The Commodification of Travel YouTubers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to study the identity of travel YouTubers for influencing their followers through content created in their channels and to study popular content. This study applies qualitative research methodology by collecting information, analyzing documents, concepts, theories and related research about identity creation, social media Influencers and exploring influencers’ data on the YouTube platform relied on the collection of data from YouTube channels and video clips of 10 target groups of YouTubers to explain the phenomenon and discuss the results of the study. The study found that creating a YouTuber's presence to influence their followers through content created in their channel. In travel YouTubers, there were both the unknown and the famous. Although the matter of fame and fan base may be a capital advantage for the stars or artists who turn to be YouTubers, this may not always be the case. Because of the nature of choosing to watch on each channel, it depends on all about the audience's attention. Making content and creating unique identity are the most attractive points in adding contacts to present yourself to the online world. Each YouTuber has their own travel style and creativity with their own presentation. Each person has a different character, but the common characteristics are found to be similar which are 1. traveling to places where most people have not been to, 2. providing general information and developing creativity in those video clips, 3. giving an interesting clip title, and 4. producing a video clip with good quality. However, income from being a creator of YouTube, or what we call it “YouTuber” is not enough for a main career which is not able to rely on only advertising income from YouTube. When the channel is successful, it has a large audience base. There will be an opportunity for sponsors to buy ads directly with YouTubers or hire them to make clips which is higher income than the compensation received from YouTube Ads. That is why it leads to an effort to create an identity of a normal person who at first tries to make himself a producer and eventually becomes a product to meet economic needs through the creation of content on the YouTube platform to make viewers or consumers like it or believe in something from their reviews or sayings which can influence the opinions or behaviors of others to choose to follow. Because of this importance of YouTubers, brands have started to invest in hiring influencers to influence the beliefs of certain groups. That doesn't have to be a celebrity level which costs very expensive but hires a YouTuber that exists in the online world where people tend to follow their channels based on the content they are interested in.