-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Kotaku: YouTubers Say They Can't Make Money Covering Call of Duty: WWII
- Thread starter LordOfLore
- Start date
Huh? Why don't you tell us how you really feel? I guess TV presenters and late night show hosts ain't working real jobs either?
And yet places like TMZ have been in business for a while. Just because someone makes content you don't like doesn't mean there's not an audience for it.
Anyway, it's shitty that this is happening because it's gonna hurt the bottom line for publishers and youtubers. Pubs don't get cheap marketing anymore and people who thought they had a viable career are finding out that the entertainment industry is difficult to navigate.
Like, really. I do feel for these people because I imagine a good bunch of them are people that didn't have business acumen and didn't initially expect to make any money.
ITT: Smug kids who don't know how the real world works and people forgetting that YouTube had tons of entertaining content before monetization.
Fahzgoolin
Banned
They are also wrongly demonetizing great gun marksman hobbyists like Hickock45. He teaches proper gun safety, never swears, and is basically the sweet grandpa of YouTube.
His content is more family friendly than most, but since he likes to shoot metal plates and 2 liter soda he's not "family friendly."
So stupid. Just feels like a political agenda trying to hurt others.
His content is more family friendly than most, but since he likes to shoot metal plates and 2 liter soda he's not "family friendly."
So stupid. Just feels like a political agenda trying to hurt others.
Mass_Pincup
Banned
I really don't understand why Youtube isn't trying to find a solution for this.
Most people with a fanbase will just run to Patreon while having their videos still being hosted on the website which would cost Youtube money without any revenue. They're on the verge of losing significant amount of money in my opinion.
Maybe that's why their pushing Youtube Red, I just hope the subs money will be redistributed based on viewing habit of the subscribed user.
Equating Youtube before the option of monetization to Youtube right now isn't an interesting or relevant comparaison. Now that there is monetization why would I limit my chance to make money? Sure some people really driven by their passion wouldn't care about that but i'm sure most people will try to accommodate their content based on that.
Most people with a fanbase will just run to Patreon while having their videos still being hosted on the website which would cost Youtube money without any revenue. They're on the verge of losing significant amount of money in my opinion.
Maybe that's why their pushing Youtube Red, I just hope the subs money will be redistributed based on viewing habit of the subscribed user.
Equating Youtube before the option of monetization to Youtube right now isn't an interesting or relevant comparaison. Now that there is monetization why would I limit my chance to make money? Sure some people really driven by their passion wouldn't care about that but i'm sure most people will try to accommodate their content based on that.
ManUnkindH
Member
Good, get a real job.
UncleSporky
Member
The oddest thing about this to me is that no actual moral panic has happened yet - there aren't widespread reports of parent groups going "oh my goodness, Go-Gurt supports virtual murder, tea bagging, and children yelling fuck and pussy!"
This seems like moral panic about a moral panic that largely hasn't occurred yet, simply because some of the news media wrote articles about the danger of advertising on videos of these loose cannon gamers and influencers.
It's also strange because a lot of this advertising already happens on "approved"/rated violence and vulgarity, basically stuff created by corporations or with a strong brand where you can better predict the level of violence. Some of the advertising is itself promoting a violent game or show.
But at the same time I can recognize that as dumb as it seems in this day and age, "fuck" is still largely seen as an R-rated word, no matter how common its usage.
This seems like moral panic about a moral panic that largely hasn't occurred yet, simply because some of the news media wrote articles about the danger of advertising on videos of these loose cannon gamers and influencers.
It's also strange because a lot of this advertising already happens on "approved"/rated violence and vulgarity, basically stuff created by corporations or with a strong brand where you can better predict the level of violence. Some of the advertising is itself promoting a violent game or show.
But at the same time I can recognize that as dumb as it seems in this day and age, "fuck" is still largely seen as an R-rated word, no matter how common its usage.
problem is i dont think many video sites could handle the amount of traffic youtube has...maybe facebook? but they don't pay for content and i'm pretty sure youtube loses money but a corporation of googles size can cope.
