Even MrBeast doesn't think everyone is cut out to be a content creator
MrBeast said it's not smart to drop out of school or quit a job to create content full-time.
He said he's seen too many people fail because they weren't ready.
Fierce competition in a shifting industry means breaking into it is harder than ever.
MrBeast doesn't think just anyone has what it takes to be a content creator.
In a recent X post, YouTube's biggest star, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, said it was "painful" to see people quit their jobs or drop out of school to make content full-time before they were ready.
"For every person like me that makes it, thousands don't," he said. "Keep that in mind and be smart plz."
Donaldson has been making videos for over a decade and has seen enormous success on YouTube. As of mid-March, he had 245 million YouTube subscribers, and his videos had amassed over 6 billion views in 2024 alone.
He's previously argued that anybody could succeed as an influencer by hustling hard enough.
But now he's under no illusion that everyone has the ability, or the good timing, to be able to follow in his footsteps.
He makes a good point. With the rise of AI content, fierce competition in the influencer space, and the threat of a TikTok shutdown in the US, creators may find it harder than ever before to break into the industry.
It's not as easy as it looks
Katya Varbanova, a brand marketing strategist and the CEO of Viral Marketing Stars, told Business Insider that Donaldson is "absolutely correct" that many aspiring influencers fail.
Varbanova grew a following on social media — first on Periscope when it was on the rise, and now on TikTok — but only quit her job as a banker when she could replace her salary. She has seen thousands of other wannabe influencers give up.
"The chances of you quitting your job without a safety net and becoming a successful content creator are slim to none and anyone who does that is the exception, not the rule," she said.
The influencer world can be entirely misunderstood. For starters, it's not as easy as it looks to do content creation full time.
The bar to entry is low, Varbanova said, which may be where this misconception comes from. The major platforms are free to post on, and editing software is cheaper and easier to use than before.
But the key to success isn't just to make good videos; it's to build a brand that stands out.
"You need to a build a loyal fan base which will follow you, engage with you and buy from you from any platform," she said, like Donaldson has done with his entrepreneurial pursuits, including his Feastables bars and MrBeast Burger.
Varbanova added that luck also plays a big part — "being in the right place at the right time."
The YouTuber boom of the 2010s saw many now-familiar faces become global stars. While anyone can grab a camera and try to do the same, it's now a much more crowded field.
There are a lot of ups and downs
Donaldson is also probably right that timing is everything.
Much depends on the instability of social media platforms — their algorithms, audiences, and revenue streams.
Being an influencer means learning to live with ups and downs, Varbanova said. One day you might go viral or earn a good chunk of money from a brand deal. The next, you might feel like you're screaming into the void.
"You have to be mentally strong to not take it personal and keep going," Varbanova said.
Sophie Bishop, an associate professor at the media and communications school at Britain's University of Leeds, told BI that content creators must also contend with having no employment benefits like holiday pay or maternity leave.
Taking a break is costly, tending to prompt a drop in engagement.
"You're also at the whims of the YouTube algorithm and how much pay they decide you deserve," she said. "On YouTube, this can be quite transparent, but platforms like TikTok work on a different financial model, and they pay you even less, with much less explanation of why."
Many factors determine who will and won't make it on these platforms, Bishop added. But even those who find success one day may not have it the next.
Donaldson was someone who used to not buy into this narrative, saying aspiring creators just had to put enough time and energy into their content.
Experimenting with new genres, he said, and researching people who were already successful would lead to cracking the code.
"He also has proudly self-branded as a workaholic who never takes breaks and bragged about working very unsociable hours and burning himself out," Bishop said. "I am not sure what's changed for him; maybe he has recently found that working in this way is really unsustainable."
It may also be because, aged 25, he's growing up and sees his pursuits in a different light.
Originality will always be the key
Jessica Dante, a social-media entrepreneur who is the founder of Love and London, told BI she's seen many up-and-comers believe that they have to replicate what's already popular. That's a mistake, she said.
For example, while it's a perfectly good strategy to be influenced by Donaldson, there will never be another creator who is the same as MrBeast.
"In reality, the way to break through the noise, to stand out, and to succeed is by bringing a different take on what's already being done and doing it even better," she said.
Dante said she built a loyal following by shifting away from the traditional lifestyle influencer route of promoting things.
Instead, she tells people what not to do and seeks to be honest about "the things we think are tacky, overpriced, and boring."
While it's tempting for aspiring creators to resort to "hacks" with their content, such as using "fast-track" growth strategies or AI-generated imagery or voiceovers, this won't help in the long run, Dante said.
"People are becoming increasingly discerning about inauthentic content," she argued.
"If a creator wants to start now, in any niche, my No. 1 advice is always to bring a creative, unique take that is different from what everyone else is already doing."
BI contacted Donaldson's representatives for comment but didn't hear back.
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