YouTube Content Creators

[randomshenans]

I won't post links, I'm not promoting just know that there is at least one other person who is a creator on here (@AndyCr15 I think?) and thought it would be good to share things that work and grow.

Genuinely only started sharing things at first for the wider family to see, as we're all over the place and then it was more a case of making me stick to finishing projects or doing things I wouldn't normally do.

Over the last year it semi took off and over the last month I've been chatting with some other people who run serious channels (they do it for a living, make 10-20k a month) and thought I may as well give it a crack to do it for real. I do it anyway, why not have a proper stab at making it work?

If it could pay for my hobbies and **** show of a car collection, well that would be amazing. If it could do more than that, well... going back to work after the holidays has made me even less keen to push buttons for a living and filling in confluence pages.

I haven't really made much per month through the year, 50quid a month pretty much. Only Nov kicked up to 250. Dec looking to hit 450. Whilst this is more one off as the money is through shorts, I've been working with others to try and help make that more regular income!

Anyone else a "content creator" as such on here?

Would love to share lessons and that!

(without posting links and getting banned)

 

[dlockers]

I'm interested in this as well.

Several years ago when I was really into technology tinkering I created a channel that essentially documented my solution to various woes I experienced along the way. My USP was mega quick sharp videos that didn't give the history of the topic at hard before getting into the meat of things - I couldn't stand those videos.

I've only got a modest 640k views/18k watch hours/518 subs - and since YouTube changed the monetisation rules I have lost my nominal £50/month (or quarter or whatever it was, I forgot).

Would be fun to start again!

 

[AndyCr15]

With likely redundancy impending, I did briefly wonder if I could give it a go properly, to become a full time job, but for what I do it's a risk as I would need to 'invest' in buying the tech that I would then review.

I could have course pivot. I've reviewed a few bicycles and they seem to get quite decent views, but my knowledge in that area is limited. I guess you kind of learn as you go, to an extent. Mind you, if I think it's expensive to buy a top end phone to review... buying a top end bike is four or five times more expensive!

I did wonder about just vlogging, a little like Casey N, but I don't think my life is interesting enough

@randomshenans that's really good to pull in £450 for a month! I know you get more near Xmas, but to go from £50 to £450 is impressive?!

 

[dlockers]

Do what the influencers do, buy it on the knock or buy it and return it

 

[Rroff]

Not exactly related to this thread - but I was checking out an old video of mine which isn't monetised only for an ad to come on at the end - YT making money off me for viewing my own video :s

 

[Quartz]

What is going to be your source of content? Over Covid I've watched four Youtube channels grow from very low figures to respectable ones:

Ashley Neal - driving instructor.
Hoof GP - trimmer of cow hooves (pedicures with angle grinder).
Partridge Exterior Cleaning - cleaning patios, driveways, and roofs.
Luke C in a HGV - HGV driver.

The common feature is that their day job is their primary source of content. In the case of Partridge, his Youtube channel is also effective advertising.

 

[Rroff]

What is going to be your source of content? Over Covid I've watched four Youtube channels grow from very low figures to respectable ones:

Ashley Neal - driving instructor.
Hoof GP - trimmer of cow hooves (pedicures with angle grinder).
Partridge Exterior Cleaning - cleaning patios, driveways, and roofs.
Luke C in a HGV - HGV driver.

The common feature is that their day job is their primary source of content. In the case of Partridge, his Youtube channel is also effective advertising.

Partridge got massively promoted on YT for some reason - was hitting a lot of people's recommendations hard even those without any kind of previous watch history of that kind of thing.

Ashley and Luke C have been doing OK for awhile though really took off in the last year or so.

No idea on Hoof GP though heh - I've watched the odd video by the other 3 now and again from fairly early on those channels.

If you have some kind of insight even into quite mundane things and carry some confidence when talking along with half-way OK production values you can pick up a reasonable audience these days for a lot of stuff - take Patrick Dickinson for instance https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCotAaGWMZeAJ5Mj_pCj94CQ just started uploading for a laugh really and grabbed a decent enough size audience.

