Dom Troisi "However, only a minority of miners made much money from the Californian Gold Rush. It was much more common for people to become wealthy by providing the miners with over-priced food, supplies and services." spartacus-educational.com/USAgoldrushC.htm
To my mind you are not like other makers; your curiosity, inventiveness, sense of humor will always be fresh. Your scavenging and trash-picking encourage us low-budget folks, and your independence from sponsors and fancy production, while it might make for a harder road, is part of what keeps me a faithful fan and viewer, as is learning some of your history, and seeing your Dad's work and your work with him. I'm sorry that the "gold rush" has diluted your audience, and the increased demand for novelty and decreased attention span of many viewers causes them to fall away. I continue to go back to your archives, as I'm sure many others do; you've produced a great body of work which continues to inspire us.
I stopped watching many established youtubers simply because many of the presenters feel like they have become “rock stars”. Started making shop updates videos rather than providing interesting content. They forgot the viewers that made them successful and started monetizing their content and producing mediocre free content. Arrogance is dangerous, equal to loosing track of your humble beginnings. I for one, totally enjoy your videos and will continue watching. You are very talented Mathias. I stopped watching videos of other very talented presenters because they lost their identity. My humble 2 cents.
Damn! you hit the nail directly on the head with that comment! those are the feelings I've been trying to put into words about several DYI maker channels lately. Obviously I still watch this channel, but others I've I had to pass on lately. I'm not interested in spending my time watching a personal blog, or sitting through a long video of all the free merchandise you received from you're sponsors. And I really don't care about you're new shop, or upgrades. I watch these videos for education and sharing ideas. Not drama or advertisement, if that's what I wanted I would go inside the house and watch TV with the wife.
Ron Hochhalter interestingly enough when presenters start giving themselves high and mighty names like “maker” or “ creator” then I know that the presenter is gone. We are all just a bunch of Shmos in a garage or basement sharing their hobby and learn from each other. Many of the presenters are very talented and I admire that very much. For me woodworking is a new hobby and want to learn.
April Wilkerson is good example of the Rockstar maker. Yeah, she has a great new shop... Wow, you installed some fancy do-dads... Oh, the boards delivered by @thesearemyfriends are now suddenly 5 complete widgets going to the corporate booth at the international Gizmohype festival. Ugh!! Exhausting...
I couldn't agree more. It's exactly why I don't watch the 'big' woodworking channels any more I've started hunting down the smaller, newer channels with fewer subscribers and no sponsors. I used to really enjoy Darbin Ovar but it's gone a bit soap opera. I'm really not interested in the personal lives of the woodworking channels I watch, I'm interested in the woodworking. I think I watched a handful of John Heisz videos before I got fed up with them. He makes interesting stuff, but I really wont subscribe to a channel where it comes across as hugely negative - I think the second video of his I watched was one where he said he didn't want to answer questions about his videos - that's no help for someone starting out and looking for information - there are plenty of channels that are happy to interact. The other part is the decline in making type videos because those longer ones don't generate the same revenue - "Rock stars" want the revenue and sponsors, new channels want the subscribers - The content follows that same path.
I kind of felt that way after traveling to the Maker Faire Bay Area this past month. I heard Makers, who I had followed for years, complain about their RUclips followers’ criticisms and how happy they were to know they could just eliminate their comments to keep the stream positive. It was weird. After spending lots of money to spend three days there, I sort of felt put off. I noticed the RUclips Makers wanted to hang out with their peers rather than the attendees. I don’t mean to judge but I went back to my own shop and was grateful I didn’t have to think about ratings, or traveling from Faire to Faire. There are still some genuine wood workers out there who are worth watching but for the RUclips Makers that are just putting out poorly made products to make a video, I think that is the result of the life they have taken on. There is beauty in our quiet life. I say embrace that and don’t put too much thought into the RUclips Makers and their reality.
I think that I know why it is down. I was very interested in the “maker” movement and trends and enjoyed seeing things being made and especially the home style innovations people came up with. But I saw something that started turning me off and I can explain it. The top “makers” that seemed to be at the peak of the movement like DiResta and let’s say Wranglerstar and I cant remember her name, but a woman maker, all started to become heavily endorsed by tool makers and if you go to their latest videos they have these massive shops being built in huge pole barn style buildings and quite honestly, seeing this turns me off. Where they used to innovate and create things they needed, now they are given $40,000 CNC and CAD driven milling machines and things that are way outside the occasional garage and basement tinkerers fare. We know we will never afford it or even want it. It’s excessive and their fame has gone a little to their heads and most of them have not really been putting out videos because of the multitude of projects they are involved with as they become industrial powerhouses. They aren’t in our league anymore and why should I bother? I got on board the Patreon thing and donated a few bucks a month and that was cool in the beginning, but 90% of them have not made a video in 5 or 6 months. Meanwhile I am still giving a monthly donation. I guess I am becoming a little jaded. But, you and John are keeping it real and I like that.
traderjoes you hit the nail right on the head traderjoes, I too have noticed lots of endorsing going on and have unsubscribed from the likes of wranglerstar and the female joiner one for that reason. They are making videos to suit their endorsers rather than what they want to make for themselves.
It seemed like it started going downhill when that company started giving free CNC machines to everyone. Now everyone is 'sponsored', their videos are worse than movies with their product placements. Everyone is screaming how they are losing YT revenue, yet these massive shops are being built somehow.
Well that is the way to go if you want to make a living out of this long term, because YT screws people on the adverts real bad, heck these days they will just de-monetize videos for every possible random reason. But it also makes the content like a half baked cheesy infomercial.
I almost completely stopped reading after reading the name Wranglerstar in accordance with the maker movement. However, reading on, people like him actually enforce the point you're making. He is a prime example of somebody who started off somewhat legitimately, then completely got ruined. You're exactly right. When most people get sponsors, they turn into shills. The people like AvE, who are able to resist the sponsors, generally seem to remain far more legitimate. EEVBlog is one of the few who has had a VERY occasional sponsor who seems to stay true to word. (Another note: This maker mentions Codyslab, but I would actually consider him as one of those who has stayed true to message.)
Thank you for all you effort and creativity. Your channel is amazing and has had a very large influence in my woodworking pursuits. If my viewing has declined for a particular channel it is in part due to having too much content available having subscribed to too many channels. I tend to find a new channel, binge on its library of interesting topics and go but the good channels such as yourIs I eagerly await new episodes. It seems the RUclips business model has been undergoing some changes in recent times and it may be having an negative impact on content creators and consumers alike. All I can say is thank you and I hope you can continue for many more years to come.
Project videos are definitely hard to get people to watch these days. Tricks and hacks get way more views. I found sanity by producing the projects and educational content I love...but off RUclips. It makes no sense to work hard producing detailed content for RUclips.
Steve Ramsey - Woodworking for Mere Mortals -- having been a subscriber to your channels as well as John's and Matthias' channels for a very long time, I've watched your styles change and get refined over the years and have thoroughly enjoyed the huge amount of content you've put out there. while i do have to confess to sometimes having work or life in general get in the way of being able to just sit down and enjoy the content you share, i find it sad that you've been forced to move some of your content off RUclips, but I can understand why.
It makes no sense if you don't try to engage your audience and are willing to find ways to make your content more interesting. Of COURSE a drill drilling a hole isn't something people want to watch over and over again. You've just found your own plateau and are unable to be more engaging to your audience.
You hit the nail on the head! I have no intentions of building 99% of the content I watch, I just like watching it come together. If I wanted to learn, I'd watch different stuff. I've learned a lot on RUclips, but 90% of what I watch is pure entertainment. These guys just don't want to accept that reality. The wood chain you built was the first video I watched on your channel, and all the hacks you've done are my favorite videos. But, watching you build organizers for your spoons... eh, boring. No offense, I still watched the video, but build more wood chain like videos and I'm back.
At 69 and a 50 year hiatus in wood working, watching your videos got me back into it. Thanks for all your interesting and informative projects and reviews.
A channel that never grows old for me is Applied Science, he has great variety and often does what seems like extremely complicated things, but for the most part figures them out in his own garage
Thanks for your thoughts on this. For me, I just really like the process of creating and shooting. And I like that we have the freedom to create what we want. Let's all just keep doing that. I'm new to RUclips but worked as a video producer and animator way back in the 90's. And in engineering before that. We needed rooms of refrigerator sized computers to do the simplest 3D design. Now, I'm just blown away by what we can do with Sketchup. All this amazing technology right at our fingertips and, the ability to create a TV show right at home. Even if the "maker" thing is in decline due to over saturation, the need to create still pushes creative people to continue. My 2 cents.
You hit the nail on the head. There are so many channels on RUclips that it has become saturated with so much content. Much like television and movies, its getting harder to find original content that isn't derivative. And like you said, the novelty of a channel has a shelf life.
So often when you are talking I love the expression on your face - a cross between a smile/smirk. You're obviously intelligent and obviously pretty grounded - so seems you see the irony/humor in life. Coming from a similar background I relate. Cracks me up watching your videos - feels like being part of an inside joke. Keep up the good work .. and please keep the humorous vibe in your videos.
You and CodysLab are still two of my favorite RUclipsrs. I feel like you are family. I dont think Ill ever stop watching you guys. I enjoy seeing every little fixit idea you have. I find it quite fascinating and inspiring.
I used to be a big follower of April but stopped due to her change of attitude when her viewership grew. She got very arrogant and acts like she knows everything even if its on something she has never done before.
BCWoodworks1 I dunno, I still find her videos interesting. Im honestly pretty jealous of all the gear she has, surely most of it was gained through sponsorships
CesculuS_MoronicuS No doubt with the sponsorships. Triton gave her tools and it seemed like Home Depot gave her material, believe me I have nothing against her for it I would have taken it to if I had been given the chance. I do woodworking and cabinetry for a living and she would get laughed off a job site with some of her thinking.
Informative video . I don't intend to do videos but always wondered how they got on air. I hope you continue to make videos . I go to your older videos and watch them as they are very interesting. And informative. Thanks for sharing.
What you said about channels getting stale is so true. But I will tell you this and I’m sure a lot of people will agree. Matthias, your channel is the only one I have never gotten sick of. It’s never become stale, it’s never become boring. I have been subscribed for years now and I’ve watched every single one of your videos. If I’m bored I will re-watch your videos instead of watching new content from someone else. Just the other day a “making” channel put out a new video that I stopped watching half way through because it was just boring to me now. He’s told his story and now it’s repetitive. I have never got that feeling from your videos. Ever. You have a core group of subscribers that watch all your videos, while a lot of these other channels rely on views that come from outside their subscribers. They almost rely on there videos going “viral” a little bit. There is this one maker that has close to a million subs but they only get 20-50 thousand views per video. You get 100-200 thousand views on almost every video! Consistently. People are still excited to watch you videos! Your content is so valuable on both side of the lens. Anyways now I’m rambling. I do agree “making Channels” are leveling off but I don’t consider your channel a making channel. You do make stuff but you make it in a way that is truly inspiring. I think one thing these other channels lack is originality and that is something you have. I hope you continue making content for years to come!
Google Trends is confusing because it outputs numbers relative to the current search volume, not absolute ones. Hence a decline in DIY-related search terms might be purely due to more people without DIY-interest entering Google's platform while the interest itself is still growing.
