Posts by Michael

Years back I remember that one of the best ways to get eyes on your YouTube videos was to comment on others channels and videos and people would click through and often watch your content. Related videos were perfect for commenting on. Id often see random facts posted and funny comments (I used to do this myself as well try and deliberately write something funny and relevant to their video and audience to gain comment likes) and be pushed to the top as a top comment. Does anyone still use this as a growth tactic or do you find it isnt worth it any more? Whats your experience of doing this if any? I never hear anyone talking about this these days.

Do you actively post comments on channels to grow your channel? (this is cross platform btw)

Quote from NoEcho

I really dont agree with using meta glasses and sharing videos made with them without consent. The people featured dont know theyre being recorded and I would not want to find myself featured on something like this with comments made about my appearance and mocking me. Its like the guys who go up to girls and using pick up techniques on them without consent.

I think the biggest thing is not knowing the persons state of mental health. Some people are in public but are already struggling to get out in the first place and when something like being shared online happens then it certainly wont help them and may put them off going out even more. It does have its positives as I have saw the lad who he complimented his dress and he seemed really happy about it. I really do think gaining consent is necessary. I am curious about the actual legalities of monetising content with people who didnt consent to be filmed in the video. I know public recording in the UK is perfectly legal but as for commercial purposes...

I don't often need to edit on a phone but one I have relied up over time is VN editor. It is fairly simple to use, full of the features you would need and expect and also free with ads.

I just discovered they also have a free desktop version - https://vlognow.me/

VN - AI Video Editor - Apps on Google Play

A Quick and Pro Video Editor

play.google.com

What mobile video editing apps do you use and recommend?

Quote from Sephiroth

I use a free version of adobe premier, been using that for years.

Definitely one of the best for most editing. I have been tempted to try Da Vinci Resolve and the freeish software Lightworks.

Now that I use Premiere there's no way I could go back to Vegas, so much better in every way other than the learning curve but I think its best to start on it than having to move over to it after years in Vegas.

Uploading Your First YouTube Video

So you’ve just signed up to YouTube and created a channel and you’re looking to upload your first video. You really want to be thinking about setting your first video up for the best chances possible of it taking off. Every single video you post you have tools to use to try and maximise its chances of performing at its best.

One solid piece of advice, make sure to start your video strong as possible! Hook the viewer within the first 10 seconds or you risk them clicking away from your video and losing them.

Titles

Starting with the title, you need to come up with a title that is likely to draw attention to the video based on its content and also with most videos you want to try and get indexed in YouTube search for related search terms.

For example, say you created an ASMR video that is mainly you tapping on random objects slowly for 1 hour. A good title for the video may be:

ASMR Tapping Random Trigger Items 1 Hour Slow & Relaxing For Sleep.

Now there are a LOT of videos with similar titles in the niche so this one may not stand out, but it accurately describes the video and when people do click, they are less likely to abandon the video after a few seconds. For example, if the title was irrelevant, this would hurt the chances of it taking off.

Thumbnails

Now onto the thumbnail. Designing a thumbnail that actually reflects the video is very important. Make sure not to mislead too much with the thumbnail, although you do have some leeway as you do want to stand out amongst the crowd. You want the thumbnail to be related to the video so it does not mislead and also grabs attention at the same time.

A long time ago bright coloured thumbnails with neons and bright yellows were recommended, but they don't seem to perform as well as they used to now. You can work with the newer A/B testing feature where YouTube will rotate thumbnails, allowing you to see which performs best. This is something I don’t use myself, but when there’s a feature like this it is often worth using.

Description

In the description section, this gives you a chance to let the viewer and YouTube search understand more about your video. Use this section to describe the video content and share any links to your socials. You can naturally add keywords into this section, but it is best not to stuff them for example:

In today’s ASMR video we are tapping slowly on random objects to help you sleep. Relax with me as I tap on everything from a wooden coaster to more scratchy taps on a cardboard box.

Consider what people are searching for when writing your description and cater to them.

Keywords

Next we have keywords. They’re now hidden away when uploading a video, but I still think using them is best to help YouTube understand what the video is about and to give context. They are less important than they used to be now and many people skip them entirely, but for this video example we could add tags such as ASMR tapping, slow tapping ASMR, ASMR for sleep, ASMR sleep aid, ASMR 1 hour, ASMR relax, ASMR no talking and similar. We don’t need to use all 500 characters available, but adding some helps YouTube understand the video better.

Audience Retention

Think about what someone searching on YouTube or Google would actually type to find the video, usually a solution to a problem, and make sure your content matches that intent. Catering fully to that intent will position your video to get better watch time, stronger retention, and ultimately better performance.

These are the basics to focus on when posting your videos. Getting into a pattern of thinking like this helps our videos have the best chance out of the gate and can influence how we make videos too by thinking about our audience and what they want to see.

