TubeTalk: Your YouTube How-To Guide
TubeTalk tackles the questions that real YouTubers are asking. Each week we discuss how to make money on YouTube, how to get your videos discovered, how to level up your gaming channel, or even how the latest YouTube update is going to impact you and your channel. If you've ever asked yourself, "How do I grow on YouTube?" or "Where can I learn how to turn my channel into a business?" you've come to the right podcast! TubeTalk is a vidIQ production. To learn more about how we help YouTube creators big and small, visit https://vidIQ.com
TubeTalk: Your YouTube How-To Guide
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The mysterious world behind having a successful YouTube channel isn't always what it seems. As Travis and Jen reunite after their in-studio recording sessions, they dive deep into the psychological realities that come with growing as a creator.
Jen opens up about her new role producing content for the main channel, sharing a surprisingly vulnerable moment about re-recording videos multiple times because they didn't feel authentic to her voice. This sparks a fascinating conversation about creative identity and how easily creators can lose themselves trying to match what they think content "should" be rather than what feels natural.
The duo tackles a question about channel impersonators, revealing the dark side of YouTube success when scammers create fake accounts to exploit your audience. They share practical advice for protecting your community while acknowledging the frustrating reality that these bad actors are increasingly sophisticated. It's a sobering reminder that growth comes with unexpected responsibilities.
Perhaps most enlightening is their candid discussion about the metrics that actually matter. Contrary to what most new creators believe, subscriber counts have become increasingly irrelevant in the modern YouTube ecosystem. With algorithms effectively serving content regardless of subscription status, the hosts argue that view duration and engagement hold far more value than that once-coveted subscriber milestone. As Travis puts it: "Subscribing is irrelevant," a statement that might shock those still chasing those numbers.
Both hosts reflect on their personal journeys, with Jen confessing, "I cried harder at 100,000 views than a million views," highlighting how those early achievements always feel more significant than later, larger ones. It's a powerful reminder to appreciate each step of your creator journey rather than constantly chasing the next benchmark.
Join our Discord community through the link in the description to connect with fellow creators and participate in our monthly live recording sessions where you can ask questions directly!
hey, welcome to the only podcast that loves you more than you love yourself. I'm travis and I'm here with jen hi everybody we are back in our own abodes. That's a special way of saying homes homes yeah home. We're back home, which is, you know, cool, and I think it was cooler when we were hanging out in person, though I think it was.
Speaker 2:I think we should do it again. I am pumped on my coat's a little new corner, but the studio vibe was unmatched.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree, and we had a great time even afterwards, where we got something to eat, which was cool this little place across the street, which was really fun, and I agree.
Speaker 1:I think we will do it again very soon, so keep an eye out for that. If you're new here, welcome to the only podcast in the world that is about candy and growing your YouTube channel all at the same time. I mean almost literally. My name is Travis and Jen is here and we just talk about how to grow your channel and then various random things. If you want to leave us a message, you can do so. If you're listening to the audio podcast, you'll see a link in there that gives you a chance to text message us, or you can email us at theboostatvidiqcom, where we answer your questions, which we will be doing today. However, it's funny right before we went on the air, I was talking to Jen about one of the upcoming videos she has that's coming out on the main channel. I guess I might be having a little spot in it as well and um, it's true, travis does have a little.
Speaker 1:I don't even want to give it away, we'll just say cameo and some of the other podcasts favorite listeners uh john, I think, will be in it as well, which is fun. So what has it been like so far to uh be on the main channel with your own video ideas and your own videos, like you've already had one. It was released. The thumbnail was fire. I thought it was great. I loved it um what? What has that process been like for you so far?
Speaker 2:it's been really interesting. I feel I have to keep reminding myself like this is a new job. Like this is a new position. Like I'm in an entirely new department, working with everybody is new. Like there's no crossover from my last position and it's weird to face, you know, some of the things that are easy to overlook in terms of being a creator. But like now this is a this is a job. Like this is a full-time job. Like I have, you know, responsibilities in ways that I want to prove myself, in ways that I want to establish myself on the main channel and like also just like show up and be. Like I promise I'm good at my job.
Speaker 2:I swear, I promise you but then there's also pressures that come in with like the youtube thing, like travis and I were just talking about. Like I re-recorded a video three times and I'll be the first person to tell you, like, don't even re-record it. I mean re-record if you have to right, but three times wow that's a lot embarrassing.
Speaker 1:I think the only time I've ever had to record something three times is when there was a technical issue, like the audio didn't record or the video went out of sync or something that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:I would tell people no, no, unless there was literally something wrong with it, I'm sure it's fine, Grow past it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree, which I would. I hate it, but you know, inevitably, and this tends to be true, the last time you do it ends up being the best time, because you've done it so many times it, you've done it so many times it was the best Was it Like I had the scripts like very, very easily memorized and of course, that's something that I'm working on and it was.
Speaker 2:I just didn't like the first two editions and I rewrote the script every time. I rewrote or redid the video because it just didn't feel right. And, like I said, you still have to kind of go with those creative instincts too, where I'm like I just don't think this is at the level that I want it to be at, and no outside pressure coming in being like hey, you need to redo that. I was just like no, this is me trying to get better at what I'm doing, trying to be really happy with what I'm at, even though I do need to remember like this is new.
Speaker 1:Right, of course, Give yourself some grace. Yes.
Speaker 2:I know I have to talk myself back down, but crazy.
Speaker 1:Well, I think that actually lends itself to some advice to creators, because this is something that goes along with what you're trying to accomplish at the end goal, right, like what is the end goal? So the end goal for this podcast, specifically, is to help creators and kind of give you a new outlet and a new community to hang out with people, like-minded people, and just have fun, like that's what this is all about, learning along the way and having a community that we can all get along with and y'all do that. Speaking of community, ironically our first kind of comment comes in from a text message and, by the way, we got a lot of text messages and emails from the since the last time we were live, actually the last time you and I were in person. So I just want to say that we're going to be behind on some of these. So over the next couple of weeks, you may not see, we might not even get to all of them, but if you send in a message and you're like, oh, this is a really good question really, when you know this, you might actually have to wait a couple episodes because we're probably going to do some of them in person, which will be I think it'll be even more fun.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, so don't worry if you send it in and you're like this is a really important question. I haven't heard it. It's been three episodes. Don't worry, if it's good, we're going to get to it. So the first one is how do we get to the Discord for the vidIQ community? This is great, because one of the things Jen and I are doing is, once a month, we're going to recording episodes and talking to you listeners. Hello.
