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[FlipSparrowGaming]

Yea its nearly impossible to make it huge... It just takes a lot of work and perseverance. You know that feeling of wanting to quit? It doesn't go away. I'm approaching 8,000 subs and I just feel like throwing in the towel. Of course I've put so many hours into it, and I know I'm not really going to quit. But the discouragement will continue, you just have to fight it.

8000? That's 8000 people that voluntarily subscribed to your channel. That's 8000 people that want to watch you and know when you make new content. Your mind cannot even picture 8000 people sitting in one area. I know it seems like nothing compared to the millions that the bigger channels have obtained, but 8000 is a lot of f*****g people.

Haha, I had the same reaction. 8000 subs and you want to throw in the towel? But of course it's just perspective. I don't really know what's going on and you are probably dealing with a large amount of stress to want to quit, despite how hard you probably worked. I was just happy getting ONE subscriber lol. I've wanted to quit many times already despite only starting a few months back, but that's also because all of the big Youtubers make it look easy, and I definitely started out with the wrong mindset.

Either way nice job on 8000

 

[KingKarrot]

Yea its nearly impossible to make it huge... It just takes a lot of work and perseverance. You know that feeling of wanting to quit? It doesn't go away. I'm approaching 8,000 subs and I just feel like throwing in the towel. Of course I've put so many hours into it, and I know I'm not really going to quit. But the discouragement will continue, you just have to fight it.

Dayum bruh, 8k?! Nice man, don't quit now man! It only gets easier! (apparently) Ive got 46 Subs at the moment and I'm over the moon when i gain one! Ive been at it for a few months and omg its hard to get noticed.

 

[DeadMerchant]

Yeah, growing as a gaming channel is probably a bit harder than the other options. I try to be unique in the videos I make to get more viewers and such. I use to do lets plays but those are so over done there's really no point to doing them anymore when there's so many people. Although I do gameplay and commentary ever 2nd or 3rd video but I record for an hour or 2 and only put in the best parts of what I recorded as to add some production value into my content. My other videos are heavily edited non-gameplay scripted videos. But even by trying to be unique in what I make I still don't think im unique enough idk.

Just as long as a person puts lots of effort and work into their videos and doesnt do something generic I think they can gain traction in any field. It might take a year or two or maybe even 3 but in all that time you should focus on making good content and improving your skills. You will see viewership eventually as long as you hone your craft.

Good luck everyone.

 

[bailee_]

I think that unless you are doing tutorials, gaming channels are more about the personality. I don't really enjoy playing videos games all that much but I watch Markiplier and DanandPhilGames just because I like their personalities. Gaming channels are just like any other channel, the personality makes people stay. I will admit that with so many of you guys it is a little harder.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I think that unless you are doing tutorials, gaming channels are more about the personality. I don't really enjoy playing videos games all that much but I watch Markiplier and DanandPhilGames just because I like their personalities. Gaming channels are just like any other channel, the personality makes people stay. I will admit that with so many of you guys it is a little harder.

Awesome post and thank you for making it. I think that's what gets forgotten a lot that, in all actuality, a lot of these huge YT'ers definitely have fans that don't play many games themselves. Or even if they did, why watch one and not another? Like you said: personality. JackSepticEye EXPLODED as a player because of his infectious personality. There's only one Jack.

 

[Adam_Fitz]

I dont agree with that, I think its hard for any channel really
For gamers, what if a game comes out ?

Like for example sims 4, im sure a bunch more people started subscribing to and searching for sims 4 lets plays ect...

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I dont agree with that, I think its hard for any channel really
For gamers, what if a game comes out ?

Like for example sims 4, im sure a bunch more people started subscribing to and searching for sims 4 lets plays ect...

Sure, but think about how many videos there are going to be of that game. Search for "sims 4 lets play" and you get hundreds of pages. The front page is packed with bigger names because YT promotes channels with more subs and views.

You're right, there are tons of people searching for and watching sims 4 videos, but there are so MANY of them that getting yours noticed (to use the analogy for the Nth time) is like tossing a message in a bottle into an ocean comprised entirely of messages in bottles.

For YouTubing in general, there's a difficult balance to strike. On paper, making videos about the popular hot topics would be good, because people are searching for that. Unfortunately, it means the market is completely saturated with that, so the ability for YOURS to be found is slim. On the flip side, it would make sense to tackle niche topics that few people have done videos of, that way you're not getting lost in a sea of similar content. Unfortunately for THAT, it means the odds of anyone searching for what you're doing is much lower.

Yes, gaming channels are The Big Thing, but for tens of thousands of them, there's no significant upward motion. When the gods smile upon you, it's Rainbow Road. But that's the exception rather than the rule.

 

[HeatherWells]

Haha, that is indeed the goal, isn't it? The struggle is just getting to the "once found" portion. Personally, I'm horrible at marketing. I don't get it, I don't know how to do it without feeling like I'm spamming or whatever. However, I'll put as much work into the videos themselves as I can. That part I feel like I can do. I can't figure out how to get people TO watch, but I sure can do my best to make sure that if they do they won't be disappointed. People talk about making money on YT, me? I think it'd be difficult for me just to break even at this point haha.

