When I went to school, children wanted to be a fireman or policeman, doctors or teachers. Those days seem to be gone – apparently the most popular answer in Primary Schools today to the age old question “what do you want to be when you grow up” is now – “A YouTuber”! (Yes, it’s a thing ☺ )

So your child wants to be a YouTuber? You want to support them but you find navigating this idea daunting and confusing? 

My eldest daughter Georgia finished her HSC 2 years ago and people my age ask what she does now. When I tell them that she’s a YouTuber I’m usually met with glazed expressions and polite smiles. I can tell that many of them just don’t understand what this term means. A “YouTuber” is anyone that uploads, produces or appears in videos on a channel on YouTube (a video sharing site). A “Social Influencer” is a public figure with a following on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat who can persuade others with their reach and authenticity.

Georgia has a YouTube channel named “Georgia Productions” – she is mostly known for her comedy skits. She has 650,000 subscribers on YouTube with over 90 million total views of her 150  videos. She also has 360,000 followers on Facebook and 280,000 on Instagram.

If your child has a talent or passion that they would like to share online your first priority is their safety. If you are comfortable with your child sharing content online you should encourage and support them. If they are not enjoying what they are doing or it is interfering with other aspects of their life like school studies, sports or social interaction then it may not be the right pathway for them.

Many children who aspire to be Social Influencers may see it as a glamorous and easy job. This is seldom the case. Being a YouTuber can be a lonely occupation as many spend a lot of time alone, working from home in front of a screen. In order to be successful as a YouTuber you need to upload regularly – for some this may be via a daily vlog, for others it may be once or twice/week, for animators where the work is very complex this may be once/month. Often coming up with an idea for a video is the hardest thing. Georgia uploads once per week. She scripts, films, produces, acts in and edits all of her own videos. She has no formal training and has learnt this through many, many hours of practice, trial and error, failing and trying again. Persistence and passion have been the key to her success. 

Another misconception is that if something goes “viral” you will become a success overnight. Most “viral” videos are just singular one hit wonders, the most successful YouTubers have worked consistently for many years. Georgia has now worked for over 6 years and built her followers gradually.

It is also important that young Social Influencers are representing themselves authentically. The type of content they post reflects on their reputation and can impact on future job prospects. Inappropriate and negative comments usually come from posting inappropriate, offensive or controversial content. It is also important to post quality content – this usually means a lot of trial and error and not posting the first video produced. Gentle guidance and constructive criticism from parents can be helpful. Monitor your child’s account regularly. While they are a minor ensure you have access to the account so you can delete, block or report inappropriate comments. 

The most important message for parents of influencers under 18 is to always be aware of what your child is posting online, check video’s and images BEFORE they are posted. Georgia is 20 and still shows her father and I the video before she uploads it every week. If you’re not comfortable with what they show you discuss it with them and let them know the reason why you’re not comfortable as children and teens don’t have the same perspective and insight as adults. 

Like many occupations, being a Social Influencer is hard work. For a young person starting down this path, parental support, interest and guidance is critical. Encourage your child to be genuine and true to themselves. Trying to portray something or someone that you aren’t can lead to serious mental health and self- esteem issues.

For many this might be something they try for a short period or something that turns into a more long term project as Georgia’s did. Whichever way it goes, it can be a great experience taking the above into consideration.