YouTube star Toddy Smith takes us inside his influencer business and what it's like to be in David Dobrik's Vlog Squad
- Toddy Smith has an audience of 2.5 million followers on Instagram (1.1 million on YouTube) and is known online as a comedian, entertainer, and writer.
- Smith got his start on the defunct short-form video app, Vine, and from there met the Vine star David Dobrik, now a mega-popular YouTube creator.
- After Vine, Smith and his group began filming videos for YouTube and eventually dubbed themselves the "Vlog Squad."
- Since gaining a following online, Smith has expanded his brand into a business and has merchandise, a book, and also earns money through sponsorships, and as a brand ambassador for companies like Calvin Klein.
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Toddy Smith started off college in 2011 as an average student, taking classes during the day and working night shifts as a bartender.
Smith said that at the time it seemed like everyone was obsessed with the newest social app, Vine (the short-form video app shut down in 2017).
After Smith's shift would end at work, around midnight, he would meet up with his friend Scotty Sire - now a popular YouTube star - at Sire's stepdad's bar to brainstorm video skit ideas for Vine.
"We weren't setting out to do anything crazy on the internet," Smith said. "We were just having fun with it, then ran with it and kept going."
Smith, 28, now has a massive following online, with 2.5 million followers on Instagram and 1.1 million subscribers on YouTube. He's known as an entertainer, comedian, and member of David Dobrik's popular YouTube group, the "Vlog Squad."
Then came David Dobrik's YouTube Vlog Squad
When Smith began to take Vine more seriously, he moved out to LA with Sire, and they moved in with other Viners. At that time, he still wasn't making significant money online. (He paid his first two months rent with gambling money he won in Vegas, he said.)
Through Vine, Smith had met Dobrik, Jason Nash (2 million YouTube subscribers), Erin Gilfoy, and Carly Incontro (1.2 million subscribers) - now some of YouTube's top creators.
"Everyone started vlogging," Smith said of his group of creator friends. "I think the vlogs are so special because they are pretty much who we are."
Smith's career really took off when he began to gain popularity on YouTube after posting his first video in 2015, a 2-minute comedy skit. And his group of friends has become a powerful force on YouTube. The group has dubbed themselves the "Vlog Squad," and are now among one of the most popular groups of creators on YouTube.
Dobrik is the center of the Vlog Squad, and some members tend to come and go, as new creators enter the mix. Each member has their own channel, and Dobrik's is the most popular with 14 million subscribers.
Smith said on an average day, he'll spend time editing his videos or writing, and then he'll see if anyone in the group (usually David) needs help with a video.
"I'll help them with their videos, vice versa," he said. "It's a lot of go, go, go. People are always filming, or David will text us 'be at my house in an hour.' We are all in it together, and I think being all together we are like a team or a cast."
Smith said being a member of the squad and creating videos with Dobrik has helped him grow his online business.
"It's been a huge turning point in my career," he said. "Creating different moments and memories that we will have forever has been cool and something I never thought I'd do." It's unclear whether the Vlog Squad is transactional and Smith declined to comment on if members are paid to appear in Dobrik's videos.
Smith is signed with a digital content studio, Collab, that works to expand his digital brand into a business, bringing him sponsorship and brand campaign opportunities.
From 6-second videos online, to brand deals and a book
Smith said he began to consider social-media a full-time job three years ago, when he was 25, after he landed a brand deal with American Eagle.
"They paid me enough where I could pay my rent for a few months and really try to run with this gig full time," he said. "I thought it was a joke at first, I couldn't believe it. But, I was so happy to do it."
Social-media influencers like Smith earn their money by promoting brands and products to followers, and through ads placed on videos by Google. How much money a creator will earn from a single YouTube video varies, but there are some factors that can help boost revenue like a video's watch time, length, and viewer demographic.
Smith didn't share how much he earns on YouTube, but previous creators similar to Smith in followers and views, like Shelby Church, a YouTuber who has 1.2 million subscribers, shared with Business Insider how much she earns from a video with 1 million views (between $2,000 and $5,000) and 4 million views ($15,000), which shows how lucrative a YouTube career can be.
Smith has expanded his digital business to selling merchandise and has become a brand ambassador for companies like Calvin Klein, which he promotes through campaigns on social media.
Smith also has a book, titled "I'll Give You a Dollar If You Consider This Art," which is coauthored by writer Darren Nuzzo. The book features short stories, comics, and scanned copies of one-page entries from their journals.
"We want to be considered artists, writers, that's why we came up with the title," he said. "We really want to connect with people on a deeper level, through inspiration or just something they can enjoy."
For more on how to become a successful influencer, according to YouTube and Instagram stars, check out these Business Insider Prime posts:
- A Harvard student with 265,000 YouTube subscribers breaks down how much money she earns as a college influencer: Sienna Santer is a second-year Harvard student and a YouTube influencer with 265,000 subscribers.
- A YouTube star and active-duty US Navy sailor shares how much money a video with 1 million views makes him: Austen Alexander is an active-duty sailor for the US Navy and a popular YouTube influencer with 135,000 subscribers.
- YouTube creator Natalie Barbu breaks down how much money she earns from a video with 100,000 views: Natalie Barbu, a social-media influencer and YouTube creator with 227,000 subscribers, shared how much money she earns from a video with 100,000 views.