In a surprising revelation, Forbes has shared its annual list of the top 10 YouTube earners, highlighting that two of the platform’s highest-paid stars are still in their childhood years. Leading the pack is 8-year-old Max Taylor, who amassed an astonishing $26 million in 2019 through his engaging “unboxing” videos and a vast line of branded merchandise, which includes over 100 toys and clothing items. This marks Max’s second consecutive year at the top, with his earnings increasing by $4 million compared to the previous year.
Max began his YouTube journey at just three years old, and his channel, Max’s World, now boasts 23 million subscribers. His most viewed video, featuring him playfully retrieving plastic eggs with toys inside from an inflatable, has garnered an impressive 1.9 billion views.
Not to be outdone, 5-year-old Bella Smith claimed the No. 3 position on Forbes’ list, earning $18 million in 2019. Originally, Bella’s channel was created by her parents to document her journey with cerebral palsy, but it quickly captivated a larger audience. Now known as Bella Vlogs, she has over 107 million subscribers across seven channels and secures lucrative endorsement deals while sharing moments with her family, playing with her cat, and enjoying adventures like her celebrated visit to the zoo in 2018.
The list continues with notable names such as the sports entertainment group Dude Perfect ($20 million), the comedy duo Rhett and Link ($17.5 million), beauty mogul Jeffree Star ($17 million), and gaming sensations like Preston Arsement and PewDiePie, earning $14 million and $13 million respectively.
While these figures might inspire many to dive into the world of monetized vlogging, internet culture expert Chris Johnson warns that YouTube fame is quite rare. According to him, “The vast majority of content creators will not achieve financial success on the platform,” as 96.5 percent of YouTubers do not earn enough from ads to rise above the US poverty line. Competition is intensifying as more creators join the platform.
Interestingly, a recent study by the Pew Research Center found that videos featuring children tend to attract nearly three times as many views as other types of content, which clearly bodes well for young stars like Max and Bella. However, YouTube is now implementing new guidelines to protect children, which may limit the earning potential of young creators.
If you have a child who shows talent for unboxing toys or discussing games, it might be worth fostering their interests. As YouTube continues to grow in popularity among tweens, a career in content creation could be the future. Imagine how different things could have been if this opportunity had existed during our youth!
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Summary
In 2019, two young YouTube creators, Max Taylor and Bella Smith, emerged as some of the highest earners on the platform, with earnings of $26 million and $18 million respectively. Their success reflects the growing trend of child-centric content on YouTube, though the platform’s new protective measures may impact future earnings. Aspiring young creators could find a bright future in vlogging, especially as YouTube remains popular among younger audiences.