Speaker 2:Back and forth. Ah, so fun.
Speaker 1:That was so much fun and you can ask us questions directly. Now the link for the Discord is actually in the show notes and in the description for the video, so you can't miss it.
Speaker 1:Apparently this person missed it, I don't know because the link to yeah, the link to send the text message is just a little bit above the link for the discord. But what is discord? Some people don't know. It's a. It's a you could say it's software but really you can use it in a browser as well, where people thing and the vid iq community is really cool because it actually has um, a group of creators that all want to grow at the same time and there's a lot of really smart people in there. They can help you 24 7. There's people in there all the time and we have our own little channel for the podcast where we go in there and reach a chat and we we share memes it's just fun to have creator friends too, like other people that just get it yes, and I think that's something that um I've said this before, I think on this show, one of the reasons that this thing even exists is because of that exact thing.
Speaker 1:I had that coming up in a discord with other friends creator friends. I thought it was such an important part of my journey that I wanted other people to have that same experience, and now you can have it and, like I said, jen and I go in there and we're gonna do an episode. I think we're recording it in a week or so, but by the time you hear this, probably the same week, you just got to be in there, who knows you just got to be in there all the time, and then we'll just pop up and be like hey, we're recording an episode, come and ask us questions.
Speaker 2:You never know. We're gonna pop in and do all kinds of stuff shenanigans First email of the week from Connor hey Tren.
Speaker 1:It's Connor.
Speaker 2:Oh, my gosh Two N's too, I love it.
Speaker 1:It's got to be right Because you know, jen, you have two N's.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's so funny, though, Like it just makes sense.
Speaker 1:It's the best of all worlds.
Speaker 2:Way to go, Connor. We're impressed already.
Speaker 1:From the windy city of Chicago. I've never been to Chicago. I've always wanted to go. The pizzas sound amazing. Before we get to my question, I just need to say after hearing you guys talk about candy corn, I had to chime in. I remember the night of Halloween when I would try to get as much candy corn as possible is by far the best candy.
Speaker 2:I see, I knew I loved Connor.
Speaker 1:Nah, bro, that's not it. Okay, time for my question. I have a bird channel, just like my friend who actually just emailed recently. I think that sounds vaguely familiar Someone had a bird channel.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, let's go.
Speaker 1:I'm using his computer, so don't tell him.
Speaker 2:What this is getting sketch.
Speaker 1:This is very sketch, very sus right now and I post funny clips that are mainly shorts. Unlike my friend, I have 200 subs when he only has 95. Wow, and you're using his computer. Hello, I have started to try to do more long-form content recently and I'm only doing it so I can get closer to monetization. My main goal on YouTube is to make money in the next year and I think 4,000 watch hours will be easier than 10 million shorts views. I agree with this. I personally agree with that statement. Am I wrong? I don't know.
Speaker 1:Is there a way to make shorts more viral, since I always get between 1,000 and 6,000 views per short and I don't think I can post more? I can post 10 shorts a day as I already have a full-time job. First of all, 1,000 to 6,000 views for short is great. Like that's for 200 subscribers. That's crazy and more than trying to help you with, like, how to make your shorts better, we need to go back to remember the 50 views thing. We did a couple, like a couple weeks ago and people love that episode. 6,000 views on a short is very difficult. It's hard for people who are new to YouTube to understand what that, what that actually means and how hard that is to get. You also have to remember the way they're counting shorts. Now it's different, so that's the other thing.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, that's right.
Speaker 1:I was reminded of this when I recently uploaded a short on this channel and it was like hey, it's like a 1 out of 10. It tells you, but we count shorts differently. But you know, we talked about this whole thing about what's the number doing. It's making you feel better about yourself, but regardless 6, you feel better about yourself, but regardless 6 000, whether it's the quote, engage views or whatever the views are well, it'll be the new normal now, so it'll be easy for them to compare.
Speaker 1:Yeah, at some point, yeah, it'll all be the same, but regardless, um, that's a lot and you have to understand that. Like getting a whole bunch of tens of thousands of millions of views on a short, it's just, it's the top of the top, of the top percentage. You just, you just don't see it very often. Does it mean it won't happen to you? No, it might. You might get one that pops off or whatever, and it could be great. But the normal reality that most people experience isn't even what you're seeing. It's less than what you're seeing. It's hundreds of you know it's.
Speaker 1:It's so hard for creators to see this, though, like so so hard yeah all they can focus in a lot of the time is just the big, big views yeah, I need to get a shirt that says 50 views is amazing and just like have a really cool design and have a badass and whatnot. Yeah, because, again, I don't want to say that you, you should only be short shooting for low views. That's not what I'm saying. But what I'm saying is, when you get something like that, I think it's just hard for people to understand that that's a lot. Six thousand on a short, especially consistently, is a lot. Five, one thousand, it doesn't matter if you're getting two, that, whatever, that's a lot, and a tremendous amount of creators out there are not even getting that many, so you're already succeeding if you continue to do it it could continue to get bigger.
Speaker 1:It just depends on on what you're doing. So I wouldn't say that we have like here this is how you get more views. I'd say you're actually getting a lot already for 200 subscribers.
Speaker 2:You shouldn't be averaging that many, so you're already winning plus, there is no like secret hack to youtube like that. There's nothing that we could be like here. Here's the most magical thing that's going to make you all the money in the world. That's just not how YouTube works.
Speaker 1:I mean, if it did, I would be doing it first before I told anybody.
Speaker 2:If it did, we'd have one episode here and it would be the end. Everybody would be a YouTube millionaire.
