Since its launch in 2005, YouTube has become one of the world’s most visited websites, second only to its parent company’s site, Google
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That’s why it was a no-brainer for “Nomadland” real-life star Bob Wells, 66, to start his own channel there when he wanted to transition from blogging to producing video content four years ago.
In addition to his film fame, Wells is the smiling Santa Clausy bearded man behind the CheapRVliving channel on YouTube where he promotes the “nomadic tribalism” way of life. This influencer’s videos are usually 10 to 20 minutes long, but can range between just a few minutes to over an hour.
In the relatively short time that he’s been a YouTuber, Wells has cannily amassed over 500,000 subscribers and over 100 million views, which gives you a sense of how much his channel resonates with viewers.
CheapRVLiving and Bob Wells
The money comes from ads that play at the beginning of a video. Such advertisements can potentially earn a YouTube creator about $18 for every 1,000 views, according to the Influencer Marketing Hub.
Before launching his YouTube channel, Wells started a website by the same name in 2005, where he blogged about his experiences living out of his van.
Check out: Want to share your life experiences and help others? Here’s how to do it well
Due to economic reasons, Wells was forced to live there in the early 2000s and that’s when he fell in love with the life of a nomad. According to Jessica Bruder’s book “Nomadland” (the genesis of the Oscar-winning film), Wells worked as a Safeway cashier prior to his life on the road and wound up living in his van due to a divorce and child support costs.
In “Nomadland,” a woman named Linda invites her friend Fern (played by Frances McDormand) to the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous, a gathering for other nomads in Quartzite, Ariz. There, Fern fixates on a video of Wells describing the Rendezvous almost as if it’s a homing beacon signaling her back home.
Wells plays himself in the film and has a central role in Fern’s journey. He shares words of wisdom and comfort, speaking about connecting to community and nature which sparks Fern’s path to inward and outward discovery.
Eighteen years after he began van living, Wells’ love for it has only grown. That passion has inspired him to share his lifestyle with millions of others and led to a pretty lucrative life thanks to his popular YouTube channel.
Advice for people facing financial hardships
The site was a hit pretty much from the start. People engaged with Wells’ writing on everything from van …….
