How Many Kids Want to be YouTubers? Inside the Growing Aspirations of Gen Z

Over the past 15 years, YouTube has risen from a fledgling video site to the cultural behemoth it is today. With over 2 billion users visiting monthly and billions of hours of video consumed daily, YouTube has become the ultimate media platform for an entire generation. And with this meteoric growth, an entirely new kind of celebrity has emerged – the YouTube creator.

For today‘s youth, being a popular YouTuber or influencer on the platform has become a coveted career aspiration on par with being rich or famous. But just how pervasive is this dream of internet fame and fortune among kids today? Let‘s delve into the statistics, psychology and implications behind so many children wanting to be the next top YouTuber.

The Staggering Influence of YouTube

To understand why so many kids now want to be YouTubers, we must first recognize the tremendous scale and impact of YouTube itself. Some mind-boggling stats:

• 2.6 billion logged-in users visit YouTube each month – making it the 2nd most popular website globally after Google.

• Over 1 billion hours of video are watched on YouTube every day.

• 500 hours of new video content is uploaded to YouTube every minute.

• YouTube gets over 30 million visitors per day in the US alone – more than Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime combined.

• Kids aged 8-12 now spend 65% more time on YouTube than watching TV.

YouTube has become the premier video platform in the world and captures the lion‘s share of screen time among children and youth. It is reshaping entertainment, learning, culture, fame and for many young people – their aspirations.

With large swaths of younger generations spending hours a day consuming YouTube content, it‘s no surprise that being a top creator on the platform has become massively appealing. But just how many kids now say they want to be YouTubers?

By the Numbers: Kids Who Want to be YouTubers

According to multiple large-scale surveys and studies, a staggering 50-80% of kids and teens now say they want to be YouTubers as their primary career goal.

Let‘s look at some key statistics:

• A 2020 survey by Ypulse found 75% of young people aged 6-17 said their dream job was to become a YouTuber or social media influencer.

• Research firm KidSay found that being a YouTuber tops kids‘ career aspirations globally. It was the most desired job among kids in 10 out of 12 counties surveyed.

• A study in Brazil found a massive 80% of kids aged 9-17 hoped to become YouTubers, compared to 52% who wanted to be doctors.

• In a 2019 survey by The Harris Poll, over half (54%) of kids in the US ages 8-12 said they wanted to be a YouTuber, vlogger or YouTuber star.

• A 2017 survey in the UK found that 2/3 of kids aged 5-16 listed being a vlogger, YouTuber or blogger as their top career choice.

Clearly the desire for internet fame is exceptionally high among children globally. While the exact percentage varies slightly between surveys, general consensus is that 50-80% of young people say they want to be YouTubers when they grow up. This would mean up to tens of millions of kids are drawn to influencer fame.

YouTuber/Influencer remains the top career aspiration across age groups according to multiple surveys. Image created in Canva.

We can also break down the desire to be a YouTuber demographically:

• By age – Aspirations peak around ages 8-16, but remain high even among older youth.

• By gender – Most surveys find a slight skew towards girls aspiring to be YouTubers, but often by less than 10 percentage points.

• By country – Developing countries like Brazil, India, and Nigeria see especially high rates, often over 70%. But numbers remain high across most countries.

• By income – Low income areas see higher rates, likely due to YouTubing seeming more attainable than high-paying careers that require degrees.

So while some variations exist, the dream of becoming a YouTuber is nearly ubiquitous among today‘s youth across age, gender, and geographic lines. But what exactly is behind so many kids wanting to pursue internet fame?

Why Kids Aspire to Be YouTubers

Top motivations for wanting to be a YouTuber according to teens surveyed. Image created in Venngage.

YouTube fame offers something highly alluring to young people. But surprisingly, money is not the number one motivator according to several surveys of teens.

Here are the top factors driving kids to aspire to YouTube stardom:

• Creativity – Being able to invent, produce and share creative work and content is highly appealing to young people. YouTube is the ultimate platform for this.

• Fame – Having millions know you and being a celebrity is alluring, especially on a platform kids engage with daily.

• Self-Expression – Kids value YouTube as an outlet for sharing thoughts, stories, and passions on their own terms.

• Money – While lower on the priority list, the high earning potential of top YouTubers is still a significant motivator.

• People/Relationships – Connecting with audiences, fans and other creators is a strong draw for youth.

