This is the age when celebrities on YouTube has become the new trend. Not surprisingly, a rising number of local and known personalities are now keeping their own YouTube channels as they try to expand their reach and connect with their followers in a more interactive and personal way.
Celebrities turn to YouTube for all the good reasons. Aside from facilitating another venue to connect with their fans, vlogging on the video sharing site gives them the opportunity to explore their other passion aside from showbiz, allowing them to share that to other people in the process. At the same time, they can even generate extra income, especially when their online channels become popular and advertisers make placements. To some, being on YouTube is a good strategy to stay in the limelight and strengthen their ‘brand’ recall among netizens.
Queen of All Media
Not surprisingly, leading the pack of Filipino celebrities now dominating YouTube is the country’s ‘Queen of All Media,’ Kris Aquino. The 47-year-old television host-actress just recently launched her own YouTube channel, The Aquinos, but it has so far generated more than 21 million views and about 150,000 subscribers.
In her two-year absence in local TV, Aquino has been invading the social media, before everyone else does. She has put up her own social media team, responsible for taking care of her social media and online presence (and now even her YouTube videos). And this initiative pays off, as Aquino remains as among the most bankable and popular endorsers despite her diminished traditional media exposure.
Other celebrities reveal their other side whenever they post videos on YouTube. TV host-actress Judy Ann Santos has her own Judy Ann’s Kitchen channel, where she showcases her culinary skills and interests as a foodie. Aside from her celebrity status, her followers definitely see her authority as it is a common knowledge in the entertainment business that Santos has once attended culinary courses to master the art and science of preparing food.
Getting more personal
Meanwhile, TV host Bianca Gonzales-Intal uses her YouTube channel to teach life hacks and insights to her followers. She based the theme of the channel to her published book ‘Paano Ba ‘To?,’ which as the title suggests is a knowledge-sharing resource. One of her most watched vlogs to date is the one where actress Angelica Panganiban shares advice on how to move on from a breakup. “I think joining YouTube has helped me reach a different kind of audience,” Gonzales-Intal said. “It is a big deal for me that people who don’t know me personally are willing to open up about their deepest fears and biggest worries.”
TV host-comedienne Alex Gonzaga keeps her videos candid and spontaneous, aligning with her own character. “I think with YouTube, people get to know me more and feel closer to me because I share what I do outside my showbiz career,” the 30-year-old Gonzaga said. Her Ms. Alex Gonzaga channel features spontaneous videos taken using her own camera. She admits that at times, she cannot even remember taking some videos she posts.
Celebrity moms
YouTube viewers seem to have a soft spot for celebrity moms. Aside from TV host-actress Jolina Magdangal who has her Jolina Network, Chesca Garcia-Kramer keeps her clout across the social media through her Team Kramer’s channel, where she constantly shares viral videos featuring her kids. “Sometimes, Scarlett, Kendra, and Gavin get surprised when other children would sit on their laps or join in their playtime,” Garcia-Kramer said. “With YouTube, we get to interact with viewers every now and then on the comments section, and make them feel that they are a stone throw’s away from us.”
Despite her temporary showbiz hiatus, Kylie Padilla has never been away from the limelight as she constantly posts videos of her lovechild with actor Aljur Abrenica—Alas Joaquin—on YouTube. Radio DJ Andi Manzano, on the other hand, shares with everyone her fun and crazy world with daughter baby Olivia. Her YouTube channel now has more than 50,000 followers.
Here are some other celebrities with popular YouTube channels: