On Thu, Jun 3, 2010 at 4:45 AM, Mark Villaseñor
<[email protected]> wrote:
> Hey Dave:
> Foremost please know I'm not aiming to be adversarial when discussing this
> topic, just informative as I can through frankness. That said; your
> sentiment above is a common one and somewhat contradictory. No problem
> believing so, mind you, only don't be surprised when you never make a living
> online full time. I hope you do, but the reality is... Hope don't float.
I know, but considering that no plan, however well thought out and
backed with experience is guaranteed to work in a new venture much
more than one that's not, particularly when it comes to video blogging
I think. You are at the mercy of the viewers and what value they
perceive in your work and approach. So hope is pretty much all you've
got when you start out. You produce content and ultimately hope people
like it.
> You're fooling yourself by thinking; "I'm ultimately working toward it."
No, I'm not. I can see the results of all my efforts daily, and I can
see it growing daily.
> That's not the way REAL, sustainable, money is made online or off.
Ok, so please tell us how. You still haven't told us how you actually
make a full time living online. I'm willing to bet it's not just video
blogging...
Please tell us your story...
> That's not naive; passion is essential to any undertaking. Just because one
> views their area of vlogging (or web) interest with profit motives in mind,
> does not make the endeavor less worthwhile -- only potentially more
> profitable.
I agree.
But you still haven't told us how having that controlled contact list
helps with making that elusive profit....
> I absolutely LOVE what we've done with dogs; I unquestionably feel
> passionately about working them; talking about them, sharing my narrow area
> of canid expertise; and, would do it all for free if a Web Fairy paid the
> bills. Although until the latter flutters down from on-high and does its
> thing? I'm doin what works (more times than not) to generate MONEY,
> sustainable bucks, and I'll do it enthusiastically.
Am I reading into this correctly that you are already getting paid in
some way to produce and launch TailTrex? Or is it just something you
hope will make you money?
If it's something you are SURE will make you money based on past
experience, then, well, good luck with that!
> And I'd bet you're right! But if a coherent plan isn't engaged at some
> point, they simply aren't making diddly to the degree they could. Planning
> doesn't assure success, its no guarantee of anything, but it sure makes the
> ride a whole lot easier to deal with when bumps get in the way. And the
> bumps ALWAYS get in the way. Question is; does one go over or under them?
You just keep producing content...
There aren't too many bumps in video blogging, it's pretty much a one
way individual broadcast medium. So you just keep on video blogging,
listen to your audience, and keep giving them what they want. Maybe
try something new here and there and see how it goes.
A bit of planning does help in the initial concept and setup, channel
naming and branding etc though, as it can be harder to change when you
have an established audience.
> David Jones: "...I guess the differentiator is whether you go into it
> thinking like a business from day one, or you just get into it for fun..."
>
> Hmm, yeah, well. Please point me to the Internets law that says thinking on
> business terms from Jump Street, cannot equate to fun. I've looked
> everywhere but just can't seem to find it. ;)
There isn't of course, if that's what floats your boat, go for it. I
just hope no one mortgages the house in anticipation of a venture
paying off because they read some gurus guide to web marketing!
> Seriously, Dave, take my word for it. I'm having an absolute blast
> developing TailTrex-TV, and win lose or draw; I'll continue on that hoot
> well after launch! I've not only met some great people (like this list for
> example), but have seen better sides of human nature in the process. So
> thinking on business terms needn't be dry and dull, less exciting or
> unfulfilling, but may actually ADD to the fun. It all depends on where one's
> head is at, perspective being key.
Sure, and good luck with the venture.
I'm starting to think about my blog seriously too. I've got a paid
commercial gig coming up in October in the US, I've got half a dozen
of the worlds major equipment manufacturers on board sending me stuff
and taking me seriously. I got a personal call from the CEO of a 5
billion dollar corporation. I've a got reasonably large growing
audience, and I'm going to Australia's top drama school to hopefully
learn some tricks and have some fun. All within the first year without
putting any thought into it or really taking it seriously!
I'm also starting a new video blog venture that I'm taking a bit more
seriously from day one given my new found experience with what's
possible. But it's still of course done for fun because I can't see
any way I could possibly plan how or if it will take off, so I'll just
take my best shot, put some content out there and hope it works.
> David Jones: "Content is king, and a contact list really has little to with
> that."
>
> I'll yield to you as the authority of your own experience. Good luck with
> that.