I don't think there's ever going to be another site that was as lucrative for creators like youtube was
Tal Shiar Agent
Banned
How could you think this was sustainable in the long run if your audience was children?
Exploratory
Banned
YouTube is really grossing me out. What the fuck is happening why can't corporations get it right?
There are thousands of business that make money off kids.
LordRaptor
Member
You appear to believe that the most interesting voices are the ones funded by ad revenue
Viewers are viewers
Ad revenue is ad revenue
Why would YouTube demonetize the best selling video game each year? If the content was inappropriate, the masses would have deemed it so by not buying the fucking game year after year
O_0
UziTheBeast
Banned
So please enlighten us how the real world works?
Tal Shiar Agent
Banned
But most YouTubers don't operate like a business, they operate like street performers.
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
I hope you know it's everyone that is being effected by this.
RedlineRonin
Member
There's clearly something I'm not understand about "why not just put your stuff on Twitch"?
That's the whole point of free markets. If YT is a shitty place to do games related content, someone should come along and make a better one (or has, with Twitch?)
I don't follow any YT personalities so i'm somewhat ignorant to the process, but it seems like other people are doing fine either through Twitch or Patreon?
That's the whole point of free markets. If YT is a shitty place to do games related content, someone should come along and make a better one (or has, with Twitch?)
I don't follow any YT personalities so i'm somewhat ignorant to the process, but it seems like other people are doing fine either through Twitch or Patreon?
This was the obvious eventuality once Youtube gave advertisers the tools to manage where their ads went. Look at how much gaming content you see in traditional media and you will get an idea of how desirable the segment is to advertisers. I'm sure there are a lot of advertisers interested in the demographic, but it's going to be spread really thin given the massive amount of gaming content on Youtube.
Advertisers don't see the content as appropriate for their brands. YouTube cares more about advertisers then users.
You tubers struggling
People have legit almost lost their primary income source almost overnight. Would it kill you to be more sympathetic?
YouTubers rely on popularity like any form of entertainment. If your primary source of income was kids and it was a job you loved, would you not still take the money?
Aiming to be the TMZ on YouTube isn't exactly a fantastic goal, let us remind ourselves of content that's passed off as "kid friendly" and is allowed full ads:
Knocking down people who do content like this IS a good thing, the amount of weird shit you get if you look for Kid Friendly stuff on YouTube that uses this kind of weird tactic to get clicks, views and of course is making money off it is downright insane, but we should be OK with that because there's an audience for it? Yet a Gaming channel or news channel mentions wars/covers adult themes and suddenly it's a disgrace and can't be supported? It just goes to show how much of a shit show YouTube is right now and how people abuse the hell out of it.
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
I think Max and other FGC people are also having problems making money off of fighting game vids.
And_Gignac
Member
What's with the salt and jealousy in this thread? What the fuck a "real job" even is? These youtubers are making more money than most people complaining about "real jobs".
brunomartynhak
Member
Forgive my ignorance, but isn't Twitch only for live videos?
I for one like analysis and tips for multiplayer games, but I can't stand streams.
I work in online advertising and shit is apocalyptic. The amount of paranoia is off the charts and it's not just on Youtube.
It boils down to the fact that marketing executives had no clue how internet advertising worked, but as soon as there were headlines about fake news, neo nazis, and donald trump, they found themselves in hot water and now have to pull the plug in order to justify their jobs. Everyone was sold on "targeting" bullshit science that doesn't work nearly as good as they thought it did, and now they're freaking out because most digital agencies have no idea where their ads run.
It's a collapsing bubble and it's going to affect the entire internet.
It boils down to the fact that marketing executives had no clue how internet advertising worked, but as soon as there were headlines about fake news, neo nazis, and donald trump, they found themselves in hot water and now have to pull the plug in order to justify their jobs. Everyone was sold on "targeting" bullshit science that doesn't work nearly as good as they thought it did, and now they're freaking out because most digital agencies have no idea where their ads run.
