What 2023 taught 4 creators who surpassed 10 million subscribers this year
Dec 27, 2023 – [[read-time]] minute read
From a British woman who makes inventive snacks in her car to a Mexica-German stylist to a guy and his golden doodle, we've highlighted all kinds of creators who've crossed the coveted 1 (or 10) million subscriber mark and gave them a chance to share their tips with our community. To close off the year, we’re bringing you four creators from around the world who hit this milestone in 2023 and their recipes for success.
A common thread we noticed across all creators we spoke to for this piece was the importance of community and the role it plays in their journey on YouTube, whether it's the people they make these videos for or fellow creators or friends and family. Along with community, our creators agree that setting attainable and sustainable goals and injecting a sense of mindfulness into the work which can take different forms. How different? We'll let the creators speak for themselves on what 2023 taught them:
Marcelo Nunes
Brazil
What did 2023 teach you?
2023 was a year of a lot of learning. I learned that with the influence of social platforms, the importance of producing content that added value in some way to people's lives increased. In a time where events (whether good or not) come to people's attention almost instantly and people's reactions are unpredictable, I learned that every day it is necessary to always have a more attentive and careful look at everything I publish, whether it is a published photo, video, or a written or spoken sentence, it is always important to pay attention and respect.
Every day I publish crochet content on my social networks, and in every publication I direct the public to watch the complete tutorial of the piece on my YouTube channel.”
Marcelo Nunes YouTube creatorWhat is your recipe for hitting the 1M subscriber mark?
I believe it was the consistency in publishing videos, through the frequency in creating content, I received feedback from people saying how my videos had a positive impact on their lives, whether as therapy or source of income (many people reproduce the crochet pieces I teach on the channel for sale, others as a hobby or therapy) this really motivates me to produce more tutorials for the channel and increasingly improve the content, always bringing new things to the channel. Public.
I'm passionate about Crochet and manual arts, and every day I publish crochet content on my social networks, and in every publication I direct the public to watch the complete tutorial of the piece on my YouTube channel. Yes, really! Everyday I mention the phrase “watch the full video lesson of this work on my YouTube channel.”
The Gardiner Brothers
Ireland
What did 2023 teach you?
2023 taught us to love what we do and to appreciate the position that we are in. We are fortunate enough to have a job that doesn't feel like a job! And although being a content creator is A LOT of hard work, it is always work that we enjoy! It is always changing and keeps us on our toes (literally) but it allows us to travel with our work, and showcase our amazing Irish culture to audiences all over the world. We are lucky to be able to dance on the biggest stage in the world - the YouTube stage! So that means that each video we make could possibly touch every corner of the world, so we are so lucky to have that reach with our dancing! However, we have learned that it can be tough to stay motivated sometimes on social media. There were times when we struggled with creativity and growth on our channel, but looking back, we learned that if you have a vision and stick with it, and remember why you're doing it and what your audience love, the rewards will come in time and always be worth it.
What is your recipe for hitting the 1M subscriber mark?
At the start of 2023, we had set a goal for ourselves to hit the 1M mark by the end of the year. It had always been a dream of ours and we had a lot of momentum on our content coming from 2022 so we knew that if we were consistent with our approach that goal would definitely be attainable. We set out a specific number of posts that we wanted to hit each month: our goal was to post at least 10 to 15 shorts a month along with one to two long form vlogs every two months. We wanted to keep our shorts varied as well, so that we were branching out in our audience. We always look at our analytics to make sure that we are posting at the best time for our audience. This is always changing too, so it was important for us to constantly update our posting times and days. Not every piece of content is going to explode, so you have to make sure that it doesn't discourage you from continuing your creation if one video doesn't perform the way you want it to.
Another part of our recipe was to make sure to always have videos that suited the time of the year. If there were trending songs or sounds, we always want to try them out so it's good to get our own video to that song or sound when it is trending. The last thing that we will add was that we always tried to be aware of any holiday season posts that we could get. So if it was St Patrick's day, or Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas, we always make sure to get a couple of themed videos out around those holidays!
Natan Valduga Lopes
Brazil
What did 2023 teach you?
That nothing replaces hard work and creativity. That sometimes we have to go against the ideas of some so that what we dream of comes true. We weren't afraid to try new things and new video formats even when we didn't know what we were doing. This has always opened up a range of new options and a lot of learning for us.
What is your recipe for hitting the 10M subscriber mark?
Produce videos that tell a good story, regardless of whether they are short or long. That success can come extremely slowly or quickly, but you must continue to believe in what you do. If you believe in what you do, there will always be someone who likes your content, so focus on what worked, rethink what didn't and test new things whenever you can.
Use your peers as support - collaborating with other creators from time to time also helps reach other audiences. ”
Liza Baez YouTube creatorLiza Baez
Mexico
What did 2023 teach you?
I taught myself to be open to opportunities and facing risks and overcoming this barrier of fear because behind that, I was able to discover what I am capable of. Despite the difficulties that have been presented throughout the year, life will always be full of surprises and wonders to know and explore. Each year is an opportunity to achieve a new objective, a new goal and continue pursuing our dreams.
What is your recipe for hitting the 10M subscriber mark?
First, acknowledging that it is not something easy. On the path you might find difficulties like everyone else, but if you are willing to achieve it, you will do it. Have discipline and be committed not just with yourself but also with your subscribers. They are waiting to see your content and the surprises and madness that they can share.
I'd also recommend developing a strategy to achieve this milestone and dedicate the time. It's not just to record videos on the spot and record yourself, but look for the way to connect with your audience and who feels identified with your content and with you. And, if you can, use your peers as support - collaborating with other creators from time to time also helps reach other audiences. It's an opportunity to be recognized and to have new subscribers joining your channel. I analyzed my content, as in try to see what you can improve or the changes you can do on your videos and implement them. And finally, be patient and have fun in the process!