Hey!
I guess there are obviously some creators that came from non-English-speaking countries but work in this field of YouTube.
So here are some questions I'd discuss with you;D
Any of your thoughts would be very helpful for the whole community to understand how the people's psychology works when it comes to meeting and watching foreign creators!
Do you think that a YouTuber who hasn't any experience speaking English can be a success on the English-speaking YouTube? Or do you think they have a worse chance to achieve it? (This question isn't about hard work (which makes everything possible), it's about the start point!)
What do you think, what serious problems can they meet when posting videos in English?
What matters to you when you watch a foreign creator and what usually makes you stop watching their videos?
Does their location matter to you? (E.g. Would you prefer to watch a Norwegian creator or a Pakistani one?)
Also, what methods would you recommend a foreign creator to get discovered within the English-speaking segment of YouTube?
Do you try to avoid them or you think they're exotic and unique creators which bring the difference to the community?
Do you think that YouTubing in English can make them lose their singularity, the unique characteristics?
What did Sweden's PewDiePie do in order to join the community? How did the success influence his unique style and content quality? Has he became similar to native-English creators from the US and why?
Ofc we can discuss any other foreign YouTubers
I guess that would be helpful for many members of YTtalk who feel unsure because of their native language which isn't mainstream! Xd
Thank you!
Disclaimer: Everything depends, but this thread is about the whole subcommunity of foreign YouTubers without discussing only a certain channel.
Gonna answer these in order, hence the numbers!
1. A lot of non-English-speaking creators have gone on to achieve success with English-speaking channels, given the number of speakers of the language. Look at PewDiePie! If my research serves me correctly, the entire reason he records in English was to widen his audience - and I think it's safe to say that worked out pretty well for him!
In terms of performing poorly, it is important to take note that you won't be an overnight success just because you've taken certain steps towards doing so. If your English is good, your accent and speech are comprehendable and your content is of a good quality - there's no reason why you shouldn't do well! I do highly recommend that you at least learn to converse in any language before making regular content on it - I respect anyone who takes the time to learn more than one tongue, but it's definitely something you must be willing to commit to.
However, not speaking English doesn't instantly mean you're doomed as a creator. HolaSoyGerman is the second most subscribed individual user and his videos are entirely in Spanish, I believe? I discovered another gentleman recently called Norman Fait Des Vidéos and his content is French - I believe he has over 1 million subscribers, although I may have read that wrong.
2. I think the main issue they face is the barrier between those who understand English and those who don't. If you're from a country whose native language isn't English, your more local audience will be much harder to come by as your content is in a language they're not familiar with.
3. I watch people for the quality of the content they make, regardless of where they come from. I don't follow a lot of people I cannot understand at all - enjoying what someone does can be a little tricky if you're having to rely on Google Translate every 2 seconds!
4. To reiterate my previous point, I don't mind where my subscription feed all hail from - it's about what they're putting out there and not where it's coming from. I have YouTube friends based in Norway, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Japan, the US and more! If anything, the sheer diversity of creators YouTube has to offer is one of the things that makes it amazing.
5. Don't be afraid to ask for help! If you're struggling with a certain phrase or word in English, there are plenty of videos and lovely people out there more than willing to help. Sometimes, it helps us English speakers learn more about your languages, too! I love learning languages - I have an entire series dedicated to language on my channel - so I'm always happy to help friends out where I can.
6. I've got no reason to avoid anyone based on their native language alone. I'll only avoid a person if they make me feel genuinely uncomfortable. I find all forms of communication incredibly fascinating and plan on studying as much of it as I can while my brain can still function, so foreign languages are alright by me!
7. I don't think changing your language can reduce who you are as a person - only if it forces you to drastically alter your content, although I can't think of a situation in which it would. I like it when someone who's learned English as a second language occasionally swears or mumbles something in their mother tongue - PewDiePie swearing in Swedish for example! It's an amusing little touch and I learn a thing or two!
8. Pewds has an advantage in that when he started, there wasn't as much competition in what he did. A friend of mine pointed out the other day that moving from Sweden to Italy to the UK would have significantly boosted his reach because of the various audiences he'd have collected along the way. Couple those factors with being a good-looking fellow, speaking English and having a vibrant (occasionally controversial) personality and you have yourselves a YouTube King.
I hope my answers serve you well!
Peace, brotha!