Once again, please explain this whole contact list thing and why it is
so vitally important to making money online video blogging. I don't
want to miss out on any extra revenue!
But try as I might, I can't see any possible extra benefit of having a
controlled contact list of every one of my viewers. If I want to reach
them then I'll post a blog and they will all see it within days. I can
already mass contact subscribers via Youtube and my blog site and
Twitter if need be.
> David Jones: "As far as I know, there are very few video bloggers who make
> money
> outside of Youtube, at lest in comparison."
>
> I can see why, especially if your notions about web marketing are widespread
> as seems evident. But then, one has to decide if they follow the herd or
> take a different path -- particularly ones proven time and again, albeit
> less traveled.
Please tell us about these time and again proven paths...
Once again, I don't want to be missing something I should be trying!
> David Jones: "Anyone know of any who have started from scratch and built a
> large audience without using Youtube? I'd be curious to see how."
>
> Ok, but your presupposing I'm espousing that YouTube SHOULDN'T be utilized.
> That's not what I've stated, Dave, not by a long shot. The vast difference
> is; one using YT as a crutch, rather than a tool among many.
Indeed. That's why I have a Wordpress Blog, an RSS feed, an iTunes
Podcast, a BBS forum, and Twitter.
I'd suggest others do the same and not just rely upon Youtube.
But when around half of your audience comes from and watches via
Youtube, it's real hard to not take seriously!
> It appears to me (and I could be mistaken) you're looking at YT as some kind
> of surefire conduit to success, as though it's the only game in town worth
> exploiting.
Not at all. But you or anyone else has yet to show a video blogger who
has grown to success without making use of Youtube.
I'm sure there are, but they don't seem to reveal themselves all that often!
Remember, Youtube is now over TWO BILLION views a day!
It's not the only game in town, but it sure is the biggest, by orders
of magnitude.
In Australia alone, there are currently 19 Youtube Partners who have
over 100,000 views last month. (I'm at number 29 with a bullet :-D ).
Not bad for a country that's a drop in the bucket in terms of Youtube
views.
> And if that be the case, head-on, knock yourself out. Maybe
> SOMEDAY you'll be one of those with multi-million YT views? (And I sincerely
> wish you will be.) As for me, MAYBE never got results; but that just might
> be me, a-lil tainted by reality.
I will never get a million plus subscribers with the EEVblog, it's
just too niche a market, and it has little chance of going viral with
the general public. I know that and am under no illusions.
But millions of views, sure, that's guaranteed. I've already got
almost 600,000 views on Youtube alone, and consistently around 3000 a
day. So I'll hit a million views in around 133 days at the current
rate!
Considering that I thought I'd never reach four digits when I started,
I'm pretty stoked :-D
> At long last, Dave, I appreciate your sentiments. But I must say that it
> APPEARS (seems like) your notions about web marketing are skewed by what you
> THINK is happening, not by what actually is based on solid evidence. That's
> not meant as a put-down, just an observation based on your remarks.
Again, please enlighten us, show us this "solid evidence".
How do you successfully market a video blog?, I'd love to know the secrets!
You've so far provided no insight into anything apart from tell us
that a controlled contact list is essential to success, and that there
are are other avenues apart from Youtube.
How are you making your money? How are you making a full time living
from it? Really, that's why we are all here, to learn from those who
have been there and done it.
> There are plenty of legitimate Web Marketing coaches ("Gurus" if that works
> better) I could recommend (through private mail), if you're of a mind to
> cast aside what you THINK you know; and, truly discover what is obvious you
> don't. Only YOU control that choice, Dave; only YOU control the relative
> outcomes.
If you have book or other recommendations, then I'm all ears. I like
to think I'm open minded and intelligent enough to pick out what's
relevant and what's not for me and my my circumstances.
But if you want to recommend some marketing guru I have to pay good
money to to tell me how to market my blog they know nothing about,
using some generic guidelines that has worked for some people in an
entirely different industry, then no thanks, I won't waste my time or
money.
There are no surefire ways to success, ever. Nor are there any gurus
who can tell you how to do it right. Everyone's blog content is
different, everyone audience is different, there is no universal
solution.
But we are all here to share stories and advice, so come on everyone,
tell us how you have succeeded (or not) at video blogging and what
advice you can give.
I hope this promotes a lot of discussion!
Regards
Dave.
