More on Views, Subscribers, and Channel Direction

[seb12345sebastian]

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[oldhacks]

the only reason people subscribe is if they think they are getting something out of it

[AdolescentAntiTheist]

If you want to bounce some ideas off of me or ask any questions about what people in my age group would find appealing I'd be fine with that, although I'm not exactly the average, and I definitely don't find Fred entertaining what-so-ever, but I think I'm still young enough to have a little bit of youthful exuberance.

[bobthemouse]

I think the Paul Harvey and story telling ideas are great. As for the creation of a channel, most people I know do it because they want to watch a video that needs age conformation. In all honesty I don't remember why I did it probably the same reason. As for the younger audience I'd say check out the top videos and if you see a trend do it in your own way. also you can checkout mahalodotcom every week this channel has a video mocking the weeks top videos

[FrostyPhilosopher]

I think that the Steve Harvey type show would be great, and you could work other ideas into it from time-to-time.

Of course you are right that this type of stuff makes you more popular, yet I fail to see how it is any less qualified for being called stupid, pointless shit than your Philosophy stuff. :)

[Kierketaard]

Since you've already done the alcohol thing get really stoned next time and see how that goes over.

[ianhoppe]

oi!

arent you glad that you swallowed your pride and posted that last video? i look forward to your series ideas.

i'm also going to echo nicavolante below when he says to get people to commit to getting an account they need to want to interact. asking questions, discussing contraversial subjects, etc..

good luck man

[amnesiameds]

i think both series ideas are good, but if you aren't sure how long you'd be able to use that little girl, you might want to start with the paul harvey one. don't worry about catering to young people, they'll grow up. also, i know under 16s that love you channel, so there's hope in that area.

[nicavolante]

i guess if you want people to create an account in order to be able to subscribe, you might want to consider asking viewers questions

so they will want to comment (and for that they need to subscribe ....)

[exDeathex]

I really think you have something going with that little girl juxtaposition :)

[Okastega]

Maybe on the sign ups you could do either good quality back-and-forth comedy videos with someone or have some story-arc series which has stand-alone parts but needs to be seen wholly to really "get"- it would put in the incentive to sign up and sub, or just sub, to track, y'know. Maybe. I don't know.

And do use your clone more often, that's the tune which has the smoothest and "real" taste, your videos are too frequently "pushed", almost bordering on pretentiousness.

[jeffsmithluedke]

That's a really good idea. A story-off, if you will. I'll pitch that to bnessel. He'd be my first pick.

[Brandt761]

You "found" a little girl???

[rumpagump]

dumpster baby?

[Brandt761]

nothing more to say...

[randyhelzerman]

Is it just me, or does it feel like we get Azrienoch on jeffsmithluedke's channel, and we get Jeff Smith Luedke on Azrienoch's channel?

[sixxers]

Ha yeah, I think I agree with that.

[jeffsmithluedke]

Actually, you've got them backwards. Azrienoch is the showman. I'm the person. That bastard keeps trying to kill me, and with good reason--I'm boring--but his perpetual obstacle is that I'm the one with the body.

[randyhelzerman]

Actually, you were the one who got me to sign up and subscribe. The reason was you were having a good conversation which I wanted to be a part of. (Yeah, I know, "have a good conversation" is really actionable advice....not)

[jeffsmithluedke]

Well, there's something about conversations here that make people feel they're welcome to join in. It IS valuable advice because I need to learn what that is and use it.

[maksiiiskam2]

I hate the "rate, favorite, comment, subscribe" in/outro. Seems to me like canned laughters, if it's really funny I won't need you to tell me. Same if it's worth subscribing. Do you think it really helped those who did that?

A good way to invite comments is to ask a question of the day like sxephil. A good way to invite ratings are commentaries about the world that people can relate to.

A good way to fidelise the subscribers and thereby securing a certain amount of views is

[maksiiiskam2]

to have a certain ratio of videos in which there is a sexual reference that people just love to converse about. Sexy sexual stories, comments, confidences, jokes, or double entendre give a very familiar tone to any conversation: imo, I'm friend with someone when we can talk and joke about sex.

However, there is a limit where people can find it too much and you must not include sexual references in all videos. There prebably is an optimal ratio, imo between 1 out of 5 and 1 out of 3.

[bubonicnate]

how long do you think I could use the little girl?

[aqcheryl]

And you should still approach someone who has blogged, albeit "a year ago", because we are creatures of habit - we love to discuss topics more than once. A year has passed, Im sure they would like to revisit that topic.