Additional drivers likely include:

• Autonomy – YouTubers are self-employed entrepreneurs, working for themselves. This independence is very enticing.

• Relatability – Many YouTubers are young themselves, so they feel like peers kids can relate to.

• Impact – Influencing millions gives a sense of importance and significance.

• Recognition – Going viral and getting validation from peers and fans feeds social needs.

For children who spend hours each day consuming YouTube videos, the platform represents a path to fame, fortune, creativity and influence that seems far more direct than traditional options. Kids can just pick up a phone and start building their channel – no gatekeepers or prerequisites.

This explains the tidal wave of kids listing YouTuber as their number one career aspiration. But does this benefit or harm young people in the long run? There are valid arguments on both sides.

The Pros and Cons of Aspiring to YouTube Fame

Benefits and drawbacks for kids who want to be YouTubers. Image created with Venngage.

Are the coveted benefits of internet fame realistic or sustainable for most who pursue this path? There are good reasons to encourage creative expression online, but also risks worth considering:

Potential Benefits

• Fosters entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency

• Lets kids share their passions and find a community

• Demonetizes influencer culture by making it accessible

• Provides alternative pathways to success beyond just academics

• Promotes digital media literacy and content creation skills

Potential Drawbacks

• Prizes fame over other values like passion, service, and skill mastery

• Over-emphasizes unreliable social media metrics like views, likes and followers

• Risks neglecting education and training critical for most career paths

• Low odds of financial success; income volatility is high even for top creators

• Mental health and privacy risks that come with internet fame starting young

• Hard to assess if better options being overlooked due to allure of influencer status

Aspiring to be a YouTuber clearly has upsides in terms of empowering kids creatively and promoting digital skills. But realizing YouTube fame realistically is the key.

Very few will become the next Charli D‘Amelio or MrBeast. And even those who do often struggle with income stability, loss of privacy, and mental health impacts. Is following their path truly the best option for most kids long-term?

This makes guidance from parents and educators critical when youth get caught up in the allure of YouTube fame.

Guiding Kids With YouTube Aspirations

As a parent, how should you engage with a child who says they want to be a YouTuber? Here are some tips:

• Be supportive – Encourage their entrepreneurial and creative instincts without judgment. Help them create videos as a constructive outlet.

• Add perspective – Note that only a tiny fraction actually achieve financial success or wide fame. Compare potential benefits of other careers.

• Set expectations – Make education the priority. They can create videos as a hobby for now. Financial independence usually requires other work too.

• Discuss risks – Have candid conversations about privacy loss, income instability, mental health strains and more that often come with internet fame.

• Involve yourself – Monitor their channel and comments. Set boundaries and oversight appropriate to their maturity level. Subscribe and engage with their content.

• Explore alternatives – Suggest ways to express creativity online beyond YouTube. Start an Instagram account, TikTok, blog or podcast for fun.

• Develop a backup plan – Encourage interests and education that will support other career options in case YouTubing doesn‘t work out.

With empathy and wisdom, parents can guide kids‘ expectations and ensure they build skills to thrive whether they achieve YouTube fame or not.

Starting a YouTube Channel: Tips for Kids

For kids who remain set on attempting YouTuber success, here are some best practices:

• Focus on passion – Build your channel around topics and content you truly love. Quality over chasing trends.

• Commit fully – Regularly upload videos and engage with your audience. Treat it like a real business.

• Improve production value – Invest in basic equipment like mics, lighting and editing software. Production quality matters.

• Find a niche – Establish a specific, focused theme for your channel. Novelty plays better than copying others.

• Collaborate – Work with other kid YouTubers to cross-promote. Guest appearances help growth.

• Stay safe – Never share personal details. Turn off DMs if needed. Ask parents to monitor comments.

• Set goals – Define what YouTube success looks like for you that is not solely tied to fame or money.

With reasonable aspirations and parental guidance, pursuing YouTuber dreams can be exciting and constructive even if fame and fortune don‘t follow.

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YouTube has clearly become the media platform of choice for Gen Z. With so many young people spending their leisure time watching YouTube, it‘s no wonder so many dream of joining the ranks of their YouTube idols.

But while the benefits of creative expression and entrepreneurship appeal, the realities of internet fame should be weighed carefully. Through thoughtful guidance of their aspirations, we can empower youth to harness technology for good – whether they ultimately become YouTubers or choose other paths to purpose.