Once upon a time, the one thing that stood between an aspiring YouTuber and greatness was a good-quality camera. Yet in 2024, when almost everyone has access to a 4K camera in their phone, creators can feel pressure to get their content strategy and technical setup perfect the first time around.
But even today’s biggest YouTube stars didn’t arrive on the scene perfectly polished, having perfected the art of editing their thumbnails for optimal engagement. Most had very humble and often pixelated beginnings.
Today, we’re hopping in our time machine so we can take a closer look at how five of the world’s most beloved YouTubers have evolved since they first joined the platform, including how their persistence, adaptability, and resilience have paid off. Let’s get started.
Zoe Sugg (Zoella)
In 2009, Zoe Sugg created the Zoella YouTube channel, where she posted makeup tutorials, clothing hauls, and vlogs. She quickly became one of Britain’s most-followed creators thanks to her personal and relatable content and her collaborations with other members of the infamous Brit Crew, which took the internet (or at least YouTube) by storm in the 2010s.
Over time, Sugg’s channel evolved as she matured. She no longer posts to her old Zoella channel, having distanced herself from her old brand, but instead has repurposed her second channel as her main channel. There, she uploads lifestyle content and family vlogs starring the two children she shares with fellow Brit Crew member Alfie Deyes. Where her content used to be a little rough around the edges, it’s now much more polished, yet Sugg has worked hard to maintain her authentic, friendly persona.
From Zoella’s first: The Sibling Tag (Sugg has archived her first-ever video (60 Things In My Bedroom) but left many relics for YouTube historians to study.
To Zoella’s latest: Tidying The Garden, Old Diaries & The Biggest Compliment
Pewdiepie
PewDiePie, or Felix Kjellberg, is a name synonymous with YouTube. His first few dozen videos were faceless Let’s Plays before Kjellberg began including his reactions alongside the gameplay clips. Thanks to his quirky sense of humor and exaggerated reactions, he quickly grew a dedicated fanbase.
As the years passed, Kjellberg diversified his content, incorporating commentary on internet culture and meme reviews, which often landed him in hot water. Despite facing several controversies, Kjellberg has always remained candid with his audience and retained a large following.
Unlike other creators, Kjellberg has become more reflective over time. While he still plays video games on his channel and doesn’t shy away from difficult topics, he also intersperses wholesome family vlogs featuring his wife, Marzia, and their growing family.
From Pewdiepie’s first: Minecraft Multiplayer Fun
To Pewdiepie’s latest: Boys First Bike Ride! *Front Flips*
MrBeast
Like Pewdiepie, MrBeast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, got his start posting Minecraft Let’s Plays. It took MrBeast a little longer to diversify his content, but when he did, he took a huge swing in the other direction, moving into the YouTuber commentary space.
Then, in 2017, Donaldson made a video that changed his life forever, uploading a 24-hour-long video that showed him counting to 100,000 over 40 hours. Taking calculated risks like this has won him his status as YouTube’s most-followed creator, with Donaldson admitting to having spent five years ‘unhealthily obsessed with studying virality’ and the YouTube algorithm and using this information to inform his content strategy.
In 2024, Donaldson is known for his high-stakes, high-cost videos, which riff on game shows and often feature philanthropic elements.
From MrBeast’s first: Worst Minecraft Saw Trap Ever???
To MrBeast’s latest: Survive 100 Days In Nuclear Bunker, Win $500,000
Liza Koshy
Liza Koshy was part of a wave of creators looking for a digital home when news broke that Vine would be shutting down. Up until this point, fans had only been able to enjoy seven seconds of Koshy at a time, but her move to YouTube allowed her to post long-form content, including comedy skits, for the first time ever. Her content resonated with younger viewers thanks to her high energy levels and quirky personality.
In 2024, Koshy maintains her comedic roots but has also enjoyed more mainstream ‘entertainer’ status, attending several Met Galas as a host and even acting in her own YouTube Premium show, Liza on Demand. While Koshy’s lifestyle is no longer relatable to the average viewer, her fans still love her because of her versatility and willingness to poke fun at herself.
From Liza Koshy’s first: SUP, I'M LIZA
To Liza Koshy’s latest: The Closet with Liza
Marques Brownlee
Marques Brownlee, also known as MKBHD, has been creating tech review content on YouTube for 16 years. Now known as one of the most highly respected creators in the tech space, with a fantastic studio set-up, high production budgets, and seemingly unlimited access to the latest devices, Brownlee’s content has evolved massively over time. But this shift didn’t happen overnight!
While Brownlee’s production quality has improved massively over the past decade and a half, his interests and personality have remained largely unchanged. His reviews are still just as straightforward, honest, and enthusiastic as they were when he was a teenager, though his rising star power has allowed him to invest in reviewing more advanced technology and push boundaries with innovative content.
From Marques Brownlee’s first: HP Pavilion dv7t Media Center Remote Overview (Technically, this is Brownlee’s fourth video, but his first tech review).
To Marques Brownlee’s latest: Google Pixel 9/Pro/Fold Impressions: They've Finally Done It?
