With 1.9 million people out of a job in 2008, it's heartening to know that any one of us could make six figures on YouTube. 27 year old Cory Williams makes $20,000 a month on YouTube and 33 year old Michael Buckley pulls in over $100,000 a year from YouTube ads.
It doesn't cost much to get into this business. Buckley spent $2,000 on a Canon camera, bought a $6 piece of fabric for a backdrop and a pair of work lights from a hardware store. He gets 100 million views for his "silly" "What the Buck?" YouTube videos on celebrities -- like joking segments about Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus -- which he produces three times a week.
Williams has 180,000 subscribers to his videos such as "The Mean Kitty Song" -- which introduces his evil cat. Williams gets half his monthly take from advertisements and the other half from sponsors -- such as The Coca Cola Company (NYSE: KO) -- that embed ads in his videos.
With all the people trying to mimic the success of Buckley and Williams, it's a bit of a lottery, but why not give it a try? As more people succeed, they're going to give the big media companies a run for their money.
Peter Cohan is president of Peter S. Cohan & Associates. Portfolio will publish his book about Boeing, You Can't Order Change: Lessons from Jim McNerney's Turnaround at Boeing, on December 26, 2008. He has no financial interest in Coke securities.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-12-2008 @ 2:09AM
Iridium said...
It is unbelieveable that people make money this way. In fact it is insane.
Only the gullible mega corporations would pay money to advertise this kind of crap. Marketing this way has no effect other than making underserving kids rich overnight for no work.
We have turned this country into a place where hard work has no rewards and being a complete idiot can make you a millionare.
12-12-2008 @ 5:48AM
Luna Sofia said...
I agree with Iridium, as lucrative as it seems, it surely makes believe that the only entertainment that Americans are capable of enjoying is basically stupid entertainment. If one is too serious than you are not cut out into this kind of marketing? I go on Youtube and don't ever go to Kitty songs or celeb comedy news. Who are these people?
Everytime I hear about something like this it makes me wonder because I have never heard of such name and it isn't featured on the front page...is it just a marketing technique so that people could follow along?
12-13-2008 @ 9:52PM
danny said...
Sir you been hoaxed by the Times again
that front page story by Brian Stelter from Maryland journo school, shades of jason Blair?, just joking, is that story a faked story. ? Just asking. did the editors of the NYTimes check to make sure Buckley REALLY has pauyments of 20,000 bucks a month, 100,000 bucks a year, in his bank account. did they see the receipts. I smell a rat here. i think this story was a highly embellished faked story...show me the money receipts.....i say
I wrote to the times and they are looking into this now
don't be fooled by novice reporters doing front page stories. i might be wrong. i often am. but check it out first...
12-19-2008 @ 2:07PM
kevin hammontree said...
It is not so insane there are very talented people throughout the world who have been overlooked by the mainstream who can write both incredible music and poetry, as well as produce very entertaining segments which could be used as commercials, this is a sad comment on our misguided professional's, who believe that if you didn't attend college, than you have no right to be earning $$$ without their approval, no matter what your degree of talent is... Damn Shame, and needs to change....omg did that rhyme? must be an indicator...hehe
12-24-2008 @ 3:18AM
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