I keep seeing things about YouTube de-monetization all over the internet. In YouTube videos of the creators that I follow, on Twitter, Facebook(when I bother to check it.) and other places.
I understand that in the case of creators like Pewdie Pie, Gaijin Goomba (who monetizes through Patreon mostly), MatPat and the Game and Film Theory Channels make their living doing these videos. They get hit often in the gaming genre, I have heard MatPat mention Google algorithms on numerous occasions because his livelihood is tied directly to it.
But what of us, the YTPC, the hobbyist in the video creating market? What does this mean to us? Well, from what I gather it means channels shutting down because they can’t afford to create without the revenue from the ads the monetization earns them.
I have my own opinion on this and it is likely to be unpopular but here it goes. Quit Demonizing YouTube!!! They are a corporation and need to keep the money rolling in. Given the climate surrounding smoking in general and FDA rulings and what not can you really blame advertisers for not wanting their ads on related content?
As far as earning money on videos, I am a small creator, Maple City Pipe Channel has just over a hundred subscribers and I have been at this for a few years. I’m amazed that a hundred people even subscribed, and thanks to the twenty or thirty of you that actually watch the videos. I will never get to the level of a creator who can monetize let alone make any significant money from it.
I say all of this so you know what my stake in this is. I like all tobacco relate channels face the coming future when YouTube completely bans our content. When that happens I may move on, or quit, but until then I will work with this platform that lets me upload my videos to it for free.
If you’re a creator of tobacco related content, you are like my a hobbyist like me, with a family, bills to pay and limited funds. If you are already buying the product you are making videos about, why should losing the revenue matter? You were participating in the hobbies of video creation and pipe/cigar smoking long before you were even eligible to monetize.
Seriously, if you need those sweet, sweet YouTube dollars that badly, then perhaps you should consider a different hobby.