YouTube didn't just disrupt television — it quietly reinvented fame, creativity, advertising, and power itself. YouTubers by Chris Stokel‑Walker is the definitive, deeply reported account of how a scrappy video‑sharing website became one of the most influential cultural forces of the 21st century, creating a new generation of stars, entrepreneurs, and global media brands.
From the very first shaky upload to today's billion‑view channels, YouTubers explores how ordinary people turned cameras on themselves and built vast audiences, lucrative businesses, and devoted fan communities. Through vivid storytelling and behind‑the‑scenes access, Stokel‑Walker follows the rise of vloggers, gamers, pranksters, beauty creators, child stars, and influencers — and reveals what success on YouTube really costs.
This is not just a book about internet celebrities. It is a sharp, authoritative guide to the creator economy, unpacking how YouTube actually works: the algorithm that decides what goes viral, the metrics that govern visibility, and the hidden systems that reward some creators while quietly burying others. You'll learn how watch time, recommended videos, monetisation, demonetisation, and brand safety shape online video — and why creators are often forced to adapt at breakneck speed just to survive.
YouTubers also examines the business of influence. As traditional advertising faltered, brands moved to YouTube, fuelling the rise of influencer marketing, sponsored content, and creator‑led brand deals. The book explains how creators make money through ads, partnerships, merchandise, Patreon, and live events — and why relying on any single revenue stream can be dangerously unstable. The "Adpocalypse," burnout, and platform crackdowns expose the fragile reality behind the glamour.
Crucially, the book doesn't shy away from YouTube's darker side. It investigates extremism, conspiracy content, children's programming scandals, and the ethical challenges of algorithmic recommendation at scale. As YouTube grows more powerful, YouTubers asks urgent questions about responsibility, regulation, and what happens when a private platform becomes the world's most influential broadcaster.
Inside, you'll discover:
- How YouTube's algorithm and recommendation system shape culture and attention
- The rise of vloggers, influencers, and internet celebrities
- How monetisation, ads, sponsorships, and brand deals really work
- Why burnout, authenticity, and parasocial relationships define creator life
- The global expansion of YouTube across languages, countries, and cultures
- The battle between YouTube, traditional TV, Facebook, and emerging platforms
Written with clarity, insight, and narrative drive, YouTubers is essential reading for content creators, marketers, entrepreneurs, media students, parents, and anyone curious about internet culture and digital media. If you want to understand how YouTube reshaped entertainment — and what that means for the future of creativity, influence, and power — this book is your indispensable guide.
Reviews
'No one understands the intricacies of YouTube like Chris Stokel-Walker. His reporting on the platform and its creators has been groundbreaking and unparalleled.' – Taylor Lorenz, The Atlantic
'For anyone trying to understand the bonkers world of YouTube, this is essential reading.' – Sam Parker, Esquire