Speaker 1:That would be it. We're like yeah, this is the only episode you will ever see from us, from uh from us and uh congratulations.
Speaker 2:We're all rich now? Don't think that is?
Speaker 1:the episode, but why?
Speaker 2:did they want short strategy if they didn't even want to get monetized on shorts?
Speaker 1:that's what I'm also at like. So why? Yeah, I think they were asking well, it doesn't make sense. Yes, I think it makes sense to do longer form content if you're trying to get monetized, because the hours watch hours would be a little easier than 10 million views in like 90 days focus on the content, not the views.
Speaker 2:Focus on the views.
Speaker 1:You can make bad content look you mic dropping over here, we just got started sorry what are you mic? What are you mic dropping?
Speaker 2:for what's wrong. All right, sorry. All right, let's get sorry, connor connor just got mic dropped.
Speaker 1:All right, hey, jan and Travis, I wanted to send this along to the vidIQ. I saw this on my YouTube app the other day and it was gone in a couple seconds and I had to refresh later. So I created a mock-up, which is not in this image, but I'll explain in a minute. It's a world of just thumbnails, no titles, no view count, channel names or date published. Maybe you guys are aware I just want to the edge on the update, just in case, not. So what this was is an image of and I've seen this before. I think most of us have seen this where you open up the vid IQ app, or not, to vid IQ, but the YouTube app, and all you see is thumbnails, right Like. You don't see the titles, you just have to choose the video based on that. Now, this is probably a test that YouTube is rolling out on mobile, because every once in a while they'll test these things. This is something that doesn't surprise me, I've never seen that You've never seen this.
Speaker 1:No, I've seen it once or twice and they do tests like this all the time. And I've said for a long time as soon as YouTube can figure out a way to not show view counts, they will. I've said this for years now.
Speaker 2:I know we have talked about this.
Speaker 1:And I honestly think it's a good idea. Definitely, and we've had this discussion before. Not everyone agrees with me, but they're wrong. I feel like this would be good for smaller channels, because then you're not competing on. Did your view? Is your video only have 13 views? Your video might be the best one on youtube with 13 views no one knows, um, but I I thought it was interesting.
Speaker 1:No channel names are day published and stuff like that um where it's just the thumbnail I don't know if just a thumbnail makes sense. I think the title I think you need to have a title to to make this make sense. But they're going to test all of this. They're literally going to test every single way to simplify the choice for a viewer until they perhaps one day make long form, just like shorts, where they just throw it in your face and then you swipe. Would that be terrifying, or what?
Speaker 2:I know We've talked through so many of these situations and I feel like my answers stay the same for the most part. But I do feel like with the views showing, like I was very like views should show and now I'm kind of like I don't know. I feel like the way I've been watching YouTube recently for like the past several months, like I don't even know sometimes like what the views are on videos maybe how important is that?
Speaker 2:tv viewing thing where that is less. I think it's actually maybe more the intention of why I'm watching a video, whether I care or not. Like if I'm looking for something, I want credibility behind it. If I just browsing, it, doesn't matter to me.
Speaker 1:So here's if you're watching on the YouTube channel, you're watching the podcast. You can see it now. I'd put it on screen real quick. This is kind of what he was saying. This is a mock-up of it. It's just these videos, that's it.
Speaker 2:You don't see anything else. So interesting See. I agree I. Otherwise we have to change the way we're doing thumbnails.
Speaker 1:Yes, we would have to put more actual text in the thumbnail there needs to be more content.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly Like it has to have a title in there, which is like what we try to avoid now, so that it compliments the title. But I do think there could be a world where that's switch kind of edited into one.
Speaker 1:I'm trying to think of how Netflix does it, because a lot of times netflix will will change the thumbnail of their movies and stuff often, but the layout always changes. They're always trying to optimize to keep people on platform as long as possible. It does seem like if this is something that they're going to do, they are shortifying the selection of long form videos, but this is on phone, I assume right, because it looked like the format was on phone even on tv, is very similar to netflix, where they're categorized as you scroll down.
Speaker 1:Sure, yeah, they are. Yes, that's true, I don't know if it's like that on desktop well, that's. I watch a lot of desktop too, um, and not like that. So you know if I look at mine right now. Um, it is just a bunch of video. I mean you can see everything. You see the views, you can see when it was uploaded.
Speaker 1:You definitely get a lot of suggested content. You do get shorts. That's funny. We did get a lot of comments from when you and I were in the studio we talked about watching shorts on tv, yeah, and there were comments about people saying, yeah, my kids do watch shorts on tv. I knew knew it.
Speaker 2:It's a younger generation thing. Target TV shorts if you're going for. I don't even think it is Gen Z, I don't know what generation.
Speaker 1:What is it? I don't know what they are anymore Gen Alpha. Is that a? Thing?
Speaker 2:I think it. I don't know. Oh my God, did I make that up?
Speaker 1:That's gross. I don't think I made that up.
Speaker 2:It. I don't think I made that up. It's probably true. Actually, do I have to Google this now, is that?
Speaker 1:what's happening? I don't think I made that up. Gen Alpha oh it came up.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, generation.
Speaker 1:Alpha is the generation of people born between 2010 and last year, 2024.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow. Oh my gosh, we have another generation Whoa.
Speaker 1:Bro, what are we doing? What was the one before Alpha?
Speaker 2:I think it was Gen Z Is it?
Speaker 1:so in from Gen Z to Gen A. Oh, so I just found a chart from Wikipedia. Okay, there's the silent generation, lost generation, which is 1883 to 1900.
Speaker 2:The greatest GI generation 1901.
Speaker 1:I think these are made up. I'm looking at it, it's on Wikipedia, it has to be true. 1901 to 1901. I think these are made up. I'm looking at it, it's on Wikipedia, it has to be true. 1901 to 1927. The silent generation from 28 to 45. Baby boomers, which is the first one I had ever heard of. I hadn't heard of silent generation 46 to 64. Generation X, which I guess I had no idea, 65 to 80. Millennials generation Y is 81 to 96. Zoomers, generation z is 97 to 2012 and alpha is 2013 to mid 20s what's after that?
