My videos normally consist of whatever is happening in my life at the moment. I take my vlog camera with me throughout the day and film what I have going on.”

Keegan Acton

By Delarita Ford
Mail | Twitter: @AzNewsmedia

With more than 450,000 subscribers, Scottsdale YouTube content creator Keegan Acton managed to pay her college tuition with income earned from her YouTube channel.

Acton graduated from Arizona State University in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing (integrated and digital communications) and a certificate in Small Business Entrepreneurship.

She joins the throngs of celebrities and everyday people who create content for YouTube.

“YouTube is my full-time job. Most of my days are spent filming and editing content. I also own a small business where I sell to-do lists and stationery. When I’m not creating content, I’m creating new products or packaging up orders,” said Acton, 22, who grew up in Gilbert.

Her family, which consists of her mother, stepfather and an older sister, are among her many fans.

“They are very supportive! My mom is my biggest supporter and always one of the first people to watch my videos when they go live,” Acton said.

Aside from gaining followers and attention, many people like Acton have even used the YouTube platform to start/grow businesses and learn new skills while sharing their interests with virtual onlookers.

According to a July report released by Oxford Economics entitled “The State of the Creator Economy - Assessing the economic, societal, and cultural impact of YouTube in the US in 2021,” YouTube’s creative ecosystem reportedly contributed more than $25 billion to the American economy and provided more than 425,000 full-time equivalent jobs last year.

Quite the entrepreneur, Acton’s livelihood is supported by the many ways creators can monetize on YouTube.  She declined to disclose how much she makes when asked. 

Making a living off YouTube, she not only put herself through college but works as a full-time content creator who vlogs about navigating life as a young adult. She started in the online media industry by posting videos of herself trying makeup on and new outfits in 2013.

While attending middle through Campo Verde High School in Gilbert, she honed her filming, editing and on-camera skills, detailing everything from what she wore on her first day of her freshman year to how to study for finals, and what she keeps in her backpack. When not working on YouTube content for a living, Acton enjoys making videos, reading and cooking.

Acton allowed the Independent to also document some of her personal/business endeavors by answering the following questions:

• What is involved with gaining and retaining YouTube subscribers?
  I think the biggest thing that has helped me grow on YouTube is being authentic to myself and open about what I am going through. I have been very honest about the highs and lows in my life, whether it’s moving to a new apartment or struggling to find balance in post-grad life. I feel very fortunate that most of my followers and I are going through some of the same milestones at the same time so we can relate to each other and lean on each other for advice and support.
• How did you decide on what topic to focus on as a YouTuber?
  My videos normally consist of whatever is happening in my life at the moment. I take my vlog camera with me throughout the day and film what I have going on. Sometimes it’s exciting like moving into a new apartment or traveling to Italy. Other times it’s simple days like deep cleaning my apartment or running errands.
• What is your schedule like?
  
  I have always done YouTube while being in school, so for the majority of the time I have been on YouTube, I have edited videos in between/after classes or on the weekends. Now that I am doing YouTube full time, I try to stick to an 8-5 schedule for editing videos, responding to work emails, etc. However, I am filming content 24/7.
• What did you initially want to be when you grew up?
  I wanted to work on the brand side of social media marketing.
• How much do you make doing that or do you have to supplement?
  I have four streams of income: AdSense from YouTube videos, sponsorships, affiliate links, and my to-do list business.
• What encouragement do you have for those your age and under?
  Be authentic to yourself and the right people will find you and support you!

Delarita Ford
Lead Reporter | Surprise
@AzNewsmedia

dford@iniusa.org

Meet Delarita
Delarita Ford originally joined Independent Newspapers Incorporated, now Independent Newsmedia, Inc. USA in 1997, as a general assignment reporter for the Delaware State News daily paper after starting her journalism career in Maryland in 1994, where she honed her skills by writing obituaries, covering community news from births to deaths, education to legislation and more. As a reporter, she has had the opportunity to cover sitting and former U.S. presidential visits in Baltimore, Delaware, and Arizona.

Community: One of the few seasoned journalists who still enjoys covering community events, she can be found with a reporter’s pad taking notes, her phone taking pictures while capturing life’s moments to memorialize them in print for the local newspapers and for the active-adult community where she lives. She maintains a presence with the Black media and the National Association of Black Journalists to encourage peers, socialize, and mentor younger writers.

Education: Life learner who learns from life. Aside from the collegiate education received, she got the best training from on-the-job experience with former editors who went through copy with a red pen and demanded the best writing for hard news and feature stories. 

Random Fact: While a Delaware State News reporter, she could call then Sen. Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, usually late at night if a quote or input was needed for varying topics, including legislation and education.

Hobbies: Adopt rescue dogs and give them a nice home. Continuously read and critique news stories from various platforms.