I'm a viewer so from my standpoint I'm watching fewer maker videos because the formulas and processes are similar to what I've seen before whereas at first I was totally fascinated with the genre. I guess I'm at a point where I kind of know what to expect (like you said about Codys Lab). But I still subscribe and love watching once in a while. Thank you for doing these!
I would think it is tough to come up with content after a while but I would like to see your interpretation of the heavy lift table like Marius Hornbergers table. I also like seeing your tweaks and ideas to make stuff better or simpler. I am on the fence about building your latest pantarouter but cut all the pieces on my cnc so I can avoid some of the inaccuracies for alignment.
There is a lot of truth in what you said, but for me a lot of appeal in the maker movement/diy videos I find on RUclips is in the inventiveness and creativity of the creator. I’m never going to build myself a pantarouter but I enjoy seeing the progress. There are channels I follow that build movie props, marble machines, cnc & woodturning projects, etc. I don’t watch them because I’m planning on doing those things myself, but I find their creative process of design & problem solving fascinating.
I find it hard to get maker videos on my home page on mobile. I’ve found that if you go off course and look at the more “trendy” stuff the algorithm seems to quickly push that type of content.
Matthias Hi! I have been following you for many years and inspired by your arguments I had an idea. It involves 'change'. What if you started making things for other people but also film the discussion before the making? I remember the bridge you worked on a while back. It involved a community and it was very interesting to see you interact with other people. You are a very keen problem solver. You could approach maker communities or visit schools and make videos of you helping by using your knowledge and way of thinking in interaction with other people. Ok. You would probably say that it is easier said than done. I agree. However, something often needs to evolve so that it goes forward. I hope you don't mind reading ideas. I wouldn't like to see you lose your passion and I suspect (or suggest) that getting out of the workshop and visiting other places where you could be useful would boost your channel as well as yourself.
I have been thinking about these things. In my mind RUclips has replaced my TV 100% because some content here, like yours, is matching my watching needs better then content on TV. But there isn't still enough of it here. I find my self scrolling in here to find something to watch often. From this I have made the conclusion that there is still need for more content and creators that do it in a way I like it. Different ppl needs are different. So maybe the future is that there will be more creators but their watchers just can't get to the same level. Then again I have not finished your second to last video or even starter your last video. Maby I have just been busy. Since I honestly feel that you are still my favorite RUclipsr.
Perhaps it is because content creators are paying too much attention to the analytics and discussing it ad nauseam . I... dare I say, we... are not here because of your ability to drive views, but rather your talents with your hands.
Good talk, yeah it makes me a bit sad to think of any of my favorite channels ending, but you are right to pay attention to trends and how RUclips and Google are constantly changing heuristics. As someone that works in tech the incredible speed with which technology changes has pros and cons. I don't like seeing talented people forgotten simply because somebody wrote a fancier algorithm or made an assumption about what people wanted to see. But it's wise to be flexible in life and adapt to changes when needed.
Matt - I so enjoy your vids ... your dry, semi-sarcastic attitude is right up my street :-) and your voice-over reasoning as to why this works and that doesn't is highly educational! Personally, I will always continue to watch 95% of your vids, as well as revisit certain vids as and when they become relevant to any project or application I'd be involved with. So, please continue - in what ever format/length you see fit! Sadly though, I suppose I'm in the minority as most "viewers" might appear to solely be interested in those "produced" videos with catchy soundtracks, almost faultless lighting, those will all the bells n whistles, and catchy titles like "Build your own house in 15 seconds". I highly doubt that I'm the only person on this planet that will continue to follow you. That is, of course, until I'm proven wrong when you release your penultimate video and you have only one subscriber! (which BTW will never happen!!) # :-)
I don't know that it would ever be too late to get started, but like you said a lot of luck helps. And hard work. I think that the reality of what it takes to actually make a decent wage from doing this eventually sets in for most of the new channels, and they slow down or stop producing videos. But is that outweighed by the new ones that are coming in with high expectations.
John Heisz - I Build It there is also the problem of short attention spans. I like novels over comic books, but a good comic book is never bad. Not sure what direction the answer lays, but I imagine you will each find one that works for you Thank you both for making at least 2 spots on RUclips worth my time ... now I need to go buy some plans and figure out "patrion"....
I think drama is more accessible for a larger audience. Videos that are visually interesting outperform those that teach new techniques. But I would be embarrassed if my videos were all about drama over over exaggerated.
....which explains the appeal of the "reality TV" shows ... which for the most part I do not like at all. There is a very small segment which are actually documentary in scope, but after a bunch of seasons those tend to lean toward drama for the sake of drama and I stop watching. Matias and John, Do what you need to do for your personal sake / sanity ... come back to older style now and then as the muse strike. I cracked open the vault today and was watching your older stuff, and then following the RUclips offerings in the same channel - lots of fun, and you looked like you were enjoying it - that's the key. Thanks for what you do.
What I find sad is that Google will surely continue to lower the payout for doing this as more and more people are willing to do it for less. It seems to be a very popular "job" like Mathias explained. Most of them will quickly find out it is much harder than it looks, but I think we will all be surprised how many people are willing to do a quality job for not much pay at all just to be "youtube famous". The number one predictor of RUclips success in the future might just be narcissism! I'm being totally serious when I say that. Only a narcissist will find enough benefit to work this hard for so little money. When I look at guys like Mathias and John Heisz I certainly don't see narcissists so I hope their early lead with subs is enough to see them through.
I know what the problem is. What you need is a brand new work shop, why not make it bigger than anyone of your followers could ever dream of. fill it with high end tools mainly all paid for by your sponsor, don't produce any videos for months. and wear a little pair of shorts. Sorted
I think the views are becoming low because some of the viewers actually watched enough to have the confidence to build things. They went outside and start building things. The very first reason starts watching was indeed to learn something to build something in most cases.
I am curious. Is there a percentage difference between viewership counts and search counts? Once someone has subscribed to a channel and subsequently goes directly to the channel, I don’t imagine they will show up in the search counts.
Matthais, you will always be my go to video on everything you publish. Some a way out of my league in being able to accomplish, ie electrical, pantarouter, but the videos give me the inspiration to make things. I've slowly built up my essential tools, and I certainly am a better woodworker because of your videos. I'm not bothered in the slightest that you get sponsored by the tool companies, good luck to you. Those who have stopped buying your plans, whist very good, might be a bit complicated for us mere diyers. I will continue to watch of course, lovely to see your family growing too. If I can think of the next pre gold rush 'thing', I will let you know.
The first woodworking video I watched was you giving a tour of your Dad’s shop. The knowledge he passed on to you is something you’ll pass on to your kids.
I am convinced that there has been a glut of sponsoring going on that takes the relatability of content away along with some traffic being driven away from self reliance to pure entertainment content. Ultimately, if we apply what you guys have given us, we won't be on the tube near as much.
Yep. I really enjoy April's videos but every time I watch it, I'm like WTH does she get all this money/sponsorship? She just built an ENORMOUS shop with all high quality branded tools and what not. Even her friggen lights are like $300 each. I want to watch channels where I can actually related and maybe even build myself. I think a big reason Jimmy is more or less the god father of this genre, is because his videos for a LONG time were stuff made from dumpster diving in his basement.
I agree Mathias. Do you think the RUclips algorithm (being daily vlogger focused) has anything to do with it? Starting a online school for the people serious about learning has worked well for me. Transitioning your audience to an off RUclips platform is key in this rapidly changing landscape. Glad I'm not the only one feeling the down shift. Thanks for sharing.
I have a fairly new channel and have had a steady growth since I started. I’m doing it because I enjoy it ...not to make money. I love what I do and believe that is why my channel is growing. Good luck to you! I enjoy your projects
I don't see nearly as many maker videos in my feeds as I used to. I suspect part of the issue is that some of the channels that you rarely want to miss, like Matthias or Izzy Swan have slowed down in their production quantity. Other channels I used to watch all of the time seem too commercial and repetitive to draw my clicks. The less I click, the more RUclips suggests alternative content.
My problem as an end user is I am trying to get as much information on a certain thing say Hand plane restoration. I look it up. Then do the restoration then I am done. I have restored many planes now and only have time to go back once in a while to reference the material. It is the same with some of your videos. I built a saw mill out of your bandsaw build as well as others. I still have the tool and use it on occasion. You could probably use a Facebook page or group to boost promotions with sharing. Word of mouth is a great way you just need to get it started somehow. I do not do videos because I am not a really good woodworker. I just do it as a hobby and build stave drums. I do love all the videos you all put on RUclips. I hope they keep up all the videos. Thank you for all you Folks do.
At the end of the day you will make a decision that is right for you. It's only natural to feel disheartened when the interest in what we have to offer is not going our way, but it can also change very quickly with a positive and creative mindset. I love what you do and your channel so I will continue to watch your content. Hang in there mate and the best of luck for the future.
You have described market saturation and today's society's demand for new topics and ideas. RUclips has reached saturation for woodworking projects. Exactly how many farm table videos will the average viewer watch before deciding to build or change search parameters?
I'm not a "content creator" so I apologize if this is a dumb question, but does RUclips provide you guys with information about how active your subscribers are in general? In other words do you have a sense of what proportion of the subscriber number ever logs in to YT?
Thank you so much for talking about trends... I recently believe that unless you can deliver shock and awe... only those truly interested in what you make will not grow much once the market is saturated. I also believe tool sales will eventually peak and then decline soon. It is a cycle and only living long enough can reveal these cycles oover a long period. I'm talking 4-5x the age of youtube itself. Keep your thoughts coming.
I’ve been wondering if the interest has been waning. Admittedly, I’m one of the new guys. Very new in fact. Both in RUclips and woodworking. I had a little boom on my channel a while back that was getting me pretty excited, but the last two months or so have been pretty stagnant with little views. I certainly don’t wanna steal anyone’s fire. I love the community and fun of woodworking. I’m just gonna keep plugging on and hope for the best.
As a coming new RUclips Channel for our small machine shop this is something to consider for us, but we say if we get to 100 devoted viewer subscribers that interact with us that is worth our editing time as sharing with others our CNC micromachining skills is our only goal here, we thank you for the highlights though and keep making videos.
I have been watching a lot of maker's videos for years and have noticed a big change in the way maker's started making videos after RUclips made a chance in the monetization. I think this caused a lot of full-timers go in other directions. The one's who enjoy the process of making videos still post, but not as often. I have really enjoyed watching and taking inspiration from the makers on RUclips, but like everything, changes happen and you can never go home again.
There was a green reflection in your glasses . Did you see it when editing or is it something on my side? I have been watching your channel for over 3 years and will continue. I was attracted by no nonsense, no intro or outro. Some humor. I also liked the occasional cameos by your children. I only miss the Mouse safaris . I pay to watch ad free so I may be biased somewhat. You are getting older so no more jumping or hanging. Mmmmm maybe you kids could do some…….. Great camera work and builds. I don’t think there is a need for too much change. Thanks for listening…..
