Forbes’ list of the highest-paid YouTube stars for 2018 came with a surprise, as little Ryan beat older content creators to become the top earner for this year.
Earning from reviewing toys
Seven-year-old Ryan, and his Ryan ToysReview YouTube channel, earned a whopping $22 million this year, according to the business website. He outperformed popular content creators like PewDiePie, Dude Perfect, and Jake Paul.
The channel started in 2015. It features the young boy playing around with different toys, while his parents capture his comments.
The clips are typically ten minutes long, with his parents and sisters making frequent cameos. There are also short voiceover segments where his toys get to “talk” with each other.
Ryan’s fun videos have become a hit ever since the channel’s launch, attracting more than 18 million subscribers and amassing 26 billion views. Its success also led to a spinoff channel, Ryan’s Family Reviews, featuring their family vacations and activities.
Breaking down his earnings
Much of Ryan’s earnings come from the pre-roll ads attached to the videos on his two channels. The massive viewership that each channel attracts increases the potential income that each video can generate.
Ryan also earns approximately one million dollars from sponsored posts that feature specific toy brands and products. While this is impressive, it is less than what other creators get from such posts. This is because Ryan’s parents are selective in the products they feature in the boy’s videos. The target demographic of the videos—young children—are also less likely to generate sales for sponsors.
Ryan ventured into other partnerships too, launching his Ryan’s World toy and apparel line with Walmart. The kid will also have his own show to be distributed by online streaming platforms Hulu and Amazon.
Why Ryan succeeded
While there are still debates on whether parents should let their kids have their own YouTube channels, Ryan’s success shows that even kids have the potential to be YouTube hits. His channel also provides some great insights for older content creators.
One lesson is having the right kind of videos. The majority of Ryan’s content is unboxing videos, which experts say are effective in attracting the interest of viewers. Such videos work as a means of sharing the experience of opening and checking out a new toy; something kids love to do.
The style of Ryan’s videos also plays a role in their success. While there are plenty of kids doing toy reviews on YouTube, Ryan’s videos are more about the boy simply playing with the toys he “reviews.” This makes him more accessible and relatable to his target audience. He even innocently remarks “I’m funny” in an NBC interview, highlighting that relatable aspect.
Learning from other top YouTube earners
The other YouTube top earners from Forbes’ list are also great subjects for learning how to run a successful YouTube channel. Some of the most notable are:
- Jake Paul ($21.5 million): The younger brother of controversial YouTube star Paul Logan has made his own mark through his rap songs and prank videos.
- Dude Perfect ($20 million): The channel showcases the trick shots done by five friends. It has already attracted 37 million subscribers.
- DanDTM ($18.5 million): The former top earner made a career from live streaming his online gaming sessions for the last six years.
- Jeffree Star ($18 million): The professional makeup artist showcases his various techniques and products. He has earned $100 million from the sale of his merch.
Check out their channels to find out how each star has captured the interest of their respective audiences, and maybe one day you’ll make as much money as a seven-year old…
Date: March 14, 2019 / Categories: Influencer Marketing, / Author: Rich Drees
