50,000,000 views

[QinReno]

In about 3 more days, Nomadic Fanatic will go over 50-million views. I think that must be some sort of record for RV nomads. I believe he was at RTR last january. Probably showing off his cat.
https://www.youtube.com/user/nomadicfanatic/videos

 

[John61CT]

Assuming one does not care about social media as a business or income opportunity,

gets zero entertainment from watching, only looking for valuable information, and

time-efficiency is important,

Does such a statistic

A. mean well worth going to watch their VDOs

B. best to avoid them

or

C. has no bearing on the value of the content

?

 

[highdesertranger]

ever since he said you couldn't get propane in Nevada, I don't watch him. drama queen. highdesertranger

 

[RoamerRV428]

never heard of him but thanks for posting, I will check it out. Many have big rv life adventures, some just like to do the video/social thing. Something I would never do but I do find some of the people who post that stuff as enjoyable/interesting etc. Many give great info, some is just fluff, everyone can weed out their own and what suits them. A lot of people in this world, everyone does their own thing

 

[QinReno]

ever since he said you couldn't get propane in Nevada,  I don't watch him.  drama queen.  highdesertranger

I don't consider Fanatic much of a drama queen, although he spouts off now and then on minor crap. Compare to Tami, the real drama queen - she's had about 600,000 total views of her 200 videos, and 1/2 of those views came from her very "last" video about quitting RV life. After 4-years, she may have suddenly found the missing formula. Oh woe is me.

 OTOH, Fanatic is getting 100,000 views per week of his new videos. He travels like a maniac to interesting places. One can see all the places that one will never go to. Fanatic and RV Carolyn (at 14,000,000 views) at least are entertaining much of the time.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfqr5I-0RKK8Ha1PeKi0_ig/videos

 

[LivGolden]

Q- When you 'subscribe' to a Channel, what does that entail? Is pay-for-view? Do you receive alerts?

 

[QinReno]

I haven't subscribed to any channels, so don't know what it actually does. I just click on the videos, all free. Plus I usually run them at 1.5X speed, and fast-forward a lot. RV Carolyn is having a good time.

 

[LivGolden]

Thanks

 

[AMGS3]

^^^^^LivGolden

When you subscribe to a YouTube channel it doesn't cost anything. Subscribing 'signs you up' so when that channel has a new video you get alerts if you are set up for them. You can customize whether or not you get notified of new videos. If you just subscribe (without notifications) the channels are easier to find later if you are looking for previously watched vids from a channel you like.

^^^^^QinReno

I didn't realize you could play in fast forward. I'm going to have to look into that. Thanks!

~angie

Sent from my VS501 using Tapatalk

 

[tx2sturgis]

I didn't realize you could play in fast forward. I'm going to have to look into that. Thanks!

Yes and use the skip forward (right arrow) or slide the play head on a LOT of these long-winded youtubers. 

One way to save time and have a laugh is to watch Camo Dave, he reviews the 'bottom of youtube', and interjects a lot of gentle satire at the same time...

 

[QinReno]

I set the 1.5X speed in the "Settings" menu, and to fast-forward, I just keep clicking on the slider bar on the bottom of the screen.

 

[Jack]

I quit watching Nomadic Fanatic when he got too involved with drama and accusations against other van life channels.  (Especially when he's had the same done to him and how he reacted to it.)  Why folks can't have their own channel and mind their own business is beyond me.  I started out subscribing to many channels but quickly started unsubscribing to the ones...

A.  I couldn't relate to, such as the Instagram model types who pretend van life is nothing but vacations, acting like game show hosts.  
B.  That criticize others.  There's a woman who calls folks 'Glam'Mads' and says that they're "not real nomads" like her.  But, she's not a nomad by definition.  She has a permanent house and only goes out part-time.  (i.e., hypocrite.)
C.  That are overly sponsored with product reviews.  I'm not against making money from social media (though I have no social media accounts of my own right now).  It's a great gig if you can get it.  But, when the channel becomes more about the money than it does the experience, I'm not interested.  When I decided to live the van life, I thought for sure I'd create a YouTube channel to try to support myself.  But, I don't do drama and I don't do fake.  Weighing the pros and cons of having a YouTube channel, I'm currently undecided.  As a hermit, at this present time, I'm not sure I want to open myself up to the crap.  I also don't think people are entitled to all the details of your life just because you're on YouTube.

I'm interested in folks being real.  Fortunately, I've found a few channels I enjoy and they're from different age groups. I watch at 1.25 or 1.5 speed. My biggest gripe about these channels is that I wish folks who upload videos could equalize the volume. The music is already freakishly loud which I find annoying.