It's a collapsing bubble and it's going to affect the entire internet.
UziTheBeast
Banned
Aiming to be the TMZ on YouTube isn't exactly a fantastic goal, let us remind ourselves of content that's passed off as "kid friendly" and is allowed full ads:
Knocking down people who do content like this IS a good thing, the amount of weird shit you get if you look for Kid Friendly stuff on YouTube that uses this kind of weird tactic to get clicks, views and of course is making money off it is downright insane, but we should be OK with that because there's an audience for it? Yet a Gaming channel or news channel mentions wars/covers adult themes and suddenly it's a disgrace and can't be supported? It just goes to show how much of a shit show YouTube is right now and how people abuse the hell out of it.
I am not even sure how this is allowed by Youtube. Wow.
PdotMichael
Banned
Why? They can still make a living with everything that isnt COD.
UziTheBeast
Banned
Primarily yes, it's streaming. However you can save highlights of streams and I believe most recently (not 100% on this) you can upload videos as well.
RedlineRonin
Member
Great question. I know stuff gets archived, but I'm not sure for how long?
I'm hardly the guiding light when it comes to Twitch.
Moon Presence
Member
Youtube is a joke. Trust me, if this bs continues they will suffer really hard. Someone is always eager to steal your spotlight, the next big thing is just around the corner. Patreon and Twitch are blowing up right now, let's wait and see.
Honestly, advertisers have the right to decide what content is an appropriate fit for their brand, and a lot of advertisers are justifiably scared of being associated with mature content when they're promoting family content.
This is no different than any other media in this sense. No one's stopping people from making these vids for free as a hobby, but if you want to make money, you have to be friendly to advertisers.
This is no different than any other media in this sense. No one's stopping people from making these vids for free as a hobby, but if you want to make money, you have to be friendly to advertisers.
UziTheBeast
Banned
14 days I believe. Unless you make highlights.
Adam_Vania
Banned
this makes so much sense. w the political climate right now companies are hyper aware of PR and don't want to be seen as supporting toxic things. even "ironically/"satirically".
Yeah it's in Beta. I did a test on my PC setup for a video upload and it's got a ways to go.
RedlineRonin
Member
Man, for how much Twitch seems to be gaining momentum (no data at all to back that up, just feel like I hear Twitch mentioned a lot more lately), and the fact that they could likely get AWS servers very cheap thanks to papa, you'd think they'd love to add the ability to store that stuff and get a bunch of people (and advertisers) to jump ship from YT
I don't want to watch Michael Jordan play baseball
UziTheBeast
Banned
Patreon won't blow off like YT or even Twitch. Isn't Patreon literally pay the channel to watch their vids? No one will do that, no in the same scale as watching "free" videos on YT.
randomengine
Banned
I think this is a good thing. Hopefully it pushes developers to focus on less violent and more creative content.
The advertising boycott is affecting everyone on YouTube, not just COD YouTubers. I've also seen plenty of YouTubers who shift their focus and end up loosing a sizable chunk of their audience.
It seems like an overreaction on the part of advertisers, who were burned by having their ads alongside troublesome content during the election. Now they're clamping down and restricting their ads from anything borderline offensive.
Of course they won't be inherently more interesting, but as is the case in practically every other business out there, if you can't or don't want to become self-sufficient and still want/;need an income, you're going to have to play by someone else's rules. The only difference between Youtube and, say, broadcast TV is that the former is so large that, up until recently, advertisers didn't know who and what they were supporting through their marketing budgets. Youtubers, right now, have to choose between fight or flight; fight Youtube in a meaningful way (no, rant videos are not meaningful) or move their sources of income elsewhere.
constantstatic
Member
Yup exactly if I was an advertiser I wouldn't want my product associated with some cod kid making videos from his bedroom calling stuff gay and using homophobic language to describe his boring gameplay.
Comparing people who make video game commentary to actors is also hilarious which I have seen multiple times in this thread.