The thing about all this is that the RUclips type "business" will find a balance between time invested vs money earned as general market forces take hold. As RUclips has exploded the makers who will last will be the ones who are willing to do it for the least amount of money. There seems to be no shortage of talent so if you have 1000 talented makers the top 100, or whatever amount, that are willing to do it for very little money will be the ones who are still here. A while back you had it really good because there weren't enough makers making content for a balance to have been found. Like you said, you got in it before the market forces dictated what should be paid and so the pay was artificially high. Now that there are more talented makers than are needed market forces will dictate the pay. Still, the very best of the best (not just talented in making but also personality, video editing, general video quality) will still command a premium pay. All of this is great for those of us watching but not so great for those of you making videos. Those of you who got in early have a massive advantage in that you have built up an early lead with subs, however, Google is no dummy, and I expect they will continue to drive down your pay simply because they can. Why would they pay more for a product when they don't have to? I wish all of you guys and gals luck going forward!!
SuburbanHobbyist well said. Same goes for most “markets” they all seam like viable options at the start. Make a Fair amount of money. However now instead is 100 makers there is 200 makers and the other 100 are just starting so they will do it for 10% less the price you know just to get a foot in the door. Then uh oh here comes a new group or 100 “we’ll we will Do it for 5% less then the last 100” vicious cycle. And once you committed to being a “you tuber” as a career. You get stuck because well you have to make money right.
What we need is a 3D printer made of 2x4s. The people who did make money during the gold rush were the merchants selling picks and shovels, and the pimps and hookers at the saloon. You have to see yourself as a provider or as an entertainer, and the content itself is not that terribly important, otherwise how would you explain the success of the videos on "How small a hole can a mouse get through". In there, you have the big question, "How small a hole?" then the music and sound effects: it is PURE FUN. Furthermore, we personally identify with the greedy mouse that wants more... And then an element of a spy novel: "we've been infiltrated by a mole!!!" Novelty is a big element too: The pantorouter is well followed: this is an invention of pure creativity. Where is the Pantorouter2 that will cut wooden gears?
It's sad but that's true. We had comedian here in Czech, good one, Jan Werich, and in one play he said something like "that's dumb, it will be well adopted". That's true. Especially for lower classes. Dumbest, more shocking, or word catching content the wider audience. Therefore here is a question all of you 'creators/craftsman' has to ask and answer for yourself. Are you willing to produce crappy widely viewed content (boulevard-news) , or write a poetry like a Shakespeare ? I do prefer quality content, craft, skill, and some invention you (John, Mathias and some others) brought to RUclips. And I really do appreciate that. However it will also mean that if you are making something unique that you'll have less audience. How many of us is buying Porsche/Aston-Martin and how many Hyundai/Volkswagen cars ?
You are a very clever person. I agree with the points you made. I continue to watch your channel because you are very "entertaining" but also because I just love watching you make stuff... thank you ... I recently subbed again with my new channel which makes absolutely no money whatsoever ;) thanks, Paul.
Hello Matthias, your content is always interesting, even when you’re not making anything -like this one, for example! Anyway, I appreciate your curiosity and independence. Carry on, and greetings from California. Daniel
You made some valid points, all of which contribute to a decline in "maker" channel views. In addition, there are many long time content providers that have simply run out material to offer (how many widgets can you make?) and are making fewer, actual build videos. Another factor is the way more people are viewing RUclips content. It seems as if the "smart phone" is the way more folks are choosing to view videos, and as such, it's the shorter videos that attract more views. I've discovered my 3 minute or less videos get far more views than the longer ones (and I strive to keep my videos no more than 12 minutes whenever possible. I discovered the shorter 3 minute and less videos are most likely to watched to the end, whereas the longer ones are only partially watched. There are many reasons for the decline of views or the length of time spent viewing, and all we can do is either adapt, change the nature or genre of content we produce, or stop producing altogether and walk away. For me, it's not about making money. I produce my humble little videos to share with others, and I enjoy making the videos. If it ever becomes something that is not fun for me, I'll do something else.
I have changed over the past 10 years that I have been watching RUclips videos. It honestly amazes me that people like yourself and The Wood Whisperer, Steve Ramsey and the likes are still making videos. I will occasionally check back in to your channels just to see what's going on without really being engaged as I once was.
Matthias, there is one other variable that you did not mention and that is you tubes bullcrap algorithm machine that they can change anytime they take a notion to.
When things are new, people can’t get enough of it. But like everything else, they become accustomed to it. Probably that kind of thinking that got us to this point. If you could teleport someone from the 10th century to current times, they would be awestruck beyond belief of the magic that surrounds us, but after several years, eventually it will be taken for granted.
It is NOW 2019 as I write this and I DO still look up a lot of "how to" videos myself!! BUT honestly there is only so much I can stand watching anymore AND NOT that it is anybody's fault in a lot of ways!!! In fact I have watched how to build many things and I have done my work and built the items I have seen thanks to guys like you Matthias, and Izzy Swan, John Heisz, Steve Ramsey, Jeremy Fielding and many more!! In fact I have moved on to a point where either I have the items I wanted to build, BUILT, or I have other projects too that are taking up my time as well!!! There are after all only so many hours in a day, and there are ONLY SO MANY projects I can actually build!! In my case too, I don't own a large shop, plus I am on a very prohibitively restricted budget currently too, which it sucks being disabled!!!! So for me it takes time too to come up with the cash for materials you can seem to take for granted like buying bearings alone took me 3 months of "saving up for" and I still have yet to get the lumber to build my own band saw, which is another project that currently is on "my back burner" not to mention trying to figure out where I can have room to store it once I have it built!!! WHICH I am still haunted by my past life and a bloody divorce 20 years ago, that I am still digging myself out from under!!!! So it isn't like I am making millions of dollars of my wood working, and frankly though I do, do odd jobs to earn money (again I am disabled) it isn't easy to get people to call me for work, or some jobs I have to turn down simply because my disabilities prevent me from doing them!! In fact I used to be a VERY ACTIVE young man when I was much younger, and NOW it hurts to stand, bend over, lay down or even sit up!! And walking at times is almost impossible!!! And because of my medical problems at times it even disrupts my sleep!!! Further I have been a "tinkerer" for a very long time now, starting back in the 1970s. I have built many things over the years from spice racks, to computer desks, to tables, bookshelves and stands! BUT I have always had to work on a major "shoestring budget" and a lot of times using "found materials" to make things out of usually!!! So I have learned how to do things that most people tell me I am stupid or tell me "that is impossible" but some how I always pull it off even without a cent to my name!!! In short it isn't that I have stopped watching RUclipsr's such has yourself, but lately your content just isn't there are even you guys seem to run out of ideas at times!! Or the content you post is NOT a build video or "how to" at times case in point a video like this that I am replying too!! Even after Steve Ramsey''s mother passed away his content seem to take a hit in quality and some of his videos ARE NOT really as good as his earlier work. It isn't his fault, but you can only show building a table ONCE before those projects get old even to you guys!! And face it there are only so many ways to build a mouse trap to put it another way!!! Besides too my interests are all over the map!! I am into projects of electronics, solar and wind power, wood working, home surveillance, HTPC and Server builds, Computer videos (Like Explaining Computers with Chris Barrett) and mechanical things like Chuckie2009 or Chris Fix, and even the King Of Random Grant does wonderful videos too!! And then there are "PVC life hacks" by Specific Love Creations as well and the list really goes on from there!! As I also look into "alternative" (energy) things like homesteading and more with old content from Engineer775 and even Steam engines peak my interest as do cars and air craft and space travel!! In the end there are TONS of things I am into....but I am only one person and once I build one thing I move on to other projects as I say!!!! I still pop back in from time to time to see if there is anything NEW I can learn, and I do enjoy my old friends like You, John, Steve and more!!! BUT I am also a fan of music as well, so I am listening to Lindsey Stirling, Mean Mary James and a number of other Country, folks, rock, heavy metal, bluegrass and other bands and talents as well like Patty Gurdy!!! At the end of the day I am still running out of "New things to watch" at times, and you folks can ONLY PROVIDE so much content in a given week or month!! And I have found people like April Wilkerson, and Darbin Orvar to watch as well, with their how too videos as well!! I do enjoy your channel greatly as I say though and check back a couple of times a week to see what I might have missed or find something new to watch!! Thank you for such a great channel and I will keep watching as long as there is new content!!!
HW, You've made your point. Suggest a bit of market analysis and self [business] analysis. Of the channels that have high viewership, what characteristics do they share with their peers? What communicative style is shared? Are things like background music and sped-up videos used more than by the under-productive channels? Have you sought evaluative feedback on your channel? With respect for your work, Terry.
My two cents, for what it''s worth. My channel has been growing steady. It's not big, but it's healthy. It's not in decline in any way. What I seem to have noticed over the years, with more makers entering the RUclips 'market', is that the general audience wants to see originality. There are so many videos on 'How to make a table', 'How to make a solar panel', 'How to plumb a toilet', etc. Pick a genre, it doesn't really matter. Everyone giving their own spin on how they do these everyday projects is fine and I encourage it, but I'm finding that the only people really interested in it are fellow creators of some sort who appreciate learning different ways of doing things. That's not an overall good thing if a person is trying to build a channel/brand. The general RUclips audience, I think, wants to see something new when they click on a video. They want to see something that's trending. Otherwise they get bored, quickly. Audience retention is everything. If I can't keep mine engaged, then the views will drop both because people become less interested and because the algorithm is set up to favour videos/channels with a high audience retention, so it'll be recommended to less people. The best advice that I can give to a new creator wanting to start a channel, is to be original. It's not going to be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is ;)
James Biggar you get it. The problem with a lot of these old timers is that they've started taking their audience for granted. Just because you made views before doesn't mean you can crap in a box and get the same amount of views. When people build board boxes to hang on their walls, they're not going to get the same views as someone that create a differently thought out idea.
While I understand your point, it's quite disrespectful to imply the likes of Mathias are crapping in a box. Mathias is a fantastic influence in the community and has been nothing if not original.
I am a professional youtube maker watcher spending too much time watching and not enough making. Three things are important to me to stay involved in a particular video or channel. In order: 1. Personality of the producer- 50% 2. Videography 40% 3. Interesting project or story combined with craftsmanship- 10% Thank you both for your work.
The number of maker/diy videos I watch has steadily declined over the past year. One of the biggest reasons is the sheer number of ads. Either interruptions in the video or part of the video content itself, it just gets to be too time consuming to get through a video. More and more often I simply find myself using youtube as a video google. In other words it provides a nice collection of video reference material I can search for help on a project or something I'm working on. I won't be surprised to see many channels die or fade away. I saw this happen with a predecessor of RUclips, that being internet forums. Once commercialization set in and webmasters turned to generating revenue as a primary objective participants left in droves (there were other reasons too). Online forums are a dying breed. Video has a lot to offer so I'm not suggesting its demise, rather I see a reduction in rate of new content and subscriptions for the maker/diy genre videos. The heyday may have just passed.
If I'm not watching videos by Matthias, Steve, John, April, etc.... It's because I didn't notice them being posted. Maker videos are still high in demand for me, and I appreciate the work that you guys put into it.
Sounds like you feeling a bit down we enjoy watching you make stuff keep your chin up lad and keep em coming do let things grind you down you have a brilliant mind keep it working for you and yours all The very best mate from Scotland
Very much agree. I used to produce videos pretty regularly around 4 years ago and had what i thought was a decent audience. I had to stop for a few years due to my personal life but things have settled down recently and I have thought about getting back into producing content but for me it just isn't worth my time sadly.
