MrBeast – the most famous YouTuber in the world – expressed his ‘heartbreak’ when he saw children dropping out of school because of an unrealistic dream.
For many teenagers around the world, MrBeast is living an ideal life. He is said to have earned more than 82 million USD in 2023 thanks to hundreds of millions of YouTube channel subscribers. However, the most famous YouTuber globally warns his fans not to expect the same success.
In 2023, a study from survey firm Morning Consult shows that 57% of Gen Z will become influencers (KOLs) if given the choice. Fun, flexibility and money are the top reasons for this aspiration. However, these are not easy things to achieve. That’s why MrBeast – or Jimmy Donaldson – urges fans to seriously consider a career in content creation, especially if they’re turning down other opportunities.
“It’s painful to see people quit their jobs/drop out of school to do content full-time before they’re ready,” Donaldson wrote on social network X. “For every person who can do it like me, there are thousands of people who fail. Please remember that and be wise.”
Young people can easily be lured by promises of fame on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Some content creators can charge up to $40,000 per post, even hundreds of thousands of dollars if they reach the heights of Kris Jenner. However, the rest are not so lucky.
According to social media marketing and management tool Hootsuite, a KOL’s “unwritten standard” fee is $100 per 10,000 followers, plus additional fees depending on the level of complexity. As such, individuals need to have a large following to make a living. According to data company CEIC Data, the average monthly income of Americans in January 2024 was $4,713, meaning a person with 10,000 followers would need to post about 50 times a month to earn an average income. jar.
Besides, the content creation business is also very expensive, especially at Donaldson’s “range”. MrBeast once shared that there are videos that cost millions of dollars to produce. He also revealed that even if the video reaches X billion views, the revenue will not support a small part of the costs.
A look at Donaldson’s portfolio – combined with recent events – could also be a wake-up call for aspiring content creators.
In addition to volunteering, Donaldson also sells sandwiches (MrBeast Burger) and chocolate (Feastables). According to Business Insider, these efforts help him earn between 600 and 700 million USD per year.
Other KOLs like Logan Paul and KSI are the faces of beverage brand Prime, while Huda Kattan and Kylie Jenner have built huge cosmetics and skin care empires.
“Not putting all your eggs in one basket” is something that content creators are considering carefully, especially when the US may pass a bill to ban TikTok completely. Thomas Walters, co-founder of global KOL management company Billion Dollar Boy, gives advice: You need to think about diversifying your fields if you don’t want to be hurt in the future.
