The McCartys burst onto the scene with a refreshing dose of chaos and humor. 

Kevin and Stephanie McCarty, along with their children Audri and Braxton, have captured the hearts of millions with their uniquely zany approach to family content creation. 

Their videos feature monster chases, moms popping out of boxes, and dads falling off tables – a far cry from the typical family channel fare.

The McCartys’ journey from a Michigan classroom to social media stardom started as a way to combat pandemic boredom and has turned into a full-fledged family business, complete with 13M+ YouTube subscribers and 6.3M+ TikTok followers. 

Their success lies not in presenting a perfect family image but in embracing the everyday family life and turning it into entertainment gold.

Kevin and Stephanie reveal how they balance their booming online presence with maintaining their kids’ normal childhoods, their strategies for consistent content creation, and plans to expand The McCartys brand into animation and beyond.

From Classroom to Content Creation

The McCartys’ journey began during the COVID-19 pandemic when Kevin, stuck at home with his young children, started creating lighthearted videos. 

“Over six months, we reached a million followers on TikTok,” he reveals.

Initially, Kevin continued teaching while creating content. However, the family’s big break came when Stephanie encouraged him to pursue content creation full-time. “That’s really when I buckled down and saw massive growth,” Kevin recalls.

Stephanie notes that the decision to rebrand as a family channel was strategic to achieve longevity and not put the pressure of performance on one child.

The McCartys’ content stands out for its playful approach to trending topics. 

“We also kind of started as really likes to play the antithesis of the trends,” Stephanie says. “He’ll kind of put his funny spin on them or even sometimes make fun of them.”

Balancing content creation with family life presents unique challenges. The McCartys have developed a system to maintain this equilibrium. 

“We can film most videos in batches to where it’s like the three. It’s a three-day weekend. It’s like a party to the kids,” Stephanie explains.

Kevin handles the creative aspects, writing scripts and breaking them into shot lists, while Stephanie manages costumes, props, and finances.

The family’s content style keeps their children engaged in the process. 

“Our content as family creators is so much different from every other,” Kevin notes. “We are unique, and the kids enjoy being chased by monsters. They enjoy seeing Mom pop out of a box and Dad fall off a table.”

To balance content creation and normal family life, the McCartys film in batches, allowing for regular school attendance and typical family activities between filming sessions.

Secret to Audience Engagement

McCartys attributes its platform success to originality, consistency, and repurposing strategic content.

“Staying true to who we are so that the audience, that’s what they like,” Kevin shares, revealing their rigorous posting schedule of “365 new shorts a year.”

Stephanie adds that Kevin’s creative efforts are crucial: “He downplays how much mental effort he puts into writing original sketches and making them unique and engaging.”

Their content strategy involves repurposing across platforms with minor adjustments. Kevin explains they’d repurpose and post the content across platforms. 

“Usually, I’ll change music when you need it or sounds,” he says.

Instagram stands out slightly, offering a personal glimpse into their lives through stories and family photos. It also provides fans with behind-the-scenes content unavailable on other platforms.

Balancing Family Life and Content Creation

For the McCartys, creating content that appeals to children and parents is a natural extension of their family dynamic. 

“I don’t think of them as what a kid would enjoy. I think of them as super funny,” Kevin states, adding that it resonates with their diverse audience.

While embracing their public persona, the McCartys prioritize their children’s privacy and normal upbringing. They also educate their children about online safety, preparing them for the digital world.

“Our main focus is the kids,” Kevin points out. “The number one priority is the kids at all times. And we also want them to have the most normal life possible with 18 million plus followers.”

The family’s content creation has become an integral part of their lives. 

“[The kids] don’t talk about it much because it’s normal, but they get very excited when the production crew comes into town,” Stephanie reveals.

For Kevin, being present in his children’s daily lives is particularly meaningful: “To have a family life where mom and dad are both home when the kids come home from school and both help with bath time, both help with everything. It’s just something super special for me.”

Expanding “The McCartys” to Animation and Beyond

The McCartys are venturing into new territory, partnering with Wind Sun Sky Entertainment and Viral Nation to expand their brand into animated shorts, a potential series, and even a Roblox experience.

“We were clear right from the get-go about our expectations of protecting our intellectual property but also putting the kids first,” Stephanie says.

She adds, “To adjust and expand in that way, in a way that’s not going to necessarily take away from the kids’ normal day-to-day living too… that, to us, is a beautiful thing.”

“Words cannot describe how excited we are about this collaboration and what’s happening,” Kevin tells us. “We posted some videos with teasers featuring the cartoon animated in our shorts, and we’re excited to see what’s next.”

The family’s authenticity remains a top priority in this expansion. Kevin explains, “We want to stay true to who we are, whether in human form or animated form.”

Regarding the impact on their existing content, Stephanie doesn’t see the family “changing the way we do [content].” She believes they’d “lose fans” if they go astray.

Kevin advises other family creators considering multi-platform ventures: “You need to find something that sets you apart from everybody else. There are no other family channels anywhere that do what we do. And that was a natural transition from what we do now in real life to the cartoon.”

Embracing Risk and Growth

Hard work, calculated risks, and personal growth have marked The McCartys’ path to social media stardom. 

When asked what they might have done differently, Kevin expresses his satisfaction with their journey: “I wouldn’t change anything that I had done. The work ethic and the grind don’t even matter where I am today. I think I work harder now than I ever have.”

Stephanie reflects on the anxiety that accompanied their major career shift: “I wish Kevin had known that everything would be okay. This job was an extremely stressful conversation.” 

She acknowledges the calculated risks they took, ensuring their children’s well-being remained a priority. Despite the initial anxiety, “We took the risk anyway, and it all turned out right,” Stephanie concludes.