YouTube platform not only serves as the carrier of film and television but also provides a new economic platform for the public. Creators can obtain traffic and popularity by releasing original content on the platform, to gain financial and revenue. Like Shuaisoserious, the creator of a YouTube channel dedicated to fitness, self-improvement, and healthy living. He keeps up with current events to create eye-catching stories and advice for the public and puts his references at the end of the video.

11:50-11:57

Shuai’s videos are instructive and motivating, and his audience includes fitness enthusiasts and beginners. His content is more “popular”, allowing viewers to easily learn about healthy living, to exercise effectively at home with little equipment (Figure 1), and to experience things that people are interested in but don’t dare to try (Figure 2).

Figure 1

Screenshot from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3giX9zA5_c

Figure 2

Screenshot from：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w_oZcfGGYk&t=44s

Monetization of Intellectual property:

Shuai started his clothing line by adding brand links to video titles (Figures 3 and 4) and expanding publicity by wearing his brand in the video (Figure 5). This form of brand collaboration typically generates a large portion of revenue in his field, which aligns well with the interests and needs of his audience. Merchandise sales can also strengthen community engagement and loyalty among fans.

Figure 3

Screenshot from shuaisoserious video posted on YouTube title page

Figure 4

Image source: https://driotopia.com/

Figure 5

Image source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W954WKPFCQM&t=5s

https://driotopia.com/

He will also add his business contact information to the title of his work, seeking to establish affiliate links and recommend products or organizations to viewers in the video (Figure 6). He earns commissions for advertising time or purchases made by viewers through these videos, especially for fitness equipment or fitness-related items, a model that reflects the diversity of income opportunities in the creator economy (Craig and Cunningham, 2019).

Figure 5

Image source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3nOLc-KBFY&t=364s

By combining these strategies, Shuai has diversified its revenue and ensured financial stability while continuing to create premium content that resonates with viewers.

Reference List:

Craig, D. and Cunningham, S. (2019). Social Media Entertainment. NYU Press, pp.65–114.

Cunningham, S. and Craig, D. (2021). Creator Culture. NYU Press, pp.21–38.

shuaisoserious (2022a). 【改善体态】10分钟快速唤醒臀部!(男女通用). [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3giX9zA5_c [Accessed 27 Nov. 2024].

shuaisoserious (2022b). 【连续7天只吃垃圾食品】我的身体发生了什么变化！. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w_oZcfGGYk [Accessed 27 Nov. 2024].

shuaisoserious (2023). 每天喝无糖饮料的人都瘦了吗？. [online] http://www.youtube.com. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI-hB6gdPkk [Accessed 27 Nov. 2024].

shuaisoserious (2024a). 减脂成功365天后，他的身体发生了什么变化?！. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W954WKPFCQM [Accessed 27 Nov. 2024].

shuaisoserious (2024b). 最老VS最新健身房！差别有多大？！. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3nOLc-KBFY [Accessed 27 Nov. 2024].

By Yuqing Yin-33750937