The niche creator communities helping people in Italy live more sustainably and confidently
Sep 24, 2024 – [[read-time]] minute read
One of the things that still brings me joy after many years working at YouTube is witnessing the real life impact someone with a passion for a certain topic can have on people. Whether it’s seeing a dish I saw earlier in the week on YouTube land on my table for dinner, or how one video posted three years ago helped my family fix a very old washing machine - the knowledge and passion YouTube creators possess can translate into real life benefits for their viewers.
Pietro Michelangeli during an interview about his personal finance channel at a press event in Milan
The research
Earlier this summer, we set out to understand the impact a handful of niche creator communities have on people in Italy. We chose these communities because Gen Z in Italy faces a new reality: a rising cost of living, climate change anxieties, and a volatile job market. So we looked at the creators they're turning to – not just for distraction, but for solutions. We landed on eco-farming, personal finance, and creators making videos on how to live a more sustainable lifestyle. We commissioned research firm Censuswide to survey 3,000 people in Italy spanning Gen Z (age 18-27) and the general population (18+) on the role these creator communities play as Gen Z deals with these realities.
Francesca Della Giovampaola and Filippo Bellantoni who run the sustainable farming channel, Bosco di Ogigia, speaking to an audience about the impact of their channel at a press event in Milan
Our research found that 66% of Gen Z users feel a genuine sense of belonging to the YouTube communities that help them across personal finance, eco-farming, and sustainable living. It makes them feel like they’re part of a community, and less alone as they tackle changing times.
From farm, to YouTube, to garden
Eco-farming channels like Bosco di Ogigia by Francesca and Filippo mainly focus on how to sustainably farm, but their content is also geared at households to help teach people to grow their own gardens at home. Our research shows that 64% of Gen Z respondents who follow gardening/farming channels like Francesca’s and Filippo's say they either started or increased gardening at home due to watching farming and gardening content on YouTube. So if you find yourself in Milan and notice that balconies are a little greener this year, we have creators like Francesco and Filippo to thank.
In addition to the real-world impact creators have had on their viewers, the survey also shows that 93% of Gen Z respondents who follow gardening or farming channels on YouTube have found health and wellbeing benefits in following gardening/farming channels on YouTube. This is a testament to the power and positive influence these creators have on the quality of life of their viewers.
YouTube as a tool for confidence
With the rising cost of living, having basic financial literacy is pivotal. Creators like Marcello Ascani and Pietro Michelangeli are helping people in Italy understand how to budget efficiently, and to navigate the process of opening a pension, and how to responsibly save and invest. Because of creators like Marcello and Pietro, 83% of Gen Z respondents who watch personal finance content reported experiencing benefits in terms of overall well-being. These benefits include a greater sense of control over their finances, improved mental well-being, and increased confidence in achieving their financial goals.
We also see that 93% of Gen Z respondents say they experienced real-life benefits by watching personal finance content, such as improved overall financial literacy, everyday saving tips, and understanding pension options in Italy.
We know that climate anxiety is also a major source of stress for Gen Z. This eco-conscious mindset shines through in their engagement with creators who make videos about living sustainably, like Spazio Grigio. According to the survey by Censuswide, 96% of Gen Z respondents who follow sustainable living channels on YouTube say that they experienced real life benefits in watching sustainable living content on YouTube such as learning new skills, enhanced knowledge of DIY projects, and most importantly, feeling less guilt around environmental impact.
To celebrate these creators, we hosted some of them in our office in Milan where they came together to share their stories and for us to share the impact they’re having on their communities. It was a day that honored and shed a light on their hard work. It was great to see how aligned these creators are with the research presented. Like Francesca and Filippo from Bosco di Ogigia have said: “more and more people are looking for sustainable and common sense good practices to respond to the economic, political and environmental crises we are experiencing. We are pleased to say that, with our YouTube channel, we have been able to build a community that is aware and interested in learning more about these issues in order to work with and not against nature and to learn how to take care of the earth and ourselves. We hope to continue to be a point of reference and well-being for as many people as possible.”
This is a thank you to everyone who comes on YouTube and shares their experiences and knowledge with the world. People like you and the creators I mentioned above are what make YouTube the platform it is today.