YouTube influencer marketing in 2024: How to do it right

Ah, YouTube — the social media pioneer of long-form video content, and (still) a powerhouse for influencer marketing in 2024.

Case in point: The near-20-year-old video network is the second-most visited website in the world.

But what is it that makes YouTube influencer marketing successful? And how can you and your brand leverage YouTube influencers to enrich your marketing strategy and expand your reach online?

Featuring inspo-worthy examples and a seasoned marketer’s tips for finding the right influencers for your brand — we’re breaking it all down below.

Who are YouTube influencers?

YouTube influencers, or YouTubers, are content creators on YouTube who have accumulated a large following (high number of subscribers) on the platform.

Influencers on YouTube may share recommendations for products or services to buy, and are often hired by brands to create promotional content.

From unboxings captured on laptop webcams to Sundance-worthy productions, these internet personalities have the drive, creativity, and influence for worthwhile partnerships.

Types of influencers on YouTube

There’s a YouTube influencer for every niche and industry, but most social media marketers define influencer types by the number of subscribers they have:

• Nano-influencer: 10K or fewer subscribers
• Micro-influencer: 10K-100K subscribers
• Macro-influencer: 100K to 1M subscribers
• Mega-influencer: 1M+ subscribers

16 top YouTube influencers in 2024

ICYMI: Subscribers ≠ influence. The most marketable creators know how to create engaging content, connect with their community, and secure a high ROI for brand partners.

In no particular order, here’s our shortlist for the top YouTube influencers in 2024.

1. Emma Chamberlain

YouTuber-turned-top-influencer Emma Chamberlain is the epitome of a brand’s dream collaboration — authentic, creative, and a subscriber count of a whopping 12M.

Her success on the platform led to massive wins like Met Gala appearances and a $20M coffee brand. Plus, she’s still racking up millions of views on her most recent videos.

2. Marques Brownlee

If you’ve searched for a breakdown of the latest and greatest in tech, it’s likely you’ve stumbled upon Marques Brownlee, known on YouTube as MKBHD.

Whether it’s the newest iPhone or a too-good-to-be-true AI tool, Marques’ 19.5M subscribers can count on his honest review — usually accompanied by a fitting tech accessory or app sponsorship.

3. Mahum

Mahum takes “comfort YouTuber” to a whole new level.

In other words, she’s garnered 38M+ views creating cozy crochet tutorials. It’s only fitting that she’s partnered with companies like Skillshare to help her 700K+ subscribers master the craft.

4. Tee Noir

Culture and commentary YouTube influencer, Tee Noir’s deep dives have helped foster the platform’s video essay niche.

And while her uploads are (understandably) sparse, brands are always on standby for exposure to her half a million plus subscribers.

5. Dr. Kirk Honda (Psychology In Seattle)

Dr. Kirk Honda, aka Psychology in Seattle, is a two-for-one deal: renowned therapist and YouTube influencer to his 373K+ subscribers.

The creator offers a unique perspective to the platform by using a psychology, psychotherapy, and culture lens to react to pop culture, TV shows, and other trending topics. Plus, he often seals the deal with a sponsorship from a wellness brand.

6. Andrew Rea (Babish Culinary Universe)

Andrew Rea (a.k.a. Babish Culinary Universe, formerly Binging with Babish)’s content is where film and culinary intersect.

And after nearly 10 years of serving up content to his 10.2M subscribers, food and beverage companies are still lining up to support his channel.

7. Drew Gooden

Reactor and commentator Drew Gooden is a gem, especially when it comes to sponsorships.

The majority of YouTube influencers casually introduce and thank their sponsor. However, Drew goes the extra mile to make this portion of his videos entertaining — so much so that fans look forward to it (see for yourself below).

8. Dr. Shereene Idriss (PillowtalkDerm)

Skincare tips and tricks straight from a board certified dermatologist? It’s no wonder Dr. Shereene Idriss (PillowtalkDerm) has gained 1.48M subscribers over half a decade.

