There are two different people who will read this post. Help me out in dealing with this bifurcated audience, will ya?
- There are those of you who may, for reasons that elude me, like my videos or my banana-shaped head and disturbing personality. Maybe you RSS this page, used to visit it from my YouTube channel banner, or check it occasionally from bookmarks. Or maybe you stumbled here because of a URL on one of my videos. You people comment sometimes but only about .05 percent of the time.
- Then there are online-video industry watchers: video creators, agency employees, marketers, employees of video-sharing sites, analysts, journalists or new-media junkees. You people NEVER comment unless you’re Mike Abundo. That makes me wonder if you’re even reading, and whether I should publish/syndicate these kinda musings via better-read channels for online-video (like Advertising Age, NewTeeVee, TheDailyReel (kidding), iMediaConnections, Micropersuasion or TechCrunch and stuff). It’s not like I make a dime off this blog anyway.
Now I used to brand my videos CubeBreak.com and send them to that site I’d manage manually. Then I automated that site (which still exists) with Revver, and promptly lost all search-engine rankings because there wasn’t any fresh content as perceived by mother Google. So I forgot about the site. I later created WillVideoForFood primarily for amateurs looking to monetize their content via ad-sharing or sponsored videos, and starting using WillVideoForFood on my video slates.
Stupid move.
Why is it stupid? First, most YouTube video creators with their own websites have “fan” sites. They extend the content, blog related content, sell branded things and provide a community for their fans. That said, I’ve long rejected the idea of having a fan site because, frankly, I find it creepy and even more egotistcal than me. Plus I’m not HappySlip or Smosh if you know what I mean. But I also recognize that there are people who stop by this WillVideoForFood site to interact with me or mutual friends (probably the latter, but shut the hell up for a damned second… you’ll get your turn).
I still haven’t figured out how to make all this work, but for now here’s the model I’m currently envisioning: Kevinnalts.com is my new vanity site and I’ll probably start providing that link after the video instead of willvideoforfood.com. People who visit a URL from a video about farting or pranks aren’t likely looking for a blog about online video. They want more farts or pranks.
Willvideoforfood.com remains my website for online-video industry trends, and it reserves the right to self indulge about Nalts too (since I don’t have the energy for a friggin’ Nalts blog).
Then there’s the WillVideoForFood.com Forum (which cost about $200 to setup and takes Jan time to maintain). So you’d better darn well use it. I also got Ning crazy this weekend and set up a willvideoforfood ning and even a ning for Nalts (it’s called NaltsNing since NingofNalts isn’t possible). Nings are “off the shelf” social networks, and most of them are empty shells but some people run their entire website using a paid version of ning and you wouldn’t know it’s costing them a fraction of coding their own functionality.
I even created a YouTubeLive Ning (see above image), only to soon realize after I spent 2 hours making a banner and logo that Podcasting101 (aka Creepy Paul) already had created a YouTube Gatherings Ning with 147 members.
A first I felt really bad at creating more confusion by strating a new Ning (but was looking for somewhere to exchange information about the YouTube gathering in Philadelphia July 12 (YoTube). I’ve made it clear that YouTubeLive is not meant to replace Creepy Paul’s YouTube Gatherings. He’s WAY more into physical gatherings than I am, even though he’s super creepy (and I say that with love).
I like to promote and attend these Star-Trek like events, but can’t stand the politics and logistics (like the hot dogs but don’t need to see the factory). But now I really want to get more “members” to YouTube Live Ning just to tease Creepy Paul. So go join YouTubeLive’s Ning if you have a Ning identity- even if you don’t care about YouTube nerdy events.
And if you haven’t heard of Ning, remember you learned about it from me. I was the first guy in my school to own a Swatch and a Mac 128 so I’m totally hip on trends.
Bifurcated does not mean gay, guys.
DAMN IT NALTS, you beat me to the first comment.
yes, now that I’ve read the whole post, I can’t remember it, hold on while I go reread it.
ok, reread it.
you know, unless there are people who live near me (san jose/campbell, CA) who can give me a ride/airline ticket/job so I can afford an airline ticket to get to these gatherings, youtube gatherings, as much as I want to go, aren’t happening for me.
oh, how I sometimes envy you old farts.
