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Post by Jolly on Jun 18, 2022 20:15:22 GMT
Homesteading boards used to be more popular than today. Many have come and gone, but those that remain do a fraction of the traffic they used to. I think that's because: A) Much of what can be said or written about has already been done, so many questions have been answered, and B) high content posters have migrated to places like YouTube, where they can make money with what they are doing.
When you add up Adsense revenue + Etsey revenue + Affiliate link revenue + Patreon revenue, a fairly successful YouTube channel can make $4000/month. An extremely successful channel such as Wranglestar, can double or triple that, although there few noncorporate channels of any kind doing that type of traffic.
Which is why it has become increasingly difficult for magazine such as Countryside or Small Farm Journal to get quality content with a fresh perspective. They simply can't pay the kind of money that can be made elsewhere. And for forums like HT who have requested that members write and give them free articles...Well, you see how that turned out.
No huge point to be made with this post, just Saturday ramblings...
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Post by BrewDaddy on Jun 18, 2022 21:26:21 GMT
Probably not even remotely related, but reading this reminded me of Backwoods Home Magazine.
I was a big fan and subscribed for many years, but when Dave Duffy retired and turned it over to mostly his son to run, things went south pretty quick. I'm not disparaging his son in any way, I think Duffy clung to something that had mostly outlived it's usefulness.
They then stopped printing the magazine but had an online version, the content was mostly the same I guess but the interface was garbage - I hated it.
They also started up a sister printed magazine called Self Reliance and it was in a lot of ways similar to BWH, but for some reason it just never struck a chord with me. I subscribed for a couple years mostly for nostalgic reasons but didn't really care for it all that much.
Then BWH came back to printing a magazine, 4 times a year rather than 6. I subscribed but have since let it lapse as of a year or so ago.
I guess my bottom line is, and my point, is that you can only read so many articles about chickens when you just don't really want to see any more articles about chickens. It seemed like they just ran out of fresh content.
bd
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Post by Jolly on Jun 18, 2022 22:02:09 GMT
Probably not even remotely related, but reading this reminded me of Backwoods Home Magazine. I was a big fan and subscribed for many years, but when Dave Duffy retired and turned it over to mostly his son to run, things went south pretty quick. I'm not disparaging his son in any way, I think Duffy clung to something that had mostly outlived it's usefulness. They then stopped printing the magazine but had an online version, the content was mostly the same I guess but the interface was garbage - I hated it. They also started up a sister printed magazine called Self Reliance and it was in a lot of ways similar to BWH, but for some reason it just never struck a chord with me. I subscribed for a couple years mostly for nostalgic reasons but didn't really care for it all that much. Then BWH came back to printing a magazine, 4 times a year rather than 6. I subscribed but have since let it lapse as of a year or so ago. I guess my bottom line is, and my point, is that you can only read so many articles about chickens when you just don't really want to see any more articles about chickens. It seemed like they just ran out of fresh content. bd I think that's why some homesteading/country life channels have done better than others on teh YouTube. Face it, if you're a half-decent writer, you could mine the archives of HT and kill a log truck's worth of trees. That goes for some YouTube channels, too. It's been done, by multiple people, multiple times. OTOH, the channels that seem to do well are always introducing something new...New equipment, an experiment with high tunnels or greenhouses, maybe a different take on livestock using new technology, new construction, etc. I'll give an example of a guy with a tractor channel I watch sometimes...He started out with a compact tractor and the usual stuff. This is how I use my brushog. This is how I use my boxblade. Stuff that's been done multiple times. But then he started reviewing new accessories. Then, he stated going to Ag Shows and highlighting new tractors and accessories for homesteaders and small farm owners. Then, he talked some of the manufacturers into letting his borrow a tractor and do a short term review. Then long term reviews. And in the middle of this, he's doing a series on how to make your compact tractor help pay for itself. While all this is going on, he's making money from his videos, but he's also doing all kinds of capital improvements on his place, from a new tractor shed to building a small fish pond/swimming hole. When the YouTube money starts to dry up, that shed and pond are still there. |
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Post by laurazone5 on Jun 19, 2022 10:55:01 GMT
I have learned more from watching YouTube in the last 6 months, than I have in the last 10 years visiting boards, web pages, and magazines.
That's the truth!!!
I am very much a visual / hands on learner.....YouTube is a life saver.
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Post by woolybear on Jun 19, 2022 12:32:54 GMT
I have learned more from watching YouTube in the last 6 months, than I have in the last 10 years visiting boards, web pages, and magazines. That's the truth!!! I am very much a visual / hands on learner.....YouTube is a life saver. Plus so many rabbit holes to disappear down while researching your topic. I watch a gardening guy from my state (but not my zone so I have to adjust things) that I've learned so much from. Then there is self sufficient me - he's from Australia and is just kind of fun to watch, but I've learned things from him also. If I had to wait on a magazine for info, then hope that the info I wanted was in it, I might be waiting a year. |
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Post by Jolly on Jun 19, 2022 16:31:46 GMT
I've watched the Australian guy. Nice beds he has.
The problem with YouTube stuff is A) Making sure you bookmark it, so you can find it again, and B) Hoping you don't lose it to the whims of electrons and power outages.
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Post by blackfeather on Jun 19, 2022 21:41:35 GMT
Which is why it has become increasingly difficult for magazine such as Countryside or Small Farm Journal to get quality content with a fresh perspective. They simply can't pay the kind of money that can be made elsewhere. I used to write for Countryside, I never expected pay, I did it to share experiences, (though they did pay me once) then they went to glossy paper and wanted more professional writers. It used to be nice that common people would write in about things they did and saw, then they wanted to look more professional and they lost the down home touch. I stopped subscribing. |
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Post by Ozarks Tom on Jun 20, 2022 2:24:17 GMT
That's why I like that this site is free, nobody would ever pay to read what I think.
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Post by solargeek on Jun 20, 2022 2:35:38 GMT
Well my husband and I both hate YouTube or watching podcasts or videos.
To us: What a waste of time hearing all the words (too much repetition and fillers) when you could just skim an article to get to the meat of what you want to know. I have yet to see what I thought was worthwhile and I’ve watched unfortunately a few more than I could stand.
Edit to add: glad this is such a good place. I have learned tons.
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Post by farmgirl on Jun 20, 2022 18:23:35 GMT
Well my husband and I both hate YouTube or watching podcasts or videos. To us: What a waste of time hearing all the words (too much repetition and fillers) when you could just skim an article to get to the meat of what you want to know. I have yet to see what I thought was worthwhile and I’ve watched unfortunately a few more than I could stand. Edit to add: glad this is such a good place. I have learned tons. I like watching how to videos on YouTube as I'm a visual learner, but I can't watch a video like Appalachian Homestead or Southern Prepper 1. I don't have the attention span. However, I have a friend who does and shares the synopsis with me. |
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Post by David! on Jun 21, 2022 12:37:01 GMT
I like yalltube for two reasons.
1. I have a short attentions span and am easily
what that’s flying overhead..
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Post by themotherhen on Jun 22, 2022 5:36:02 GMT
I like yalltube for two reasons. 1. I have a short attentions span and am easily what that’s flying overhead.. Look, a squirrel! |
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