The last time I was greeted with the words "This isn't working" and promptly got my heart broken was when my then girlfriend broke up with me. Now I wonder, could I have saved our relationship by pledging to her Patreon?
@kingjables
3 күн бұрын
Actually lol'd. PS: To Jon, please rebrand your channel name. I think this would help get the views you deserve
@jotairpontes
3 күн бұрын
@@kingjables What about her OnlyFans?
@oz_jones
3 күн бұрын
@@jotairpontes OnlyBoards.
@FabioBrachtPlus
2 күн бұрын
@@kingjables Honestly, I agreed. Every single time I send an Actualol video to someone new, I always preface with "terrible channel name, but trust me, the content is great!!!"
@groovyc4580
Күн бұрын
@@FabioBrachtPlus I agree. It doesn't sell what the channel is at all. Sounds like a kids' comedy show. I genuinely think it's putting people off clicking through.
@superspecky4eyes
4 күн бұрын
I'm quite surprised your channel isn't doing so well, as in my opinion, it's the best board game channel. Many of the others just feel like they are shilling the latest thing. Not to mention I love how dry and witty your scripts are.
@Mrappbrain966
4 күн бұрын
Shilling the latest thing makes a ton of money, unfortunately. That's why most BG youtubers are just shills for the latest Kickstarter. It's on us to keep authentic YTers like ActuaLol and SUSD alive..
@Commander6444
4 күн бұрын
KZitem is very much a place where you can do everything right and still fail. Appeasing the recommendation system is more or less a game of Russian Roulette.
@Naru-Maki
4 күн бұрын
The issue is he went away for quite some time and the followers kind of moved on. KZitemrs subscribe a lot by constant uploaded channels. Hopefully things pick up.
@mdeezey1849
4 күн бұрын
Unfortunately the gaming space has some of the lowest ad revenue rates on KZitem. That’s why a lot of KZitemrs in Boardgames and video games rely on sponsored content which is shilling out the latest kickstarter content and things like that.
@BloedeKusse
4 күн бұрын
I love actualol but a video a month with a gap of two months now and again isnt exactly a lot of content. I appreciate its high quality and whats there is great, but you cant expect to earn a living from a video a months ad rev.
@riyanlittlefield9418
4 күн бұрын
Your channel is my preferred board game channel now, hands down. I actually even bought Tinderblox on vacation (and loved it) based on your "underperforming" shoebox collection video. It may not have generated the revenue you need but it's had a positive impact on my collection. And I joined your channel based on this video, too. We're all stronger together.
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Thank you! I'm glad I helped you find Tinderblox :)
@IslanKleinknecht
4 күн бұрын
I wish it was easier for people to do youtube part-time, I can't imagine how hard it is to rely on it to support a family.
@Tomlavery89
4 күн бұрын
Please introduce a lower support tier for like $2 so all us broke folks can throw SOMETHING at you
@georgiawoodcraft7584
4 күн бұрын
I was just thinking this. Even if we didn't get any rewards for it. I would love to be able to donate a little a month
@C0ntr3y
4 күн бұрын
@@georgiawoodcraft7584 You can pledge a custom amount
@AdrianLeiz
4 күн бұрын
Yeah please! I wish I could help but I really cant afford the current amount. A 2dll one I'd more than gladly help
@blarneystone38
4 күн бұрын
Patreon lets you send a custom amount of money to a channel. You wouldn't get any perks but if you want to support that way you still could!
@correnconj
4 күн бұрын
I second this! 5$ is like the highest tier of the podcasters I support. A lower tier could attract more people
@LeRougeLapin
3 күн бұрын
If I may suggest some small things, feel free to disregard if you have already thought of that or already doing :) - Your monthly videos are the "main meat" of your channel, and you shouldn't compromise on making more longer form videos and overworking yourself...BUT you need to start driving more traffic onto your platform and you do need to create content in an efficient manner. For instance use your humour and your wit in short form video and cross posts on YT (shorts are underused in board gaming community), TikTok, IG etc. Lower effort than your main videos but still high reward - Your monthly videos: have you tried polling your community about what they like, dislike, want to see more on your channels? Have you benchmarked the top channels to understand what is driving the most traffic, how your channel is positioned vs them and where you could develop? At some point you might need to strike a balance between the content you want to make vs the content that is driving view, so you can keep doing what you love but still have fun with it. Good luck, I really hope your channel stays alive.