It seems its just a natural progression. Good channels will grow then level off and depending on the creator, they will either slow their upload frequency or stop altogether. Some channels have gone so "all in" that it is hard for them to step back, building large shops, taking on numerous sponsors, quitting day jobs, heavy patreon dependency. Its an obligate yourself to success strategy which can work but it will take its toll on a person. If the super channels don't hire editors and a crew they cannot maintain quality or growth. Meanwhile, the audience is drifting away because the channel is no longer a seat of your pants effort but a business and new youtubers are starting channels everyday that have a more hungry approach.
There is also the "personality" factor. Both yourself and John have got very strong personalities(but very different) and its always good to hear opinions from people who aren't afraid to put theirs forward.
The reason why your views went down in you tube is that, most people thinks that it costs less to watch via face book most specially through mobile phones. Majority of the videos that you have posted are appreciated by older folks like me who clings to the old ways and we easily get your point of view. I think you need more ideas and projects so that your ratings will go up. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy watching videos from your channels and learn a lot from them. This is just my opinion. Keep up the excellent job Matthias and John !!!!
Creators with film backgrounds tend to grow well because they put more work and thought into production. How to film something interestingly, create a style. Laura Kampf being a prime example. As a viewer, I like seeing structured videos that showcase the story ( in this case the build process), and a maker with no film experience just doesn't think of how to make videos captivating.
There is one unexplored domain of RUclips makers - that of the "elder statesmen" of YT. That is something that expands the careers of many in the entertainment industry. But you both will have to wait a decade or two to see if that carries any currency.
My declining interest in big channels like this is, ironically, when they branch off into separate channels to partition their projects better (such as this channel). Cody's Lab is the same for me; I understand his second channel is an outlet for times that his main channel is under a copyright strike, but at some point, the structure and organization of larger channels (splitting off into many smaller channels) really makes it hard for me to follow content and stay up-to-date on Creator events and timelines. I'm sure I'm not aware of the driving forces that Creators experience that justify this habit, but I can't help but notice that I'm bothered by the explosion of side-channels.
Hi Mathias, I'm not sure I agree with your philosophy entirely on why there is a drop off. If I may, my thoughts, as a avid You Tuber, is the content is not as complete as it used to be. You especially went into great detail and that is where you earned my respect and attention. If you, John and others are on the same thought process your viewers will surely but gradually decline. I wish you , your wife and beautiful children happiness and success. God Bless.
Terry Kreiling There is merit here. I grew up watching This Old House, and New Yankee Workshop, but over the years they changed and stopped showing the content which drew me in at the start. Granted, you can only show the how and why to a box joint so many times, but it us a symptom. I enjoy both of your channels and hope that neither of you stop. Thank you for your efforts!
Everything has been thought of,like music,have you heard any good songs written/played/sung in the last 10 years?It also depends on the viewer,with me I will seek any video pertaining to what project I'm planning on doing,for me my interest are DIY tube amplifiers/preamps and speaker building,I have educated myself by watching a lot,and I mean a lot of videos,some of the videos are good,some not so.
I think that part of the problem is when I search for "workbench" for example, the search will result in literally countless "Ultimate Workbench" videos. These videos show projects that range anywhere from total garbage, to something that could be sold at retail levels.
The view is counted but I think ad blockers do affect their revenue. How long an ad is watched and if the ad leads to a click through matters too as I understand it. Basically everything counts.
funny thing i was thinking this the other day, I dont watch as many project videos as i used to, but i keep making things and my passion didnt decrease at all. i think the problem is the formula of this videos is overuse and predictable, watching a thumbnail get me the point of the proyect and after some minutes I switch it. I find myself watching only your videos and the guys from make it extreme
Thanks for sharing Matthias. Most of us woodworkers aren't marketing experts nor have the time to do the numbers but I think as you have said it is levelling off with more content for punters to choose from. I learned many years ago in the 1980's that sharing your knowledge/teaching others how to do things can be a bit like selling weapons! I think seeing RUclips as a potential for earning a living from is unrealistic unless you are in the big audience stuff such as gaming. But as a platform to re-direct to your online store its one way of paying for your advertising! But it is changing like everything else. As Steve Ramsay says maybe the tricks videos and ones that are very short get the views but then I have sold my ebooks on projects. I think its a bit like 50% of advertizing pays but which 50%? I echo James Biggar as well 'not big, but healthy and not in decline'. Bear in mind we all lose a percentage of subscribers against those we gain. I think we are very lucky to have an audience. i was knocking on the door of broadcast television in the UK for years and now I have my own channel and terrific. That alone is almost enough. One can get greedy about viewings but people are giving their time when there is so much out there. I am a little surprised to hear Matthias's 'complaints' as he surely has the biggest audience by far?! Shorter attention span and increased use of mobile phones I think is a factor.
Obviously I can't say anything about your views fluctuations but I still enjoy watching, even though I know I will not make 99% of the stuff u make. I just enjoy seeing what you do, plus you don't start yr videos with "hey guys, wassup"
As part of your customer, viewer base here are my thoughts from watching yours and many other channels over the past 10 years. I think there are many things that are affecting viewership. RUclips has been flooded with a ton of makers. This is not always a bad thing as it opens up ideas from multiple sources. But it's been hard on many content producers as RUclips is constantly scaling funding back from those who are monetized. I do believe this is changed a lot of content for those who rely on this as primary or supplementary income. Also just like writing a TV show it's hard to come up with fresh and new content. Myself I enjoy some of your rebuilds showing improvements on previous built projects after using them for a period of time and learning how to build a better mouse trap. I just recently went back to one of your old videos from seven years ago to get information on a project I'm working on. Many of the old original content producers examples Diresta, April Wilkerson, Izzy Swan and many more have grown into something bigger than just working out of there garage. This is not necessarily a bad thing but it has changed a lot of what you view that could be done in your own small garage with limited tools. I ran into April recently at a woodworking social and became a little starstruck only because I have been watching her progress for years and appreciated what she was doing. I rambled off at the mouth probably making a idiot of myself. But I asked her about Izzy since I haven't seen much from him in the last couple years, she explained he was working on some big projects. Other you tubers I have watched over the years have changed their content which there is nothing wrong with engaging views from a different audience. I found myself not watching them as much as I had different interests. So it's always a crapshoot when creators change focus. Some creators like SV Seeker, Acorn to Arabella, Salt and Tar and Sampson Boatworks have long ongoing projects which keep cute chomping at the bit waiting for the next stage of the process. But even shorter projects from Keith Rucker, Keith Fenner, Mathew Cremona and yourself are great because you can see a finish product within a reasonable time period. Also I have noticed that even though I am subscribed and have notifications checked creators content don't always come up on my way subscription list. I am always wondering what happened to a creator since I had not seen anything new come out of them only to find out my subscription to them is not coming up on my list of videos. Sometimes I even find that RUclips has unsubscribed me to that creator. Of course I just cycle and re-subscribe in either case. Also peoples lives change and their ability to have time to create or even follow fluctuates. As for myself I am rebuilding my garage although it's taking some time and I'm hoping to go back and rewatch a lot of your videos in order to put some of your ideas to use. As a fellow Texan I hope if I meet up with April again she won't run for the door. Are you guys are great and you do have some loyal followers.
We all crave novelty as well as (many of us) knowledge. I've always thought one of the reasons for your success was that you simply made what *you* found interesting. Another was the innovation but sadly that cannot continue indefinitely
I just checked your socialblade page and the answer is- NO. Congrats on becoming a player in the RUclips maker arena. You have arrived, just don't change!
Without collaboration and co-creation people are disinterested. Instead of wishing people to stop making content, encourage and support them. Let other people see you in that light. I have a very small channel with around 41,000 views. I'm nobody in the community. I do this for family and friends, not monetization. Bottom line.... exposure, personality, and skill will keep your channel alive.
Ask why people became interested in “making” in the first place. For me it’s the growing sense of commercialization and the need to return to something worth while and rewarding. This can range from baking your own bread to changing a fuse in your car to making a super pantorouter. Maybe a maker isn’t alway in the shop making. He’s preparing as well. Sourcing material and balancing his, or her, life to be able to produce something of worth. It’s a way of life. Thanks for your efforts, I enjoy catching up with your videos.
With building stuff from wood or metal there is always a design component in them, so they will stay interesting for quite some time, because as time goes by people will happen to need something similar and will start searching for those videos. But with purely science stuff it might dull out.
RUclips needs to watch this. They think they have the goose that will always lay the golden egg, no matter what happens and no matter how they treat people.
I think the makers who make a name for themselves are the ones who continue to see steady views. These are my essential always watch RUclips makers: Diresta, Frank Howarth, Matthias, Jimbo (mostly). Other makers have sporadic good stuff like John Heisz, Samurai, Alex Steel, etc...I used to binge their channels but lately they’re hit and miss.
Hello Mr Matthias, I really loved all your works n your project sir its brilliant, especially diy table saw Its really helps I manage to built one but not as perfect what l have seen but its functional. My point is I am a poorman garage I can't afford to buy special tools for particular applications. I think not only me may be millions out there got similar situations as me. I really love to see any professional n experts showing us a videos making a project with a simple n basic tools but still can produce perfect results. Am from Bruneian Asian country Brunei. thank you sir.
Maybe the public changes over time, but the channels are changing, there is often no fire left. Surprisingly there are medium sized channels with less success but more strength and consistency than the bigger ones, probably because making is more their focus than channel success.
I've actually been feeling somewhat the same about your videos (re: how you feel about Cody). Like you, I've not sure if it's you, or if it's me. But take for example your recent pantarouter videos, I'm just kinda meh. I've seen you make lots of things before, and there's nothing about building the pantarouter that really interests me. And there have been a few other channels that I used to love that I just gradually lost interest in. I don't mean this as a critique of your channel, just sharing how I've been feeling towards your videos recently, as a somewhat long-time subscriber (2-3 years? something like that). In any case, I'm still subscribed and still watch some of your new videos on occasion :)
I worked for a wood worker in highschool He said, " it took me twenty five years unitll I was relatively successful." He started off making furniture, but made his money making custome kitchen cabinets. Five years after that he lost everything, other people flooded the Kitchen cabinet market. Living off wood working is risky.
The guys who got rich during the gold rush were the guys selling the shovels :)
Jackman Works, and the blue jeans!
And the infomercials on how to strike it rich digging for gold. $$
any evidence to back that up ?
Dom Troisi "However, only a minority of miners made much money from the Californian Gold Rush. It was much more common for people to become wealthy by providing the miners with over-priced food, supplies and services." spartacus-educational.com/USAgoldrushC.htm
... and the booze.
And Saturday night's straddle, of course.
To my mind you are not like other makers; your curiosity, inventiveness, sense of humor will always be fresh. Your scavenging and trash-picking encourage us low-budget folks, and your independence from sponsors and fancy production, while it might make for a harder road, is part of what keeps me a faithful fan and viewer, as is learning some of your history, and seeing your Dad's work and your work with him. I'm sorry that the "gold rush" has diluted your audience, and the increased demand for novelty and decreased attention span of many viewers causes them to fall away. I continue to go back to your archives, as I'm sure many others do; you've produced a great body of work which continues to inspire us.
I agree even letting us tag along with things that fail would be pretty cool I love makers that always say what if?
I stopped watching many established youtubers simply because many of the presenters feel like they have become “rock stars”. Started making shop updates videos rather than providing interesting content. They forgot the viewers that made them successful and started monetizing their content and producing mediocre free content. Arrogance is dangerous, equal to loosing track of your humble beginnings. I for one, totally enjoy your videos and will continue watching. You are very talented Mathias. I stopped watching videos of other very talented presenters because they lost their identity. My humble 2 cents.