We use Ning to power our entire website and so far we love it. And now (drum roll) — shameless plug!
http://www.wickedawesomefilms.com
Thanks Nalts. I’ll comment more than .05% of the time now 🙂
I’m in transit. I’ll catch up on all this when I’m not stealing someone else’s wifi space.
Nalts, just find pride in the fact that any website or ning you will ever create will get more views in one day than my website will get in a whole year…or ever.
I’m a fan of the videos AND I am peripherally involved in the online video industry — I must be bifurcated.
Oh, by the way, I don’t show up on your forum under members, even when I search for myself. Is that because nobody likes me, or is there something going on wrong with the website?
It’s because nobody likes you, Robnickel.
Okay, really. I really, really believe you should have put “trifurcated” instead of “bifurcated” because really, don’t we deserve our own category? I mean, really.
I really was just kidding, Reuben. I just like, really really like Robnickel as your nickname now. Really.
P.S. Kevin, did you mean to misspell bifurcated in the title of this post? Because if not, maybe that’s why industry readers don’t post comments. They can’t get past the typos.
Ah, I see. Since that’s the case, it’s probably better that I don’t show up.
I don’t really understand the whole Robnickel thing, but this comment is for you, Sukatra.
I sign up for these stupid ning things and I don’t even know why. I never check them. I don’t even bookmark them. I save my info so I don’t even have to remember a password.
Maybe it’s time for me to start looking for employment. … naw… not yet.
Awesme, robnickel. I love getting my own comments.
Ha, ha! Sukatra spelled “awesome” wrong.
Oh, and Kevin, there are THREE types of people that read this post. The two you mentioned, and then me, sukatra, NutCheese, MDJ, Robnickel, and BsoN, among others.
We only come here to talk to each other, and occasionally you.
Oh, and brindle: I’m probably the oldest person who regularly comments on this blog and I can’t go to the gathering either. Gas prices are just too high to justify the drive, and the train isn’t any cheaper, and I have a husband who doesn’t like me to have fun.
I had a Trash80 model III and an Atari 800. 😛 But I will truncate my personal history. I just like watching the ass biting that goes on here. I will be happy to use the very nice cushy forum that you have set up for the trolls. Sparing no expense BTW!.
OMG Marilyn you are at least older than me. And the spelling nazi has struck again I might add. LOL.
OK, for anyone who wants to play:
A/S/L?
Hi Nalts
I Like your site and your regulars. It’s fun and even informative.
As for your forum: I think one big reason why it lacks activity
is the fact that you only show up there once in 9 months. Not
really encourageing for commenters if the Maestro himself
doesn’t seem to care about his own forum 😉
We’re not here for Nalts. Just to use his free cyber space. Weeee!
48/M/Fl
54/F/NY
53/F/WI
Woo hoo! I wasn’t on Marilyns list, so I must be an industry insider or video creator. You can come over and hang out with me and Mike Abundo if you want Robnickel, on Tuesdays Nalts sends us gift baskets for positive reviews.
Marilyn –
Bite me.
This A/S/L thing is so juvenile.
46/Never/So far up your ass I can taste what you had for dinner.
Hey, the more sites, the merrier. 🙂
I love you, sukatra! But not in a NutCheese kind of way.
53/M/TX
and still a transient in transit
I’ve had petercoffin.com since 2003! I have much more ego than you.
I’m still older than everyone here so far.
Wow hanging out here makes me feel young, I won’t be thirty until next month.
I’ll be 24 on the 20th. People think I’m like 33, though.
Watch out kid, you might start acting like an old fart. I recommend saving up the Depends coupons.
I’ll have you people know that, although so far I am the old fart on the blog, no one ever guesses my age correctly. They always guess a minimum of 10 years younger. It’s good genes; my mom was the same way. Also, I act like a 12 year-old. Maybe because I hang out with kids that age all day. Rode the Superman ride 3 times on the 8th grade field trip to 6 Flags and would have done more if there had been time.