Lessons from VidCon 2016 on how to become an internet star

Here’s what you might not know about the Internet: that fame thing—online fame—it’s real. It’s as real as 10,000 screaming teenage girls, and we got to hear them, a lot, at VidCon 2016.

Two other things should be made apparent here: First, we’re not at all making light of teenage fandom. It brought the Beatles here for Pete’s sake. (Or Paul’s, really.) And second, there’s insight abound in talking to people who, at this time last year, were just kicking around and trying to figure out what to do with their time, and last week were being escorted through throngs of fans at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Some of the rules of VidCon super stardom

Consistency

Over and over again we heard the same thing: Be yourself and stick to it. There’s that phrase “repetition equals reputation,” which explains how you could be in any Starbucks in the world and not be sure where you are. All you know is that you’re happy to pay five dollars for a coffee. It’s the same situation with these young online stars, except you’re not paying anything but attention—priceless attention, paid to their brand at a regular time and place. We got that lesson from Jazmine and Nick, a young couple who blew up on Music.ly, and have recently expanded to YouTube. You can watch the video below (because it’s entertaining and will enlighten you) or just come away with this key message: Start something and stick to it.

What goes around comes around

We thought this interview was really entertaining. This is the sister of a big Instagram star. It’s quick and offers some valuable lessons on humanity.

There may have been a time when a public figure could ignore a fan or maybe even treat them poorly. In the online world you gotta be on your game. The person you’re talking to could be the next you. The opportunities are everywhere for people to take your slot, but the new opportunities arrive every day to help you grow. So it doesn’t have to be a dog-eat-dog world. It’s actually a test of your commitment to the community that you thrive in. If you take care of your fans and support their work, then they’ll be there to help you promote your next project.

Amazing people are here to help

There are people out there who are plowing through what works and what doesn’t. They’re sharing that information for free because they know how this internet thing works: they provide a benefit to you and you come back on a regular basis. Ryan Bell and Brian Fanzo have not only investigated what’s working online and in actual real life, but they’re offering the forums for people to connect and learn about building a successful online presence. Here’s a great conversation between Name.com‘s Sean Ottey, Bell, and Fanzo.