CBS Nabs XgobobeanX to Promote New Show

YouTubers have long fussed about the seeming impossibility of converting views to income, but Jill Hanner may have found a way. Better known as YouTube’s XgobobeanX, Hanner creates free-form, sketch-like videos that feel more like her stream-of-consciousness than a series. Whether you’re a fan of the genre or not, she’s a master of that open-diary style that’s driven new media.

Her videos have collectively seen millions of views, and Jill attributes her popularity to her involvement with the tight-knit community of die-hard YouTubers.  Just last week, she covered that very community for PopTub at the YouTuber meetup at Grand Central Station in New York City.

I sat down with Jill a few weeks ago to discuss her series and involvement with the YouTube community.

So what’s this got to do with CBS?

Hooking Up was HBO Labs’ experiment that asked what happens when you cast already popular YouTubers on a webseries. The answer: striking mediocrity with moderate views.

But for all its cynicism and arguably poor execution, HBO made a point – the YouTube community is an influential bunch. Engaging them may get your series the attention it needs. And enlisting a community member could bring CBS’ new series some early love.

Novel Adventures, a Saturn-sponsored webseries brought to us by CBS Interactive, follows a book club of 4 women, 8 novels and a “new adventure for every episode.”  Jill is charged to spread the word.

Will it work? I’m eager to see.