YouTube Millionaires

Have you seen the video of the talking dog lamenting the loss of his favorite items from the fridge to the housecat? Or maybe the video of the David after the dentist? With the addition of advertising to its online experience, YouTube has passed the earnings on to those videos that go viral. So successful has this proven to be that several YouTube contributors are starting to quit their day jobs.

“Some of these people are making videos in their spare time,” said Chad Hurley, a co-founder of YouTube. “We felt that if we were able to provide them a true revenue source, they’d be able to hone their skills and create better content.”

What this has produced is people like Michael Buckley. Michael has a weekly show called “What the Buck?” which airs on YouTube. The show is what Michael calls ‘silly’, but his rants about celebrities earn him millions of hits. So it came as no surprise when he quit his day job in September last year after his YouTube earnings trumped his salary as an admin assistant.

YouTube does democratize entertainment; it means that anyone with a good idea and a digital camera has a chance at superstardom. Although some videos achieve greatness by randomly capturing priceless moments and being in the right time at the right place, others like Michael’s weekly show, are actually making a living from their YouTube popularity.

YouTube is cementing their relationships with these producers to ensure their continued patronage. The YouTube Partner Program helps participants like Michael make money through advertising. Spokesman for YouTube, Aaron Zamost, said; “hundreds of YouTube partners are making thousands of dollars a month.” Michael makes over $100 000 through YouTube’s Partner Program.

Well, you may not want to give up your day job just yet. But you can get your camera and head out to find YouTube fame and, (possibly), fortune.