I agree with you 100%. I started a second YT channel for my handmade biz that will be used only for shorts. My problem is that I REALLY resent feeling like we are constantly being manipulated and treated like trained monkeys. I struggle with this a lot and it has actually made me stay away from IG and you couldn't pay me to go on TT. We have so much to do already and I barely have time to enjoy a good book or time w friends but I am supposed to be entertaining to the masses.....people who will never buy what I offer. It's maddening. I am a bit of an old geezer and remember time before the internet and all the social media platforms and, for good or for bad, I am really missing those days. I don't think social media is making us better BUT the sad truth is that we need to utilize it. It's complicated. Is it always adapt or die??? I keep going back and forth. No easy answers but I do know this....I don't want to live my life constantly thinking about being online. It's stressful and it sucks up so much time. The struggle is real. Thank you Kim! Now, I am off to make shorts for YT *le sigh* xx

I use the subscribe button like a bookmark. I subscribe to channels so I can find them each week if they aren't promoted to me. I don't have the notification turned on for every channel I follow because I can't stand dozens of notifications every day, it irritates me, like constantly having the doorbell ring.

For your own data collection: You pop up on my algorithm all the time. I see most of your new videos within two days of you uploading your new video, usually within 4 hours because KZfaq is my background noise when work all day. I consistently choose your videos when suggested to me because I want KZfaq to keep suggesting you to me. (Also because I enjoy your company as I work and you are one of my favorite body doubles I like to pretend is hanging out with me as I listen and learn from you. Thank you for that btw!) And KZfaq is the only consistent algorithm that shows me creators I actually subscribe to, although it does take some participation on my end as to who I want them to keep suggesting. A lot of people I subscribe to come and go depending on whatever the hyper fixation is at the time. I do feel like I take part in curating my KZfaq home page but not like I do with my TikTok fyp if that makes sense. KZfaq I’m actually SUPER picky about what I watch because my algorithm IS so sensitive to suggesting things that I have a separate account to use as my search engine for things outside of the things I normally like to watch and listen to. At the same time, I never would have found your channel without KZfaq suggestions. I hope this helps! (I’m also in North Dakota USA, (F) 30 years old)

Thank you for your honest help. I paused your video and recorded a short of me working on a project because I realized it could serve my audience by sharing a craft tip with them. I need to turn my camera on more often. I love tips too. So why not share them. Thank you for your tip to join in with what works today. 🥰

This is why I moved from algorithm-based social media to promote my business, and I get all sales from there. Also it's much easier to build a community there. I still post to instagram but more of an afterthought. I'm glad I never got into Tik Tok in the first place.

Hi Kim! I just recently came across your channel and really appreciate the content you’re publishing. I agree with your stance that businesses must change to stay alive. This has always been the case. How things were done 100 years ago isn’t going to work with buyers today. Buyers’ tastes change, markets change, products change (remember video rental stores?). When e-commerce started, a lot of people thought it was going to be so easy and were going to make a lot of money quickly, that it wouldn’t take a lot of hard work to make it to be successful. Having said this though, old ways of doing business come back around, too. For example, physically selling in a bricks and mortar space is making a comeback in some industries like bookselling. Each business owner’s distribution and marketing channels are going to be specific to that owner. Some will want to sell in physical stores while others will want to sell only online. The key is to choose for the specific owner’s needs. When it comes to handmade or artisanal items, I think will always be fascinated by how the maker actually produces the product. This is one reason why artists have open studio days so they can connect with their community. This may or may not work for every maker, but it’s worth experimenting to find different ways to connect with your community.

I tune into you and others I follow because I view you as co-workers and online friends. I like to hear about how your daughter is doing, and what's going on in your business and videos like this one. It's like having a company meeting, gathering around the water cooler and exchanging ideas, sharing tips and tricks to make our jobs go more smoothly. This is where Patreon comes in as well. As the pandemic was unfolding I got laid off and I'm in my early 60's so I just decided to be self-employed and semi-retired. I watch shorts for just a change-up in my day. I've found a few more creators that way but most of the time it's just to change gears for a few moments.

Like so many others, I went and watched the video (Jack Conte) and wow ... especially the part where he says that you do have to keep making things that you like and are fun to you ... I am a full time mum with an Etsy shop to sell some of the things I make (handmade pouches). If I started making things just to sell a maximum number of items, I think I would quickly lose my 'drive', my energy ... thank you for sharing this with us and thank you for channel (I love your sense of humour) 🙂

Hi Kim. I agree with everything. These days it's all sell sell sell. Buy buy buy abd my brain hurts. I am evolving by starting my own website, and I am thinking of doing shorts just showing what i do and not trying to sell.

PIVOT! PIVOT!! PIVOT!!! Ah the good old days

It's so true what your saying. I also just tend to scroll endlessly. Sometimes I fall asleep while scrolling 😂 I've given up on it all. Currently unemployed but honestly can't be bothered with all these algorithms and stress. Just feels like whatever you post just doesn't get seen anyways 🤷🏻‍♀️

After I watched this, I went and watched the video you linked. WOW…I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear that.