@rubenssz
4 күн бұрын
Not being silly, your channel is one of the best in YT I've found. You have loads of personality and is great explainer. Please carry on with this
@jethrotejano2013
4 күн бұрын
I'm sorry to hear about the struggles. I could go on about how difficult it is to rely on an unpredictable platform, but thats exactly why I understand its important to make our pledges to keep the best board game reviewer around. Hoping our community can support John after all the wonderful entertainment he provides for us. Can't wait for all the exciting things you've got planned!
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Thank you. The platform is tough - I'm glad people see that and are willing to help.
@DenisRyan
4 күн бұрын
I'm so upset your previous video isn't HUGE! It's one of my favourite collection videos ever, from any channel. I'm not joking when I say that I wanted to collect all the games I already own from that video into a box, and then add as many of the other recommendations as I know I'd enjoy, before finally seeing if I could fill in the gaps with a few choice pickings of my own. It really is a wonderful video, and I shared it with all my board game friends. I'll continue to watch everything you put out, and support you as much as I can, for as long as I can.
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Thanks, I really loved that video too.
@thecommenttater7026
3 күн бұрын
Wanna second this! I bought tinderblox because of that video to start my own shoe box collection. Me and my brother had been doing something very similar to tinderblox with Catan pieces for a long time. The video was super unique and a cool concept.
@bigg3110
3 күн бұрын
Was a great video 👍
@Bittler87
4 күн бұрын
As a viewer and long time board game enthuisiast I can shed light on some things that have led me to not pursuing the hobby as much this year: 1. Places that used to be full of good natured and friendly nerds (like myself,) have become increasingly hostile. I used to love sharing ideas and conversations with a wide variety of fellow gamers who have now all become too segmented into overly political and polarized idealogical spaces, like Reddit... and even my local scene for that matter. 2. One of the main underpinnings of my love for the hobby was meeting and gaming with people at conventions. Post-Covid none of the ones I have been to have come close to anything I'd deem as enjoyable and what's worse is that we're paying so much more for far less in return. The magic seems to have dissapeared. 3. The market is extremely oversaturated. It's just too hard to keep up with the Jones' in the hobby, so hearing about another game that might be of interest does little for me, as I have a list of over 50 games I already wish to buy. Not to mention that most of my game library already goes unplayed as it is. 4. It's far easier to play video games.
@kristenschuenemeyer3436
4 күн бұрын
I think the low performance is because of KZitem's shift at the beginning of the year to focus on Shorts. Now the app goes directly to Shorts when you open it and many people get so absorbed by them that they forget about the long form content they used to watch. I would suggest starting to invest time into making Shorts- even if that just means making cuts of your long form videos. This will drive traffic to the page.
@joshthefunkdoc
3 күн бұрын
The one big issue with shorts is the people who subscribe via those don't watch live streams (which is why a bunch of active streamers on here quit doing them), but that might be OK in this case
@BWells5152
4 күн бұрын
Kids are expensive 😂
@amesaeotrono
3 күн бұрын
Still they are the biggest investment we can have. Nothing gives us more adventure and better test our level of selfishness than having kids. They are a true blessing.
@habzvip
3 күн бұрын
@@amesaeotrono eh, speak for yourself. Not everyone feels this way.
@justmakingthistoreply5085
3 күн бұрын
@@habzvipmost decent parents feel this way
@Pappagar
Күн бұрын
@@justmakingthistoreply5085 most people arent decent parents
@cranelord
4 күн бұрын
Sorry to hear the difficulties you've been having. Been a patron member for a while because your recommendations have been great. I hope things turn around.
@pedrobordin5383
4 күн бұрын
This one hurts a bit
@EmperorVitrag
4 күн бұрын
The thing is, I personally am subscribed to a LOT of people and yet, I barely get more than 20-30 people's stuff in my recommended. Even if I refresh the page it's usually those same people. Which is a great problem with youtube, videos not being recommended to people that they'd actually enjoy. Also.. a youtuber did say that they found that when publishing videos they turn off "Notify subscribers" because that way it'll recommend their videos to non-subscribers much more cause if your subscribers don't interact with the video when "Notify subscribers" is on, it'll think that it's not worth recommending.
@ollieb2520
3 күн бұрын
You’ve developed some great and transferable skills through your work on KZitem. There are many organizations out there that would be lucky to have you, and could provide you with the steady, and higher, income you now need in return. If you want to stay independent, then consider marketing consulting and land some contract work. I’m confident we will still see you here from time to time.
@scottmoore765
4 күн бұрын
You have the very best board game channel and I will be happy to support you! Even though I've just got into board games in trying to find something for my family. I use your advice and cannot say how much appreciate your humor and joy in your videos! Thank you, help is on the way!
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Thank you for your support!
