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 creator has a story to tell about YouTube success. Read previous installments here.
Katie Feeney is just your everyday college student.
That’s not our judgment–it’s hers. The 19-year-old Penn State University freshman and longtime TikTok creator has been making a serious splash on YouTube in recent weeks, but even as her content catches more and more attention, she hopes all the people who watch her videos walk away knowing “I am just a regular person, going to college and pursuing my dreams!”
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Relatability is a key component of Feeney’s content. She puts out multiple videos each day, and none of them are big productions. They’re quick, usually minimally edited clips taken throughout the day. She may have racked up more than a billion views on YouTube in three months, but she’s still got to deal with the strain of college homework and exams, the seemingly endless countdown to Christmas, and pesky wasps trying their best to infest her dorm.
Feeney developed her spur-of-the-moment, slice-of-life content angle as a Musical.ly creator. She joined the platform in 2015, and bumped over to TikTok when its owner, ByteDance, acquired Musical.ly and merged the two together. Her TikTok account now has more than 6.5 million followers, and brings in hundreds of millions of views per month.
Like many TikTokers, Feeney began crossposting her content to YouTube Shorts when it launched earlier this year. Since March, Feeney has uploaded more than 800 videos to her channel, generating more than 1.2 billion views total.
And, of course, Feeney’s channel has now hit one million subscribers, making her an official YouTube Millionaire.
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 viewers?
Katie Feeney: One million YouTube subs! JUST…WOW! It feels absolutely amazing!! Dream come true!! I have wanted to be a YouTuber since forever! I want to give a BIG thank you to every single person who took a moment out of their busy day to click “subscribe.” It’s because of you this is even possible. I couldn’t have done it without your support.
Tubefilter: Tell us about you! Where are you from? What did you do before becoming a content creator?
KF: Hi! I’m Katie. I am a 19-year-old Marylander. Currently, I am a freshman at Penn State University (WE ARE……). I have been a dancer since I was a little girl. I danced competitively for over five years, and that’s what has inspired me to start producing/creating content.
Tubefilter: When and why did you make a TikTok account? When and why did you expand to posting your short content on YouTube?
KF: First, I created my musical.ly account (like everyone else did). Once it merged into TikTok, it became a really fun way to create and post short-form choreographed dance videos. Some of my dances REALLY took off, which was super exciting! I partnered with The Network Effect, and we started to really expand my content mix into lifestyle content and reviews and recommendations in my other passion areas: beauty, fashion, and tech/gadgets.
I have had a YouTube channel since 2016, and started to dabble in monthly long-form videos. Once the YouTube Shorts beta was announced in February, I went all in. I love to innovate and be an early adopter to new features/platforms. It is part of my DNA!
Tubefilter: What can viewers always expect from a Katie Feeney video?
KF: When one of my videos lands on your feed, my goal is to ALWAYS put a smile on your face!
Tubefilter: What else do you hope people take away from your content?
KF: I am just a regular person, going to college and pursuing my dreams! I enjoy sharing my life moments and appreciate that you joined me for the ride.
Tubefilter: How often do you film? How long does the average video take to come together? What does the average day look like for you?
KF: I film content every day! That is the power of short-form. Now that I am in college, I create around my class schedule. An average day includes going to the gym (always), going to class, and then creating.
Tubefilter: Do you have any strategies for growing your audience? Have you noticed any particular kind of content getting more traction than others? Do you adjust what you film depending on how your viewers react?
KF: First and foremost, BE YOURSELF and don’t obsess over views, comments, and likes. I also recommend consistent content creation/posting and getting over the mindset that everything has to be perfect and a big production. For me, spontaneity is key!
Tubefilter: How do you make your videos stand out amidst all the noise on YouTube, especially now that Shorts is such a big thing?
KF: Standing out, for me, on YouTube and Shorts, is all about being authentic and sharing who you truly are and not worrying about perfection. It’s really about showing life moments that everyone can relate to.
@katiefeeneyyI think I need to try this again😅♬ original sound – WESLEY
Tubefilter: What’s your favorite part of making content on YouTube?
KF: The last three months on YouTube have been a whirlwind. My channel has over one BILLION views. Which is absolutely wild! For me, my favorite part of creating content is hoping to add joy to everyone’s everyday. I also truly enjoy every aspect of the creative process!
Tubefilter: What’s next for you and your channel? Any plans looking to the future?
KF: The reaction and feedback I have gotten since I landed at Penn State University has been awesome! I plan to continue to produce daily YouTube Shorts and mix in my long-form videos as well. I also absolutely LOVE the holiday season (who doesn’t) and have many ideas/concepts up my sleeve.
And for my future plans! I look forward to launching a podcast, and have a few other fun things in development. Stay tuned. 🙂