But, like you said, it's that whole "found" thing. Getting seen, finding ways to get clicks on those links and eyeballs on the videos, it's brutal. Someday, though! A lot of the biggest names out there have been going for 5+ years, no sense in whining after less than five months.

You do have a great voice though. I think that will really help when you are found. Your voice is pleasant to listen to. I watched a couple of your videos. I tend to be very careful about who I subscribe to and like with video games, because I let my 5 year old son, and 14 year old daughter watch videos. They use my account. My daughter has subscribed to Markiplier .. I don't like my son watching the Markiplier games, because I worry about language with my five year old, but I don't mind my daughter watching him, and I did see and enjoy several of his videos. For my son, he typically watches Zack Scott, Stampylonghead, and the SSundee feed the beast series. I would like to find more gamers my little guy could watch, where I don't have to worry about him picking an inappropriate video. I don't feel the videos have to be geared towards children at all.. There just seems to be a fair amount of really young people (teens?) that think its cool to curse, and do it constantly in the videos.

What is your feeling on this? Have you thought about your target audience, and who you want to watch? Do you feel catering to any particular audience would make you unattractive to other audiences? I think I heard a curse word or two in a video I watched on one of your videos, and that is definitely not excessive, I wouldn't have a problem with my teen watching. I think people should be true to themselves when making their videos. I was just wondering if you have thought about your target demographic, or look at your audience age groups. I had to make a tough decision last week. I went to 50 shades of grey as part of a girls night out, and we had goody bags, with items mentioned in the book. I thought with how the movie was sold out opening weekend that a diy goody bag video would get a lot of views. The problem is I know I have a ton of viewers that fall in the 13 - 17 age range, and I don't know how many more that are children watching on their parents accounts. I will often have comments, like I am 11 years old, and you are my inspiration. I decided not to do the goodie bag, despite knowing it would be a highly viewed video.

You have a nice set up and the videos look professional. I like that your face shows. I have been wanting to figure out how to edit like that. I don't have 2 video cameras, and I am on a desktop. So I would have to film twice, and figure out how to make it happen during editing.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

You do have a great voice though. I think that will really help when you are found. Your voice is pleasant to listen to. I watched a couple of your videos. I tend to be very careful about who I subscribe to and like with video games, because I let my 5 year old son, and 14 year old daughter watch videos. They use my account. My daughter has subscribed to Markiplier .. I don't like my son watching the Markiplier games, because I worry about language with my five year old, but I don't mind my daughter watching him, and I did see and enjoy several of his videos. For my son, he typically watches Zack Scott, Stampylonghead, and the SSundee feed the beast series. I would like to find more gamers my little guy could watch, where I don't have to worry about him picking an inappropriate video. I don't feel the videos have to be geared towards children at all.. There just seems to be a fair amount of really young people (teens?) that think its cool to curse, and do it constantly in the videos.

What is your feeling on this? Have you thought about your target audience, and who you want to watch? Do you feel catering to any particular audience would make you unattractive to other audiences? I think I heard a curse word or two in a video I watched on one of your videos, and that is definitely not excessive, I wouldn't have a problem with my teen watching. I think people should be true to themselves when making their videos. I was just wondering if you have thought about your target demographic, or look at your audience age groups. I had to make a tough decision last week. I went to 50 shades of grey as part of a girls night out, and we had goody bags, with items mentioned in the book. I thought with how the movie was sold out opening weekend that a diy goody bag video would get a lot of views. The problem is I know I have a ton of viewers that fall in the 13 - 17 age range, and I don't know how many more that are children watching on their parents accounts. I will often have comments, like I am 11 years old, and you are my inspiration. I decided not to do the goodie bag, despite knowing it would be a highly viewed video.

You have a nice set up and the videos look professional. I like that your face shows. I have been wanting to figure out how to edit like that. I don't have 2 video cameras, and I am on a desktop. So I would have to film twice, and figure out how to make it happen during editing.

First off, thanks for the kind words! Big post incoming...

As for language and what have you... it's a tough topic. I try not to curse TOO much, not because I have anything against foul language, but it's more like I find vulgarity actually kinda limiting. It's easy to unload a bunch of 4 letter words, it's harder to be more descriptive and clear. I certainly can, and often do, curse like crazy in my daily life when the mood strikes. Like if I'm stuck in traffic trying to get somewhere or I'm playing Borderlands online with friends and I'm drinking? Whew, I sound like my Gunner Sgt stepdad haha. But when I'm making videos I feel like I can do better most of the time. It's not because I'm afraid of offending or that I don't want to limit my demographic, I just think that there are better things to say most of the time.