Damn! you hit the nail directly on the head with that comment! those are the feelings I've been trying to put into words about several DYI maker channels lately. Obviously I still watch this channel, but others I've I had to pass on lately. I'm not interested in spending my time watching a personal blog, or sitting through a long video of all the free merchandise you received from you're sponsors. And I really don't care about you're new shop, or upgrades. I watch these videos for education and sharing ideas. Not drama or advertisement, if that's what I wanted I would go inside the house and watch TV with the wife.
Ron Hochhalter interestingly enough when presenters start giving themselves high and mighty names like “maker” or “ creator” then I know that the presenter is gone. We are all just a bunch of Shmos in a garage or basement sharing their hobby and learn from each other. Many of the presenters are very talented and I admire that very much. For me woodworking is a new hobby and want to learn.
April Wilkerson is good example of the Rockstar maker. Yeah, she has a great new shop... Wow, you installed some fancy do-dads... Oh, the boards delivered by @thesearemyfriends are now suddenly 5 complete widgets going to the corporate booth at the international Gizmohype festival. Ugh!! Exhausting...
I couldn't agree more. It's exactly why I don't watch the 'big' woodworking channels any more I've started hunting down the smaller, newer channels with fewer subscribers and no sponsors. I used to really enjoy Darbin Ovar but it's gone a bit soap opera. I'm really not interested in the personal lives of the woodworking channels I watch, I'm interested in the woodworking. I think I watched a handful of John Heisz videos before I got fed up with them. He makes interesting stuff, but I really wont subscribe to a channel where it comes across as hugely negative - I think the second video of his I watched was one where he said he didn't want to answer questions about his videos - that's no help for someone starting out and looking for information - there are plenty of channels that are happy to interact. The other part is the decline in making type videos because those longer ones don't generate the same revenue - "Rock stars" want the revenue and sponsors, new channels want the subscribers - The content follows that same path.
I kind of felt that way after traveling to the Maker Faire Bay Area this past month. I heard Makers, who I had followed for years, complain about their RUclips followers’ criticisms and how happy they were to know they could just eliminate their comments to keep the stream positive. It was weird.
After spending lots of money to spend three days there, I sort of felt put off. I noticed the RUclips Makers wanted to hang out with their peers rather than the attendees. I don’t mean to judge but I went back to my own shop and was grateful I didn’t have to think about ratings, or traveling from Faire to Faire. There are still some genuine wood workers out there who are worth watching but for the RUclips Makers that are just putting out poorly made products to make a video, I think that is the result of the life they have taken on.
There is beauty in our quiet life. I say embrace that and don’t put too much thought into the RUclips Makers and their reality.
I think that I know why it is down. I was very interested in the “maker” movement and trends and enjoyed seeing things being made and especially the home style innovations people came up with. But I saw something that started turning me off and I can explain it. The top “makers” that seemed to be at the peak of the movement like DiResta and let’s say Wranglerstar and I cant remember her name, but a woman maker, all started to become heavily endorsed by tool makers and if you go to their latest videos they have these massive shops being built in huge pole barn style buildings and quite honestly, seeing this turns me off. Where they used to innovate and create things they needed, now they are given $40,000 CNC and CAD driven milling machines and things that are way outside the occasional garage and basement tinkerers fare. We know we will never afford it or even want it. It’s excessive and their fame has gone a little to their heads and most of them have not really been putting out videos because of the multitude of projects they are involved with as they become industrial powerhouses. They aren’t in our league anymore and why should I bother? I got on board the Patreon thing and donated a few bucks a month and that was cool in the beginning, but 90% of them have not made a video in 5 or 6 months. Meanwhile I am still giving a monthly donation. I guess I am becoming a little jaded. But, you and John are keeping it real and I like that.
traderjoes you hit the nail right on the head traderjoes, I too have noticed lots of endorsing going on and have unsubscribed from the likes of wranglerstar and the female joiner one for that reason. They are making videos to suit their endorsers rather than what they want to make for themselves.
It seemed like it started going downhill when that company started giving free CNC machines to everyone. Now everyone is 'sponsored', their videos are worse than movies with their product placements. Everyone is screaming how they are losing YT revenue, yet these massive shops are being built somehow.
the more sponsoring i see the faster i am gone !
Well that is the way to go if you want to make a living out of this long term, because YT screws people on the adverts real bad, heck these days they will just de-monetize videos for every possible random reason.
But it also makes the content like a half baked cheesy infomercial.
I almost completely stopped reading after reading the name Wranglerstar in accordance with the maker movement. However, reading on, people like him actually enforce the point you're making. He is a prime example of somebody who started off somewhat legitimately, then completely got ruined.
You're exactly right. When most people get sponsors, they turn into shills. The people like AvE, who are able to resist the sponsors, generally seem to remain far more legitimate. EEVBlog is one of the few who has had a VERY occasional sponsor who seems to stay true to word. (Another note: This maker mentions Codyslab, but I would actually consider him as one of those who has stayed true to message.)
Thank you for all you effort and creativity. Your channel is amazing and has had a very large influence in my woodworking pursuits. If my viewing has declined for a particular channel it is in part due to having too much content available having subscribed to too many channels. I tend to find a new channel, binge on its library of interesting topics and go but the good channels such as yourIs I eagerly await new episodes. It seems the RUclips business model has been undergoing some changes in recent times and it may be having an negative impact on content creators and consumers alike. All I can say is thank you and I hope you can continue for many more years to come.
Project videos are definitely hard to get people to watch these days. Tricks and hacks get way more views. I found sanity by producing the projects and educational content I love...but off RUclips. It makes no sense to work hard producing detailed content for RUclips.
Love watching your stuff.
Thanks for putting stuff out there.
Steve Ramsey - Woodworking for Mere Mortals -- having been a subscriber to your channels as well as John's and Matthias' channels for a very long time, I've watched your styles change and get refined over the years and have thoroughly enjoyed the huge amount of content you've put out there. while i do have to confess to sometimes having work or life in general get in the way of being able to just sit down and enjoy the content you share, i find it sad that you've been forced to move some of your content off RUclips, but I can understand why.
It makes no sense if you don't try to engage your audience and are willing to find ways to make your content more interesting.
Of COURSE a drill drilling a hole isn't something people want to watch over and over again. You've just found your own plateau and are unable to be more engaging to your audience.
Hey, that's that guy :)
You hit the nail on the head! I have no intentions of building 99% of the content I watch, I just like watching it come together. If I wanted to learn, I'd watch different stuff. I've learned a lot on RUclips, but 90% of what I watch is pure entertainment. These guys just don't want to accept that reality. The wood chain you built was the first video I watched on your channel, and all the hacks you've done are my favorite videos. But, watching you build organizers for your spoons... eh, boring. No offense, I still watched the video, but build more wood chain like videos and I'm back.
At 69 and a 50 year hiatus in wood working, watching your videos got me back into it. Thanks for all your interesting and informative projects and reviews.
A channel that never grows old for me is Applied Science, he has great variety and often does what seems like extremely complicated things, but for the most part figures them out in his own garage
Totally agree! Applied Science is among the best on RUclips.
I agree, but look at how rarely he posts. RUclips is not his income source, just something he does for fun.
Thanks for your thoughts on this. For me, I just really like the process of creating and shooting. And I like that we have the freedom to create what we want. Let's all just keep doing that. I'm new to RUclips but worked as a video producer and animator way back in the 90's. And in engineering before that. We needed rooms of refrigerator sized computers to do the simplest 3D design. Now, I'm just blown away by what we can do with Sketchup. All this amazing technology right at our fingertips and, the ability to create a TV show right at home. Even if the "maker" thing is in decline due to over saturation, the need to create still pushes creative people to continue. My 2 cents.
You hit the nail on the head. There are so many channels on RUclips that it has become saturated with so much content. Much like television and movies, its getting harder to find original content that isn't derivative. And like you said, the novelty of a channel has a shelf life.
hi matthias , hi john , hi from colombia, you guys make great content , please dont stop makin it
So often when you are talking I love the expression on your face - a cross between a smile/smirk. You're obviously intelligent and obviously pretty grounded - so seems you see the irony/humor in life. Coming from a similar background I relate. Cracks me up watching your videos - feels like being part of an inside joke. Keep up the good work .. and please keep the humorous vibe in your videos.
You and CodysLab are still two of my favorite RUclipsrs. I feel like you are family. I dont think Ill ever stop watching you guys. I enjoy seeing every little fixit idea you have. I find it quite fascinating and inspiring.
Does this mean April Wilkerson’s shorts will be getting shorter?
Best laugh all day today!
April has no creativity, she would make a decent laborer on a job site and hang around to talk and have a beer.
I used to be a big follower of April but stopped due to her change of attitude when her viewership grew. She got very arrogant and acts like she knows everything even if its on something she has never done before.
BCWoodworks1 I dunno, I still find her videos interesting. Im honestly pretty jealous of all the gear she has, surely most of it was gained through sponsorships
CesculuS_MoronicuS No doubt with the sponsorships. Triton gave her tools and it seemed like Home Depot gave her material, believe me I have nothing against her for it I would have taken it to if I had been given the chance. I do woodworking and cabinetry for a living and she would get laughed off a job site with some of her thinking.
Informative video . I don't intend to do videos but always wondered how they got on air. I hope you continue to make videos . I go to your older videos and watch them as they are very interesting. And informative. Thanks for sharing.
What you said about channels getting stale is so true. But I will tell you this and I’m sure a lot of people will agree. Matthias, your channel is the only one I have never gotten sick of. It’s never become stale, it’s never become boring. I have been subscribed for years now and I’ve watched every single one of your videos. If I’m bored I will re-watch your videos instead of watching new content from someone else. Just the other day a “making” channel put out a new video that I stopped watching half way through because it was just boring to me now. He’s told his story and now it’s repetitive. I have never got that feeling from your videos. Ever. You have a core group of subscribers that watch all your videos, while a lot of these other channels rely on views that come from outside their subscribers. They almost rely on there videos going “viral” a little bit. There is this one maker that has close to a million subs but they only get 20-50 thousand views per video. You get 100-200 thousand views on almost every video! Consistently. People are still excited to watch you videos! Your content is so valuable on both side of the lens. Anyways now I’m rambling. I do agree “making Channels” are leveling off but I don’t consider your channel a making channel. You do make stuff but you make it in a way that is truly inspiring. I think one thing these other channels lack is originality and that is something you have. I hope you continue making content for years to come!
Google Trends is confusing because it outputs numbers relative to the current search volume, not absolute ones. Hence a decline in DIY-related search terms might be purely due to more people without DIY-interest entering Google's platform while the interest itself is still growing.
Did you considder the change of setting your channel went through? From cozy diy basement to a bigger, more scary (unobtainable to most) large shed?
I'm a viewer so from my standpoint I'm watching fewer maker videos because the formulas and processes are similar to what I've seen before whereas at first I was totally fascinated with the genre. I guess I'm at a point where I kind of know what to expect (like you said about Codys Lab). But I still subscribe and love watching once in a while. Thank you for doing these!