Thank you.

Loved it :) Things that make us think as always interesting and useful :) Thank you xx

Wonderful suggestion. Always give people a story first, bring them in, welcome them. I agree, give 80% ask 20% of the time that you are online. As usual, delightful, informational, and great content. 😊

Sitting here watching you while making jewery & thought hit me how to make entertaining videos without too much effort; get a cat. Actually the thought hit me just after our cat knocked a roll of wire off my bench & started chasing it across the floor.

I had the same reaction to that talk by the founder of Patreon as you. I ran to my husband and told him about it too

Thankyou Kim ! Love your videos!!❤

I’ve gone back to using a favourites bar with all the creators that I want to watch. I definitely would recommend mirroring your content on as many different sites as possible because it’s a really good way to get some one to follow you on them 😅

Oh my gosh this is so true! Thank you for making this. I believe the behavior to consume without engaging is stemming from our innate desire to learn more and more which takes even more precious time. The state of the world is leaving us all feeling unsafe and that doesn’t encourage true engagement or buying either so I totally understand the reasons for the shift. Thank you for making this video Kim!

Thank you for this. I can totally relate. I am having a complete rethink about social media. I don't enjoy it and I just don't understand how I can make it work for me anymore. But when you sell online you feel obliged to do it, no matter how it makes you feel. So now I just feel constantly guilty because I've stopped using it. I've just recorded a post about Tiktok. I just feel massively left behind, I think because of my age and that this stuff just doesn't work for me any more on a personal level so doing it on a professional level is just so b****y hard to get motivated about. But I also agree that if you don't put the work in, and play them at their own game, you won't get results. Thanks for the link to the video. I will take a look.

Totally want to go and make some entertaining shorts now, thanks Kim ❤

Thank you for the link. His talk was phenomenal. Lots to think about!!! Ta-rah! (And hugs!)

7:30 yes i think you are 100% right Kim, i think we have to try and embrace the short form stuff and try and make it fit in with your own channel vibe.

Well said!

I’ve been making more reels and now quite like them. The trick I’ve found is to film and take photos whenever I’m making my products and even packing them - everything is content! I prefer Instagram Stories and tend to post on there more showing more of my life with a sprinkling of my products. I seem to get more engagement with Stories ❤

I enjoy making reels because making long form content and speaking in front of the camera, putting it on public, terrifies me! I've uploaded my shorts on my YT channel, but little to no views since I've gotten one video that has a couple of dislikes - and the algorithm decided, welp, people don't like what you do, so we're not going to share this anymore. :( I've been contemplating making long form content on YT, but I'm too much of a perfectionist, I want it to be as perfect as the cinematographic videos I love watching (and too paranoid and aware of my digital footprint). Then again, I also watch talking-head video like yours, so.... >_< You are right, things are changing, we have to flow along with it - because consumer wise, we are changing as well! Love your content!!!!!

I have noticed this happening. You are right. If l put a picture up on Instagram, maybe 5 views. If l take the time to do a reel, at least 100 see it. We have to evolve with social media algorithms and how people use the internet.❤❤

My short videos are performing even worse than the photos 😂for some of us, platforms are a very difficult thing to deal with.

Food for thought. Thank you. I'm old school and prefer long form content. Mind you I still play my cassette tapes from 40 years ago.

Jack Conte is the reason I signed up to Patreon! I'm a long-time fan of Pomplamoose, the band he and Nataly Dawn (his wife) have, and when they realised they were struggling to reach their audience and get proper crowdfunding on KZfaq due to algorithm issues, he went ahead and created Patreon, which saved the band and launched a million-mile-an-hour ship that has certainly seen its fair share of weather. That man is the MOST energetic dude I've ever seen play like 37 instruments to create a backing track in a garage for an Angry Birds Parody cover song, so no wonder his talk was good fun. I can absolutely get behind this way of thinking, and I've felt the same rumblings about the change, but I am a year into my business (just made the switch from successful hobbyist Etsy to registered business this morning!!) and I'm still working out of half of my bedroom and part of the kitchen table... so I know video is completely off the cards for me until I find my own place that I want to be visible to my audience. Also, I know my focus customer has ADHD, so I don't want them clicking on my reel and then continuing to scroll absent-mindedly! They would literally forget to buy the pattern I'm selling lmao. I have a really, really weird idea for drawing in the customers I'm looking for... a videogame built into my store's website. It's weird as hell, but I'm into videogame development and I sell cosplay patterns (among others) so it does align. I want to make a heartfelt impact through a story and have the player remember me for that - and tangentially, the patterns shop one click away. Anything but the scroll!!

I believe if you set in setting subscribe button to "all," you get to see "all" in KZfaq. It's automatically set as "customized. " Therefore, not showing "all" (everything) for the KZfaq channel you are subscribed to. You have to set to "all" manually. Otherwise, it will be customized by your clicking action (frequency). It's one more step you have to inform your subscribers to press "all" if they want to see all your videos you produced on KZfaq. It's no longer automatic.