Speaker 2:what's in 2025?
Speaker 1:well, so they could still be considered alpha because technically we're in the middle of the 20s and they'll probably change it. Why did they do this? Who decides when? Who?
Speaker 2:decides this stuff.
Speaker 1:I don't know.
Speaker 2:I don't know.
Speaker 1:I think this is all wacky, I think it's crazy, I think.
Speaker 2:Travis just submitted this to Wikipedia.
Speaker 1:Bro, I should just make the thing up. I'm saying what's going on, what's?
Speaker 2:going on the fact that you said Zoomer. I'm like I've never heard that word in my life.
Speaker 1:You haven't, I have.
Speaker 2:I actually have heard that you definitely just made that up.
Speaker 1:No, it's a real word. I've actually heard that. I'm surprised you haven't heard that.
Speaker 2:Jen Zoomer.
Speaker 1:Jen Zoomer.
Speaker 2:Literally like that's my dog running around with the Zoomies.
Speaker 1:Well, I was just thinking.
Speaker 2:Jen J name, jen zoomer, that's my superhero name bro the next time you do a video and you have your name, put a jen zoomer. Jen zoomer oh my god, that's your new last name that's so funny there's dr savage and jen zoomer oh my gosh, we sound like a back to the future couple that's so true. Yes, bruh, you killing me where are we going for halloween?
Speaker 1:your segue is much better than you think, because I'm gonna show you something right here, this next email. So the subject matter said breakfast is served and again, if you're listening on audio podcast, you're not gonna know. You have to see this on the video. Oh gosh, it's this which is the world's largest Cadbury cream egg. I know you had seen this. It's like a bathtub. Look how big it is. It's so big, I love it. It's so big, I think, cadbury did it?
Speaker 2:Are those Cadbury onesies they're wearing?
Speaker 1:It's wild right.
Speaker 2:Let's get you one of those Travis.
Speaker 1:I would wear it for let's reach out. I don't like Halloween, but I would wear it for Halloween.
Speaker 2:Let's get you a purple Cadbury onesie I dare you?
Speaker 1:because I would do it, I would actually wear it and you think I wouldn't, but I would unironically wear it With the wrapping paper. How do they get the wrapping paper all big and everything? Look at this of wild, because I love the cabaret eggs. But this might actually in person gross me out a little bit because I look at it.
Speaker 2:That's interesting. I don't know how I can do like a science experiment. They're gonna crack it open with a hammer and it's just literally gonna flood out like a volcano yeah, it's again.
Speaker 1:It's a delicious treat, but when I look at it like this, it almost kind of grosses me out shouldn't be scaled to this size yeah, you're not wrong.
Speaker 1:Okay, we'll move on from that. Uh, the next test text message was hi, my channel. My channel has been doing really well and I found out someone was impersonating me. Oh, contacting my subscribers, referencing their comments from my page and trying to sell them a mentorship or other fake email with my name on it. Other than warning my subscribers posting videos, anything I can do about. Thanks for all your help. Remember this. Like a year or two ago this was happening a lot Yep In people's comments.
Speaker 2:Yep, I think I misunderstood this at first. All contest giveaways, like everything.
Speaker 1:It was and, I guess, continues to be, terrible, and YouTube has been trying to fight it for years. Um, so, for the, for those who don't know maybe they're not either the channel isn't big enough or they haven't seen a channel where this has happened. Uh, there's these impersonators, scammers, that will come into your comment section, make a uh, an avatar that looks like your channel and then say hey, you know, you've won a contest or you know, contact me here and you can, you know, win this, and they pretend to be you and typically, typically, we'll get them on WhatsApp or something like that and we'll scam them out of money.
Speaker 2:Ask for information.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and then eventually like oh, you've won this thing, but you got to pay me money to ship it to you, which is wild, and I know friends that have had that happen to their channels. And then they end up getting viewers saying I just spent, I sent you money, where's my gift? And like what are you talking about? Like you, just you know, this happened a lot. I think two years ago or so I thought it kind of had calmed down, but obviously scammers want money, so we'll figure out new ways of doing it and I put in my upload defaults. At the time I'd put in a whole disclaimer and even some people made videos about it in a little disclaimer and even some people made videos about it. But it doesn't matter, because not everyone sees every single video.
Speaker 1:This is kind of the problem with this you can make community posts and everything you do, all those things. Inevitably, if you have enough viewers and stuff especially people that are connected to you and really love your content someone's gonna get scammed, probably, right you just? Have to keep removing the comments, which is terrible, because youtube was doing a terrible job at it when this first happened. Um, so it's kind of put on the creators. Do you remember all this, jen?
Speaker 2:oh yeah, I mean you can try to target words that will be blocked in the comments. If you're seeing something, I feel like it's a tough one because they're not really anything like super alarming. Maybe even language like I don't know. I was going to say like send, like, send me anything that's going to be like directly requesting information.
Speaker 1:I put like WhatsApp, because that was something.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a good one.
Speaker 1:But they kept getting smarter and smarter and changing the wording.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's the thing. Like you can't, you can do your best, but you can't save the whole world from being scammed.
Speaker 1:No, yeah, this is the unfortunate reality of being online and so there's a lot we've I love. This is one of the things I love talking about when we're doing these, these episodes. It's just like all the things you don't know about having a successful youtube channel and the things that come along with it. Uh, and this is one of those things where you know, especially if you really have worked hard and gathered a community that you really appreciate, and you see they're getting scammed. You feel bad and like helpless and like YouTube, help me, like what's going on. How come? You know, why is this happening? Why? Why can't you do anything to to help help? And and they do, they are trying to help, but these scammers are so smart and, yeah, it's one of the one of the bad sides of having a successful channel.
Speaker 1:This is actually interesting. So tell, what else can you think of off the top of your head, or even if you think about it. Jen is a little unknown about having a successful YouTube channel. Like what's the? We hear about the good things, but what's like a bad thing?
