I've been an avid YouTuber for a number of years now, and the last year has been fantastic for me as a content producer. 450,000 is a number I never thought I'd see next to the word "views" on a video of my own :P The subscriber count just toppled over 3,000, which is also fantastic. I'm not the sort to obsess over figures like that, but I won't hold it back when I say it makes me :D to see my userbase grow, and in the times I'm going through now, it really fuckin' helps :)
One recurring issue I see and ponder on with regards to YouTube is that of attention. As I just mentioned, there are 3,000 people who hypothetically, at one point or another, liked my content enough to make the effort to enlist in automated reminders whenever new content of this variety was released. That's what a subscription is: a service that allows you to automatically receive new content, or be notified of its arrival, depending on what you're subscribed to. This is why people bug the fuck out of you to do it: it's the first step to getting (and maintaining) more attention.
We've all seen it: "Rate, Comment, Subscribe," sometimes with the less popular "Favourite" thrown in if the advertiser has no concept of the "Rule of 3." These people are the blunt form of attention whores, pure and simple. It doesn't matter if their content is good; one mention of RCS and they've put it out there. They're honest people; they want big numbers, and they will happily ask, over and over if necessary. I don't do it, simply because as far as I'm concerned, the video should be given the task of enticing you to do those things. My numbers are a pure representation of how many people do those things because they do them of their own accord, without being asked. The figures are a natural tracking of my success. People are free to ask for subscriptions, comments and ratings, and although this doesn't bother me, it does ironically persuade me to leave the video without subscribing, commenting or rating most of the time.
Partners are notorious for doing this. The partnership program is built on a moviestar-esque fame platform, carefully constructed to slowly bring people in and get them "hooked" on the videos that have ads next to them (and they all will, because who doesn't like ad revenue?) YouTube is one big agent, and we're the public, getting all wet for these people. I saw a video a while back, and I tried to look for it to no avail, but, in addition to things I've noticed, the video makes it clear how partners make videos "efficiently" to maximise revenue.
The biggest example is how they always want you to "thumbs up" (used to be "5 star" which you'll see and hear in older videos) their videos. Fuck you; I'll thumbs up your video if it deserves it. That's what the rating system is for: so I can judge good content from shitty content, not popular content from everything else. I'll only thumb a video up per someone's request if they promptly stick it up their arse after receiving it. Most partners also love "comment questions," usually simple ones easily answered by the absent-minded drones that watch their videos. Stuff like "what's under your bed?" or "what's Lady GaGa's gender?" Simple shit that takes 2 seconds to answer and makes everyone feel smart and/or funny. As a wannabe comic, looking at the responses to these questions makes me feel smart and funny. It's all about bumping good ratings and comment figures through the roof, which get them on the pages that are dedicated to showing people those things. The viewers feel involved, like they're part of something, and add their username to a list of millions, as well as 1 to that 7 figure "Subscribers" number (which, to many, represents how "good," "funny" and "talented" they are; it doesn't.)
Before we get all angry, let's get this straight: there are plenty of partners who don't do any of the negative shit you may think I've just tarred them with, as well as plenty of non-partners who do this shit all the time. It's up to you as an individual to sort good content from bad without automatically labeling people. Letting your opinion of an individual mirror that of a group they're a part of simply because of their part in that group is, as far as I'm concerned, lazy and unjustifiable. Being a partner does not automatically make a content producer an arsehole, but just going off what I've noticed and things that have been shown to me, there are some really fucking desperate people out there who can and will take advantage of whatever they can to get everything for themselves. YouTube is no different.
Believe it or not, some people think I'm famous. It's all about relativity: compared to them, perhaps I am famous, but compared to these people with hundreds of thousands, even millions of followers, I don't even touch them. I had one guy send me a friend request on the PSN saying he would be "honoured" to have me on his list. Why? What the fuck is so special about me? Is my self-respect too low to recognise my supposed talent and greatness, or are this guy's standards low enough to think some dude who makes YouTube videos every so often is someone to be honoured? I guess it's a little bit of both. I look up to people too; (dead) comedians primarily, but YouTubers too.
Take SeaNanners: here's a guy (a partner, I might add :P) who I think is funny, insightful and very entertaining. I don't know if I'd be honoured to talk to him or meet him, but I would be very appreciative and delighted, because he seems like an interesting fellow, and knowing his userbase, lots of people would want to do the same. Without SeaNanners and his (awesome! :D) Minecraft videos, I probably would never have thought about improvised commentary. I suppose we all look to someone for something.
You know a blog is good and hearty when you look at the clock and 50 minutes have silently walked right out the door... wait, do you? I'm too new here to be making such assumptions :P
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