@zeedar412
4 күн бұрын
Edit: there is pledge custom amount button. Somehow I missed that. Original comment: Any chance you would consider opening a cheaper tier on your patreon? I might be weird, but I just want to support you, I'm not interested in any perks. I don't know if I can justify 4.50 per month on a single youtube channel. I support multiple YT channels I like with 1 pound a month. I know it's not a lot, but it's what I can afford.
@djkidkaz01
4 күн бұрын
Yep I think people way overprice themselves. $4.50 a month is like half the price of a Disney+ monthly subscription which has 100 times the content.
@zeedar412
4 күн бұрын
I don't expect Actualol (or any youtuber) to compete with the value proposition of streaming services. It's not feasible. But I would love an option to support him at a lower price.
@ritahuman
4 күн бұрын
I'm with you here! I can't afford $4.50 a month, since I support a lot of Patreons, but would happily support at a $1 level for absolutely no perks (other than knowing that I'm helping out one of the best board game channels out there!).
@rahdo
4 күн бұрын
if you're not looking for perks, you can do your own custom backing level and choose that :)
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
If you're not interested in perks - you can always make a custom pledge on Patreon at any amount you want. Click on this link and scroll to the bottom: www.patreon.com/join/actualol Thanks for your support!
@Maj9183
Күн бұрын
6.9K like every one of us should be signed up for his Patreon
@TheJeroenbrouwer
4 күн бұрын
its sad the shoebox video didnt work well. It made me start my own shoebox collection, and it's great!
@IceCreamCone28
2 күн бұрын
Please do more skit-like segments with all of your characters
@EmporerDragon
4 күн бұрын
I have to wonder, would making shorts help with the algorithm? A quick little skit/rant/hot take to drive up engagement?
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Funnily enough I've done a lot of research into this area this year, and made two shorts. It's actually widely agreed to damage your engagement, because shorts viewers and longform viewers don't mix - so you end up attracting the wrong kind of audience who don't want to watch your longform content, so when they get served it they don't click on it and the algorithm takes that to mean it is bad. It's the reason a lot of channels have entirely separate channels for shorts videos.
@chriswalker4535
4 күн бұрын
This is informative, because I thought shorts was the way to go. I think it must be algorithm that's hurting you because the quality is better than ever @@actualol
@marymaceachran2586
3 күн бұрын
Best board game channel, personality, and jokes. Great recommendations and our game nights have actualol to thank
@gcmac4662
3 күн бұрын
I found your channel trying to find videos to watch in designing my own board games and I have to say by far your channel has the most consistent quality and actually funny jokes that make me laugh. It is very clear that you put a ton of effort into these videos and as someone who has made videos myself and tried to keep up with a few videos a month, I know it can be pretty difficult to keep up and maintain high quality. You've done very well here anyone who says otherwise is silly, and I hope you can stay for many years to come. It is very clear you love what you do and I believe that you will be blessed in doing it.
@actualol
Күн бұрын
Thank you for such a kind comment :)
@gcmac4662
Күн бұрын
@actualol you are very welcome, good sir! thank you for such epic videos!!
@Spence-from-Seattle
4 күн бұрын
Great channel! Love the humor even more than the board games. I barely have space in my collection for anything more, but I keep watching because it's so entertaining. I really hope that this continues.
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Thank you Spence, I hope so too :)
@MoonduckPsy
Күн бұрын
No other channel- board game or otherwise- has made both me and my kids laugh so hard we nearly threw up as a group. Your material is hilarious, and your commentary makes board games interesting to my kids. Thanks for all you do!
@PokePokeu
4 күн бұрын
Thank you for the journey! i am wishing the best for Actualol to continue
@lawrencelamontagne328
4 күн бұрын
It must be the algorithm. I've found this to be my favorite board game channel. I think the answer is to make more videos but of course that takes more resources. It's the classic cart/horse when it comes to growing a business.
@lawrencelamontagne328
4 күн бұрын
Sadly, one video a month just isn't enough content when other channels are putting out content 3 days a week.
@MangoJester
3 күн бұрын
Saw this video on Reddit and it's the first time I've come across your channel. I'm keen to check it out! Good luck!
@lachlanstanford
3 күн бұрын
You won’t regret watching this channel it’s possibly my favourite
@cindyla
4 күн бұрын
I recently became a subscriber, and I've loved all your videos so far! The board game community is huge, so I'm surprised your channel isn't doing better. I hope you're able to keep doing this!
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Big, but not on a par with bigger niches on KZitem. Our biggest channel isn't even close to 1M subscribers. Whereas something like Coffee or Videography are at that size.
