I came across vlogging channels on YouTube in the summer of 2009. Blair Fowler aka juicystar07 was the first Youtuber I ever found. Her channel, as you may guess, consists of make-up tutorials, beauty tips and fashion. I remember watching her and her sister in the video one day, explained what vlogging was. So if you have no clue what it is, basically the term “vlogging” comes from the phrase “video blogging” – when people doing a blog on a video. I enjoyed watching her channel so much that it has become one of my hobby since then.
So in the class on the other day when we had a discussion about the growing of YouTube channel, I was totally agreed with the professor that it may growing more popular than Facebook in the future. Why? Because I know exactly how enjoyable it is to watch them. There are so many types of video you could ask for, beauty, lifestyle or even gaming channel. Then, one of the students from the course last year mentioned a statistic number of how much those channels have grown, especially the gaming ones, and then it hit me – the question of why people has spend so much time watch all of these videos. Because even though I am one of the subscriber, I have to admit that some of them are quite pointless.
I went back to search for statistic information and found that the top rank channel whose hold the largest audience is actually gaming channel. I don’t get it. I mean watching gaming video is not the same as watching beauty channel, is it? It kind of contributes a different feeling. I immediately opened up a new tap, typed in YouTube site, went straight to that channel and watched …and still don’t get it. I didn’t even finish the whole video. Why do people like to watch others playing games instead of playing by themselves? Wouldn’t it be more fun?
Now that I come back to think about myself, other than it is a thing that I like, I found that I enjoy those beauty/fashion tips videos because I attached to the person who makes the videos. I have been followed them for too long that I have to keep watching them every week. It’s like a TV series programmes. However, with the gaming videos you can hardly see the vloggers anyway. So if you are one of the subscribers, comment below why do you think it is so popular and fun to watch? If you’re not, I think it’s worth your time to go watch them and maybe share your thought here.
Pasinee B.
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References.
Statistic information : http://www.socialbakers.com/statistics/youtube/channels/
Blair Fowler channel : https://www.youtube.com/user/juicystar07
Popular Gaming Vlogs.
PewDiePie : https://www.youtube.com/user/PewDiePie
skydoesminecraft : https://www.youtube.com/user/SkyDoesMinecraft
Stampylonghead : https://www.youtube.com/user/stampylonghead
YOGSCAST Lewis&Simon : https://www.youtube.com/user/BlueXephos
TheDiamondMinecart : https://www.youtube.com/user/TheDiamondMinecart
Pasinee Bunkaewsuk 
Maybe because you are not boy (joking). Gamers will learn a lot from other gaming Vlogs like you can gain beauty tips and fashion ideas from vlogging. In addition, the games monopoly by fewer huge companies, so the viewers may concentrate on few channels. On the contrary, the fashion and beauty are different from countries to countries, even between person.
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Ok. good point. But why is it so addicting in your opinion? Why do people want to revisit the channel? And wouldn’t it be more fun to experience or explore each part in the game by yourself?
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I find myself following a gaming v-blog usually because i have a similar interest to the person making the video. For example the you-tuber KSI- if they make a reference to something or a joke you can relate to, i find it interesting to watch and have another perspective.
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So I guess you enjoy watching the videos because of the vloggers not the game right? Is the games have any influence on your channel visit?
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The game for me is more important most of the time, but KSI is a exception as he’s way too funny in general.
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Got it! But one more question here, is it make you want to buy that games to play by yourself though? Or you’re happy just watch them play?
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Hi. Let me start by saying that I’m one of those guys that likes watching other people play videogames. I actually started the same year as you I suppose and I remember exactly the video (search Best Friends Play Skyrim). I laughed so much with this that I became their fan. But they’ve grown, they also have a Podcast and work with different social media channels. What I like about them is that they are both funny as informative. Most of them have worked in the gaming industry and that gives them a plus on what they are talking about.
But I certainly don’t know the success of people like PewDiePie or KSI. Personally I think they only laugh and joke around in their videos.
About why gaming vloggers usually don’t show their faces is that the game (content) is what matters visually along with their commentaries.
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Thank you for your comment! I am really keen on hearing some opinion from real gaming channel’s audiences. So from the comments I’ve got, I think people tends to enjoy the vloggers than the content (of the video) then.
