was one half of the famous Dan and Phil duo, and he stopped posting new videos for well over a year after he posted one in which he came out as gay. After coming back, he posted an extended video that talked about why he left, and one thing in particular that he referenced was something he called YouTube brain because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up ruining a lot of careers.
YouTube Brain is not exactly a concrete phenomenon, but you can see inklings of it here and there in numerous creators and their careers with all things having been considered and taken into account. The constant demand for content from hordes of followers, having to adhere to strict rules lest your content gets taken down by the algorithm and competing in a saturated market has resulted in many YouTubers turning to increasingly outrageous antics to keep their careers alive.
The stressful nature of this career path is resulting in a lot of YouTubers getting burned out, especially when their fame attracts audiences that aren’t interested in their original niche such as gaming, vlogging or whatever they had been focusing on. In spite of the fact that this is the case, YouTubers would never want to lose their following and this puts a lot of pressure on them to find out how they can stay competitive.
Countless YouTubers have found themselves facing social ostracism following revelations of past misdeeds, and they usually try to come back to their careers through the now infamous YouTuber Apology Video. Many are wondering if this business model is sustainable or if it is just making it harder for people to enjoy doing what they love. Most YouTubers have to move away from the work they are passionate about so that they can keep the machine running, and while the industry does not look like it’s going to collapse anytime soon, there is always a chance that things could escalate as the pressures of the job start to mount.
H/T: Vox.
Read next: New Breed of Startups Seek to Facilitate Follower Cross Pollination Between Platforms
