As a species, we’ve always been obsessed with celebrity. From ancient gladiators with their own merchandise (yes, that’s a real thing) to the first stars of the silver screen, we’ve often made role models of the most popular among us, for good or bad. Over the last decade, the celebrity world has seen a new generation of shakeup, thanks to the arrival of streaming.
Streamers have adopted an approach to popularity that never existed before, capturing audiences of all ages, in all countries, from all walks of life. This naturally leads us at Celeb Mix to wonder, why are streamers finding such a broad audience, and what makes them special?
Access for the Audience
For people desperate for news about celebrities, keeping up has never been easy. It used to be that we relied on weekly or monthly magazines, and these could already be out of date by the time they arrived. Today, it’s websites which offer the most reliable avenues, but even we can only be so fast.
For streamers, staying up-to-date with their plans and what they experience can be as simple as turning to their channel. Whether they’re using Twitch, YouTube, Instagram, or any other streaming service, we can witness changes to their lives in real-time and ask fellow viewers for instant updates on anything we missed.
It’s this convenience that forms one of the most important backbones of engagement, and this has happened to many forms of entertainment in the age of the internet. Outside of celebrity, some of the best examples of convenience reshaping an industry are found in interactive experiences like online slots. These games, like Magnificent Power Spartan and Bacon Bankroll, are infinitely easier to access online than in physical casinos, and this is a huge part of why they’re so popular.
Interactivity also plays a part in streamer celebrity, as viewers have the opportunity to react directly with the channels they love. Sometimes this can be through direct talking, other times from voting on something to do, or becoming a paid supporter through a system like Patreon. The level of back and forth here is unlike anything possible with traditional celebrity, and new avenues are being explored every day.
The Choices of the People
The other major aspect tied to what makes streaming celebrities so popular today is how natural the choice is in who becomes popular. As anybody with a little experience in the world of traditional celebrity can tell you, not everyone in mainstream is necessarily there for the right reasons. Outside factors like studio interference and nepotism can drive people we might not consider the most suited for roles into the spotlight, and streaming avoids this issue.
In streaming, the people who find the most success are those who find the most audience love. This in no way guarantees that they’ll be worthy role models, but it does mean they have an audience that does care about them.
With streamers finding an increasingly large place in the mass media zeitgeist, don’t be surprised to see them step outside their home realm as they explore increasingly more business opportunities. They might not all be winners, and they might not all be people we love, but this is a development we’ll all have to deal with regardless, so we might as well be prepared for what’s ahead.