I would think it is tough to come up with content after a while but I would like to see your interpretation of the heavy lift table like Marius Hornbergers table. I also like seeing your tweaks and ideas to make stuff better or simpler. I am on the fence about building your latest pantarouter but cut all the pieces on my cnc so I can avoid some of the inaccuracies for alignment.
There is a lot of truth in what you said, but for me a lot of appeal in the maker movement/diy videos I find on RUclips is in the inventiveness and creativity of the creator. I’m never going to build myself a pantarouter but I enjoy seeing the progress. There are channels I follow that build movie props, marble machines, cnc & woodturning projects, etc. I don’t watch them because I’m planning on doing those things myself, but I find their creative process of design & problem solving fascinating.
I find it hard to get maker videos on my home page on mobile. I’ve found that if you go off course and look at the more “trendy” stuff the algorithm seems to quickly push that type of content.
Matthias Hi! I have been following you for many years and inspired by your arguments I had an idea. It involves 'change'. What if you started making things for other people but also film the discussion before the making? I remember the bridge you worked on a while back. It involved a community and it was very interesting to see you interact with other people. You are a very keen problem solver. You could approach maker communities or visit schools and make videos of you helping by using your knowledge and way of thinking in interaction with other people. Ok. You would probably say that it is easier said than done. I agree. However, something often needs to evolve so that it goes forward. I hope you don't mind reading ideas. I wouldn't like to see you lose your passion and I suspect (or suggest) that getting out of the workshop and visiting other places where you could be useful would boost your channel as well as yourself.
I have been thinking about these things. In my mind RUclips has replaced my TV 100% because some content here, like yours, is matching my watching needs better then content on TV. But there isn't still enough of it here. I find my self scrolling in here to find something to watch often. From this I have made the conclusion that there is still need for more content and creators that do it in a way I like it. Different ppl needs are different. So maybe the future is that there will be more creators but their watchers just can't get to the same level.
Then again I have not finished your second to last video or even starter your last video. Maby I have just been busy. Since I honestly feel that you are still my favorite RUclipsr.
Perhaps it is because content creators are paying too much attention to the analytics and discussing it ad nauseam . I... dare I say, we... are not here because of your ability to drive views, but rather your talents with your hands.
Good talk, yeah it makes me a bit sad to think of any of my favorite channels ending, but you are right to pay attention to trends and how RUclips and Google are constantly changing heuristics. As someone that works in tech the incredible speed with which technology changes has pros and cons. I don't like seeing talented people forgotten simply because somebody wrote a fancier algorithm or made an assumption about what people wanted to see. But it's wise to be flexible in life and adapt to changes when needed.
Matt - I so enjoy your vids ... your dry, semi-sarcastic attitude is right up my street :-) and your voice-over reasoning as to why this works and that doesn't is highly educational! Personally, I will always continue to watch 95% of your vids, as well as revisit certain vids as and when they become relevant to any project or application I'd be involved with. So, please continue - in what ever format/length you see fit! Sadly though, I suppose I'm in the minority as most "viewers" might appear to solely be interested in those "produced" videos with catchy soundtracks, almost faultless lighting, those will all the bells n whistles, and catchy titles like "Build your own house in 15 seconds".
I highly doubt that I'm the only person on this planet that will continue to follow you. That is, of course, until I'm proven wrong when you release your penultimate video and you have only one subscriber! (which BTW will never happen!!) #
:-)
I don't know that it would ever be too late to get started, but like you said a lot of luck helps. And hard work. I think that the reality of what it takes to actually make a decent wage from doing this eventually sets in for most of the new channels, and they slow down or stop producing videos. But is that outweighed by the new ones that are coming in with high expectations.
John Heisz - I Build It there is also the problem of short attention spans.
I like novels over comic books, but a good comic book is never bad.
Not sure what direction the answer lays, but I imagine you will each find one that works for you
Thank you both for making at least 2 spots on RUclips worth my time
... now I need to go buy some plans and figure out "patrion"....
I think drama is more accessible for a larger audience. Videos that are visually interesting outperform those that teach new techniques. But I would be embarrassed if my videos were all about drama over over exaggerated.
....which explains the appeal of the "reality TV" shows ... which for the most part I do not like at all. There is a very small segment which are actually documentary in scope, but after a bunch of seasons those tend to lean toward drama for the sake of drama and I stop watching.
Matias and John,
Do what you need to do for your personal sake / sanity ... come back to older style now and then as the muse strike.
I cracked open the vault today and was watching your older stuff, and then following the RUclips offerings in the same channel - lots of fun, and you looked like you were enjoying it - that's the key.
Thanks for what you do.
What I find sad is that Google will surely continue to lower the payout for doing this as more and more people are willing to do it for less. It seems to be a very popular "job" like Mathias explained. Most of them will quickly find out it is much harder than it looks, but I think we will all be surprised how many people are willing to do a quality job for not much pay at all just to be "youtube famous". The number one predictor of RUclips success in the future might just be narcissism! I'm being totally serious when I say that. Only a narcissist will find enough benefit to work this hard for so little money. When I look at guys like Mathias and John Heisz I certainly don't see narcissists so I hope their early lead with subs is enough to see them through.
I know what the problem is. What you need is a brand new work shop, why not make it bigger than anyone of your followers could ever dream of. fill it with high end tools mainly all paid for by your sponsor, don't produce any videos for months. and wear a little pair of shorts. Sorted
I think the views are becoming low because some of the viewers actually watched enough to have the confidence to build things. They went outside and start building things. The very first reason starts watching was indeed to learn something to build something in most cases.
Several of the established channels turned into commercials over time. I stopped watching those.
I am curious. Is there a percentage difference between viewership counts and search counts? Once someone has subscribed to a channel and subsequently goes directly to the channel, I don’t imagine they will show up in the search counts.
Matthais, you will always be my go to video on everything you publish. Some a way out of my league in being able to accomplish, ie electrical, pantarouter, but the videos give me the inspiration to make things. I've slowly built up my essential tools, and I certainly am a better woodworker because of your videos. I'm not bothered in the slightest that you get sponsored by the tool companies, good luck to you. Those who have stopped buying your plans, whist very good, might be a bit complicated for us mere diyers. I will continue to watch of course, lovely to see your family growing too. If I can think of the next pre gold rush 'thing', I will let you know.
The first woodworking video I watched was you giving a tour of your Dad’s shop. The knowledge he passed on to you is something you’ll pass on to your kids.
I am convinced that there has been a glut of sponsoring going on that takes the relatability of content away along with some traffic being driven away from self reliance to pure entertainment content. Ultimately, if we apply what you guys have given us, we won't be on the tube near as much.
Yep. I really enjoy April's videos but every time I watch it, I'm like WTH does she get all this money/sponsorship? She just built an ENORMOUS shop with all high quality branded tools and what not. Even her friggen lights are like $300 each. I want to watch channels where I can actually related and maybe even build myself. I think a big reason Jimmy is more or less the god father of this genre, is because his videos for a LONG time were stuff made from dumpster diving in his basement.
I agree Mathias. Do you think the RUclips algorithm (being daily vlogger focused) has anything to do with it? Starting a online school for the people serious about learning has worked well for me. Transitioning your audience to an off RUclips platform is key in this rapidly changing landscape. Glad I'm not the only one feeling the down shift. Thanks for sharing.
I have a fairly new channel and have had a steady growth since I started. I’m doing it because I enjoy it ...not to make money. I love what I do and believe that is why my channel is growing. Good luck to you! I enjoy your projects
I don't see nearly as many maker videos in my feeds as I used to. I suspect part of the issue is that some of the channels that you rarely want to miss, like Matthias or Izzy Swan have slowed down in their production quantity. Other channels I used to watch all of the time seem too commercial and repetitive to draw my clicks. The less I click, the more RUclips suggests alternative content.
My problem as an end user is I am trying to get as much information on a certain thing say Hand plane restoration. I look it up. Then do the restoration then I am done. I have restored many planes now and only have time to go back once in a while to reference the material. It is the same with some of your videos. I built a saw mill out of your bandsaw build as well as others. I still have the tool and use it on occasion. You could probably use a Facebook page or group to boost promotions with sharing. Word of mouth is a great way you just need to get it started somehow. I do not do videos because I am not a really good woodworker. I just do it as a hobby and build stave drums. I do love all the videos you all put on RUclips. I hope they keep up all the videos. Thank you for all you Folks do.
Not a new idea I'm sure but, might one way to combat the level or declining viewership be to make collaboration videos with two or more makers?
At the end of the day you will make a decision that is right for you. It's only natural to feel disheartened when the interest in what we have to offer is not going our way, but it can also change very quickly with a positive and creative mindset. I love what you do and your channel so I will continue to watch your content. Hang in there mate and the best of luck for the future.
You have described market saturation and today's society's demand for new topics and ideas. RUclips has reached saturation for woodworking projects. Exactly how many farm table videos will the average viewer watch before deciding to build or change search parameters?
I think you might see a resurgence after Wintergatan's world tour. He specifically mentions how he uses your gear generator in a video.
I'm not a "content creator" so I apologize if this is a dumb question, but does RUclips provide you guys with information about how active your subscribers are in general? In other words do you have a sense of what proportion of the subscriber number ever logs in to YT?
Thank you so much for talking about trends...
I recently believe that unless you can deliver shock and awe... only those truly interested in what you make will not grow much once the market is saturated.
I also believe tool sales will eventually peak and then decline soon.
It is a cycle and only living long enough can reveal these cycles oover a long period.
I'm talking 4-5x the age of youtube itself.
Keep your thoughts coming.
I’ve been wondering if the interest has been waning. Admittedly, I’m one of the new guys. Very new in fact. Both in RUclips and woodworking. I had a little boom on my channel a while back that was getting me pretty excited, but the last two months or so have been pretty stagnant with little views. I certainly don’t wanna steal anyone’s fire. I love the community and fun of woodworking. I’m just gonna keep plugging on and hope for the best.
As a coming new RUclips Channel for our small machine shop this is something to consider for us, but we say if we get to 100 devoted viewer subscribers that interact with us that is worth our editing time as sharing with others our CNC micromachining skills is our only goal here, we thank you for the highlights though and keep making videos.
I have been watching a lot of maker's videos for years and have noticed a big change in the way maker's started making videos after RUclips made a chance in the monetization. I think this caused a lot of full-timers go in other directions. The one's who enjoy the process of making videos still post, but not as often. I have really enjoyed watching and taking inspiration from the makers on RUclips, but like everything, changes happen and you can never go home again.
There was a green reflection in your glasses . Did you see it when editing or is it something on my side? I have been watching your channel for over 3 years and will continue. I was attracted by no nonsense, no intro or outro. Some humor. I also liked the occasional cameos by your children. I only miss the Mouse safaris . I pay to watch ad free so I may be biased somewhat. You are getting older so no more jumping or hanging. Mmmmm maybe you kids could do some…….. Great camera work and builds. I don’t think there is a need for too much change. Thanks for listening…..
