This post emerged from the dozens of posts every single day I see around the internet, begging people for views or subs, asking how to get partnered with a network with only 10 views a day, asking how to get famous or popular. So in future I’m just sending them here.
Since YouTube offered everyone the chance to be a ‘Partner’, the world has gone mad with the idea that we can all be rich famous internet superstars. Have a read. If you’re doing your channel because of any of the below beliefs, you may want to rethink your ideas. If you’re doing it for fun, then fantastic, enjoy it!
1. You can earn money
No, no you can’t. Or at least you won’t earn enough to even bear thinking about.
To earn an average wage (say $20,000 USD per annum before tax) you would need to get over 48,000 views a day on your videos, since to earn $1 you need $1,000 views. Don’t forget that most channels will require a network for partnership, who will take at least 40% of your earnings.
Also, you’ll be paying any necessary tax on that figure as well, so to make the full $20,000 a year post-tax, you’re looking at probably double those views daily, every single day, for an entire year. That’s at least 2 million views every single MONTH. That is not easy, believe me. Very few YouTubers manage to earn more than this.
2. You can get famous!
No, no you can’t. Or at least it’s very unlikely.
When I say ‘famous’, for the moment I’m not talking about ‘YouTube Famous’, where people on YouTube know you, and anyone outside of it wouldn’t have a clue. I mean really famous. Like Fred and his stupid movie, or Rebecca Black or Justin Beiber. There is always the claim that some random talent scout stumbled across their little known channels and poof! Instant fame!
Wake up. If you look into the history of all of these overnight wonders there are always friends, family or contacts in the famous person’s background who knew a guy, who knew a guy, who knew a guy… it’s who you know, after all. Sure, there are some people who were genuinely noticed this way, but compared to the people who have brown-nosed their way up, the number is tiny.
Now let’s talk about ‘YouTube Famous’. These days, you need to eat tampons to get instantly famous. Nobody wants to do that. Well, nobody else, I should add. The big timers like Tobuscus, Pewdiepie, and the ever-annoying RayWilliamJohnson have been at this for at least six years. Unless you plan on publicly humiliating yourself, it’s unlikely that you’ll reach those numbers in less time than that. Sure there are exceptions (JennaMarbles in under 3 years has become one of the most subscribed ever) but again, that’s one person out of millions and millions.
3. If I buy views, people will think I’m really popular and subscribe!
No, no they won’t. I can’t stress enough how pointless and stupid this kind of thing is.
Lets say you have a video. It has 4,000 views in less than 72 hours. Wow, you think. That has to be an amazing video right? So you click on this amazing video only to find it has 1 like, no dislikes and no comments.
If you come across a video like that, they’ve likely traded or bought their views. The internet is a lively animal. It is almost impossible for 4,000 people to see something and have absolutely no opinion on it. And people will realise this. Don’t do it, it isn’t worth it.