@daltinhorp
3 күн бұрын
I found and followed you recently ,since I started to play board games this year was searching and you came up. Seems to be huge the competition in this area. Your videos are great and helpful so keep it going.
@xD3adKl0wnx
4 күн бұрын
This is unfortunate to hear. I thought your small games in a shoebox video was fantastic (despite it not including 6 Nimmt) and your video about slimming down your collection was inspiring.. I haven't made the jump to do it myself yet.. but I plan to .. I do agree with another person below about having a lower bottom level tier.
@usualhumanxd353
4 күн бұрын
i love your videos, dont give up( probably you know all this already, but If i could give an advice to you - i'd say you need to make videos on schedule. Every friday, lets say. So people will kinda wait for your videos and know when it comes. Also, do short videos(hella cool activity bump and it'll help to spread your videos) and posts in the "community" here with some interesting polls when you can't skip and burning to see the results of the poll and have to vote(it also helps with activity of the channel which will help recomend your channel to other people). Channels with one video/month or two will win only with some viral things which can't be sustainable in my opinion. But "Best deductive game i've played" will get you a view from me for sure) even though i've played tons of them already and i most probably know about the game you'll be talking about, but i'd like to hear your condense and cool opinion on the game with your funny dry jokes and witty storytelling. I mean, i believe that with regularity, with short videos, with interesting "oohhh i wanna see the results" polls and with some clickbaity titles (NO SHAME IN THAT! you gotta do them on YT sadly :D) yeah, you'll be progressing much more, despite board games are not the most popular thing in the world. i'm with you, man upd: you could try lower the length of your videos too. People usually can watch 5-15 minutes videos in one go and you have all your videos having like 30+ mins, i wonder how many people drop watching after 15-20 minutes. I think it was much much better for algorithms to make part1 + part2 for your video "20 Small Games for a Shoe Box Collection" than it was in one go for 33 minutes. It's better to have two short videos with 100k views than one video with 100k views just because of these algorithms of YT. And btw, this way It will be easier to sustain one video/week schedule for you, and we will not forget how you look :)
@DrQuestern
3 күн бұрын
re-ranking bgg is such a fun idea, would love to watch that!
@cinderheat
4 күн бұрын
I've only just discovered your channel - that games in a showbox showed up for me and I loved it. I wish you all the best, and I'll go dive into your back catalogue!
@raddenrutt
2 күн бұрын
I've enjoyed your channel for a while now and am a bit surprised it's struggling, definitely one of the better BG related videos. Just subscribed, and yours is the first YT channel I have ever subscribed too. Hope it helps out and your daughter can keep her bedroom! I'm excited to see the exclusive content, please keep it up 😁
@actualol
2 күн бұрын
Thank you for becoming a member :)
@nikolavanev6560
4 күн бұрын
Been a pleasure watching your videos for the past 2-3 years! I was a patreon in the past and i was considering renewing it again for the last couple of months. Now seems like a great time to do that! Thanks for everything you do and i hope you can keep going!😊
@adamkratos9323
16 сағат бұрын
*KZitem Guy* : This isn't working *KZitem Algorithm* : Right, let's give this another go.
@ameliawilson9495
3 күн бұрын
We will all do what we can. Your videos have really helped me be a more controlled and constructed board game purchaser. Plus I loved your shoe box video. It was such a clever idea!
@ahchiu9
4 күн бұрын
Oh damn! Sorry to hear about the struggles. i can confirm that YT is being really lame about suggesting your channel in my feed. I just realized I am 6 videos behind!
@Shen986
4 күн бұрын
This is why I use the subscriptions page! If I really want to follow something, I subscribe to it, and the algorithm cannot keep it from me.
@DOWWADC
3 күн бұрын
I am sorry to hear that its been tough financially. I do not watch board game videos as religiously as I did before, but think your content is super unique and you cover a lot of things other channels don't. Will be supporting for a couple months since I couldn't figure out how to do a bigger one time donation - best of luck!
@actualol
Күн бұрын
Thank you for your support.
@BenjaminIMeszaros
Күн бұрын
It’s wild just how much KZitem nuked its creator base this year. I’ve seen so many channels I follow post videos exactly like this recently. KZitem blew up the algorithm and changed how much they compensate creators, which has destroyed revenue streams for SO many people. It’s a crime.
@kawrys
4 күн бұрын
To be honest, summer is a low season to watch videos - they are better watched under a warm blanket behind a fire in the cold season; but also, I have started to watch less videos about boardgames as I feel my collection is reaching its finish. But, nothing is more fun than to return to some of your videos. Also, I recommend researching the length of the videos, what are most watched > I personally skip videos that are longer than 20 min as they tend to get tireing; rather create longer videos in smaller parts so they would be easier to consume and one can make a mental break between them. This is my personal opinnion/preference, I hope there is some use in there.