[aqcheryl]

You know...the brilliance of JKRowling is that her books catered to all ages - because she was realistic about mature issues in todays world, and did not talk down to the younger audience... Thus I think if you structure your videos to appeal to the younger crowds, but yet still have the intellectual sophistication the older crowd is here for...

If an 8 year old doesnt work, perhaps a surly teenager just hitting puberty..

[aqcheryl]

I would suggest that in order to gain new subscribers that are not even signed up on Youtube already, you would need to sell both yourself and YouTube. For example, not many people are aware that a) people have channels or b) that when you subscribe, you get an email notification of when new videos have come out. I hope you fixed that chair, cause "ow" :)

[aqcheryl]

Personally, I love all of the ideas. I would suggest you dip your hand in all of them - then go from there. I have to add, I love this channel, and that you do record to us as such, for as you state, theres a difference in how you speak that one feels as if part of the conversation rather than just watching.

[brouhajoe]

On getting people to sign up to Youtube:

Well, on a person to person level, when I have friends or acquaintances I'm trying to get to open a Youtube account, and they're the type of people who watch YT videos, I remind them of the "favorites" list.

[brouhajoe]

People have this idea in their head that you sign up to YT to make videos, so I sell them the simple convenience of being able to collect your favorite YT videos in one place, rather than having to spend time searching them out every time you want to view them or show them to other people. This works, I've gotten many people to open an account using this tactic...and once they do, I remind them to subscribe, rate, favorite...etc to my channels and videos.

[brouhajoe]

If you can figure a way to translate the idea of selling the channel features and conveniences of a YT account into a video for the masses, I think it can work on that scale as well.

[CivilHuman]

Az go to this channel " asathecomic " and enter his contest, Its a easy contest... He just posted the video..

[jeffsmithluedke]

I'll take a look, thanks!

[KnittingNinny]

Talk to the viewers like you did in your "Love,Jeff" video. More videos like the"Blame Game"and "How I Met Tex", will attract a younger crowd. Those videos were smart yet funny, and most of all anyone could relate or understand.

[CadicusTheDamned]

Are you saying it is self defeating to purge subscribers?

Maybe, but it is so fucking punk rock.

[jeffsmithluedke]

Ha!

[ghostofperdition2188]

When you visit dave, tell him his subscribers miss him.

[jeffsmithluedke]

Will do.

[ghostofperdition2188]

Thanks.

[bnessel1973]

Jeff, I think you are one of the best writers on YouTube. I think your storytelling is second to none here.

I have a feeling if you make the changes you are talking about doing, you may find yourself unfulfilled. Look, you have amazing talent that can reach a large market. I think if you stick with that you'll find a lot more happiness than trying to please all the markets.

I'll support whatever you do - but I'd miss the azrienoch I am in awe of.

[jeffsmithluedke]

Point taken, Brian. I'm really not looking to overhaul, just tweak.

[Amirsoosool]

I don't know about others but when someone tells me to add the video to my favorites it really pisses me off.

[HighKingOfDalliance]

New typeface is sweet! My itchy shit has cleared right up sir ;) You sound like your on the right tracks with this, i'm excited to see what you produce.

The bed time story thing sounds great, especially if its episodic.

Getting people to make an account!? Interaction, I only made an account when i wanted to start posting comments. So give people something to say i guess... that vague enough for ya? haha...

[cozmikzen]

intro sux, outro rules, it also gives you a few seconds to put an annotation to another video.

sorry i missed your live show, i will definitely tune in!

yknow how ppl come on YT and say "live show right now on..whatever"

you should do clever little commercials, that would be appealing, and u can probably kickass doing it. maybe even having a theme or topic.

posting excerpts might also be a good advert.

[axisapex]

If you were looking for the younger subscribers, you blew it by not recording : one man one bucket -- no point getting way to drunk for no reason. LOL

[Protagorist]

It's a shame that you aren't going to revert to the philosophical content of your old videos. It was nice having someone who I could, philosophically speaking, relate to. That being said, your newer videos are enjoyable and all that you need is a little more publicity to get the amount of subscriptions you want.

[ladyopinx]

The little girl thing sounds great!

The Paul Harvey thing + using young icons as subjects = cool.

Sorry to have missed live show--will have to make next one.

Good Luck and *Bright Blessings*

Linda Ophoenix (aka LadyOpinx like "pinks")

[InfectedDaemon]

You get people to commit to opening an account on YouTube when you drive them to respond to you either by controversy, acceptance or the desire to interact with you. Not an easy task, but can be done.

