Har-de-har, Flick complains about youtube again, what a shock (and I've given up on names so I'm calling myself Flick since we're talking about youtube and that's my name on there, well, Flickarity, but you get the point). But I've seen a few videos titled along the lines of "making an undercover youtube channel to prove it's skill not luck" or what have you recently, and they have annoyed me so much that I've decided to come here to complain about it. That as well as browsing the newtubers subreddit (for reasons I'll have to complain about another time), and finding people sharing similar beliefs.
Now I don't have much experience with youtube compared to the people making these claims obviously. I've had my channel for three years, but aside from that my videos only average between 10-20 views. I could be completely wrong about everything I'm about to say but I think my thoughts are pretty reasonable. I'm also not saying this because "oh boo hoo, I'm not famous". These are thoughts I've had for a very long time, and while I'd like to grow a small audience on my channel, it's certainly not my driving factor for making videos (and you'll see why this is relevant to my point aswell).
So what do I think it takes to grow on youtube? A bit of both, probably. Obviously making videos that are interesting and easy to watch is going to help you grow an audience. But I think to say that doing XYZ will guarantee you fame is very decieving. More than that, plenty of people make 'low-to-average quality content' and still gain an audience. Maybe a smaller audience sure, but I'd almost argue often a more loyal one? Luck, or whatever variation of 'luck' you'd like, I think still plays a role in if you and your videos get picked up by people or not.
These videos suck and the conclusion they reach is boring and unhelpful. They all seem to, accidentally or not, come to the conclusion that "youtube isn't luck, just become a clickbait-y content farm!" which I hate. Now, I don't care if someone's in it for the money and they wanna go ahead and rake it in with bland, palatable, over-edited video essays (as long as they're being ethical about it). I watch those kinds of videos sometimes, and there's obviously a lot of other people interested in them aswell. But the idea that someone isn't becoming popular on youtube because they're 'not doing it correctly' just takes all the fun out of it? There's this weird "no excuses" "grindset" attitude being attached to starting a youtube channel, and it's just, gross? "You're not growing popular because your niche is oversaturated" "You're not growing popular because you didn't base your video on keyword research before you started filming" NO. STOP IT. I once saw on newtubers someone looking for advice because their videos weren't doing well even though they had followed all the advice given to them. Several people responded something like "easy answer, your video sucks", talking about how it was the hard truth or the only possible answer.
It's just really upsetting seeing people scared to do the things they want to do because they're afraid their videos won't do well. Or seeing people shamed for doing the things they enjoy doing because they 'brought it on themselves by not doing it correctlytm'. I enjoy making the videos I do because for several years I wanted to make a youtube channel. I've always wanted to have a minecraft let's play series (which is about to reach episode 20 btw, very exciting). It can be discouraging not seeing the growth I want on my channel, after all, if I didn't want people to watch my videos I wouldn't be posting them to a public website. But even if I don't grow, I'm gonna keep coming back to make more because I enjoy what I'm making. I would 100% fall into the category of "no one would want to watch your videos because blah blah blah they suck", but I really think that speaks to their lack of faith in people to just casually enjoy something. My videos' style, pacing and whatnot is inspired by the videos I enjoy watching, and wouldn't you know they probably all "suck" too. Who would want to watch a 20 minute long, mostly unedited minecraft let's play? That's right bay-bee, it's me (and surprise, surpirise, a lot of other people too!). Sure I might only watch them when I'm in the mood, but the "your video sucks" crowd acts like no one would touch these videos with a ten foot pole. "It's bad for audience retention" "gaming is an oversaturated niche!" okay buddy, but they seem to be doing just fine. I've seen people with like 5 or so of these videos hit the 100s of suscribers within the first few months of creating their channel. "But they could be doing better!" but they're having fun!? This isn't even getting into the truely popular youtubers who got famous from these 'bad' videos. "But youtube is different now, and even they've changed to keep up with the pace!" their old videos are still just as enjoyable though? I and many other people go back and rewatch them all the time?
I also think it's really ironic these are the people who will insist "Your first video will always be bad, you'll have to learn with experience" while also saying "You can gain thousands of subs overnight by just making a banger first video". Like what is it, is my first video supposed to be good or bad? Or maybe it's just that your advice is really tone deaf and missing the point of why some people want to start a channel in the first place.
Sorry if this just sounded like me whining a ton (it's because I am), but I hope you relate to my thoughts in some way at least? It's late now and I'm gonna post this and then go to bed before I loose all my energy to post this at all. I might have to come back and edit some things but we'll see.