Speaker 1:In terms of like outside things like coming in Anything Like, for example, maybe having less time with your friends, literally so many. Name, one name, one, name one.
Speaker 2:Redoing your video three times because you don't think it's good enough. There you go. You have to shoot your video three times because you don't think it's good enough.
Speaker 1:There you go. You have to shoot your video three times because you're a perfectionist and a little bit crazy.
Speaker 2:Actually, you want to know what it wasn't actually about. Perfectionism, because I'm very easy to like look past mistakes and stuff and be like get them next time, tiger. But it didn't feel like it was me. I did not like how it came out. I don't think that I projected myself the way that I want to or feel confident in, like it felt rigid, it felt like scripted. It just didn't feel like something that I watched and was like oh, that feels good and the creativity factor versus the perfectionist, because the version I did there's gonna be tons of mistakes in there too, but for me it's not about that. It was just looking at it and being like, okay, that's not the kind of content that I make.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Which is something that is very easy to get caught up in as a creator. That's a downside of being on the platform Like you lose yourself as a creator constantly, you lose your personality, you lose your vision, your direction. No-transcript, that's it.
Speaker 1:yeah, you know, it's funny because I agree with this in so many different ways and I remember there's been only a couple times, not a lot, but sometimes where I'm in the middle of shooting something and it feels so wrong in some way that I just I don't even want to say the words, and then I just stop and I'm like I'm not, this wasn't good, this isn't gonna happen.
Speaker 1:And then I just stop and I don't, I don't finish it, I don't edit it, it's it's only gonna happen a couple times. But if you ever feel that when you're shooting something probably follow that feeling yeah, it's not gonna come out good yeah like.
Speaker 2:So there's definitely a lot of I don't know if I would say like toxic behaviors when it comes to that, but there's a lot of time you're gonna try to force something that's just not natural or how you would normally do, something just from the way like you feel like you should do it, yeah, or a way even you're just like subconsciously influenced to do it just by what everybody else is doing. I feel like that weighs down, like that bleeds into so many different areas on YouTube in general.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, I mean, look at the end of the day, until you're there, it's hard to. We can say all these things and then in the moment you might recognize oh yeah, okay, I remember when Travis and Jen talked about this feeling. When you feel it, you'll know. When you feel it, you'll know when you're in the middle doing a video and you just feel like when you were a kid and your parents made you eat broccoli or you take medicine and you're like this just isn't really.
Speaker 2:That's the feeling I'm talking about specifically and it might be a good moment to stop and think of something else, like we're creatives on this side, like it has to feel creatively in the right direction, creatives on the side, like it has to feel creatively in the right direction. And if you just kind of feel like a, you know well, I would say paid actor but not paid an unpaid actor in your own show.
Speaker 1:The things are not lining up yeah, don't force it when you don't have.
Speaker 2:Yeah no, you should watch back your content and be like that's amazing.
Speaker 1:So this is interesting. We briefly have mentioned this once before, but there is an entire episode. It might be two, but there's certainly one episode that you and I shot to completion and never released. And I know some people are like, really I didn't realize that. Or some people who have been listening for a long time might be like oh yeah, I remember hearing about that and why didn't we? So I think this whole, you know this channel specifically and the podcast itself. When I was brought on to do this stuff, one of the things I said is I want to do it with Jen specifically, because I knew Jen was amazing, but I also wanted to do it with Jen, because I respect her opinion on things right.
Speaker 1:We don't always agree on everything.
Speaker 2:We agree on a lot of things, especially not candy.
Speaker 1:I fight all the time, especially not candy. We definitely don't agree on that. But we have our quarterly fight right, that's true, but I feel like you know you also don't. I think sometimes working with someone who agrees with every single thing you say is not a good thing either.
Speaker 2:Like oh, sometimes working with someone who agrees with every single thing you say is not a good thing either. Like, oh, yeah, you got it right. You got it right, no wait, I know. I think we balance each other like that like neither one of us is just like yeah, go ahead. Sure, yeah, do that. I like that idea yeah.
Speaker 1:So that video that we did, I was like oh, that's pretty cool, it's a good idea, and jen was like I don't. After we were done, I think jen like I don't know if I feel comfortable with that and we had a discussion about it and ultimately, you know, I think we both were like, well, I was like I don't agree and you wouldn't agree, felt that my side of it was more, was less rational about why I liked it versus jen's feeling for why she didn't like it, right. So I had to take myself out of my shoes and go are you saying that you like it because you think it's actually good or because you just like the subversiveness of it? And I was honest with myself and I'm like I like the subversiveness of it and what Jen was saying made a lot of sense why she didn't like it. And I'm like I can't argue those points.
Speaker 1:So, okay, we're not going to do it. So it is a video that never existed, or it exists, but you never see it. I think it's a really cool little thing. That's in our history that most people don't know and now people listen episode will know more about. But I think that's something that happens in your growth, of your your content creation career, if you want?
Speaker 2:yes, absolutely, and it's not like a bad thing, like sure it sucks. I mean, we took the time, we made that it. You know, you put it all together and then you, you know it never, never sees the internet, but that's okay.
Speaker 1:Because it's okay.
Speaker 1:The thing is is, when I thought through some of your thoughts and rationalization of it, the other side of it is like what could be the impact of this on the negative side of things, if we release this and there might be some risks in that and I'm not, I wasn't really willing to take the risk of the bad stuff just to make get another piece of content out, and sometimes you have to think about that when you're making videos, like if you make, if you make a commentary video about another YouTuber this is very close to me because I had done this in the past when I was first coming up Another larger YouTubers commentary video might not be slamming them, but you might be talking about them in a not like super positive way.
Speaker 1:You have to think about a couple things. Number one what does that make that other youtuber feel like? If you put yourself in their shoes? Some other person makes a video about you that maybe is not flattering. Is that something you would like to happen to you? Um, is it worth the potential toxicity of getting into that subject on your own channel when you might be a positive channel overall? Is that worth it? That's something I've also had to deal with in the past.
