Watch an Expert Explain Just How PewDiePie Attracted and Kept So Many Fans
How exactly did Swedish YouTuber PewDiePew attract and keep so many fans? Presenter, public speaker and presentation coach David JP Phillips analyzed the way the "king of the internet" was able to get so many more views than anybody else. "It's just him, and a camera, and it's been like that for 10 years," Phillips quipped in the YouTube video.
PewDiePie has over 105 million YouTube followers, as of August 4, along with over 20 billion video views. He is best known for creating "Let's Play" clips of action and horror video games, along with the comedic format of his shows.
First, Phillips played the first video PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, ever made way back in 2010. While introducing himself, PewDiePie makes his voice higher when saying his name, which became his trademark over time.
In the first video, Phillips pointed out how PewDiePie did a double shoulder shrug, which showed that he was honest about what he was saying and who he is. The presentation coach noted that when a public speaker shrugs just one shoulder, they could be not totally truthful or honest about what they are saying.
Phillips also pointed out the self-laughter in his first video, and noted that he's been doing this for the past 10 years. "It's his thing," he said. "The beautiful thing about his self-laughter like that is that increases anticipation of what's going to come, and you [the audience] thinks that whatever is going to come is more fun."
"He is actually planting fun into your brain," Phillips continued, "whether you want it or not."
The Swedish YouTuber also mimed smoking a pipe when mentioning that he got a new job as a sports captain, likening it to a ship captain. Phillips pointed out that by using the imaginary prop, he's taking his public speaking to a level that some professionals haven't gotten to yet.
Imaginary props, role-playing with different voices during a presentation, and being expressive are several ways that you can enhance your public speaking, Phillips added.
At one point, PewDiePie had expressed empathy towards his audience, and mentioned that he was gonna miss them. Phillips explained that when you want to show empathy, you typically tilt your head slightly to the left.
"I want to point this out, because this guy is synchronized," Phillips said. "What I mean by that is there are five levels of synchronicity in communication." The five levels are gestures, body language, voice, language and facial expressions. "If you are synchronized in all five when you are saying something, it increases the credibility of whatever you're saying. This guy is a natural when it comes to communication."
Phillips then analyzed a more recent video. He pointed out that PewDiePie did have a register increase in his voice, and shrugged, showing sincerity. Phillips also said that he showed a sense of weakness, which in turn increases the levels of serotonin in those he ins interacting with. "They connect with you in a different way," Phillips said. "That's part of his magic spice, his magic formula," he posited.
At one point in the more recent video, PewDiePie also used his hands to create guns as imaginary props. He also became much more skilled at using filler sounds, which are used to signal a pause in speech, which in turn allows the audience to take a moment and think about what was just said, before the speaker moves on.
To wrap up his video, Phillips figured out how exactly the internet personality was able to gain and maintain such a high following. PewDiePie is humble. He also uses his voice to connect better with audiences. By simply using his language and physical gestures, he doesn't need much more than himself and a camera with a little video editing to make his videos.
"Thumbs up to you, mate," Phillips concluded his video.
Newsweek did not receive a comment from PewDiePie at the time of publication.