Nowadays lots of brands think that vloggers are one of those potential people who could drive their products’ sale volume, do you agree with that? It’s quite interesting whether these YouTube channels could be another channel for brand to drive products demand.
Let me know what you think.
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Hi, my name is packing. Nice to meet you.
I’m the big fan of watching “Beauty Bloggers” via Youtube. I enjoy watching them so much, whether in Thai beauty bloggers, US beauty bloggers, or UK beauty bloggers. I’m addicted and follow their new video every week. I thought you would love “PixiWoo”, who are UK beauty bloggers. I subscribed their videos because their have many technique to use with their own brushes, and most people will known in “real techniques brushes”.
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Hi packing,
Have you ever watched any gaming channels? As mentioned in my blog, these channels are growing so popular. Try and have a look there, I’d link some of the famous channels above and maybe share your idea why they are so popular!
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So do I. I love to watch beauty bloggers not just for learning beauty tips but sometimes I enjoy what they are talking during they put on brush or put on color on their eyelids. However, the main purpose for me to watch them because “I don’t wanna buy rubbish cosmetic” so please tell what I should buy. In youtube, there are many people who willing to spend money to try new products for me (luckily brands will send new products directly to them if they have enough subscribers). I know sometimes they do advertising or “tie-in” but who’s care? Now we can choose what advertisement we wanna see! From the another point of views, It’s a kind of career ladder. Developing from “bloggers” to “influencers” who turn thier own interests to media, and then to “business owners”.
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Definitely agree with that. Now speaking of this point, what do you think about them being an influencers? By that I mean lots of brands try to push sale thru them and expect that vloggers could drive more demand of their products. But are they really accounted to be another channel for brands to sell products? Many vloggers turned to sell their own products recently, which, frankly, even competing with those brands’ products.
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Nice blog post and I enjoyed reading it through. I’m one of those who subscribed on beauty channels but I sometimes love to watch the Gaming reviews via Youtube channel as well. I believe that the reason why Gaming reviews has gathered attentions of most guys is because they are hilarious and spending couple minutes watching it can pull you off the heavy things on your mind. I’m not a big fan of playing neither x-box nor playstation but I found it’s fun to be able to jump into the conversation with my brother when it comes to talk about vdo game. I think opening up to other people interest can also help us to understand others more and help the conversation to flow nicely. Well, one last thing! I find this Youtube link might help you to reach what I tried to said
Enjoy!
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Hey fahlalaa,
Thanks for the link! I’ll have to admit that it’s a good one. I just watched half way through and even laugh!
From all the comments and what I’ve just watched, I think the audiences actually enjoy the reaction of the vloggers when they play games and that’s why they keep revisit the sites, don’t you think? It’s like a TV programme, a really good programme actually. Most of them are not watching it for gaining tips or reviews, are they?
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I think one of the reasons behind the vastly growing trend of gaming videos may be that there are up to hundreds games launch, averagely, in a day. Instead of trying them all by yourselves, it seems to be better watching a review first. Secondly, the target audience is quite huge. Most of the guys enjoy vdo games even when they’re grown up. Lastly, gamers might have the feeling of related and connected because they share the same interest, so it should be fun to watch, just like the way you enjoy watching the make-up channels. 🙂
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You have a good point. But which reason do you think weights more proportion? The audiences revisit or subscribe the channel because
they like to watch the vloggers reaction?
or because
they want to gain tips and reviews?
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It’s hard to say. But if you ask me, I would say vloggers’ reactions could attract more people interest as well as increase involvement and that’s the key why the audiences stick to the particular channels.
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Truth. From reading all the comments, I totally agree with this conclusion.
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I do not usually watch gaming videos, I use YouTube mostly for music. But sometimes I catch myself sticking to these funny gaming videos or these YouTube pranks and I do not understand how time passed. YouTube is really addictive, if you start searching for videos you will never stop. Facebook enabled silent auto-play on the Facebook videos a year ago, maybe Zuckerberg wanted from people to spend more time on the news feed (and as a result on Facebook), taking advantage of the video’s power. Google bought YouTube some years ago. They knew what they did!
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Hi Vasileios,
Yeah I agree with you YouTube consumes our time unconsciously. However, talk about video on Facebook, I am so glad they enabled auto-play with silent. Don’t you think it’s quite annoying sometimes?
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Yes, without doubt, even though it’s silent, sometimes it gets annoying and I scroll down the bar to skip it.