[InfectedDaemon]

You will lose face with adults if you cater to children. You can be fun, but not... Fred.

[marniespeaks]

to get people to sign up you need to enegage them in what they are interested in and give them a challenge or a task to respond. This is an interactive medium. The hard question is, what are they interested in?

So there's a video, find away to challenge people to voice what their challenges are. Survey the landscape and move from there. Incorporate your talents into the suggestions from the audience. Along the way you'll find what works and what doesn't, something new will come out of that.

[YaMamStudios]

jeff i think you should do what you want to do anything. because knowing you you will make it brtilliant!

even your ealry vids are good i think you should just do what you want to do....

[JimmerSD]

I have some WD40 if you need it ;)

RE:philosophy. Steve Martin made the same choice.

Say "Hi" to Dave.

[zakkmiester]

dont change your vids to suit younger people, I'm 13,and think that your videos are great.

Especially dont dumb-down all of the content. At least not to Fred level...

[YaMamStudios]

fred is rubbish... and im 16 and i love it too! haha

[TheDevilsAdvocate55]

for the sign up thing, make some vids (collab or not) with screennames/logins/users being one of the important themes in it. It'll plant it in the viewers head that having an account is cool as hell just like that one video they saw.

[TheDevilsAdvocate55]

i guess just having it in there wont do the trick, it needs to be set up right- made to look dangerous, cool, sexy, like some really old cigarette commercial.

[TheDevilsAdvocate55]

but "Dangerous" and "sexy" might be a bit of an exaggeration for what your looking for.

[CelphaFiael]

You know I love ya buddy. Let's do it another time.

As for ideas to promote yourself: In all of your subscribers, there has to exist a substantial handful involved in social-networking communities such as Digg and Reddit. If you persuade this handful of contacts to help you, and were your videos posted on these sites, they could guarantee an appreciable amount of up-votes to the extent that outside viewers might consider it worthwhile to check out. The growth is exponential from there.

[HighKingOfDalliance]

That's what i been telling him!! Swear down! i will actually have my lazy ass make an account at these sights if you start linking them in. It's no different then asking for subs and rates, hell you can even add the digg logo etc to the animation at the bottom.

[jeffsmithluedke]

The only problem I have with that is I'm terrible at writing summaries of things I've done. People chancing across it on digg probably won't bother with it unless it has an insane number of diggs.

[TheDevilsAdvocate55]

i couldn't stay at the blogtv thing, I was lagging like hell :(

[frigginyates]

I still say you've got good stuff, its intellectual and entertaining at the same time. I really think its people just need to get to actually sit down and see a video or two of yours.

And like I've said before your reply to Mast's video is how I found your channel. So he did something good for ya!

[jeffsmithluedke]

Oh, I love Mast. No question of his goodness.  And I think you're right about being seen. The atypical influx of subs during the feature is evidence of that. So now it's a matter of putting myself in more places than I currently am.

[StuartGalore]

I like the Paul Harvey idea...you can highlight your favorite "bumper-snickers."

[LeafInTheStream]

Some ideas:

You could make a video about subscribing, why people should do it, why they should subscribe to you. You could broaden this to talk about YouTube culture, I suppose. If it were humorous it would work, I think.

Fakesagan used to have a picture on his channel where he poses with shades on and two girls fawning over him. You could make a shameless promotional video of this ilk, that could work as both parody and genuine promotion at the same time. (cont'd)

[LeafInTheStream]

(cont'd) Another Mr. Cropper would be good - not him, and not to debate philosophy, but somebody colourful who could be your nemesis. That might help you to work in the serialization idea I mentioned earlier. The whole thing could even be scripted (loosely), and could work as comedy with content.

[nerdfighter4]

It was so awesome when you puked! Too bad there was no bathroom cam!!

[LeafInTheStream]

You say you've been researching Fred. I wouldn't underestimate the fact that Fred's videos are serialized. This has worked ratings wonders for shows like Survivor, Lost, and many others. I think producers are very conscious of the fact that the cliffhanger really does brings viewers back the next week. Not sure if you can work this into your "act", but I'm pretty certain this has been the key to Fred's phenomenal success. Without it, I bet he'd be anonymous.

[jeffsmithluedke]

Yeah. With a running theme like the Paul Harvey thing or the bedtime story idea I'd be able to do something like that. Until I start, there's really no way to do that.

[MrsScarletScolex]

This whole video is just scheming for power. Lawl.

[MrsScarletScolex]

Gd thing I didn't stay up.

[theartofstew]

first!!