16 Of The Biggest Social Media Stars Reflect on Their 2016 Success

Meg DeAngelis

YouTube subscribers: 5.6 million
Twitter followers: 1.69 million
Instagram followers: 2.3 million

Biggest success of 2016: “I’ve had so many amazing opportunities this past year. From partnering with PBteen for my Maybaby collection to acting in Royal Crush, Dance Camp and a role in Trolls, but I think a true highlight for me was directing and acting in my own scripted series, It’s A Girl Thing, for my YouTube channel. I’d always wanted to make a series exclusively for my fans, and the fact that I had a professional team of writers and producers to work with was a huge milestone for me creatively.”

Goals for 2017: “I always try to look at life from a glass-half-full perspective, so my goal is to continue that and make 2017 the year of super positivity. I want to surround myself with positive influences and do more of the things that make me happy like working music, acting (I want to get an acting role as a detective), traveling and meeting more of my amazing viewers along the way.”

Favorite rising social media star right now: “I have to go with one of my close friends, Jon Klaasen. He’s an incredibly talented actor and musician, and is always coming up with super creative concepts for his projects. We recently worked together on Royal Crush, and collaborated for a cover of The Chainsmokers ft. XYL� song “Setting Fires” for my channel. He also has some awesome original songs out right now. They’re very refreshing, like pop mixed with good beats and some acoustic influences. I’m excited to see what he does next!”

Best advice for someone looking to succeed in the social media space: “First of all, I’d say, be patient. I started my YouTube channel when I was 14, and I think one of the biggest keys to my success was that I didn’t give up on it. Secondly, ask yourself what your reason is for putting yourself out there – whether it’s YouTube or a comedy video, think about what your goals are for making that particular video. Lastly, stay true to who you are! When you make videos that are representative of you, you’ll be able to establish a sense of trust with your followers, because then they’re connecting with you as a real person rather than a character.”

Favorite all-time social media platform: “Definitely, YouTube. It’s allowed me to befriend so many great people, and explore interests of mine that I never would have been able to try on any other platform. I also love that by uploading videos, people around the world have a platform to showcase their unique talents and interests while connecting with other similar people. It’s the central hub for my entire social network, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.”