What do you focus on when uploading your videos? Retention? Thumbnail? Description? Share your thoughts and your own methods when uploading to YouTube.

I would likely get a phone in your circumstances with you already saying you have an old phone that you want to replace soon. A lot of phone cameras are very capable these days and theres a lot of accessories you can get for stabilisation that dont break the bank too. For your usage I would likely get a good phone with a decent camera and shoot in 60fps 1080p or 4k. The 25 Ultra offers this but it is quite expensive, you could still get away with 60fps 1080p on a slightly cheaper model.

Meeting people from the internet can be a great experience, but you should always take care when meeting someone for the first time. Remember that people online may not always be who they claim to be.

Please read and follow these safety tips before arranging a collaboration, meetup or event with another member.

Stay Safe

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• Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, leave immediately.
• Never feel pressured into doing anything that makes you uncomfortable.
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• Do not change your travel plans or accept lifts from people you do not know well.
• Take time to get to know the other person online before arranging to meet.
• Check their social media profiles and creator channels where possible.

If You Are Under 18

• Always tell a parent or guardian before arranging a meetup.
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WeMakeVids does not verify the identity, age, background or intentions of members.

All collaborations, meetups, and events are arranged solely between members. You participate at your own risk and are responsible for your own safety and decisions.

If at any point you feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or pressured, leave the situation and contact someone you trust.

Stay safe and enjoy creating together.

This forum is for planning and organising collaborations, meetups and creator events across YouTube, TikTok and all other platforms. These can be video only collabs, TikTok meets, YouTube meets, livestreaming events with multiple participants, organised creator events and more.

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Example: Instead of “Im looking for TikTok collab”, write: “I am from the USA and I make travel vlogs similar to Mashtag Brady, I am going to be in London on the 15th of June to the 22nd and looking to do some recording around the Canary Wharf area, open to working with all channels no matter their sub count. Open to ages over 18. Videos made will be on YouTube and TikTok. Phone needed or GoPro for recording. No experience needed but need to be comfortable recording in public in busy settings. DM me on Insta or on We Make Vids”

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How to make a good thread

1. What it is

Explain the idea and what people will be creating or the meeting.

2. Who can collab/meet

Add any requirements such as:

• Age
• Platform (YouTube, TikTok, etc)
• Experience level
• Equipment or location if needed

3. How to contact you

Explain how people can reach you, such as private messages or Discord.

4. When it happens

Add a date if you have one, or say it will be arranged with participants.

4. Where it happens

Any locations for meeting which should always be in a public place.

Safety Notice

Your safety comes first.

If you arrange a collaboration, meetup or event through We Make Vids, please take sensible precautions.

• Never share personal information publicly, such as your home address, phone number or financial details.
• Meet in public places only.
• Let a friend or family member know where you are going and who you are meeting and turn your location on your phone for them.
• Take extra care when meeting someone for the first time.
• Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, leave the situation.
• We Make Vids does not verify the identity, age, background or intentions of members.
• Members under 18 should get permission from a parent or guardian before arranging any meetup or collaboration outside the platform.
• Parents and guardians should supervise or be involved in any in person meetup involving minors.
• We Make Vids is not responsible for meetings, events, collaborations, agreements or interactions that take place between members.

By taking part in collaborations, meetups, or events, you do so at your own risk and are responsible for your own safety and decisions.

To answer this question myself I have to go back a VERY long time. I have had several channels over so many years and the reasons I create content has always been different. For some channels it was to grow something that felt like mine and a space to let off creative steam which is what my main channel now allows me to do and I have also had channels where the focus was solely providing content in an under served niche and wanting to turn that into a viable income stream. Its always allowed me to create something outside of myself that others can enjoy whether for education or just plain entertainment.

What about you? Share your story of why you do YouTube?

This is something I used to struggle with a lot when I lived with family. There was never a quiet time where I was able to have space to record without shouting in the background, kids screaming at random etc I think all you can do is either wait until nobody is home which can be rare in some households or try your best to get used to people being in the background which really isnt the best depending on content type. If I was doing voiceover narration I would consider driving out somewhere quiet with no one passing and recording it in the car somewhere but thats not always going to be an option for people. I used to have a lot of worries over the background sounds being picked up and also being heard speaking so can fully understand where youre coming from. It is quite hard to overcome but you can get used to it over time by just doing it which is easier said than done.

If you had to start a new TikTok channel what would be your top 3 tips for anyone starting based on your experience to share with a new TikTok Creator?

1. Just post -so many hold back and never post the ideas they have.
2. Try not to care what others may think and allow yourself to make mistakes and learn from them.
3. Go live regularly - TikTok pushes this massively.

Has anyone used Freedom!'s Heartbeat extension? Is it worth using? It sounds simple enough to use when watching videos and press the H key. Are they paying creators to make mini clip moments from any and all YouTube videos? Not fully understanding it 😅 Really unsure how revenue share works with this.

