I was unsure where to put this post because I'm not necessarily after a channel review per se, though I am technically asking for a review regarding my strategy to get views.
To sum up I feel like I'm doing everything by the book to grow, but still my videos are brutally beaten by channel owners who don't seem to lift a finger to get views. And I can't figure out what they are doing that I am not. I really believe in my content, I believe that I offer something that my community and society as a whole needs, and things they would find useful and entertaining. And I believe I offer all of that with high quality. So what is the problem? To find out, I thought that I should take my own advice and go to the Freedom Forums. Let me explain a little more about me, what I do to grow and why I'm so confused.
About me (www.youtube.com/proudtobefruit)
On my channel I aim to inspire LGBT+ people and allies with knowledge, arguments and interesting discussions. For two reasons: One, to give tools to answer homophobic arguments whatever they might be. Two, eliminate any trace of thoughts like “Maybe there’s something wrong with me”. Currently I have 162 subscribers gathered over a period of two years.
I’m trained in the art of performing, filming and editing. I know lots about how to provide quality content in theory. I’m even hosting a series about such things on Freedom Central. But I have one weakness, I can’t crack the code as to how to reach out. And if you can’t do that, then it doesn’t matter how good your content is.
What I do to reach out
Metadata
Collaborating
People say to upload often, really work on the tags and work on your thumbnails. But there are many videos and channels that don’t seems to do any of it but still succeeds. They use like 5 generic tags, or extremely seldom upload videos or has bad Gfx on their channel, but still get way more views than I’ve gotten during all of these 2 years combined. For example:
This channel (WhatTheBibleReallySays) has uploaded once a year so far. But has over 500 000 views on one video and around 6500 subs. This channel talks about the bible and homosexuality. I too talk about this subject, telling the story of how I went undercover to find for my own how gay people would actually be treated by priests.
This video (
) brings up causes of homosexuality, which I also do, the difference being that video got 5 million views. Plus it used very generic tags like gay, lesbian, choice, change, cure. In addition, 8 years ago this channel uploaded as much as I did first year, but not anymore. And this channel could really work on the thumbnails and overall graphics of the channel.
One might argue these videos got more views because they use fun animation, but here is an example of someone who does exactly what I do. Vlog about these things: (
). This person uses generic tags like: LGBT, gay and so on, but still gets way more views on one video that I have gotten on all of my videos in two years combined.
So it doesn’t seem like upload frequency, tags or thumbnails matter. Or it does matter only that it’s not what is keeping me down. I don’t see that these channels collaborated with anyone either. So what are they doing that I’m not? Or is it just luck?
The request
I need to figure out if I’m doing something wrong and in that case what. And I need your help to do so. Because I really believe that I have a message that is important for so many people.
To sum up I feel like I'm doing everything by the book to grow, but still my videos are brutally beaten by channel owners who don't seem to lift a finger to get views. And I can't figure out what they are doing that I am not. I really believe in my content, I believe that I offer something that my community and society as a whole needs, and things they would find useful and entertaining. And I believe I offer all of that with high quality. So what is the problem? To find out, I thought that I should take my own advice and go to the Freedom Forums. Let me explain a little more about me, what I do to grow and why I'm so confused.
About me (www.youtube.com/proudtobefruit)
On my channel I aim to inspire LGBT+ people and allies with knowledge, arguments and interesting discussions. For two reasons: One, to give tools to answer homophobic arguments whatever they might be. Two, eliminate any trace of thoughts like “Maybe there’s something wrong with me”. Currently I have 162 subscribers gathered over a period of two years.
I’m trained in the art of performing, filming and editing. I know lots about how to provide quality content in theory. I’m even hosting a series about such things on Freedom Central. But I have one weakness, I can’t crack the code as to how to reach out. And if you can’t do that, then it doesn’t matter how good your content is.
What I do to reach out
Metadata
- Filling the tag section with relevant tags with the help of a tagfinder that also helps me pick out the most effective tags.
- Using keywords in the description that matches the tags.
- Explaning what I do and why they should subscribe.
- Calling to action in the description.
- I have found my community on forums, reddit, twitter and discord servers with thousands of LGBT+ people. I’ve tried being active on these places just interacting with people in my community there. And I’m posting my videos on all of these places using relevant hashtags and @s. I’ve even written press releases to LGBT+ organisations and online magazines at times, though not as often.
- Calling to action
- Hooking the audience withing the first 7 seconds.
- Analyzed my strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. To really figure out what I need to communicate when marketing myself.
- People has said that my content is very interesting, think my comedy skits are fun, that I’m good at giving people the confidence they need to be who they are, and that I offer a new perspective.
Collaborating
- Ok I’ve done one collaboration video. But other than that nothing. But the one I did, didn’t seem to get any more views than the rest.
- I used to tell the audience what to watch next at the end of my videos, but it didn’t seem to do anything.
- Fine again I have asked for some shoutouts and gotten some. But I could do a lot more to get them.
People say to upload often, really work on the tags and work on your thumbnails. But there are many videos and channels that don’t seems to do any of it but still succeeds. They use like 5 generic tags, or extremely seldom upload videos or has bad Gfx on their channel, but still get way more views than I’ve gotten during all of these 2 years combined. For example:
This channel (WhatTheBibleReallySays) has uploaded once a year so far. But has over 500 000 views on one video and around 6500 subs. This channel talks about the bible and homosexuality. I too talk about this subject, telling the story of how I went undercover to find for my own how gay people would actually be treated by priests.
This video (
One might argue these videos got more views because they use fun animation, but here is an example of someone who does exactly what I do. Vlog about these things: (
So it doesn’t seem like upload frequency, tags or thumbnails matter. Or it does matter only that it’s not what is keeping me down. I don’t see that these channels collaborated with anyone either. So what are they doing that I’m not? Or is it just luck?
The request
I need to figure out if I’m doing something wrong and in that case what. And I need your help to do so. Because I really believe that I have a message that is important for so many people.