How Companies Monetize Loneliness

Let’s start with a weird question:

Are you alone right now?

Statistically speaking — probably.
But here’s the more important part: you’re not the only one.

We’re living through a loneliness epidemic.
People are more isolated than ever — spending less time with others and more time online.
And whether it’s Netflix, DoorDash, Instagram, or even YouTube…
Every second of that loneliness is being monetized.

In this post, I’m going to break down how companies are turning loneliness into a business model — and how you, as a YouTube creator, can ethically use the same psychological levers to grow your channel.

Loneliness is the product

Loneliness isn’t a side-effect of modern life.
It is modern life.

We’ve become accustomed to convenience, digital companionship, and on-demand everything.
We’ve traded shared experiences for solo consumption — and companies have built billion-dollar industries off of that trade.

For creators: Make content that makes people feel seen.
Be the face on the screen that someone’s glad to see at 2am.
Your content isn’t just entertainment — it can be emotional companionship.
That’s a powerful relationship to earn.

Convenience is isolating

Every time you skip the shop and order Uber Eats…
Every time you watch a movie on Netflix instead of going to the cinema…
You’re making your life easier — but lonelier.

Modern tech removes friction. But in doing so, it removes connection.

For creators: Make your content frictionless.

Hook fast.
Edit clean.
Use clear, curiosity-driven titles.
Let your videos feel like the easiest possible choice — so people default to you when they’re alone and scrolling.

The slow death of real-world community

In the 1950s, people were drowning in social life church, clubs, unions, neighborhood events.
Today? We’re drowning in notifications instead.

That exhaustion you feel from group chats and plans you never follow through on?
It’s real. And it’s driven by overstimulation and under-connection.

For creators: Rebuild that lost community.
Encourage comments.
Shout out your viewers.
Start a Discord.
Create a space that feels like a digital “third place” — where people can belong, not just consume.

Isolation is profitable

Cars pulled people out of walkable neighborhoods.
TV kept people inside.
Both created more isolated individuals — and more opportunities to sell.

Lonely people spend more. That’s the business model.

For creators: Build a world people want to stay in.
Use series formats.
Create recurring themes and familiar visuals.
When your channel feels like a place and not just a playlist, people stick around.

The internet monetizes every second

Back in the day, we just vibed on MSN.
Now? Every second you’re online, someone is making money off your attention.

It’s not just about what you see. It’s how long you see it for, where you click next, and why you stay.

For creators: Play the attention game with purpose.

Design thumbnails that make people feel something.
Use titles that build tension or curiosity.
Edit with rhythm to retain focus.
Attention is currency. Spend it wisely — and earn it respectfully.

You’re not even allowed to sleep

Netflix once said their biggest competitor is sleep.
Let that sink in.

Not another platform. Not friends. Not nature.
Sleep.

That’s how deep the monetization goes.

For creators: Create content worth staying up for.
Whether it’s emotionally resonant, relaxing, or wildly entertaining — give people something they want to make time for.

Comfort content is king in a world that never stops moving.

We’re entering the simulation era

It’s not just the attention economy anymore.
We’re entering the simulation economy — where living online is easier than living offline.

And for many, that becomes default.
Everything is frictionless. Everything is personalized. Everything is lonely.

For creators: Think like a world-builder.
Your channel isn’t just a feed of uploads. It’s a universe.
Invite people in. Let them get lost in your stories, your personality, your ecosystem.

Build not just content — build connection.

Community is the new marketing buzzword

Here’s the irony:
The same brands that made us lonely… are now trying to sell us “community.”

Why? Because real friendship doesn’t pay.
But simulated support? That’s monetizable.

For creators: Offer what brands can’t: authenticity.
Don’t fake community. Create it.
Show up. Give value. Listen. Respond.
Don’t just “build an audience.” Build a circle.

People are waking up lead them

Movements like “touch grass” exist for a reason.
People are tired of feeling like NPCs in their own lives.
They’re craving realness, awareness, balance.

For creators: Be part of that awakening.
Share the downsides of always being online.
Encourage time away from screens.
Talk about the why behind your videos — not just the views.

You don’t have to play the game like everyone else.
You can win by caring more.

Final thoughts

Companies make billions by filling the gaps left behind by loneliness.

But you?
You can fill those same gaps with connection instead of consumption.

You can grow because you’re helping people feel less alone — not more addicted.
You can be their favorite corner of the internet.

And in a world designed to distract and isolate…
That might just be the most valuable thing you can offer.

—

P.S. If you want more breakdowns like this — join the newsletter or follow along on Twitter: @TheoryOfYouTube
We don’t just study the algorithm. We study humans.
Because if you understand people, you’ll grow on YouTube.