Speaker 2:So it's the exact same situation.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I you know, in thinking I was like nah, it's not worth it. So think about that in your own content creation, no matter what you're doing, whether it be gaming or you know how to, how tos maybe maybe you do a how-to channel and you're like you really hate a specific brand of tool. Maybe this screwdriver sucks right. But what if you got a bunch of viewers that love your content but love that screwdriver brand and they see you dunking on it and they're like I don't like this guy. He hates my screwdriver brand.
Speaker 2:He hates my favorite screwdriver, Bro. That screwdriver's awesome.
Speaker 1:We would never be friends. We will never be you. I thought I was gonna have you over for dinner.
Speaker 2:Now you, like my screwdriver, can't have you over so it's it's so true, though, and I think there it depends on how it's delivered through. That, like you could definitely be, like, I don't like this yeah sure I say I don't like things all the time of course I don't like cadbury eggs I know you said this we're not giving the Cadbury endorsement, like we were going to. They don't even need to. We talk about them. Enough for free.
Speaker 1:Why would we sponsor you? You do it for free, ah, damn.
Speaker 2:Right, which is fine to say, like you love or dislike something. So it's done in a way where it's kind of this mutual, shared like or dislike yeah but there's definitely a way, like travis is talking about, where it's a super negative thing and you're just playing off of like bad news getting good views, which is a really dark hole to go down yeah, real dark, because it will work every time.
Speaker 1:Yes, and it will drain you every time, unless you just a sociopath who doesn't care about those things. All right, next text message Hello Jen and Travis. My name is Jake, and my wife and I have started a couple's channel called Jade and Jake.
Speaker 2:Let's go. Let's channel called Jade and Jake All right, let's go.
Speaker 1:Let's go, jay and Jay. We have made five videos in the span of three years. I know that's horrible, but giving you all the context, we recently uploaded two new videos and it still broke 100 views on a more edited video where we just sat down and talked to the camera. The problem I'm finding is, while we're getting views and people love how I edit they the problem I'm finding is, while we're getting views and people love how I edit, they aren't subscribing. We have 35 subs now and we'd like to grow that as well as, uh, getting more views. What's the best practices to get people to stay and subscribe? Also, candy corn is not real candy, it's the equivalent of eating a candle, but at least they have different flavors other than gross.
Speaker 2:I agree with that last sentence hold on hold on hold on hold on. Aside from the candy corn situation, here are the two new videos, a part of the five that's my question, because if it's five total, you have 35 subscribers.
Speaker 1:That's a lot better than you think. And even if they aren't, even if that is seven, to get a hundred views on both of those that you're not uploading very often for three years is incredible, incredible.
Speaker 2:Also did they just make the two new videos?
Speaker 1:after like a year. Well, if they have five in the span of three years, so many things. Yeah, there's so many questions, but even the contextually, even without that context, those are great numbers. Now what they're asking is about the subscribe on that. You also have to take into consideration that very likely the vast majority of even those hundred views as people who watch those that might've been the very first video of yours or they watched, and most people do not subscribe on the very first video they watch on a channel?
Speaker 2:Definitely not.
Speaker 1:Very rare.
Speaker 2:That's crazy, that's like crazy.
Speaker 1:That's psychopath.
Speaker 2:That, that really that really is. That's like you know, doing the sock, tying your shoe, putting on your other sock and tying your shoe. That's that level of behavior. Travis you over here. Doing that. Do I need, do I need to know things you know, like you've never seen that thing where people put on like one sock and then put on their shoe and tie it and then put on another sock and that that's literally the same level of psychosis as subscribing to a channel.
Speaker 2:What a banger video you have to have if someone subscribes on the first video first time they've ever seen.
Speaker 1:That's true. And the other thing is there's utility channels I've talked about this a lot that get tons of views but less subscribers. So, for example, how to tie a tie. I mean you get your answer and you're gone. You don't need to subscribe to Joe's Tying YouTube channel, right?
Speaker 2:I was going to say don't talk about Joe's Plumbing Channel, He'll come for you. He's going to come for you again.
Speaker 1:We've already talked about how Jen is subscribed to Joe's Plumbing Channel. So it's not abnormal, especially when you're first starting. Even if your videos are incredible for the first five or whatever, it's going to take time. It's going to take multiple videos and people seeing you multiple times to even subscribe. Of course, remind them, hey, if you're new here, feel you know if you've been here before, subscribe if you're new here. This is what we do. Blah, blah, blah, which you heard me say at the beginning of the podcast. You know, I'm just telling people who are maybe just tripping in hey, this is what we do. We talk about candy and YouTube. That way they know the expectation is set. When we talk about candy, they're like well, they did tell me they were gonna talk about candy. I guess that's a thing Growing.
Speaker 1:YouTube Okay, cool, so they know. But I don't expect them to subscribe for a while. I do eventually hope that they would subscribe or the very least watch all. I'm actually more interested in them watching the videos I am subscribing, but I understand that, like, getting that number up is important as well.
Speaker 2:I'm also. I'm going to say something sassy.
Speaker 1:Oh, please.
Speaker 2:I would love to hear it. Why should someone subscribe if you're not putting out content?
Speaker 1:There you go, boom, drop the, drop the bomb.
Speaker 2:That's why you want people to subscribe to be aware of you putting out content. If you're subscribed, it pops up on your home feed. You have your notifications on. If you're not uploading, what's the point of someone subscribing? Yeah, that's really just what it comes down. That's just what it comes down to, what's in it for them that this is.
Speaker 1:Let's get into this for a second. Why do people subscribe? Because I feel like that is a good subject for, like the overall kind of talking about all this. Which is why do people subscribe? There are multiple reasons. In some countries, they subscribe as just a almost like, a like like oh, this is cool, subscribe, that's that happens a lot in india though just it's. It's a different cultural kind of use of the button.
Speaker 1:Some people subscribe is like a bookmark, like oh, I remember this channel later, let me just subscribe to it and then I can check it later also true yeah, um, and then some people, which I think most people only think about, is like oh, I love this channel, I want to subscribe, but that's not the only reason we hit subscribe. So then the question is how do you get them to subscribe? It's very hard to get them to subscribe you. You want them to want to subscribe. How do you do that? Well, good content, as always, as we always talk about the great non-answer, which is, you know, make great content make good videos make good videos.