 

[Quartz]

Partridge got massively promoted on YT for some reason - was hitting a lot of people's recommendations hard even those without any kind of previous watch history of that kind of thing.

I came across him because I was doing research on pressure washing.

If you have some kind of insight even into quite mundane things and carry some confidence when talking along with half-way OK production values you can pick up a reasonable audience these days for a lot of stuff

Yes. Youtube has hundreds of millions of daily users - and casual users number over two billion - so picking up a tiny percentage of that market is still significant. Lots of stats here. $3-$5 per 1000 views seems very low but once you've got a regular viewing and your videos are getting something like 100,000 views that's a decent income for two videos a week. Especially if like young Mr Partridge you're broadcasting your daily work.

 

[randomshenans]

The common feature is that their day job is their primary source of content. In the case of Partridge, his Youtube channel is also effective advertising.

Yea, I really like those as well. It's a no brainer. It's relatable, interesting to follow, boosts business, is great for marketing and at the same time, can have the possibility to in some cases, earn more than the job they're doing!

Not exactly related to this thread - but I was checking out an old video of mine which isn't monetised only for an ad to come on at the end - YT making money off me for viewing my own video :s

Yep. Doesn't matter if you meet the requirements, they'll advertise over your stuff. They put this out about a year ago I think. Nice of them haha

What is going to be your source of content? Over Covid I've watched four Youtube channels grow from very low figures to respectable ones:

I've been tempted to do this purely for the startup/ ADHS brain ideas I have as well and follow that process but you know, it's not like I don't have enough to do as it is haha

Do what the influencers do, buy it on the knock or buy it and return it

To be fair, I've started to have companies reach out to me about testing their products. Often I'm not interested as it looks like some Chinese tat but some stuff is more interesting. I didn't pay full price for both TDI tuning maps for the range rovers. Got 30% off those. SuperSprint gave me 30% off the exhaust for the range rover as well. Some of the most viewed videos I have, so you know.

Marketing wise for companies, it's an interesting one. I think there is a real opportunity for companies to utilise content creators more. I see Bendpak and their car lifts being gifted to all the Auto creators I watch. I'm sure I wouldnt have heard of them otherwise. Things like that. Millions of people watch these guys daily. Can't get exposure like that anywhere else. Adverts cost more and they feel pushy.

@randomshenans that's really good to pull in £450 for a month! I know you get more near Xmas, but to go from £50 to £450 is impressive?!

Well it's from shorts and technically I cheated (sort of, bear with me)... but I didn't expect for it to happen, it just did! When shorts were new on YT, people in the YT FB groups I'm in, and myself were experimenting what it was and what it could do for and against a channel. They were totally new and didn't know how to use them, if they would help the channel or hurt it. I chucked a few funny things up, not related to the channel at all. I put one thing up that was from a news website of a guy ice skating in Amsterdam in his pants, on the frozen river. He falls through the ice, which is funny. The news site video was like 3mins long of him crawling out etc. but I clipped the funniest bit I liked, the falling in bit. It was 10s long. That was it. Moved on. Wondered what these shorts would do for the channel. Shorts use blew up and that video went mental. Like, properly mental. 250k views in an hour I think it peaked at. But it keeps coming back for more. This was last...Feb. The 15th. So less than a year ago. It's currently sitting on just shy of 90m views.
However, since it's a short and there was no monetization on them, it did nothing for revenue generation at all. It did however, push my subs up a lot. I was on about 2k subs pre this? I'm now on 48k. Since then, they've sorted out what shorts are more, but when you're in shorts, it's very hard to jump to main channel long videos. The UI just doesn't make sense for that. So since I've experimented with different things on shorts but the tactic is now trying to make sure they're my content (and the odd meme I find funny) relating to my content though. Cars, projects, carts etc. the main strategy is to create them as I'm filming for longer videos. That's what I'm going to go for and see what happens.
They introduced the shorts fund mid last year, but not in France. France only happened later in the year. Hence, starting to make some money Nov-December. All of my shorts now have decent views. Not nearly 90m, but not bad at all! So people are watching them at least.

