Why Jenna Marble’s Is So Damn Successful
By Kassandra Lopez, Global Strategic Communications graduate student at the University of Florida
These days, it can feel like everyone and their Mother is an aspiring Youtuber. I have been bombarded with “subscribe to my channel!” posts in my own social media circles, and I’m sure you have too. The platform has truly opened the doors for many, in terms of self-expression. Only a few people truly become rich and successful via the site. It appears that those who have made a living with YouTube, have mastered the art of engaging and building a loyal fan base. When the topic of Youtuber’s is brought up, Jenna Marbles instantly comes to mind.
“Jenna Nicole Mourey (born September 15, 1986[1][2]), better known by her pseudonym Jenna Marbles, is an American YouTube personality, vlogger, comedian, and actress. As of September 2019, her channel has approximately 3.3 billion video views and 20 million subscribers,[3] and is the 86th most subscribed channel on YouTube and the eighth-most-popular channel operated by a woman.[4] Marbles are the first social media star to have a wax figure displayed at Madame Tussauds Museum in New York City.[5]”
Now that you’ve brushed up on general Jenna Knowledge, I’d like to share with you her approach to YouTube and how she has created a mutually beneficial relationship with her viewers. Jenna creates a circle of involvement, she reaches out to her fan base at the end of every video, she asks for suggestions in the comments and makes it a point to respond to them.
Jenna makes posts on Twitter and Instagram, further building on these suggestions and commentaries and asking for more feedback to build the upcoming video. This sort of collaboration engages fans, who now feel they are being heard. Jenna has even brought viewers into her videos, shouted them out, and made the commitment to meet many in person as events such as Vidcon. This constant follow-through on her part has nourished her relationship with her fans and gained her many new viewers as well!
But all of this didn’t come necessarily through trial and error, Jenna attended Suffolk University where “she obtained a Bachelor of Science in psychology, and later attended Boston University for a Master of Education in sport psychology and counseling.[7]” Having a higher education background in knowing how people feel and react to things, has given her a strong competitive edge.
There are other factors that I believe contribute heavily to her success. Jenna uploads her videos every Wednesday and Thursday, she has done this from the very beginning in 2006. This consistency on her part has made it very easy to remember when she will be releasing content. Watching her videos become a part of many people’s routines. Ms. Marbles has also created various themes throughout her YouTube career, such as “Things guys do — ” and “Things girls do — ” which are easy to follow and make viewers seek to watch the continuation of the topic.
Lastly, Jenna is sincere and comes off as such in her videos. Many viewers have been seeing her videos for the last 15 years and have grown alongside her. She has chosen to share most of her life with her audience, truly making them a part of her family. Her content is creative and relevant, even edgy at times. By keeping it interesting, Jenna secures a long and fruitful YouTube career!