The thing about all this is that the RUclips type "business" will find a balance between time invested vs money earned as general market forces take hold. As RUclips has exploded the makers who will last will be the ones who are willing to do it for the least amount of money. There seems to be no shortage of talent so if you have 1000 talented makers the top 100, or whatever amount, that are willing to do it for very little money will be the ones who are still here. A while back you had it really good because there weren't enough makers making content for a balance to have been found. Like you said, you got in it before the market forces dictated what should be paid and so the pay was artificially high. Now that there are more talented makers than are needed market forces will dictate the pay. Still, the very best of the best (not just talented in making but also personality, video editing, general video quality) will still command a premium pay. All of this is great for those of us watching but not so great for those of you making videos. Those of you who got in early have a massive advantage in that you have built up an early lead with subs, however, Google is no dummy, and I expect they will continue to drive down your pay simply because they can. Why would they pay more for a product when they don't have to? I wish all of you guys and gals luck going forward!!
SuburbanHobbyist well said. Same goes for most “markets” they all seam like viable options at the start. Make a
Fair amount of money. However now instead is 100 makers there is 200 makers and the other 100 are just starting so they will do it for 10% less the price you know just to get a foot in the door. Then uh oh here comes a new group or 100 “we’ll we will
Do it for 5% less then the last 100” vicious cycle. And once you committed to being a “you tuber” as a career. You get stuck because well you have to make money right.
What we need is a 3D printer made of 2x4s.
The people who did make money during the gold rush were the merchants selling picks and shovels, and the pimps and hookers at the saloon. You have to see yourself as a provider or as an entertainer, and the content itself is not that terribly important, otherwise how would you explain the success of the videos on "How small a hole can a mouse get through". In there, you have the big question, "How small a hole?" then the music and sound effects: it is PURE FUN. Furthermore, we personally identify with the greedy mouse that wants more... And then an element of a spy novel: "we've been infiltrated by a mole!!!"
Novelty is a big element too: The pantorouter is well followed: this is an invention of pure creativity. Where is the Pantorouter2 that will cut wooden gears?
Pierre C, that series (the mice) was fun, wasn’t it!
It's sad but that's true. We had comedian here in Czech, good one, Jan Werich, and in one play he said something like "that's dumb, it will be well adopted". That's true. Especially for lower classes. Dumbest, more shocking, or word catching content the wider audience.
Therefore here is a question all of you 'creators/craftsman' has to ask and answer for yourself.
Are you willing to produce crappy widely viewed content (boulevard-news) , or write a poetry like a Shakespeare ?
I do prefer quality content, craft, skill, and some invention you (John, Mathias and some others) brought to RUclips. And I really do appreciate that. However it will also mean that if you are making something unique that you'll have less audience.
How many of us is buying Porsche/Aston-Martin and how many Hyundai/Volkswagen cars ?
I made my CNC machine out of 2x4s. Well, 2x4s and 2x6s.
You are a very clever person. I agree with the points you made. I continue to watch your channel because you are very "entertaining" but also because I just love watching you make stuff... thank you ... I recently subbed again with my new channel which makes absolutely no money whatsoever ;) thanks, Paul.
Hello Matthias, your content is always interesting, even when you’re not making anything -like this one, for example! Anyway, I appreciate your curiosity and independence. Carry on, and greetings from California. Daniel
You made some valid points, all of which contribute to a decline in "maker" channel views. In addition, there are many long time content providers that have simply run out material to offer (how many widgets can you make?) and are making fewer, actual build videos. Another factor is the way more people are viewing RUclips content. It seems as if the "smart phone" is the way more folks are choosing to view videos, and as such, it's the shorter videos that attract more views. I've discovered my 3 minute or less videos get far more views than the longer ones (and I strive to keep my videos no more than 12 minutes whenever possible. I discovered the shorter 3 minute and less videos are most likely to watched to the end, whereas the longer ones are only partially watched. There are many reasons for the decline of views or the length of time spent viewing, and all we can do is either adapt, change the nature or genre of content we produce, or stop producing altogether and walk away. For me, it's not about making money. I produce my humble little videos to share with others, and I enjoy making the videos. If it ever becomes something that is not fun for me, I'll do something else.
I have changed over the past 10 years that I have been watching RUclips videos. It honestly amazes me that people like yourself and The Wood Whisperer, Steve Ramsey and the likes are still making videos. I will occasionally check back in to your channels just to see what's going on without really being engaged as I once was.
Matthias, there is one other variable that you did not mention and that is you tubes bullcrap algorithm machine that they can change anytime they take a notion to.
yes newer channels learn to manipulate the algorithm. I tend not to watch those channels. But im usually the exception that proved the rule.
You and John both make great videos, but I have noticed over the past few months most of the people I have subscribed to aren't making videos anymore.
When things are new, people can’t get enough of it. But like everything else, they become accustomed to it. Probably that kind of thinking that got us to this point. If you could teleport someone from the 10th century to current times, they would be awestruck beyond belief of the magic that surrounds us, but after several years, eventually it will be taken for granted.
It is NOW 2019 as I write this and I DO still look up a lot of "how to" videos myself!! BUT honestly there is only so much I can stand watching anymore AND NOT that it is anybody's fault in a lot of ways!!! In fact I have watched how to build many things and I have done my work and built the items I have seen thanks to guys like you Matthias, and Izzy Swan, John Heisz, Steve Ramsey, Jeremy Fielding and many more!! In fact I have moved on to a point where either I have the items I wanted to build, BUILT, or I have other projects too that are taking up my time as well!!! There are after all only so many hours in a day, and there are ONLY SO MANY projects I can actually build!! In my case too, I don't own a large shop, plus I am on a very prohibitively restricted budget currently too, which it sucks being disabled!!!! So for me it takes time too to come up with the cash for materials you can seem to take for granted like buying bearings alone took me 3 months of "saving up for" and I still have yet to get the lumber to build my own band saw, which is another project that currently is on "my back burner" not to mention trying to figure out where I can have room to store it once I have it built!!! WHICH I am still haunted by my past life and a bloody divorce 20 years ago, that I am still digging myself out from under!!!! So it isn't like I am making millions of dollars of my wood working, and frankly though I do, do odd jobs to earn money (again I am disabled) it isn't easy to get people to call me for work, or some jobs I have to turn down simply because my disabilities prevent me from doing them!! In fact I used to be a VERY ACTIVE young man when I was much younger, and NOW it hurts to stand, bend over, lay down or even sit up!! And walking at times is almost impossible!!! And because of my medical problems at times it even disrupts my sleep!!!
Further I have been a "tinkerer" for a very long time now, starting back in the 1970s. I have built many things over the years from spice racks, to computer desks, to tables, bookshelves and stands! BUT I have always had to work on a major "shoestring budget" and a lot of times using "found materials" to make things out of usually!!! So I have learned how to do things that most people tell me I am stupid or tell me "that is impossible" but some how I always pull it off even without a cent to my name!!! In short it isn't that I have stopped watching RUclipsr's such has yourself, but lately your content just isn't there are even you guys seem to run out of ideas at times!! Or the content you post is NOT a build video or "how to" at times case in point a video like this that I am replying too!! Even after Steve Ramsey''s mother passed away his content seem to take a hit in quality and some of his videos ARE NOT really as good as his earlier work. It isn't his fault, but you can only show building a table ONCE before those projects get old even to you guys!! And face it there are only so many ways to build a mouse trap to put it another way!!!
Besides too my interests are all over the map!! I am into projects of electronics, solar and wind power, wood working, home surveillance, HTPC and Server builds, Computer videos (Like Explaining Computers with Chris Barrett) and mechanical things like Chuckie2009 or Chris Fix, and even the King Of Random Grant does wonderful videos too!! And then there are "PVC life hacks" by Specific Love Creations as well and the list really goes on from there!! As I also look into "alternative" (energy) things like homesteading and more with old content from Engineer775 and even Steam engines peak my interest as do cars and air craft and space travel!! In the end there are TONS of things I am into....but I am only one person and once I build one thing I move on to other projects as I say!!!! I still pop back in from time to time to see if there is anything NEW I can learn, and I do enjoy my old friends like You, John, Steve and more!!! BUT I am also a fan of music as well, so I am listening to Lindsey Stirling, Mean Mary James and a number of other Country, folks, rock, heavy metal, bluegrass and other bands and talents as well like Patty Gurdy!!! At the end of the day I am still running out of "New things to watch" at times, and you folks can ONLY PROVIDE so much content in a given week or month!! And I have found people like April Wilkerson, and Darbin Orvar to watch as well, with their how too videos as well!! I do enjoy your channel greatly as I say though and check back a couple of times a week to see what I might have missed or find something new to watch!! Thank you for such a great channel and I will keep watching as long as there is new content!!!
Do you get paid by RUclips approximately as much as you used to ? I thought there was a rumor that YT changed its payment model too.
HW, You've made your point. Suggest a bit of market analysis and self [business] analysis. Of the channels that have high viewership, what characteristics do they share with their peers? What communicative style is shared? Are things like background music and sped-up videos used more than by the under-productive channels? Have you sought evaluative feedback on your channel? With respect for your work, Terry.
My two cents, for what it''s worth. My channel has been growing steady. It's not big, but it's healthy. It's not in decline in any way. What I seem to have noticed over the years, with more makers entering the RUclips 'market', is that the general audience wants to see originality. There are so many videos on 'How to make a table', 'How to make a solar panel', 'How to plumb a toilet', etc. Pick a genre, it doesn't really matter. Everyone giving their own spin on how they do these everyday projects is fine and I encourage it, but I'm finding that the only people really interested in it are fellow creators of some sort who appreciate learning different ways of doing things. That's not an overall good thing if a person is trying to build a channel/brand. The general RUclips audience, I think, wants to see something new when they click on a video. They want to see something that's trending. Otherwise they get bored, quickly. Audience retention is everything. If I can't keep mine engaged, then the views will drop both because people become less interested and because the algorithm is set up to favour videos/channels with a high audience retention, so it'll be recommended to less people. The best advice that I can give to a new creator wanting to start a channel, is to be original. It's not going to be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is ;)
James Biggar what I see happening in that case is people being so "extra" that it's more of a contrived spectacle than it is something freshly unique.
James Biggar you get it. The problem with a lot of these old timers is that they've started taking their audience for granted. Just because you made views before doesn't mean you can crap in a box and get the same amount of views. When people build board boxes to hang on their walls, they're not going to get the same views as someone that create a differently thought out idea.
While I understand your point, it's quite disrespectful to imply the likes of Mathias are crapping in a box. Mathias is a fantastic influence in the community and has been nothing if not original.
I am a professional youtube maker watcher spending too much time watching and not enough making. Three things are important to me to stay involved in a particular video or channel. In order:
1. Personality of the producer- 50%
2. Videography 40%
3. Interesting project or story combined with craftsmanship- 10%
Thank you both for your work.
The number of maker/diy videos I watch has steadily declined over the past year. One of the biggest reasons is the sheer number of ads. Either interruptions in the video or part of the video content itself, it just gets to be too time consuming to get through a video. More and more often I simply find myself using youtube as a video google. In other words it provides a nice collection of video reference material I can search for help on a project or something I'm working on. I won't be surprised to see many channels die or fade away. I saw this happen with a predecessor of RUclips, that being internet forums. Once commercialization set in and webmasters turned to generating revenue as a primary objective participants left in droves (there were other reasons too). Online forums are a dying breed. Video has a lot to offer so I'm not suggesting its demise, rather I see a reduction in rate of new content and subscriptions for the maker/diy genre videos. The heyday may have just passed.
If I'm not watching videos by Matthias, Steve, John, April, etc.... It's because I didn't notice them being posted. Maker videos are still high in demand for me, and I appreciate the work that you guys put into it.