Plus, with video views landing in the millions, an endorsement from this YouTube influencer equals the ultimate stamp of approval.

9. Jackie Aina

For luxurious GRWMs, self-care, and real talks about industry beauty standards, Jackie Aina’s 3.5M subscribers are always on standby.

The creator’s YouTube success has meant founding a luxury fragrance line and getting opportunities as big as interviewing President Biden.

10. Pewdiepie

With 13 years under his belt, Pewdiepie is an OG gaming creator on YouTube — and he has the 111 million (!) subscribers to prove it.

His millions of active viewers in 2024 are a signal to video game makers that if Pewdiepie hasn’t played it, his audience won’t buy it.

11. Tazzy Phe

Whether it’s a video on Desi culture or a pop culture rant, Tazzy Phe has her microphone in hand.

The YouTube influencer’s dry humor and ability to break down nuanced topics is what grew her to a near 100K subscribers, and keeps thousands tuning in.

12. D’angelo Wallace

Pop culture commentator D’angelo Wallace or — in his own words — “a person on the internet,” is always offering his fresh perspective up to his near 2M subscribers.

His video views typically outperform his subscriber count, making him a top choice brand partner for tech companies like Opera and Grammarly.

13. Courtney Adanna (Courtreezy)

From lifestyle content to reaction videos, Courtney Adanna (better known as Courtreezy) does it all.

Her infectious personality gained her millions of followers the last few years, where she currently stands at just over 4M. And given that she doesn’t always take sponsorships these days, our guess is that she’s thriving.

14. Brittany Balyn

She’s a mom, she’s a YouTube influencer, she has an audience of over half a million subscribers — it’s no wonder homeware and wellness brands sponsor Brittany Balyn.

15. Trixie Mattel

Ru Paul’s Drag Race brought YouTube Trixie Mattel’s world of drag, makeup, and luxurious living — and for that, we are thankful.

And so are brands. With an audience of over 2M and refreshing honesty, sponsorships of all kinds are featured on the channel.

16. Blake Ramelb (BKR Vlogs)

Blake Ramelb (BKR Vlogs) is a Hawaii-born travel vlogger spreading the good word of new cultures, foods, and traditions to his 105K subscribers.

His feel-good content paired with thousands of views makes sponsorships with lifestyle brands a perfect fit.

5 inspiring YouTube influencer marketing campaigns

The key to a successful influencer marketing partnership? A good match.

Here are five YouTube influencer marketing campaigns we love to inspire your next collab:

1. JaidenAnimations x AFK Journey

What’s more fitting than a YouTuber, animator, and gamer of 13.7M+ subscribers teaming up with a leading video game?

If you guessed featuring said YouTuber in the game, you’re one smart cookie.

In typical Jaiden style, the creator animated how the partnership with AFK Journey came to be and why her followers should be excited to check out the game.

And they were.

Exhibit A:

Source: YouTube

Exhibit B:

Source: YouTube

The cherry on top? A special code for exclusive items in-game.

2. Kendall Rae x NCMEC

True crime YouTuber Kendall Rae’s ongoing partnership with The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is proof that YouTube influencer marketing isn’t exclusive to for-profit companies.

Source: NCMEC

Kendall sells merchandise and matches donations in collaboration with the charity to encourage engagement beyond her videos, or as she puts it “being an active true crime listener.”

And the partnership is noteworthy, with nearly $500K raised in 2024 alone.

3. Toni Lipsey x Lumos Knitting Light

A knitting brand joining forces with a creator who would enjoy their product — it just makes sense.

In a dedicated video testing viral TikTok crochet gadgets, YouTube influencer Toni Lipsey (TL Yarn Crafts) positions the Lumos Knitting Light as a top pick to her 801K subscribers.

Top it off with almost 150K views and engaged comments in the hundreds, we can only assume Toni sent buyers Lumos’ way.