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I do the same thing too but I suppose that is how Facebook do to get people involve with the post. Numbers of people become interested in YouTube and I don’t think Facebook will do nothing with this situation. Do you think if Facebook turn their platform for videos sharing (like YouTube), it would switch all customers to them?
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I cannot find ‘reply button’ in order to reply below your latest comment. 😛
I think that YouTube is by far the no1 platform regarding videos and that will not change, even if Facebook try something similar!
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Pasinee, I think that YouTube is by far the no1 platform regarding videos and that will not change, even if Facebook try something similar!
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Hello Vasileios, Thank you for stop by again. I know that it’s obvious how huge and growing YouTube is right now, but I cannot stop myself to ask you why do you think the top video platform is not going change to other social platform, even Facebook?
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Well, in my opinion, the interface of YouTube is much better than any other video platform. The only one that can compete YouTube in some way is Vimeo. Also, YouTube provides great analytics. Facebook must try hard and build something really interesting to compete YouTube on video sharing. People are satisfied with their experience on YouTube, they will not leave it just because Facebook will try something new. And remember, behind the top video platform is the powerful Google!
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I agree with your point and sorry for this late reply. However, Facebook has made a good move on building a video hub recently and they seems to received a very good results. I wrote a new blog post about about this if you want to go check it out! >> https://pasineeb.wordpress.com/2015/10/18/facebook-is-a-new-video-hub/
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You are very good blogger 🙂 Your story always look professional 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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Your subject title mislead me 😛 I thought you are going to be a gamer. As for gamer vlogging thing, gaming is a sort of passion and hobby to a lot of people around the globe, I think it would be really hard to understand why gamers watch these videos if you don’t like games and passionate about them. Lets talk about it in a business point of view (i guess) a new PS4 game costs around £39 which is a substantial amount of money for a lot of people and specially to kids who don’t make their own money. Gamers simply can’t buy all the games out there (even though they really want to) which might lead them to second best experience which is watching the game being played by someone else (it’s better than not experiencing it at all). Games nowadays have a storyline which sometimes can be argued that the are better than lots of movies (Play the Last of Us, and Bioshock). This is one point of view that you can make a study out of (thank me later :P).
As for youtube taking over, it’s not gonna be that easy. I think you’ll hear something in the near future about Facebook are implementing a youtube like service; they’re already increasing the reach on native Facebook videos vs the youtube shared ones (so they have something in mind). but, they won’t launch it unless they feel that they have a truly unique selling. We’ll never know, we’ll wait and see.
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Hello Mohammed 🙂
You have a really good point about watching gamers play games. I never thought of this particular point that people love watching it because they cannot afford the games. It is true. Now think back to my case, sometimes I just want to see how the colour of new lipstick would looks like but I won’t be able to buy it so I search for review/tutorial. Nice point of customer insight there.
Regarding the expanding of YouTube in this social online market , I don’t think Facebook would just sit and watch either. I can’t wait to see which way thy gonna go.
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Hi~ it is a nice post. After reading your post, I just think of that there might be three reasons for watching game videos. Firstly, viewers are fans of games just like you like beauty and fashion things. Game viewers can’t help to stick on these videos. Secondly, viewers also would like to learn skills and information from game videos. it is a quickly way to explore a game, then they might play by themselves later or discuss with friends. Finally, maybe there is not everyone has these games and free time to play games, so they just enjoy these videos to relax.
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Thank you Laura!
After discussed from all the comments I think those are pretty much the reasons for the growing of game channels too. But which one do you think affect the most revisit site action?
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In my view, for “social” might be the key point. Since most my friends like watching games and play game, I would like to join them and talk about games. Just like girls like to talk about make up and dramas.
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Hi Fai,
Never watch it before, but I just did. So apart from comments above, I notice the game vlogger I just saw have like a meeting time for gamers to gather visually in the game. They will meet at a certain point of of the town (you know a town in a game) and they are going to something and there ll be items trader. So I guess, apart of joke and gamer skills, you get to socialize with other gamers and get items. So these may be reason why people revisit the site.
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Hello Jananun!
Yeah, that could be one reason. I never know that could happen either and I suppose how gamers can socialise with each others could make their video more attractive and fun for audiences to revisit. So it all comes back to watching the vloggers, not much at the games I guess.
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