Heres the Chrome Extension for anyone interested:

Heartbeat - Chrome Web Store

Create your moments

chromewebstore.google.com

Most of us open our videos with a familiar line we say, "Hey guys" probably being the most used of all time. I was wondering what you use for your video opener/intro? What were your reasons if any as to why you use the one you use?

For me I have used many over the years everything from "Alright there welcome back" to "Lads and lasses welcome back".

What about you? What is your intro?

Has anyone noticed when posting a free product sample video on TikTok that it very rarely gets promoted by the algorithm. Ive noticed creators who usually get multiple thousands of views when posting getting really low views when posting a product.

Do TikTok Shop videos get pushed less or is it because of the video being pushed out, performing poorly with being an advert and then ending up never getting picked up again. At one point I wondered if TikTok were only pushing sample product videos where the seller has placed ads on them.

I am curious what your experience has been with TikTok shop product samples versus normal content.

What's your experience been selling using free samples on TikTok? I have noticed over time TikTok Shop sellers are increasing the threshold to be sent free samples unsurprisingly due to rising costs as well as the cost of loss when a creator doesnt post their product. I used to promote products every few days on my main TikTok account but decided to completely stop. I was getting free products to keep or give away but I wasnt getting any sales. I was receiving random products everything from nose hair trimmers to 4kg of sweets.

Has anyone actually managed to turn getting free samples into consistent sales or is it mainly just free product testing now?

Theres a lot of controversy lately about the use of meta glasses to record POV videos in public. Channels such as Michael Ballymore have gone viral where they approach strangers without them knowing theyre recording through the glasses and banter and crack jokes.

Obviously it isnt always welcome and to some it can come across as harassing or bullying but theres also been a positive side to it with some people featured saying they werent bothered and made their day etc and he has often been helping the homeless in the city centre of Newcastle Upon Tyne.

I have saw a few videos from creators debating the topic lately, people saying its harmful and others saying its just for a laugh.

Where I stand is I can see it from both sides. It makes for really watchable viral content seeing people out and about in public in your local hometown and then enjoying his banter with them. Theres some very interesting people that otherwise you would never see. I do think that it would be best to get consent at the very least after as some people really would not want their face shared online etc I think that if he gained consent after then it wouldnt be causing as much controversy. I would think those with MH could become affected by some of his jokes which can land a bit poorly even if that may not be the intent in the moment.

Michael Ballymore ®️ on TikTok

@yourmumwearslonsdales 78.1k Followers, 1 Following, 2.9m Likes - Watch awesome short videos created by Michael Ballymore ®️

www.tiktok.com

This video by a local lad discusses another creators video on Ballymore:

TikTok · BILLYJBARTON (NCL)

TikTok | Make Your Day

www.tiktok.com

What do you think? Is this style of content good for those all around or a nuisance?

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Personally I would consider getting a new phone with a good camera on it. Theres a lot of ways to mount a phone to a ringlight for selfie style videos, gimbals if you want to do smooth handheld footage and the bonus is you can easily carry it everywhere with you. For £300 you could get one of the Samsung plus phones like an s22plus or maybe even s23plus. I have a Nothing Phone 3a Pro and thats been really good, the front facing camera isnt the best but still performs well and the back camera is excellent just sometimes struggles in low light. What kind of video content will you be making?

I was once leaving my aunties house and a random silly idea popped into my head. It was ridiculous, would only take a few seconds to shoot on my phone and I thought to myself sod it, I will quickly record it and edit it once I am home. That silly thought was edited in a few minutes on the TikTok app and shared. That video is currently at over 2 million views. I dont think I have earned much from it (if anything) with it being a really short video but it goes to show the random silly little ideas that youd most likely forget to do can sometimes be worth it. Do you ever get random ideas for videos and post them? Have you experienced anything like this before too?

So I had this back in 2017, one of my first ever videos on my old channel was sat for maybe a year or two. The video was awfully poor quality, it was recorded badly, the audio was off, I wasnt really into what I was doing and looking back it honestly seems like the least likely contender to ever be picked up by the algorithm. It sat at around 1k views for 2 years and suddenly was suggested on the sidebar of a popular channel and it took off to over 2 million views. It must have sat for 2 years at around 1k views. It is a video I could easily have just deleted as it was kinda embarrassing to keep especially after improving so much over the years. I have always wondered why that video of all of them and how come the algorithm suddenly decided it was worth pushing. I feel lucky it happened but haven’t a clue why that exact video and not others that were equally as awful.

Do videos get re-evaluated by the algorithm after such long periods of time since posting? What typically causes one to suddenly grow like that? Its made me think that I should never delete any old bad videos just in case I am sat on a surprise gold mine.