My target? Probably the people who would be playing the games I record, and I'd wager that's 13 and above. Just like kids shouldn't be playing Five Nights at Freddy's and Conker's Bad Fur Day (which I'll be playing later), they shouldn't be watching a dude playing it. I never want to LIMIT myself as a creator, because I feel like the end product will be limited for what I do. Gaming is a little tricky in that regard. You have the kind of channel that seems like it should be appropriate for all ages, and although it does suck that you had to scrap the DIY bag idea... it was probably for the best. It would have gotten a lot of views, but I feel like it might have betrayed the spirit of what I'm seeing (I seriously want mini chili dogs now haha). Your channel has an awesome "fun for everyone" feel to it. For gamers, though, trying to stay family friendly limits not only what I say, but also what I can show, and I don't want to do that. I have no interest in being a guy like Dashie who is just a cavalcade of vulgarity (but it really, really works for him and I love his videos), but I also never want to find myself biting my tongue because that's going to make the videos stilted and awkward, which is just poison for someone doing improvised commentary.

The internet these days is just so freewheeling that I have no doubts that down the road there will be little kids watching, and although I don't think that's necessarily right, I figure that's on the parents to decide what their kids can and can't watch. I do honestly feel like making the videos family friendly would limit it, because I'd be stopped from playing a lot of games and I'd just SOUND like I'm being overly clean. Markiplier is one of my favorites because, generally speaking, he is a cleaner speaker. For him to make the kinda videos that a five year old could watch, he'd be chopping off TONS of content that would hamstring his appeal with older viewers. A gaming channel friendly for kids would have to inherently BE a "gaming channel for kids".

A 2 camera setup would be trickier for you, yeah, because you're actually filming physical footage. Gaming is a little easier, I have one camera but I record my monitor and just line it up in Adobe.

I hope that answered, haha. It's a BIG topic, and thanks for offering some thoughts about it, because it's something that doesn't get a lot of consideration with gaming channels.

 

[HeatherWells]

First off, thanks for the kind words! Big post incoming...

As for language and what have you... it's a tough topic. I try not to curse TOO much, not because I have anything against foul language, but it's more like I find vulgarity actually kinda limiting. It's easy to unload a bunch of 4 letter words, it's harder to be more descriptive and clear. I certainly can, and often do, curse like crazy in my daily life when the mood strikes. Like if I'm stuck in traffic trying to get somewhere or I'm playing Borderlands online with friends and I'm drinking? Whew, I sound like my Gunner Sgt stepdad haha. But when I'm making videos I feel like I can do better most of the time. It's not because I'm afraid of offending or that I don't want to limit my demographic, I just think that there are better things to say most of the time.

My target? Probably the people who would be playing the games I record, and I'd wager that's 13 and above. Just like kids shouldn't be playing Five Nights at Freddy's and Conker's Bad Fur Day (which I'll be playing later), they shouldn't be watching a dude playing it. I never want to LIMIT myself as a creator, because I feel like the end product will be limited for what I do. Gaming is a little tricky in that regard. You have the kind of channel that seems like it should be appropriate for all ages, and although it does suck that you had to scrap the DIY bag idea... it was probably for the best. It would have gotten a lot of views, but I feel like it might have betrayed the spirit of what I'm seeing (I seriously want mini chili dogs now haha). Your channel has an awesome "fun for everyone" feel to it. For gamers, though, trying to stay family friendly limits not only what I say, but also what I can show, and I don't want to do that. I have no interest in being a guy like Dashie who is just a cavalcade of vulgarity (but it really, really works for him and I love his videos), but I also never want to find myself biting my tongue because that's going to make the videos stilted and awkward, which is just poison for someone doing improvised commentary.

The internet these days is just so freewheeling that I have no doubts that down the road there will be little kids watching, and although I don't think that's necessarily right, I figure that's on the parents to decide what their kids can and can't watch. I do honestly feel like making the videos family friendly would limit it, because I'd be stopped from playing a lot of games and I'd just SOUND like I'm being overly clean. Markiplier is one of my favorites because, generally speaking, he is a cleaner speaker. For him to make the kinda videos that a five year old could watch, he'd be chopping off TONS of content that would hamstring his appeal with older viewers. A gaming channel friendly for kids would have to inherently BE a "gaming channel for kids".

A 2 camera setup would be trickier for you, yeah, because you're actually filming physical footage. Gaming is a little easier, I have one camera but I record my monitor and just line it up in Adobe.

I hope that answered, haha. It's a BIG topic, and thanks for offering some thoughts about it, because it's something that doesn't get a lot of consideration with gaming channels.

I actually really like your long and thoughtful responses. I actually enjoy Markiplier too, and I have seen some videos that would be okay of his for my son to watch, and some not. I love how humble and grateful for his subscribers he is too. I also like the sketch comedies he does, and appears in on other channels. I know I can't let my son just go to his channel and watch any video too. It isn't a simple answer, and I am glad you are so thoughtful about it. I actually let my little guy watch the Ssundee Feed the Beast Series. The content seemed more teen and adult .. but there wasn't the swearing. I actually enjoyed those videos too. There is a gamer too, that will let a curse slip and say oops.. or sorry guys, and he deffinately doesn't cater to kids but tries to keep it clean. I will have to watch a few more of your videos. I like the Sims Ssundee ones too. I do see what you mean about family friendly being limiting, and about cursing too much being limiting.
You sound very intellegent and down to earth in the posts I recall reading from you. It sounds like you would be a great friend