4. Layla Acosta x Edikted

Back-to-school shopping is synonymous with August/September, and that’s exactly why Layla Acosta (lay luv)’s collaboration with fashion brand Edikted works.

In this 10-minute exclusive haul, the lifestyle and fashion creator showcases her Edikted picks to her 591K subscribers. She also encourages them to shop for the upcoming school year using her exclusive discount code.

In other words: Edikted spotted the creator’s engaged community and combined 38M+ views, and knew what they had to do.

5. Eddie Burback x SoFi

When the goal is to eat at every Margaritaville in North America, you can only hope a sponsor will help fund the journey.

And that SoFi did. Over the span of multiple weeks, the finance app helped Eddie steer clear of good ol’ home-cooked meals one bite at a time, one city at a time.

The collaboration is a win for everyone involved. A fully funded YouTube video, and over 9M viewers discovering a new way to track their expenses — whether for an excursion like Eddie’s… or literally anything else.

Expert tips for working with YouTube influencers

Spoiler: There are several factors that make for a successful YouTube partnership.

And if your mind is already spinning, don’t fret. We asked Durable’s Social Media & Influencer Marketing Lead with nearly a decade of marketing experience, Christine Colling, for her top tips.

Here’s what she had to say:

1. Find someone your target audience loves

When it comes to landing the perfect YouTube influencer partnership, Christine says you don’t have to look too far.

For content that feels natural and authentic, “partner with who your target audience is already engaging with and trusting,” she adds.

And for that extra bit of confirmation, Christine encourages asking for a screenshot of the potential partner’s YouTube audience demographics upfront.

“That way, you can be sure their audience matches your target market before moving forward.”

PSA: Hootsuite Listening can help you discover influencers by monitoring conversations relevant to your industry across multiple channels.

2. Set clear goals and expectations

Before you kick off your partnership, Christine says it’s important to be clear about what you’re looking to achieve.

Why? “The more aligned everyone is on the objectives, the better the partnership will go.”

Do you want to increase traffic to your website? Drive sales with a promo code or affiliate link? Raise brand awareness?

Christine’s nugget of wisdom: you don’t always have to go for a dedicated video.

“Sometimes, it makes more sense to collaborate on a shorter 60-90 second integration or even a 2-3 minute spot within the creator’s content,” she says.

The takeaway? Work smarter, not harder.

3. Give the creator (some) creative freedom

According to Christine, this YouTube influencer marketing tip is simple.

“Even though you definitely want your message to come across, it’s important to let influencers do what they do best — create content in their own voice,” Christine says.

Her process? “I always encourage creators to explore our AI tools themselves, ask questions, and integrate them in ways that feel natural and speak best to their audience.”

4. Engagement rates matter more than follower count

Yup, it’s true — it’s not always worth the pretty penny to partner with the biggest YouTube influencers.

Take it from Christine: “Macro-influencers can cost anywhere from $5K-$15K USD for a dedicated video.” Whew!

The flip side? Some of Durable’s best-performing (and highest-converting!) partnerships come from micro-influencers’ small, but highly engaged niche audiences.

“A creator with under 400K followers gave us a good number of signups because their audience was interested in small business tools like Durable,” she adds.

Bonus: Rather than paying only one Macro-influencer, you can work with a few Micro-influencers for a campaign or launch — reaching multiple communities and voices.

5. Focus on long-term relationships

When you find YouTube influencers who are a strong brand fit, Christine says the partnership doesn’t have to end with a one-off campaign.

Plus, YouTube content is evergreen, meaning “it continues to drive traffic and brand awareness long after videos are posted, unlike short-lived content on TikTok or Instagram Reels.” Win-win.

So, are you ready to launch your next YouTube influencer marketing campaign?

You’re equipped with the top tips and industry secrets. Now, it’s time to join forces with the most powerful tool in social to really dig in.

Make influencer marketing easier with Hootsuite. Schedule posts, research and engage with influencers in your industry, and measure the success of your campaigns. Try it free today.

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