Speaker 1:There's your answer. And then letting them know, like what's the expectation for future stuff. If you're making cool stuff that people are going to want to watch, of course they're going to want to subscribe. They're not going to want to miss out on it, Although YouTube does a really good job of continuing to recommend content anyway, but what makes you subscribe?
Speaker 2:I was going to throw in in like at this point where the algorithm is like you could not even be subscribed to channels and you don't even know if you're watching it, it's gonna show up for you yes and then you might have that moment you're like oh, I'm not even subscribed which happens.
Speaker 1:I'm like, oh, I didn't even know because I keep getting the content.
Speaker 2:Yes, well, yeah, exactly because we're prioritizing. You know, viewer, if you're liking something that you're watching, we're going to see more of it.
Speaker 1:Yep.
Speaker 2:Yep, but why do I subscribe? I personally subscribe because I want to see their content pop up on my feed when it's uploaded. If I'm not subscribed, I'm probably not being surfaced every new video that someone's making. They're probably more curated things. If someone's creating, say, even just two types of videos and I'm watching one type, you're probably not going to see the other type with everything else that I'm watching yeah, that would be my assumption. I have no way to like actually track you wouldn't know because you weren't served.
Speaker 1:so how would you know you're not being served?
Speaker 2:the content but I do subscribe to people because I want to see their content. I want to see, like when I log in, like recently uploaded, and see the people that I enjoy watching.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And that might not surface to me for a couple of days or after that goes out, even just in general, if I'm not subscribed.
Speaker 1:I rarely subscribe to channels, but I watch a lot of channels regularly yeah I rarely subscribe because, um weirdly, a lot of times I forget that I'm not subscribed as I've said before I watch a lot on television so it's harder to agree subscribe um. Secondarily, if I'm served all those videos, it never crosses my mind that I'm not subscribed.
Speaker 2:True. And subscribing on TV is like a lot of buttons to click.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you have to like go up, go to channel.
Speaker 2:Go to subscribe.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's, it's a lot. It's not awesome. It's not awesome, okay, but even but even, but even like on desktop or whatever, if I'm being served your newest stuff all the time, I forget that I'm not subscribed. So this is the case with multiple channels that I watch regularly right now and, as a matter of fact, as I'm saying this, I'm realizing that there's channels that I watch all the time that I'm actually not subscribed to, but I see all their stuff, so that's a good thing.
Speaker 2:Well, this, is like when we see in our analytics how many people are not subscribed Exactly. Well, I shouldn't say always, but a lot of time. It's like more than 50%.
Speaker 1:Right, right. And the number to really look at is how many people are watching on the subscribe tab, which is so low that it makes subscribing almost irrelevant.
Speaker 2:Subscribing is irrelevant. Let's talk about that. It is irrelevant.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the number is easy. Let's talk about that. It is irrelevant. Yeah, the number is is, it's easy. So some people are probably listening to their smaller like well, it's easy to say when you have a lot of subscribers. True, if you have a lot of subscribers, or I've done it.
Speaker 2:Okay so, yeah, okay. So let's back this up. I think there's really fun milestones to hit. When it comes to hitting subscribers, yep, but as a culture on YouTube now, subscribers don't matter.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Even when shorts were introduced, subscribers no longer even matter, because shorts can give you so many subscribers so fast that it completely takes away the from the meaning that subscribers used to have.
Speaker 1:Yes, I agree with this. Yeah, I remember when I got my first 10 000 subscribers, I went to etsy and bought a little youtube plaque thing.
Speaker 2:I still have it oh, my gosh, wait, that's so sweet, I can go get it.
Speaker 1:It's over there, maybe I'll show it. But, um, I was because I was so proud of that accomplishment, um, and I, I remember that I actually don't,000. Like I don't even remember it, like what happened?
Speaker 2:I don't remember. I remember the first time that I got 100,000 views. I cried.
Speaker 1:Oh, is that? When you got 100,000 views, you cried I always went by views.
Speaker 2:The first time I got 100,000 views, I cried in a parking lot.
Speaker 1:Really.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was literally so shocked and so happy I just never thought like that would literally ever happen. I cried harder at 100,000 views than a million views. Wow, because I think, like you just get to a point where not that a million views isn't like holy crap.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:It's just like my favorite moment as a creator was still when I had a thousand subscribers getting monetized, like that happened like pretty simultaneous for me, so it's not like I hit a thousand subscribers and then I had to wait it was like six months or something later, like it was very like at the same time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so that was just like greatest day of my life, and then it was hitting a hundred thousand views and like nothing else was as interesting what even came close, because I feel like you hit that next level when you hit a hundred thousand yeah because you have like ten thousand, you know twenty thousand, fifty thousand, it's all like there and it's, it's amazing, it should be celebrated. But then there's like that next level, and I guess you could say a million, it's like that next level too.
Speaker 1:But like a hundred thousand was just like what in the world yeah, and even to be honest and we talked about this before even trying to think of what a thousand in person looks like is still weird. If you go to sporting events, you've seen 20, 30, 40 000 people in the thing and that's astronomical. But even just be in a room with like 50 other people is if they came to watch just you. That's amazing. Like that's. You can make a career off that going around and talking to 50 people at a time. You can do that. So I think sometimes we need to remember that the numbers are interesting and they definitely equate to real people, which is probably the more powerful thing. But everyone's numbers are different and, um, yeah, that first thousand was great too.
Speaker 2:That's true. I remember the first video that ever hit a thousand views too oh and I like, literally, yes, I do. I literally couldn't even believe it oh my god right, so cute, like those moments.
Speaker 2:Like I know all like small channels want to be at that level where they're like, oh yeah, like a million views. I'm always getting like half a million views on videos but like I promise you it's never, ever, ever gonna mean as much as like those first moments of like hitting that thousand. Even that video that first gets 100 views yeah, yeah, yeah like that's just like you can I don't know I will stand strong by.
