When VidCon was launched in 2010, being a full-time creator was still considered a novelty. The first meeting brought together the early stars of the Internet, including founders Hank Green and John Green of Vlogbrothers fame, as well as creators such as Philip DeFranco, iJustine, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal, and Ryan Higa. At that time, many of the attendees were just happy to meet people they had only seen on their computers.
Fifteen years later, the creators are hosting sold-out tours, founding consumer brands, running manufacturing companies, and influencing everything from entertainment to politics. What started as a gathering of YouTubers and fans has evolved into an annual gathering place for a multi-billion dollar industry.
Which raises the obvious question: Why is VidCon still important?
After all, creators can broadcast live from anywhere, where fans can interact with their favorite people in real time. Communities exist year-round on Discord’s servers, group chats, and comment sections. Some creators even hold their own successful fan meetings and live events. By all accounts, the creative economy has developed many ways to bring people together outside the convention center in Anaheim.
However, VidCon is still one of the most important gatherings in creator culture. Why? Well, let’s talk about it.
The Internet is more diverse than ever
One of the biggest misconceptions about the modern Internet is that it is too interconnected.
In fact, internet culture has become increasingly fragmented. Audiences are spread across TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, podcasts, newsletters, Discord servers, and many niche communities. Creators often work on multiple platforms simultaneously, while fans may spend most of their time in completely different corners of the internet.
YouTube turns 20: How one zoo video changed the Internet forever
That’s not really a bad thing. A recent Mashable survey found that despite the visibility of internet megastars, only 3 percent of US adults follow creators with more than 1 million followers. Instead, many gravitate towards smaller creators and niche communities: 19 percent said they prefer creators with fewer than 50,000 followers, while 37 percent enjoy a mix of both big and small creators. Almost half of respondents (48 percent) said they are looking for creators who provide depth to specific hobbies and interests.
In other words, today’s internet is not dominated by a handful of creators that everyone is watching. It is increasingly defined as many small communities built around shared interests.
VidCon remains one of the few places where those worlds meet.
For a few days each year, game creators, lifestyle influencers, podcasters, educators, startup founders, platform managers, and fans all live in the same place. The conference serves as a rare gathering place for the ecosystem that exists in other different silos.
Mashable Trend Report
Digital communities are still looking for virtual spaces
Much of modern fandom takes place online. Friendships are formed in comment and reply sections. Communities organize on Instagram. Live streaming interviews create a sense of connection between creators and audiences that was impossible a generation ago.
But digital communication doesn’t completely replace the personal experience. In fact, there are signs that younger audiences are actively seeking them out. Eventbrite’s 2025 survey of more than 4,000 adults in the US and UK found a growing interest in real-world experiences and opportunities for authentic communication, a reflection of how much social life now takes place online.
For many attendees, VidCon offers an opportunity to meet internet friends face-to-face for the first time, discover new creators, or simply spend the weekend surrounded by people with similar interests. It transforms communities that exist primarily through screens into something tangible.
The success of events like VidCon suggests something counterintuitive about Internet culture: The more time people spend online, the more important personal experiences can be. The Internet may be where communities form, but people are still looking for places to gather.
At the same time, VidCon is no longer quite the event it was in 2010. Another nostalgia-driven criticism aimed at convention stems from the simple fact that many first-timers have grown out of their primary audience. Young creative people today participate in a different Internet, shaped by different platforms, personalities, and communities. And for them, being a creator is no longer a dream; it is a legitimate career path. As money, brands, talent agencies, and startups pour into the space, VidCon has emerged alongside them.
That’s why the event is part fan conference, part industry conference. It reflects the reality of the creative culture itself.
Creators have become businesses
The discussions taking place now at VidCon look very different from those that dominated the convention’s early years.
Ten years ago, panels were often focused on counting growing subscribers. Those topics are still there, but now they’re joined by discussions about audience ownership, membership, monetization strategies, creator infrastructure, AI, and long-term business growth. Most creators no longer work as people with a camera and an internet connection. They run businesses.
The growth of creator-led brands, subscriber communities, and fan-oriented revenue models has dramatically changed what it means to be a creator. Increasingly, VidCon serves not only as a fan convention but also as an industry gathering where creators learn to build sustainable careers.
VidCon serves as a trend report
Part of VidCon’s continued relevance comes from its role as a forecasting tool. Conversations on stage often provide clues about where the creative economy is headed. The platforms vying for creators’ attention at VidCon reflect broader shifts in digital culture.
This year, expect discussions about AI tools, audience ownership, creator infrastructure, and a growing emphasis on big fans and community building. Together, those trends point to an industry that is increasingly focused on sustainability rather than scale.
In many ways, VidCon serves as an annual summary of what’s important on the Internet. Fields are subject to change. New applications will appear. Algorithms will evolve. The economic creator’s favorite buzzwords are bound to change.
But 15 years after its inception, VidCon still serves a surprisingly simple purpose. It gives creators, fans, and industry leaders a place to meet in person and make sense of the rapidly changing Internet. For all the ways that Internet culture has evolved, that need has not disappeared.
Mashable will be on hand at VidCon 2026 from June 25-27, featuring the creators, trends, and conversations that drive internet culture, from top stories and creator interviews for industry insights and live updates.
