YouTube Sellouts

[TravisRogers]

Careful, the worshipers will leap of their prayer mats and freak out on you, I see a couple are already poised.

LOL

I was expecting it, though it wasn’t as much as I thought it would be. That’s the fun of a forum. That couple should be happy to know they have a super fan.

I produce content for brands for a living. We always give them a heads up to expect a wild ride in the comments. Usually unfolds like this:
Guy 1: “This is stupid.”
Guy 2: “You’re stupid.”
Guy 3: “This fighting is upsetting me.”
Guy 4: “Trump sucks.”
Guy 5: “Click here for cheap prescriptions.”

Influencer content is a business. The life cycle of an influencer channel only lasts about 3-5 years, so you try to maximize your monetization while you can. That couple is in their prime right now and they’re probably flying high like rockstars. If they cared about one guy’s opinion of her voice or her on-screen grooming habits, they wouldn’t be doing this. For every one annoying hater, they have ten faithful fanboys. And that’s what keeps it going.

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[brain]

Am I the only one that's totally frustrated by the YouTube sellouts? You try to find some good content, but its just one commercial after another. Even vloggers I really like are basically just cheap product whores. Is there any content available that's not a commercial?

You bet. Just Google your question, mission or query. There is a TON of terrific YouTube content for almost every conceivable option. For example, I recently installed a CB in my JLR and numerous examples saved me all kinds of time and effort. I'm tracking three separate Youtubers right now that have really good tutorials for installing a Smittybilt winch onto the Rubicon bumper. They all used the same winch mount plate and consistently pointed out the troublesome bolts. Be open-mined and search.

 

[brain]

@Stormin’ Moorman

I'm with you 110%.. I don't even bother watching them anymore..

Most all those making such, are all bought and paid for, as far as I'm concerned.

They will cutesy smile and spew whatever they need to say, just so they get their free product and whatever financial enumeration they get.

Sad part is many watch said videos, take all the crapola to heart and pull the trigger on a product before researching the product any further..Big mistake doing that.

Also, I'm sure most here know that every time you watch one of the videos, the author gets money..


.

I do think the more experienced you get with Jeeps the more adroit at picking-out what you really need.

 

[SteadyC]

I completely disagree with this train of thought. By that same accord, you shouldn’t be on this forum, which has advertising, right now I am looking at ads for Chewy.com, Fort Collins Motorsport, Medved Chevy Buick GMC, UPack, and others. Or, you shouldn’t watch TV or listen to the radio, because all those commercials make you buy their products, and you have no choice. The same brain power that I use to filter all these ads, are in play when I watch Youtubers. I watch them, love them, am entertained, and learn from them what I need and want to. I don’t give a rats butt if the product was provided to them by the vendor or not, it really doesn’t matter, I just pay attention to the facts and learn what I want. Don’t critize them, just appreciate that they are taking the time and effort to post videos, at the very least I learn something new each time, and then you can apply your own brain power, and decide if you want to look into that specific product, or products from other competitors. For example, one showed which rear bumper they went with, and why, and I liked the why’s and learned about angles, side protection, installation steps, but I will be going with a different bumper. Calm down and YouTube on! ;-)

 

[ShockerRacing]

I myself am a YouTuber with a growing channel revolving around my JL. My wife and I enjoy making automotive content videos, especially to help those that are new to the JL like we were just last July. We started out making JL vids because there was a lack of content and I always try to see products being installed or used before I make my own purchases. We started out with a few products we paid for in order to show people how they worked, and how to install them. As our channel has grown, we have had companies contact us about trying out their products and of course I have accepted because who doesn't like free stuff! I try to revolve my videos around showing the details about how to fully install the product, which shows fitment, and variations in the way I have done the installs. It also makes me crazy when pages show an install but just skip over a huge detail like how to run the wiring, etc... so I try my best to show every step.

With that being said, I could try to be better about disclosing which products I receive for free and which ones I pay for. With that being said, we are just trying to bring some fresh JL content to YT, give some detailed installs, and help our fellow Jeep lovers in the process. As with anything on the internet... you can't please everyone, and there are always haters not matter what we do! And please remember, that these videos that Youtubers make take time to film, edit, and publish. These installs I do, typically take 3 times as long to complete because I am filming them at the same time. I have grown thick skin, and read every comment whether it's negative or positive and have learned to accept that you can't please everyone... I don't delete any comments on the channel, unless they are negative towards my wife... that's not tolerated.

 

[bryan]

With that being said, I could try to be better about disclosing which products I receive for free and which ones I pay for.

I appreciate your attitude. I've watched several of your videos, and what I appreciate is your willingness to say why something didn't really fit your needs or preferences while acknowledging why it may still be interesting to others. Keep it up.