Speaker 2:Like that doesn't compare to anything else, because you just get number blind as time goes on you do you expect bigger and better things that you don't even celebrate them. Maybe that's like our person.
Speaker 1:Maybe that's a personal problem for us travis like oh my god, the numbers it's true, I so I've told the story before, but I'll say it again, and it matches exactly what you just said. Once upon a time, when I first started, I remember thinking if a video gets to 100 views, it was successful period, end of story. If it gets to 1,000, I'll never have to think about it again because it was so overly successful. It was ridiculous.
Speaker 2:And then later in my career, if I didn't get 1,000 views in the first 45 minutes, it felt like a failure, like an absolute yeah, like you literally get so blind yes to what your expectations are, and it's not that you can't want that for your channel, but the way that you're like so hard on yourself about not hitting like such just I don't know larger expectations yeah like it's it's crazy, but like when you're just starting out, like you have the opportunity to appreciate, like every single thing so much more yeah and yeah, yeah, we should make it like we have to go into our personal channels and like celebrate some type of level that we're at again, I know
Speaker 1:everybody a lot of people are going oh yeah, but if again you've had the success I haven't had it yet. I get it, I totally get. I understand what you're saying. Trust me when I tell you enjoy this moment because it's, it gets a little better, but never is the same. All right, last message this one is likely going to cancel jen forever although I have a feeling she already knows this, but I kind of hope she doesn't because I think it's hilarious.
Speaker 1:All right, here we go. This is a text message. This message is for jen. I'm a fellow vegan and I'm 99.9% sure that candy corn is not vegan friendly because it contains gelatin. As a candy corn lover myself, I was depressed when I found this out.
Speaker 2:I know it definitely does have gelatin in it and I'm fairly lenient when it comes to gelatin.
Speaker 1:Okay, tell us why gelatin is not vegan friendly.
Speaker 2:It's made of like. I'm pretty sure it's made of like like chicken feet and stuff. It's like all the like leftover parts of yeah wait a minute.
Speaker 1:Hold on. Hold on for a second. Hold on. Are you googling this? I'm going to right now. This is ridiculous. I want you to continue to explain how you've wrapped your head around, why that's okay, and then I'm gonna. I have, I have some things to say to you, so there's also something that I eat that like very, very strict um vegans.
Speaker 2:I'm not a like super, super strict vegan like that um, but my dad is, so I know all these fun things like the glaze I can't think of what it's like confectioners glaze or something that's on that's on a lot of like chocolates, like that clear, shiny coat okay is made from um? I think it's beetles oh, yeah, what so?
Speaker 2:that's made from in an animal as well. So a very, very, you know strict vegan would not eat the confectioners glaze or whatever the term actually is, either wild, um, so there's like a lot of of things.
Speaker 1:I personally don't mind like look those situations but see, the thing is she gets her candy corn.
Speaker 2:She's like it's fine, I'm turning a blind eye to this, it's fine, like I can't say, I can't say no, sorry, let me read this, let me read this.
Speaker 1:Manufacturers produce gelatin by animal bones, cartilage and skin. This may use the bodies of cows or fish, for example. The process extracts a collagen, a fibrous protein that connects the muscles, bone and skin, and turns into gelatin, a flavorless, colorless, jelly-like substance. Okay, yeah, but you won't have a chicken nugget. I see All right Right, right right and skin.
Speaker 2:It turns into Jonathan, a flavorless, colorless jelly-like substance, okay, yeah, but you won't have a chicken nugget. I see, all right, right, right right. Like so different, so gross Candy corn, I will say Trader Joe's, like all their candies, it's all made with tapioca, which personally I like the chew better candy, like some of you like bite into like toffee no, not like toffee.
Speaker 2:Like have you ever had like a fruit snack? That's just like really like hard, like you have to like really chew it. Yeah, I mean, I'm making it sound really gross it does make it sound kind of like it's making it sound really bad, but like tapioca and gelatin are like very different textures yes, that's true and I prefer like the tapioca ones, just anyways, because they're like just very chewy.
Speaker 1:Well, now we've learned more about you than we probably ever thought we would. Thus ends another episode and Travis learned what gelatin is. I didn't know. I actually did not know, and now I think you're a hypocrite. Now, in some ways, I feel like you're eating the worst parts of the animal and I'm eating the parts that are reasonable and I'm like you're not eating what?
Speaker 2:okay, all right, oh my gosh, that's a hilarious way to look at it I mean what's happening?
Speaker 1:you the sinew and the bones and the cartilage, but you won't have a breast of chicken.
Speaker 2:Okay, I see it's so gross also like not that that can be um white sugar also, depending on where it's produced, like just regular white cane sugar can have like trace like animal bone I didn't know that.
Speaker 1:But I mean, when you think about honey which is delicious is basically bee throw up. It's like you kind of just I also eat honey.
Speaker 2:I also I do. I love honey actually, which is crazy, that doesn't seem like, but that's a very polarizing one, for I was about to say yeah.
Speaker 1:That doesn't feel like it should be vegan unfriendly. It's not like the bee died into it, it's just part of the bee. They just don't want anything to do with.
Speaker 2:People debate that very heavily or just make like a personal choice for what they believe in.
Speaker 1:But if something has honey in it, it won't be like registered as a vegan product. If it has honey in, it is no longer considered vegan.
Speaker 2:That's what you know it can't have like a vegan, like stamp like on it or anything. Can't be interesting, I guess, like legally I don't know what they do legally Legally it comes from an animal, so you will be arrested, oh, no, sorry, I'm back, go ahead Legally what? Struggling. Yeah, my browser crashed for no apparent reason. Legally, you go to jail, oh you go to jail. That's good You're arrested. I'm glad to hear it.
Speaker 1:Okay Now. I don't even know if my camera's working. It might not be working right now, it's not, yeah, so anyway, the good thing it's over. The show is over. If you're looking at a black screen, that's funny and that's how we're going to end it. Thank,