I just want to get 10% of the people who sub to watch the videos, which would be mega for a start Really making a better, more planned and consistent effort this year and see what happens.

 

[Semple]

Partridge Exterior Cleaning - cleaning patios, driveways, and roofs.

I only came across this guy last night after YouTube suggested a lot of viewers for another channel i watch (The Drain Unblockers) also watch this.

As you mention their content is their day job, stuff most people wouldn't normally see. I've found The Drain Unblockers stuff fascinating - they clean up blocked drains/sewers and some of the stuff is absolutely gross but is still pretty addictive watching. They're a group of 3 blokes from Liverpool who seem to really enjoy the job which makes the videos really easy watching.

 

[randomshenans]

This just happened!

Estimated rev is way down in January from general views (which is apparently normal). It's not a lot normally (c.$50 pm), but shorts views up significantly this month.

Nov total views: 2.45m
Dec total views: 9.79m
Jan so far total views: 7.4m

Not seen any email about a shorts fund for last months views though so who knows!

Last video whilst is doing much worse on views, the retention is up to 45%, which is better. I have reduced video length so hoping I can then get people to watch more. That helps things.

Anyway, keep on testing and trying things.

 

[Rroff]

Interesting one on my YT - views spiked a lot on a couple of videos* mid December with viewers specifically searching for it, or similar content, and with high percentage viewed - so most were watching it to the end. It is quite an obscure video which wouldn't easily get mixed up with something else so why 100s of people were suddenly searching for it is a bit of a mystery.

* One of them particularly and then people seem to have gone on to watch the second one which is related content - but not as many.

 

[randomshenans]

Now I need to know the topic...

so why 100s of people were suddenly searching for it is a bit of a mystery.

 

[Quartz]

This just happened!

You got $30 for 15M views? Wow. That's $2 per million views. I really don't know what to say other than that seems pathetic. There are big channels with fewer views. Presumably they have a far greater income. How much is actually monetised.

 

[AndyCr15]

Does that include shorts views? I would assume they don't monetise as well as long form?

 

[randomshenans]

You got $30 for 15M views? Wow. That's $2 per million views. I really don't know what to say other than that seems pathetic. There are big channels with fewer views. Presumably they have a far greater income. How much is actually monetised.

The vast majority of that is shorts views and that is not shown there. Although saying that, the shorts fund seems to be paying me about $200 a month at present which is pretty low for 10m views in a month but hey. The $30 is for regular long form content video views, which are way down in Jan.

 

[OspreyO]

Of all the creators I watch. The key seems to post something at least once a week. Keeps people interested, but primarily because it keeps the YouTube algorithm interested and it will promote your content as a result. I think you get better income too. If the algorithm loses interest it seem to bury your content making it hard for even subscribers to find it. Most seem to spend a long time doing it 40~60hrs a week creating, editing content.

I've always been interested in it, but I know I'd never be able to generate that much content.

 

[randomshenans]

I've always been interested in it, but I know I'd never be able to generate that much content.

Yea, this is it too. I am trying... and the key, I think you're right, is consistency! So I'm trying to post shorter videos tues and thurs but it's not just getting the time to do the stuff, but it's also the cost! When it's not being funded by YT it's all out of pocket. I know it's my hobbie and I allot X per month to that, but when you spread that out to, now, 8 videos, that's a budget of 32EURs a video (I give myself about 250 a month for "parts/hobbie stuff") which you know... ha

Either way, I have some stuff lined up. I have some new coilovers coming, some oil and remaining parts for the Audi. Let's see how far I get this weekend and see if I can film a video for next Thurs!

 

[PermaChanged]

I don't want to put words in @Steedie mouth (but wanted to make sure he saw this thread!), but I believe he's taking content creation a little more seriously now, in what I believe to be a niche market.

 

[randomshenans]

I don't want to put words in @Steedie mouth (but wanted to make sure he saw this thread!), but I believe he's taking content creation a little more seriously now, in what I believe to be a niche market.

Yea man, I have seen. I love his setup and subscribed the other day haha Good on him!