YouTube's Great Community

I recently put a mission statement on my YouTube channel.
Mission Statement: To be funny, creative and encouraging to all who post.
That pretty much is why I'm here. I like to think about the people I've met and how this happened. I'll try to explain.

One day I just started posting videos. I can't tell you who my first subscriber was, but I can tell you that I remember hitting seven and being amazed. Then I started getting to know people and really caring about them. Now, I've been all over YouTube and I can attest that there IS an underbelly of the beast.

My question is this. How did I get so many nice and kind people? Every now and again I'll get the occasional "turd in the punch bowl" but that has not been my experience in general. And, I do have friends that pretend to be asses and I know they're really not. (Actually, I can only think of one example) They act that way to keep people from taking advantage of them.

I was watching a SITC (Summer In The City) gathering video and the lady was saying that she didn't know who most of these people were. I'm here at home screaming their names. "Don't you know? That's Pixonu or Conawillvlog!" lol
YouTube is like a city. But the most important thing that it does is to allow people to be who they really are or to try being someone else without judgment.

I know the internet gets a bad rap for being dangerous. But, people need to know that it can also be an incredible place.

People Leaving YouTube

A show of hands of people who did not see this coming? Any time you turn your back on the people who made you popular you're going to see this. It's like radio turning its backs on the listeners. They've all found other things to listen to. And, surely, something else will come along to fill the void.

Youtube is very much like radio. You have to motivate yourself to stay fresh. In my mind I only have one viewer. It's nice to be popular but you can't associate your self worth with subscribers who can come and go at will. I make the same videos I did a year ago when I had 100 subscribers. If you let others choose the way you see yourself you will always lose. Don't let sub counts or views effect your opinion on your videos.

Everyone has a story. Because of different skills and various editing software we can make videos from "professional" content to just plugging in a camera and recording. To me the best ones are those who are being themselves. One of my favorite vloggers is Berehed. He's a unicyclist who loves what he does. Just fun videos that are real and honest. He has 30 subscribers and loves showing his latest accomplishment. I never miss watching video and I always comment.

The internet and those who use it is always changing. My experience is that you get out of the internet what you put into it. Make it what you want it to be.

(Barry Aldridge comments on this article and has some great thoughts.

Bill Tv Stuff

Years ago I had the Bill Tv logo (from the original tapes and DVD's) put on a t-shirt that I gave to all my friends that got the tapes. I still see them around today.

Recently I was asking local printers about making some to sell. There are two web sites with the shirts made in two places.
BillTvMacon.Spreadshirt.net (uk)
BillTvMacon.Spreadshirt.com (usa)
and for more products, there's
CafePress.com/BillTvMacon for stuff. I mean stuff. Seriously, you'd have to be rich or crazy...or both to get some of this stuff.

I made a transparent logo and began setting up a site to offer these to my YouTube viewers. Two of my favorite offerings is the STAFF shirt and Unsuspecting Co-Host shirts. Please know that I will not make a dime from the sale of the shirts. And, I wish I could give one to everyone. I'm not really sure about the quality. I think I'm going to have to order one to wear on camera. This is crazy, isn't it?

The UK also now offers colour shirts! To read about that, go here.

Less Videos....Really?

Just as I say I'm cutting back several things have come up. I believe that the primary responsibility of active YouTubers (hehe...I typed Tuber again) is to help when asked. A couple of great projects got my attention. I was asked by Myles Dyer (Blade376) to make a 5 minute video for one of the breaks for Stickaid2009 coming up August 15th. That's been done and delivered. Then, Hank Green asked for videos for Global Geek Week. Seemed like a good idea. Criss Crass (OneLittleTuber) had a sensational idea for a series of videos for us to do. And, I still have the Chris Somers (MyNameIsChrisYeah) impersonation video to make.

I'd like to make a YouTube suggestion. If you could make a way for us to post videos to our account that are not sent to our subscribers, that would be very helpful.