What are “clippers”? The viral term powering creators like MrBeast

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Summary:

  • Creators utilize “clipping” to turn long videos into viral short clips, posted by thousands of independent editors.

  • This industry has rapidly grown, generating over $7 million in sales and helping clients gain followers.

  • Critics raise concerns about authenticity and the future of online content with the rise of clip-farming accounts.

Creators like MrBeast and IShowSpeed are everywhere online thanks to a strategy called “clipping.” This involves taking longer videos and turning them into short, shareable clips designed to go viral. Startups like Clipping employ thousands of independent editors, called clippers, who post these clips on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts to grab attention and drive traffic back to the creator’s main content.

The industry has grown rapidly, reportedly generating over $7 million in sales this year, with some clippers helping clients gain hundreds of thousands of followers in a month. Clipping has turned virality into a science, helping creators, musicians, and podcasters reach new audiences and boost engagement.

But critics warn that clip-farming accounts could be a plague on social media, raising questions about authenticity and the future of online content.

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