 

[wanderin.pat]

It is my understanding (I can not prove this, since I haven't tried it) that YouTube will "monetize" your "brand" based on number of views, total elapsed time of views, and subscriptions.  They actually will pay you.  

If you watch some of YouTube's Creator Academy video , they encourage one to use titles that attract attention.  As we've all noticed, some creators also use avatars for their videos that may not even be in the video.  Hence the term "click bait".  

So, the "kicked out of campground", "my LAST video" titles attract attention, which is what YouTube encourages.  

I've learned how to do some incredible things on YouTube.  I watched a LOT of Bob's videos in 2016, as I prepared to live on the road.  I've learned how to fix my car, truck, trailer, generator, etc.... I just have to be disciplined enough to ignore the click bait.  

It's like going grocery shopping and forcing yourself to ignore the items on the "impulse purchase" shelves , right at the checkout stand. 

Regards,

WP

 

[justbreathe]

...

 

[tx2sturgis]

It is my understanding (I can not prove this, since I haven't tried it) that YouTube will "monetize" your "brand" based on number of views, total elapsed time of views, and subscriptions.  They actually will pay you.  

You can sign up to have your YouTube channel, or only certain videos, 'monetized', but it's optional.

When you do, you can make money, a little at first, but as you grow your audience, you can start making more money.

Of course, with YouTube, they call the shots, and if you upload videos that they deem not 'advertiser-friendly' then they can 'de-monetize' your videos.

Google will be your Boss.

 

[closeanuf]

I agree with several things Jack said.  If you want to make videos make videos, but quit bitching about how hard it is and just do it.  If it's too hard do something else already.  But I do like youtube when I'm trying to figure out how to do something I'm not familiar with.  I take the information I find and run it by someone I know to see if I'm on the right track.  I don't do drama queens.

 

[QinReno]

I don't know how accurate this is, but you can get some rough idea of how much youtubers are compensated. Enter someone's channel into the search window.
https://socialblade.com/youtube/

 

[tx2sturgis]

I don't know how accurate this is, but you can get some rough idea of how much youtubers are compensated. 

It only missed my youtube income by $170 a year.

I earn nothing from youtube and it shows I earn as high as $170 a year.

 

[Jack]

Social Blade can be really accurate.  It doesn't use facts, but an algorithm, but even that depends on the YouTuber.  When I was researching starting a channel, I learned that how much money I make depends greatly on how well I play YouTube's game.  Sadly, that includes semi-clickbait-ish titles, explosive keywords, being their definition of advertiser-friendly, and their preferences for how much/often you upload content.  

You can still make decent money on YouTube.  For a van lifer, you can do pretty well with just a few thousand subscribers.  I'm not going to lie, this appeals to me because, for me, it's much better than trading my time for money at a 9 to 5.  That's just my preference based on my experiences.  But, there is a certain element of selling-out to do it.  

No matter what you do, though, there's always give and take.  Good and bad.  Freedom vs The Machine.  So, for me it comes down to this:  A 9-to-5 (trading time for money) vs Freedom of my Time (still working, but on my own terms).  Oh!  Another thing I've learned?  There's an audience for everyone and everything... no matter how overdone, obscure, or obsolete.

I chose van life, and all that goes with it, because I want the freedom of my own time.  I've been a good boy and played the game long enough, and it got me nowhere.  Whether it's YouTube or not, I will be working for myself in a self-employed, entrepreneurial way.  Oh!  Another thing I've learned?  There's an audience for everyone and everything... no matter how obscure, overdone or obsolete.

 

[wanderin.pat]

...

I chose van life, and all that goes with it, because I want the freedom of my own time.  I've been a good boy and played the game long enough, and it got me nowhere.  Whether it's YouTube or not, I will be working for myself in a self-employed, entrepreneurial way.  Oh!  Another thing I've learned?  There's an audience for everyone and everything... no matter how obscure, overdone or obsolete.

I hear you, and you certainly have the right to do it.  What I get very tired of is those who seem to merely attract viewers for the apparent cause of making money.  If you add value to viewers, I say thank you.  I've benefited from MANY YouTuber's advice and tutorials.  There's a lot of exceptional content online.  But there's also a tremendous amount of self-serving crap.  I bemoan that fact.  OTOH, I'm not in favor of censorship in this regard.  "Let the buyer beware"... 

I've said it many times before:  I'm on the road primarily because of Bob Wells and the helpful folks on this forum.  Also, Enigmatic Nomadics, JiminDenver , masterplumber, HDR and many others.  

They've added value, and deserve to be rewarded for it.