Watch above: For the last decade, YouTube has been entertaining people while attracting more and more users worldwide. Joel Senick finds out what impact the site has had on a local woman as it celebrates its anniversary.
SASKATOON – YouTube has now been around for a decade and has changed the lives of many. On a typical day in her Saskatoon home, 24-year-old Samantha sets up her handy cam before delivering a greeting her fans know well: “Hey cuties!”
Samantha is a Saskatchewan YouTube sensation, accumulating more than 600,000 subscribers and 93 million views from her uploaded videos across four channels. The video-sharing website was founded on Feb. 14, 2005.
“It’s made me more of an open person because I film every day for thousands and thousands of people,” said Samantha, who prefers to go by first name only.
The majority of Samantha’s presence is under the username “PiinkSparkles,” where she posts videos that deal with everything from fashion to personal stories. Her first video was uploaded in 2010 and featured quick and easy hairstyles for school.
“I wasn’t even expecting people to watch it and all of a sudden people starting requesting,” she said.
The video now has over 100,000 views, paling in comparison to her most popular uploads, four of which have garnered over a million hits.
“It just sort of moved on from there.”
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Now, Samantha says she devotes roughly seven hours a day to YouTube and social media, considering it her full time job.
On a given day, the majority of viewers are from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. However, statistics on her account show hits coming from as far away as Yemen, Afghanistan and even Syria.
“I think everyone’s just interested in the whole knowing you life and anything like that,” said Samantha.
“I like to be as real as possible in my videos.”
Samantha says ad-revenue sharing from the site allows her to make a comfortable living. Years ago, she quit her day job to focus solely on her online presence and says that move helped her buy a house.
“Everyone’s like a co-creator now or their own potential media outlet,” said David Williams, a University of Saskatchewan marketing professor.
“It’s turned everyone into a brand.”
For Samantha, it seems her brand is authenticity
“I just try to be the person that I am and try to show how real and honest I am and even if it’s going to make somebody maybe smirk at you, or say ‘what is she doing,’ I am always myself,” she said.
Samantha said she believes her job as a YouTube personality may not last forever, but for the time being, hopes to inspire people through her videos.
“They say, ‘you know you’re just such an inspiration to me and help me be positive and be who I am’,” said Samantha of her fans.
And for anyone wanting to try their hand at a YouTube channel, Samantha says the key is a thick skin, as negative comments are part of the online landscape.
“You just have to stay true to yourself and if you see all the love comments that outweigh it for me,” said Samantha.
“I am very, very thankful, that’s the number one thing, I am so thankful for what I have and everybody,” she added.
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