David Dobrik is Mobilizing a Generation.
If you don’t know who David Dobrik is, have you been living under a brick — I mean, rock?
Named “Gen Z’s Jimmy Fallon” by The Wall Street Journal, his ubiquitous influence across all social platforms has redefined youth culture and online community building. Dobrik started creating content on Vine back in 2013 but transitioned to YouTube when Vine shut down (RIP) and has since amassed one of the largest social media followings across all platforms. His YouTube channel boasts over 18 million subscribers, and his videos collectively have about 7 billion views. In 2019, the channel was the fifth-most viewed creator channel on YouTube. That’s not even the half of it. He’s garnered 14.3M Instagram followers, 5.5M Twitter followers, and 23.3M TikTok followers since he launched his vlog onYouTube in 2015.
His influence is undeniable, but the reason behind his rise to fame cannot simply be attributed to his comedic videos. Instead, it’s important to look at the ways in which he has engaged his viewers over the years. He’s the information-age poster child for converting a casual viewer into a die-hard fan. Over five years online, he has created one of the most loyal communities on the internet. Here’s how:
1. Dobrik has a unique voice.
There have been plenty of vlogs that covered makeup, travel, news, and videogames, but nobody was really focusing on comedy. Dobrik made a big splash in 2015 when he started vlogging documentary style with a sitcom/reality feel. He doesn’t censor himself and keeps in curse words as his audience is more high school and college-age. He’s authentic, and authenticity resonates.
2. He made strategic collaborations from the get-go.
Dobrik wasn’t afraid to develop a crew of other social media entertainers who had large followings. Though plenty of influencers make an attempt at collaboration, what he did successfully was finding people who matched his focus, not just those with large followings.
3. He incorporates fans into his content.
At the end of each YouTube video, Dobrik shouts out a fan by posting their social media for his other fans to follow. This acts as a reward for being a loyal community member and keeps users interacting with his brand and coming back for a chance to be featured.
4. Generous is an understatement.
Though most of us may not have the funds to be like David, we can still learn from his generosity. Some of his most popular videos feature generous acts of charity like buying all of his closest friends the cars of their dreams. He’s paid for college tuitions, gave one fan $10,000 for finding a $1 bill that he signed and wrote a secret message on the back, and even surprised a homeless man with free chipotle for a year (in addition to a brand new car). We might not be able to giveaway a Tesla, but anyone could incorporate smaller acts of kindness and have a similar effect.
His success can be attributed but is not limited to the above reasons. What sets Dobrik apart from other social media influencers is his tenacity to interact with fans and mobilize them. I found two examples that truly put Dobrik’s influence in context.
First, every year, People magazine release their Sexiest Man Alive feature. The annual feature is chosen by the People team, who spend all year gathering research, and the announcement is pretty much the decider for male attractiveness. In 2019, John Legend was awarded the title. But there are always other categories up for grabs, and David Dobrik clenched People magazine’s Sexiest Heartthrob, one of the only categories that is voted on by fans. He beat out mainstream heartthrobs like Harry Styles and Shawn Mendes, and he can thank his community for voting.
Most recently, he yet again proves that he can engage his community to make an impact outside the realm of social media when he promised a new Tesla to five fans to encourage voter registration. According to the nonprofit he partnered with, 100,000 people registered to vote in a single day.
David Dobrik is engaging and mobilizing his community of followers in ways few celebrities or public figures have ever before. The result of his authenticity, honesty, and diligent online community building is reaching far beyond the digital realm. I’m excited to see what Dobrik does next.