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Sounds like you feeling a bit down we enjoy watching you make stuff keep your chin up lad and keep em coming do let things grind you down you have a brilliant mind keep it working for you and yours all The very best mate from Scotland
Very much agree. I used to produce videos pretty regularly around 4 years ago and had what i thought was a decent audience. I had to stop for a few years due to my personal life but things have settled down recently and I have thought about getting back into producing content but for me it just isn't worth my time sadly.
It seems its just a natural progression. Good channels will grow then level off and depending on the creator, they will either slow their upload frequency or stop altogether. Some channels have gone so "all in" that it is hard for them to step back, building large shops, taking on numerous sponsors, quitting day jobs, heavy patreon dependency. Its an obligate yourself to success strategy which can work but it will take its toll on a person. If the super channels don't hire editors and a crew they cannot maintain quality or growth. Meanwhile, the audience is drifting away because the channel is no longer a seat of your pants effort but a business and new youtubers are starting channels everyday that have a more hungry approach.
There is no competition, you are THE BEST!
Gentlemen, thanks for your efforts. I've done a bunch of woodworking projects as a result of seeing your work.
There is also the "personality" factor. Both yourself and John have got very strong personalities(but very different) and its always good to hear opinions from people who aren't afraid to put theirs forward.
The reason why your views went down in you tube is that, most people thinks that it costs less to watch via face book most specially through mobile phones. Majority of the videos that you have posted are appreciated by older folks like me who clings to the old ways and we easily get your point of view. I think you need more ideas and projects so that your ratings will go up. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy watching videos from your channels and learn a lot from them. This is just my opinion. Keep up the excellent job Matthias and John !!!!
Creators with film backgrounds tend to grow well because they put more work and thought into production. How to film something interestingly, create a style. Laura Kampf being a prime example. As a viewer, I like seeing structured videos that showcase the story ( in this case the build process), and a maker with no film experience just doesn't think of how to make videos captivating.
There is one unexplored domain of RUclips makers - that of the "elder statesmen" of YT. That is something that expands the careers of many in the entertainment industry. But you both will have to wait a decade or two to see if that carries any currency.
My declining interest in big channels like this is, ironically, when they branch off into separate channels to partition their projects better (such as this channel). Cody's Lab is the same for me; I understand his second channel is an outlet for times that his main channel is under a copyright strike, but at some point, the structure and organization of larger channels (splitting off into many smaller channels) really makes it hard for me to follow content and stay up-to-date on Creator events and timelines. I'm sure I'm not aware of the driving forces that Creators experience that justify this habit, but I can't help but notice that I'm bothered by the explosion of side-channels.
Hi Mathias, I'm not sure I agree with your philosophy entirely on why there is a drop off. If I may, my thoughts, as a avid You Tuber, is the content is not as complete as it used to be. You especially went into great detail and that is where you earned my respect and attention. If you, John and others are on the same thought process your viewers will surely but gradually decline. I wish you , your wife and beautiful children happiness and success. God Bless.
Terry Kreiling There is merit here. I grew up watching This Old House, and New Yankee Workshop, but over the years they changed and stopped showing the content which drew me in at the start.
Granted, you can only show the how and why to a box joint so many times, but it us a symptom.
I enjoy both of your channels and hope that neither of you stop.
Thank you for your efforts!
Everything has been thought of,like music,have you heard any good songs written/played/sung in the last 10 years?It also depends on the viewer,with me I will seek any video pertaining to what project I'm planning on doing,for me my interest are DIY tube amplifiers/preamps and speaker building,I have educated myself by watching a lot,and I mean a lot of videos,some of the videos are good,some not so.
I would like to see a video on how to built your box jointer attachment. Also if you would make plans I would buy them. Still enjoying your videos.
Keep on making video Matthias, I am always interested in the way other people look at things
Where can I find these maker channels?
What about the possibility that viewers have migrated away from RUclips to other platforms ie social media outlets
I think that part of the problem is when I search for "workbench" for example, the search will result in literally countless "Ultimate Workbench" videos. These videos show projects that range anywhere from total garbage, to something that could be sold at retail levels.
do add blockers affect the view count?
The view is counted but I think ad blockers do affect their revenue. How long an ad is watched and if the ad leads to a click through matters too as I understand it. Basically everything counts.
funny thing i was thinking this the other day, I dont watch as many project videos as i used to, but i keep making things and my passion didnt decrease at all. i think the problem is the formula of this videos is overuse and predictable, watching a thumbnail get me the point of the proyect and after some minutes I switch it. I find myself watching only your videos and the guys from make it extreme
I just found this channel. Love the idea. Woodworking vlogbrothers.
Regarding the number of videos, the following stat sheds some light on that:
Median number of views a RUclips video had in 2006 : 10,262
In 2016 : 89
Thanks for sharing Matthias. Most of us woodworkers aren't marketing experts nor have the time to do the numbers but I think as you have said it is levelling off with more content for punters to choose from. I learned many years ago in the 1980's that sharing your knowledge/teaching others how to do things can be a bit like selling weapons! I think seeing RUclips as a potential for earning a living from is unrealistic unless you are in the big audience stuff such as gaming. But as a platform to re-direct to your online store its one way of paying for your advertising! But it is changing like everything else. As Steve Ramsay says maybe the tricks videos and ones that are very short get the views but then I have sold my ebooks on projects. I think its a bit like 50% of advertizing pays but which 50%? I echo James Biggar as well 'not big, but healthy and not in decline'. Bear in mind we all lose a percentage of subscribers against those we gain. I think we are very lucky to have an audience. i was knocking on the door of broadcast television in the UK for years and now I have my own channel and terrific. That alone is almost enough. One can get greedy about viewings but people are giving their time when there is so much out there. I am a little surprised to hear Matthias's 'complaints' as he surely has the biggest audience by far?! Shorter attention span and increased use of mobile phones I think is a factor.
Obviously I can't say anything about your views fluctuations but I still enjoy watching, even though I know I will not make 99% of the stuff u make. I just enjoy seeing what you do, plus you don't start yr videos with "hey guys, wassup"
As part of your customer, viewer base here are my thoughts from watching yours and many other channels over the past 10 years. I think there are many things that are affecting viewership. RUclips has been flooded with a ton of makers. This is not always a bad thing as it opens up ideas from multiple sources. But it's been hard on many content producers as RUclips is constantly scaling funding back from those who are monetized. I do believe this is changed a lot of content for those who rely on this as primary or supplementary income. Also just like writing a TV show it's hard to come up with fresh and new content. Myself I enjoy some of your rebuilds showing improvements on previous built projects after using them for a period of time and learning how to build a better mouse trap. I just recently went back to one of your old videos from seven years ago to get information on a project I'm working on. Many of the old original content producers examples Diresta, April Wilkerson, Izzy Swan and many more have grown into something bigger than just working out of there garage. This is not necessarily a bad thing but it has changed a lot of what you view that could be done in your own small garage with limited tools. I ran into April recently at a woodworking social and became a little starstruck only because I have been watching her progress for years and appreciated what she was doing. I rambled off at the mouth probably making a idiot of myself. But I asked her about Izzy since I haven't seen much from him in the last couple years, she explained he was working on some big projects. Other you tubers I have watched over the years have changed their content which there is nothing wrong with engaging views from a different audience. I found myself not watching them as much as I had different interests. So it's always a crapshoot when creators change focus. Some creators like SV Seeker, Acorn to Arabella, Salt and Tar and Sampson Boatworks have long ongoing projects which keep cute chomping at the bit waiting for the next stage of the process. But even shorter projects from Keith Rucker, Keith Fenner, Mathew Cremona and yourself are great because you can see a finish product within a reasonable time period. Also I have noticed that even though I am subscribed and have notifications checked creators content don't always come up on my way subscription list. I am always wondering what happened to a creator since I had not seen anything new come out of them only to find out my subscription to them is not coming up on my list of videos. Sometimes I even find that RUclips has unsubscribed me to that creator. Of course I just cycle and re-subscribe in either case. Also peoples lives change and their ability to have time to create or even follow fluctuates. As for myself I am rebuilding my garage although it's taking some time and I'm hoping to go back and rewatch a lot of your videos in order to put some of your ideas to use. As a fellow Texan I hope if I meet up with April again she won't run for the door. Are you guys are great and you do have some loyal followers.
We all crave novelty as well as (many of us) knowledge. I've always thought one of the reasons for your success was that you simply made what *you* found interesting. Another was the innovation but sadly that cannot continue indefinitely
I just checked your socialblade page and the answer is- NO. Congrats on becoming a player in the RUclips maker arena. You have arrived, just don't change!
Without collaboration and co-creation people are disinterested. Instead of wishing people to stop making content, encourage and support them. Let other people see you in that light. I have a very small channel with around 41,000 views. I'm nobody in the community. I do this for family and friends, not monetization. Bottom line.... exposure, personality, and skill will keep your channel alive.
Ask why people became interested in “making” in the first place. For me it’s the growing sense of commercialization and the need to return to something worth while and rewarding. This can range from baking your own bread to changing a fuse in your car to making a super pantorouter. Maybe a maker isn’t alway in the shop making. He’s preparing as well. Sourcing material and balancing his, or her, life to be able to produce something of worth. It’s a way of life. Thanks for your efforts, I enjoy catching up with your videos.
With building stuff from wood or metal there is always a design component in them, so they will stay interesting for quite some time, because as time goes by people will happen to need something similar and will start searching for those videos. But with purely science stuff it might dull out.
RUclips needs to watch this. They think they have the goose that will always lay the golden egg, no matter what happens and no matter how they treat people.
I think the makers who make a name for themselves are the ones who continue to see steady views. These are my essential always watch RUclips makers: Diresta, Frank Howarth, Matthias, Jimbo (mostly).
Other makers have sporadic good stuff like John Heisz, Samurai, Alex Steel, etc...I used to binge their channels but lately they’re hit and miss.
Hello Mr Matthias, I really loved all your works n your project sir its brilliant, especially diy table saw Its really helps I manage to built one but not as perfect what l have seen but its functional. My point is I am a poorman garage I can't afford to buy special tools for particular applications. I think not only me may be millions out there got similar situations as me.
I really love to see any professional n experts showing us a videos making a project with a simple n basic tools but still can produce perfect results.
Am from Bruneian Asian country Brunei.
thank you sir.
Maybe the public changes over time, but the channels are changing, there is often no fire left. Surprisingly there are medium sized channels with less success but more strength and consistency than the bigger ones, probably because making is more their focus than channel success.
I've actually been feeling somewhat the same about your videos (re: how you feel about Cody). Like you, I've not sure if it's you, or if it's me. But take for example your recent pantarouter videos, I'm just kinda meh. I've seen you make lots of things before, and there's nothing about building the pantarouter that really interests me. And there have been a few other channels that I used to love that I just gradually lost interest in. I don't mean this as a critique of your channel, just sharing how I've been feeling towards your videos recently, as a somewhat long-time subscriber (2-3 years? something like that). In any case, I'm still subscribed and still watch some of your new videos on occasion :)
I never get any woodworking vids in my recommendations anymore for some reason.
I worked for a wood worker in highschool He said, " it took me twenty five years unitll I was relatively successful." He started off making furniture, but made his money making custome kitchen cabinets. Five years after that he lost everything, other people flooded the Kitchen cabinet market. Living off wood working is risky.