Thesis – Draft
YouTube is a catalyst for profit and
popularity.
Ken Sambury
Thesis Class
[Insert Date]
Thesis – Draft 1
Table of Contents
Thesis – Draft……………………………………………………………..…….….….….….…..1
YouTube is a catalyst for profit and popularity……………..….….….….….….…..1
How do Opinion Leaders contribute to YouTube being a catalyst?…..…..………..…………..2
How does YouTube make it easy for interesting content to be seen by those who want
to?…………………………………………………………………………………………………….……….…… 3
How does YouTube facilitate communities of participation?….…………….………..…..………5
Thesis – Draft 2
Ken Sambury
[Class, Semester]
[Teacher Name]
[Insert Date]
Thesis – Draft
YouTube is a catalyst for profit and popularity.
In examining YouTube as a medium for revenue and exposure I faced a
fundamental problem. I would click on a popular YouTube video such as PSY’s
Gangnam Style or Justin Bieber’s Baby and I would end up lost somewhere
between playing the video over and over and reading the amazing story
behind the video. Why did these ‘viral’ YouTube videos captivate my
attention so easily? Is this what happens to everyone else when they see a
noteworthy video? What propels the popularity of the video and does this
also translate into the popularity of the person or persons behind the video?
It would seem as though, I would know that I have important things to do,
but I feel as though I must continue to watch, because everyone is watching
it and I must see it before those who have not seen it as yet. Interestingly
that logic is not logic at all; there will always be people who have not see this
video yet even if the video is very popular.
Thesis – Draft 1
For the purpose of my study I contest that YouTube increases the rate of an
individual attaining popularity for whatever his or her talent or skill may be.
YouTube provides the facility for videos to go ‘viral’. In this case, ‘going viral’
refers to a video, which is shared rapidly on the Internet. (Dictionary.com)
The trends manager at YouTube theorizes that the audience or the general
public now decides what is popular culture, and this allows for anyone with
an idea to have it heard and use this to achieve success. (Ted Talks 2012).
According to Kevin Allocca, a trend manager at YouTube, YouTube videos
compel people to watch and keep watching because of three things:
1. Opinion Leaders
2. Unexpectedness
3. Communities of Participation
Based on Allocca’s claims, if YouTube videos are able to gain the attention of
opinion leaders, contain content the user does not expect to see or hear and
initiate interaction then the video will immediately become viral. Since
YouTube is a free website, that any literate individual can sign up for, this
allows the layman to use YouTube to become popular or to make money.
How do Opinion Leaders contribute to YouTube being a catalyst?
The entire notion of an individual being a leader of opinion is based on the
Two-Step Flow theory. (A First Look at Communication Theory 2012) The
first stage is the transmission of information, in this case from YouTube to
Thesis – Draft 2
YouTube experts, professional bloggers and other popular people. The best
example of this is contained in the YouTube channel of Ray William Johnson,
who produces the YouTube series Equals Three. Johnson has been able to
build a loyal audience based on finding three or more videos and adding his
own weird commentary. (Forbes 2011) For a little over a year Johnson was
the most subscribed user on YouTube and is still within the top two most
subscribed to date. In his show he encourages viewers to check out the best
viral videos on the Internet. (Bankock Post 2013) Johnson’s videos are
usually four to five minutes long, however I may take over 30 minutes
watching one episode as I find myself pausing his video to see for myself
what he is talking about.
