YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/nalts (URL 15.9)
Blog: www.willvideoforfood.com (URL 15.10)
Kevin Nalty is one of the most-viewed YouTube comedians with more than 650 short online videos and more than 25 million views. He has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, AdWeek, and the Los Angeles Times, as well as on ABC News. He was honored at the 11th Annual Webby Awards. By day he's a marketing director at a Fortune 100 company. He speaks, writes, and consults about online marketing and viral video.
Alan Lastufka: When and why did you start making videos for YouTube?
Kevin Nalty: I've been making short comedy-like videos since high school and began posting them on the Web in December 2005. I didn't really begin using YouTube until late 2006 when I realized that none of the other sites had the size and regularity of YouTube.
Alan: How did you come to have your YouTube celebrity?
Kevin: Although most YouTube users are unfamiliar with the notion of a YouTube celebrity, there is a core group of maybe 20,000 people who are active viewers and commenters. Within this YouTube community, I began to be recognized after I made a video called Viral Video Genius. But it wasn't until Farting in Public that I began to develop a strong base of viewers and subscribers. Soon I realized that much of the fun of YouTube is making videos for this community and about the chronic YouTube users.
Alan: If you had one sentence to describe your YouTube channel, what would it be?
Kevin: Variety.
I fatigue quickly of viewing someone if they develop a predictable format. I hope that my videos vary enough for people, whether it's a vlog about the YouTube community, a short comedic skit, or an interesting moment in my life. Many seem to like seeing my kids in parody videos or candid moments where I'm out embarrassing myself.
Alan: How has your success on YouTube helped your career outside of YouTube?
Kevin: My day job hasn't changed much, but without my YouTube popularity I don't think I'd be as widely known in the online video community. Unlike other marketers, I have experience as a video creator. So, I have a unique ability to see the convergence of advertising and online video, and this has resulted in sponsor opportunities and speaking gigs.
Alan: Who is your target audience? And who is your actual audience?
Kevin: My blog targets video creators and advertising and marketing professionals, but my video audience is far broader. I have one of the most bifurcated audiences on YouTube, because it ranges from adolescents who share my sophomoric humor to parents who want to see my pathetic parenthood in action (probably so they can feel better about their own). When I look at the video demographics now visible on YouTube, I'll see a video about a snake in my pool drawing young guys and then a video about my kids stealing a van drawing the 30- to 50-year-old men and women equally.
Alan: In what ways do you interact with your audience?
Kevin: I probably interact more with my audience than most, but not as much as I'd like. Sometimes I'll ride the comment section of my most recent video for hours in a day, communicating with the hundreds of people who comment. I try to participate in collaboration videos whenever I can, and I've met many of the YouTube community members at events from California to New York City and from Georgia to London. My day job keeps me traveling, and that has also given me a chance to collaborate with people in various corners of the world.
Alan: Have your YouTube friends become your real life friends?
Kevin: I've developed dozens of contacts on YouTube that I'd consider friends—folks I'd invite to a party if they lived closer. We speak occasionally, email frequently, and get together when we can. I really like this group because they share my short attention span and creative fire, and their backgrounds are random. What I love most about YouTube Gatherings is that I can be talking to people with whom I'd otherwise have no contact—individuals from different regions, backgrounds, socioeconomic status, and job function. With maybe two or three exceptions, my geographic (in-the-flesh) friends are oblivious to the subculture of YouTube.
Alan: Has interacting with people on YouTube made you more confident while interacting with people face-to-face on a daily basis?
Kevin: Ironically, I actually think YouTube has made me a bit more introverted. I've had a taste of fame, and it can be fun and energizing in short bursts. But I love being anonymous and observing crowds. While it's fun to attend a YouTube Gathering and have people eager to meet me, I find it's even more rewarding to walk into a room and feel comfortable not being the center of attention.
Alan: How much of your day is spent on YouTube?
Kevin: Oh, this is hard to admit on paper. I probably spend from two to five hours a day on YouTube, an hour or so at night, and at least two in the morning. Sometimes I go "cold turkey" for a few days to gain perspective, but I really enjoy creating videos and learning what people like and don't like.
Alan: What advice do you have for up-and-coming YouTubers?
Kevin: Have fun and collaborate with the people on YouTube, and don't feel rushed about getting to some artificial milestone in the form of views or subscribers. Meet some people who arrive to YouTube about the time you do, and form some friendships. That's more exciting than getting featured, which results in lot of scrutiny. The most rewarding part of YouTube is when you develop a small, loyal following of people who share your interests or humor. So, focus on quality, not quantity. I'll take care of creating a video as frequently as you poop.
Alan: Could you repeat your success on YouTube if you started over today?
Kevin: Absolutely not. Just as I could never get into Georgetown today, I'd never be able to develop a robust subscriber base starting today. YouTube unfortunately provides a persistent advantage to those who developed followings early. If you look at the Most Subscribed list, you'll see many people who couldn't start over and are probably popular because they are popular. Some have learned to keep things fresh, and other amateurs slowly fade when the audience gets tired and moves onto the "star of the day."
Alan: You've participated in numerous collaboration videos; do you feel these types of videos are important?
Kevin: I was fascinated when a YouTube friend (Pipistrello) told me he meets with other YouTubers. I was a bit scared to get together with strangers from the Internet but was thrilled with the experience. It's so fun to be a brief actor in someone else's video or to join with other people to produce something. The viewers who are part of the YouTube community are amazed to see two people—who they watch separately—perform together. Collaborations are a faster way to develop an audience if it's done right, but more important, it's extremely satisfying from a creative perspective. I don't interact with many creative people at work, so my brain goes Technicolor watching how other people approach the conception and execution of a short video. I've learned so much by watching other people at work.