Why Some Content Creators Are Quitting YouTube

Creating content on social media channels such as Tik Tok and YouTube can be lucrative for influencers. For some content creators, it has become a full-time job with paydays in the millions of dollars.

With so much earning potential, the freedom to set your own schedule, and the ability to be your own boss for those creators, some YouTube subscribers were surprised in January 2024 when their popular influencers announced they were leaving the platform or significantly reducing their engagement.

YouTube Quitters Cite Burnout among Other Reasons

The question is why. The answer is it depends. Leaving the platform is a very personal decision made up of multiple considerations. But after reviewing videos from some of those creators quitting the platform and information from around the web, some themes have emerged that may be driving the departure.

According to Exploding Topics, referencing data from Social Blade, there are over 61 million content creators on YouTube. They earn roughly $0.018 per view, or $18 for every 1,000 views based on data from Influencer Marketing Hub. The more views, the higher the income, and all this activity could lead to other lucrative deals from video sponsorships and sales from merch.

But as it turns out, money isn’t the main motivator for staying on the platform for some.

YouTuber Matthew Robert Patrick, better known as Matt Pat to his 19 million subscribers, is the creator of the YouTube series Game Theory and its various spin-offs: Film Theory, Food Theory, Style Theory – which analyze video games, films, food, and fashion. Matt posted a video in January 2024 called “Goodbye Internet” where he tearfully explained that he will be posting his last video on March 9, 2024, and handing off the channel to someone else.

“This channel is Steph and my first child,” he explains. “This channel has been going for 13 years,” he adds, sharing that he will miss his followers. As for why Matt’s signing off, he says he no longer likes the amount of work required, so much so that it’s taken over his life. He also referenced the changing internet and that he’s getting older. Matt is 37 and he wants to “go out on a high note.”

In a video called This is Why Everyone is Quitting YouTube, we hear from Kevin Espiritu, creator of Epic Gardening, explaining why he’s “rethinking the way he creates on YouTube” and turning to more of a network approach where he can build out an ecosystem of experts around the topics his followers want to see.

Espiritu has been on the channel for over 10 years, has 2.79 million subscribers and a business earning seven figures. For Espiritu, it’s time to slow down the pace of his engagement on the channel where he estimates he’s been putting in 16-hour days.

YouTuber Shelby Church reviewed a number of videos from creators who are quitting and she summarizes the key reasons as burnt out and the pressure to post on multiple platforms to diversify earnings and to stay ahead of changing algorithms. Church adds that some creators cite privacy and safety concerns after making themselves vulnerable to subscribers and after some influencers have been robbed.

Watching their favorite content creators leave YouTube or limit their engagement is undoubtedly disappointing for millions of subscribers. Despite some quitting the channel in January 2024, the platform is still expected to experience major growth in the coming years. Statista estimates that the YouTube user base worldwide will reach 1.2 billion by 2029, practically guaranteeing even more new content creators and subscribers connecting and engaging on the platform.