Very thoughtful vid. YT knows I love your channel, you are at the top of my feed every episode, on Mondays (US East coast time). I also engage less, I guess I just have less to say. Also, I watch on my TV, so it's more effort, and sometimes I'm multitasking, so less inspired unless I feel compelled to engage for some reason. Thanks for sharing, appreciate the change-up and evaluation. Be well, game on.

Another great video, Kim! I watched the Jack speech based on your recommendation and found it quite inspiring. Thank you for the stimulating discussion.

Yeah I’ve been starting to make shorts and short form content for KZfaq and TikTok. Though I have started getting back into long form content too as KZfaq doesn’t count short watch time to the watch time you need for the partner program. Great content as always.

I love Jack. Smart guy! He's actually in a band I like here on KZfaq called Pomplamoose. Good stuff!

Nowadays it’s almost impossible to get reach! I been hating social media for a while now! I feel it’s like a prison

Good food for thought Kim. It seems promoting changes like the wind and If you're too comfortable with the way things are your probably being left behind. 👍 😁

Thanks Kim. I have that feeling about the internet changing too. I stopped using Instagram and Facebook personally over a year ago and I see other people doing the same. So I think the big social platforms are not going to have the reach they did in a couple of years because people are changing their behaviour. Will something new come in to replace the big platforms? Last week I read an article about customers getting more and more frustrated by how hard it is to buy online - because it was a chore to go through checkout (too many clicks) and because they were not sure that what they were buying was the right thing. That is a problem because people will want to shop online less. Some people are giving up their smart phones for old style mobile phones so they will be online less too. Will that mean fewer customers? And how will the social, selling and search platforms deal with it? So many questions.

There is so much evidence mounting about how bad social media is for mental health and (other than KZfaq) I am not on any social media platform. For me, it doesn't seem right that I would then use these platforms to make sales/drive traffic to my website as I see that is me contributing to the problem. (No judgement on anyone who does - this is a personal view). I have accepted that this means there is little point starting an online shop as I would struggle to drive traffic in any meaningful way.

I think platforms are being a bit disingenuous if they are claiming that they are "just giving people what they want" and that viewer demand is the primary factor in the rising dominance of short form video across all social media. Personally, when I'm going to KZfaq, it's specifically because I want long form content. I never click onto KZfaq shorts on purpose. I get many recommended alerts from KZfaq every day and the shorts are not labeled, so sometimes I click, realize it's a short, and click off. The algorithm continues to send me an increasing number of shorts, such that at this point it's more than half of all recommendations, and my consumer behavior (which is pretty consistent in this regard) has done nothing to change this. That's not to say that people don't like short form content-clearly it is popular. But it's also glaringly obvious to me that the platforms themselves are actively pushing it on users, and doing so extremely aggressively.

The 80/20 rule is called the Paretti principle

I took your advice and started a YT channel to talk about my business and Etsy but it really stinks! I have no nice studio or pretty place to film.

To your point about brand recognition in videos, if you can't digitally add your name to the screen you could have a banner hanging behind you in the video. Make use of your filming space to promote your business. Not specifically aiming that to you Kim, as on KZfaq its easy enough to look down at the channel name beneath the video, but to the likes of tiktok where its all over so quickly and on to the next clip.

So the question is, for those of us trying to build brand recognition- which are the best platforms for us to use? I need to get better at making short form content, too. 😅 and by better I mean I need to just do so regularly. 😅 Your videos are always so insightful. I just learned that my wordpress site let's me do e-commerce on it, so that's now on my todo list. The stressful part will be getting everything up to snuff and set up initially. 😅

The challenge is balancing both types. And if you're shooting for monetization on KZfaq the numbers for shorts are ridiculous. I've been trying to balance both with my long form and recently lives being content that I put more thought into and my reels being moments in my production process. Both have brought in subscribers but they go towards different monetization targets. I do like how long form and lives have brought in a small community that keeps coming back though. Business sales wise are in the toliet as this point. I've contemplated a Patreon especially given the art focus of my work...

Can't see the link for Jack's talk... Thanks for talking about this!

How did you make the Subscribe button get a rainbow ring around it when you said it or is this a new KZfaq feature?

Wheres the link to Jack Conti's video, please?

Bring back MySpace 😁 Edit: I'm guilty too, embedding QR codes in videos 🙈 I'll definitely reconsider this but.. you said in an earlier video that not every one of your viewers would be a consumer of your products.. I just think now though that if I were looking for something in that category, your shop would be top of the list.. I'm sure that applies to other people.. it's passive advertising?

I disagree, perhaps it's the different ways people use the app but for YT.. the first I do is scroll down a few home page posts then I always look at the subscriptions page.. if it has a blue dot, to denote new content, I click it.. Ps. I very rarely click on Shorts.. don't know why.. oh yes I do.. it's because there's no option to cast the video to my telly...