 

[RUSTYS]

I think Brittany would be better served if she stated "we were given" or whatever. I figured them out pretty fast but I enjoy them. Kevin is a great driver and Brittany I think is a great spotter. Do I buy everything they have? No I have a house to run so I don't have all that extra cash. Have I bought anything they run? Yes I first saw the Patagonia's on their channel. Anything else? Nope. I will say I love that Metalcloak lift but seeings how it seems like you pretty much have to buy directly from MC and pay shipping I went with Teraflex. Had I had a local MC dealer I probably would have gone with that. They do run some very expensive parts that I would have maybe bought but I found it overpriced for us mere mortals. Also Kevin always answers my questions and he's honest. He'll tell me "yeah it's good but if you need this or that buy it first". How much were those stupid driving lights? $850. F that. Anyhow I like watching them but did enjoy it better before it became a commercial.

 

[SteadyC]

With that being said, I could try to be better about disclosing which products I receive for free and which ones I pay for.

I appreciate all your statements, except this one. ;-). I personally believe everyone is blowing this out of proportion. It is your business, and YOUR business only. The fact that you are willing to try the part on your Jeep, reporting facts about it, your experience with it, is all that matters. You live in Chicago, so I will use a local example. Who is asking Michael Jordan if Nike gave him, rather than him buying, all those Air Jordan’s? He has them on, and is using them and saying why he likes them. The rest doesn’t matter to all of us. It’s just silly to me.

All of us, every single one of us, put stuff on our Jeep, and later wish we would have done something different. that is not the fault or concern of Youtubers. I put on the Steersmarts front track bar, and it turned out to be overkill for me, and barely fit with the MetalCloak FAD skid plate and my minimal lift. I replaced it with MetalCloak front trackbar, as it’s adjustment is in a better place, not exactly right where the FAD skid plate is, and my smaller lift doesn’t make more room. No ones fault but my own. And something’s you can only learn in person, no matter how many YouTube videos watched.

 

[Supercharged]

First world problems.....

@WXman, litebrite, @ShockerRacing and a few others I enjoy the videos for different reasons. If you cant identify product placement in some of these videos that's on you.

I watch another channel that is either you are with or against them, or so it seems. Great information and installation videos on their channel but no mention there either if it's free or not...but of course it is. Do I care, nope. I get entertainment or information as value from any of videos I watch. What's really awesome is you can close the browser if you dont like what you see.

 

[shannond12]

Thanks! It's complicated, haha. It's a Masterpiece Arms chassis with a Defiance action and a Hawk Hill barrel. All my rifles are custom built competition rigs. But you can get a built rifle from Masterpiece Arms that's just as good. The cartridge I'm shooting in the pic is a 6 Creedmoor, but i can change the barrels out in a few minutes to any short action cartridge; I only have 6.5 creedmoor, 223 and 308 right now. I'm also going to get a 300 WSM barrel for it this year.

Love my MPA BA - 6.5 - just a few months in and the stamp is still in the works for the suppressor, but just an amazing machine. Mine is stock and can't say enough good things about them. I'm not sponsored, but if they want to pick me up, I'm happy to create a YouTube Video.

 

[Stormin’ Moorman]

OK, you got me...i watched this one. But i put it on mute.

 

[Stormin’ Moorman]

Who is asking Michael Jordan if Nike gave him, rather than him buying, all those Air Jordan’s? He has them on, and is using them and saying why he likes them.

Well, there's a picture of him on the shoe, so there's no confusion there. And he wore the shoes every single game from 1984 until he retired. It's not like one week he showed up in some Dr. Js or something. Although, that would have been funny.

 

[Stormin’ Moorman]

I'd like to clarify my position, as I feel that the discussion has sort of morphed a bit. First of all, I think most of us can spot "bought and paid for" content, most of the time. That's not what gets under my skin. What bothers me is that many content providers get a following by doing actual content. Its about a couple of guys (or girls) embracing the lifestyle and doing cool shit that we all wish we had the time or money to do. So we get emotionally invested in them...which is exactly what sponsors look for, i get it. No confusion there.

What bothers me is that after a couple months of straight commercials, the channel looses all credibility. And I don't have anything against LiteBrite, except the annoying cackle. Their videos are pretty entertaining, especially the last one. But it's just one commercial after another. (I would never have watched that last video had she been clothed.) But she wasn't...and i did, so that's a moot point.

Lastly, I'm a diehard conservative and free enterprise capitalist. I started my own company a decade ago and i eat what i kill everyday. If that's what they want to do, that's their decision. But the degradation of their credibility will catch up with them and they'll crash and burn.

I'm not mad at the commercials, I'm mad at the fact that it will lead to their early demise as content.

 

[@CBEUnion]

Hey all! So I run a YT channel (not Jeep related, but I will probably be talking about my Jeep because I love it) and just want to say a few things sort of in defense of those funded YTers.
First, It takes me an average of about an hour production time for each minute of video. I do have a full time job and am also a single parent So everything gets done after the important stuff. Then there’s the costs. My investment in gear is currently about $600. That’s only video equipment. I don’t have any sponsors, but I do get press passes to events and that helps offset my out of pocket a little. I’ve never divulged that and never thought it was important. My goal is entertainment mixed with a little info, just like many of they YTers you’ve all mentioned and I can tell you that for me, having a sponsor would take a huge burden off of me. But I don’t do it for money. I do it because I have a hellofagood time doing it! Cheers to all those youtubers on their success!

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