Welcome to YouTube Millionaires, where we profile channels that have recently crossed the one million subscriber mark. There are channels crossing this threshold every week, and each has a story to tell about YouTube success. Read previous installments of YouTube Millionaires here.
This installment of YouTube Millionaires is brought to you by MagicLinks, whose technology offers digital artists a way to earn income as their fans shop and connects impactful sales drivers with brand sponsorship opportunities. 
Tune in to any Amy Macedo video, and whether it’s about newly released makeup, her latest obsessions, fresh fashion, or a seasonal look, there’s one thing it’s guaranteed to radiate: passion.
Subscribe to get the latest creator news
Macedo has been making YouTube content since 2013, and her six years on the platform have taught her a lot. But there’s one key thing she’s learned: that she is at her best when she’s making videos about things she truly, truly loves.
With so much talk about the whims of YouTube’s algorithm and chasing clicks and eyeballs in the ever-shifting digital content space, it’s easy for creators to feel pressured to look at popular content and try to adjust their own to hit more of those trendy topics. Macedo knows, though, that her now one million subscribers-strong audience comes to her because, she puts it, viewers “gravitate toward authenticity.” The 700 videos she’s produced for her channel are an upfront chronicle of both her interests and her life. She launched her channel when she was in college, and her first videos were more hobby productions — not made with the intent of also launching a YouTube career.
But over time, Macedo found that viewers liked the same things she did. They liked to see what new makeup is worth it, and what isn’t. They liked to see Macedo share her weight loss journey, something that’s rarely easy to talk about IRL, much less preserve on the internet. The more she talked about what she liked, utilizing the authenticity she’s made a core part of her online presence, the more viewers watched, and kept watching.
Nowadays, Macedo generally makes one lengthy (often 20 minutes or longer) video per week, and nets around a million views each month. As she hits this milestone, she’s looking forward to opportunities that could help her expand her established personal brand into the wilds beyond YouTube.
Check out our chat with her below.
Tubefilter: How does it feel to hit one million subscribers? What do you have to say to your fans?
Amy Macedo: It feels so surreal. I just never imagined I’d ever have a million people subscribed to my channel when I filmed my first video six years ago. My supporters are everything to me because no matter what, they support my channel, and they just get me, so I want to thank them for supporting me through everything! It’s because of them that I get to do what I love every day and have a career out of it.
Tubefilter: Tell us a little about you! Where are you from? What did you do in ye olde days before YouTube?
AM: I’m from Toronto, and I went to college for social work. I never ended up pursuing a career in social work because I started my YouTube channel halfway through college and instantly fell in love with creating content. After college, I worked at Target as a fitting room attendant, and at Shoppers Drug Mart as a cosmetician for about two years before I decided to focus on YouTube full-time!
Tubefilter: What made you decide to start a YouTube channel? Did you have a content strategy going in, or have you developed that over your time on the platform?
AM: I started YouTube because I used to get asked a lot of beauty-related questions on Tumblr and Twitter, so I figured I could make videos to share my makeup tips! I never, ever thought that I would fall in love with it as much as I did.
I didn’t have any strategies going into YouTube. YouTube was very simple back then — you’d just upload your videos, and your viewers would watch. It was very straightforward, but things have definitely changed, and competition is much stronger now. I’ve developed strategies along the way and definitely learned a lot through trial and error. My main strategy now is to just be my true self and create content I’m truly passionate about, because I find that people gravitate towards authenticity. When you share your true passions, people will admire and respect that. I’ve noticed better growth on my channel when I don’t overthink things and when I just let creativity and passion take a front seat!
Tubefilter: Which brings us to your passions: makeup, skincare, and haircare, and self-care. What draws you to them, and what draws you to making digital content about them?
AM: I’m drawn to beauty so much because I truly believe that when you look good, you feel good. It’s beyond superficial — it’s so much more than that. It’s about loving yourself enough to treat yourself and take care of yourself. Whenever I do my pamper routine or put on makeup, I feel good about myself. I’ve always been drawn to creating beauty-related content so that I can help my viewers feel good about themselves, too!
Tubefilter: One thing that’s always been present in your content, from your very first videos, is your dedication to wearing bold looks, particularly bold lip looks. Those can take a lot of confidence to pull off. Why do you think it’s important to share that confidence with your viewers?
AM: Although I did start off my channel wearing pretty bold lip colors, especially my staple throwback Saint Germaine lipstick by MAC, my makeup style has definitely changed now. I’m much more into neutral tones and just an overall soft glam look. I love a dolled-up and pretty look that is soft and not overdone!
Tubefilter: How do you make your beauty content stand out despite all the noise on YouTube?
AM: It can be really hard to stand out in a field that is so saturated and competitive, but I always say the only way you’ll stand out is by truly being yourself. Why? Because there’s literally only one you in this world. By being yourself, you’re already special, and you already stand out.
Tubefilter: How do you come up with new ideas for videos? Do you take suggestions from your viewers?
AM: Sometimes my ideas for videos are completely random and they just pop into my head out of nowhere. Other times, I pull inspiration from platforms like Instagram and even Pinterest. Of course, watching some of my favorite YouTubers gives me a ton of inspiration as well. I do take a lot of requests from my viewers. I also work with MagicLinks to track what my viewers are loving most. They connect me with brand sponsorships and provide me with a platform to be able to receive commissions from products my subscribers purchase on my recommendation. I get to see which items sold the most, and which didn’t sell as much, so it really is able to tell me more about my audience, what they’re into, and what they’re not.
My subscribers are also always so supportive and often times even go out of their way to contact me and ask me for my links to products so that they can give me the commission to support me. I appreciate that so much.
Tubefilter: When did you start noticing your audience really picking up? Was there one specific video that attracted a lot of attention? How are you growing your audience?
AM: My audience definitely started to pick up when my Kylie lip kit swatches video went “viral.” I started noticing that I gained a ton of subscribers after that video!
Tubefilter: What else do you get up to in your day-to-day life?
AM: I’m really such a homebody! If I’m not working, walking my dog, or doing some shopping, then I’m 100% watching Netflix and cooking!
Tubefilter: What’s your favorite part of making content for YouTube?
AM: My favorite part is definitely the filming part — talking to the camera and being able to express myself and release any ideas I have or thoughts running through my mind! It’s also so rewarding when I have supporters reach out to me and tell me that they love watching my videos!
Tubefilter: What’s next for you and your channel? Any fun plans?
AM: I’m going to keep creating content on my channel for as long as I’m passionate about it, but outside of my channel, I’d love to expand my brand. I have a few ideas I’ve been working on, but I won’t give too much away!
You can add yourself to the ranks of Macedo’s more-than-a-million YouTube subscribers at her channel YouTube.com/AmyMacedo.
This installment of YouTube Millionaires is brought to you by MagicLinks.
Born in 2015, MagicLinks is the fastest-growing video influencer platform powering social commerce. Trusted in over 195k campaign videos, viewed by more than 21B fans, MagicLinks’ digital artist community has driven more than $750M in product sales for global brand leaders. MagicLinks is the global leader in authentic social commerce for video Influencers. Our technology offers digital artists a way to earn income as their fans shop and connects impactful sales drivers with brand sponsorship opportunities. Come join our vibrant community of premium video creators and be part of the magic.