@actualol
3 күн бұрын
Yeah - I've always noticed a downturn in the summer, but sadly this one started back in March. Thanks for the thoughts on longer videos - I will keep it in mind, for sure.
@fiddlefox
3 күн бұрын
The small box video is important. But so is availability. I find so many recommendations are really difficult to procure. I love your energy and your reviews. Wish you all the best
@smeariestbat5544
4 күн бұрын
Never supported patreon before. That changes today! PLEASE keep going bud ❤️
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Amazing, thank you!
@redknight808
2 күн бұрын
It sucks that the new KZitem business model is closing down so many long-running channels. I'm broke, but I'm subscribed with the top bell and I'll try to watch, like, and comment on everything you put out from now on. You have the best presentation of any of the reviewers I watch. I wish you happiness and success. 😊
@actualol
2 күн бұрын
Thank you!
@oscarpena6385
3 күн бұрын
Have you ever tried to approach a tv channel or an internet media plataform (netflix, Amazon,..) and make a proposal about a series/docus/whatever you call your own show. Your content clearly got the quality for it, and your creative enough to come up with a format that adapts whatever they might request. Netflix and co are allways looking to add new cheap original content that could appeal to new audiences!
@felipedamin
Күн бұрын
I got to know your channel from your last video "20 Small Games for a Shoe Box Collection" and loved it! Hope everything works out and that you are able to keep doing such an amazing work!
@nihlify
4 күн бұрын
I blame the youtube algorithm. It's literally horrible. The only way I get the recommended videos I want is to turn on "All" notifications for a channel. But if I do that for every channel I want updates from (certain series and whatnot), I get far too flooded with recommendations. And the search feature is almost useless. If I go a few days without watching a board game video, youtube suddenly stops recommend any, even from people I follow.
@denycast
4 күн бұрын
What I use.... I subscribe to the channels I like and check out my subscription tab here on youtube, so I don't need to rely on the Algorithm 😅
@MattViviani
4 күн бұрын
This x100. KZitem is literally for the brain-dead and their audiences, not for people who want to actually consume quality content at a reasonable pace.
@adamwill559
2 сағат бұрын
I love your stuff and would be sad to see it go. Thanks for letting us know where things stand.
@danielpayne1597
3 күн бұрын
Man, this feels so bad. I love your channel and have watched most of your vids. I've got a kid on the way and have spent all my money on my new house (that keeps having new problems crop up to eat even more money). I really want to support this channel, but I just can't right now financially. So I will keep liking & commenting in hopes it makes them more visible to others who maybe can donate. Best of luck, lad.
@benjaminmarks9604
3 күн бұрын
I own a cafe and a grocery store. Anyone in retail will tell you that foot traffic is key. Mate you need to pump out the shorts. KZitem TikTok and instagram. They are the foot traffic pavers of the social media world. Best way to acquire new viewers. I love and appreciate the effort you put into your videos, the well written story each video tells, the characters, the jokes, the honest love for board games. But the sad reality is the average social media doom scroller has the attention span of a baked potato and does not appreciate these things as much as I or you or the rest of your loyal viewers do. They are forever looking for the next quick dopamine hit. A flashy, quirky hobby or product that’s easy to get into that will give their mundane life a bit of joy, maybe some form of purpose or identity they can project onto their peers. Board games are perfect for these people! Heck if I’m being honest I’m one of these people and I dare say the majority of your loyal viewers likely are as well. I’d love to see you challenge yourself and apply your love for story telling to a shorter format. Build an army of shorts. Drag the net to potentially find new loyal viewers, more add revenue, more sponsored content reviews and more patreon subscribers. To grow your business and help fund the machine to pump out more bigger better blockbuster videos, stories about board games that you clearly love telling so much. All the best my dude.
@ustrucx
4 күн бұрын
Your videos are great, I am sorry this year has been rough but I am sure the channel will bounce back better than ever 🙏
@bartburg2112
Күн бұрын
Only since a week I've been seeing your videos on my feed. I'm exploring it and liking it a lot! I have been watching board game reviews for a long time, so strange that it didnt pop up earlier!
@Tomazsus
3 күн бұрын
Sorry to hear that. Hope it gets better soon, you deserve it.
@ghostspark.
4 күн бұрын
This channel is the best board games channel on YT. You’re so entertaining and witting, yet thoughtful and informative at the same time. I would hate to see you go. Hope you get the support you need and deserve. ❤
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Thank you 🙏
@christinebrown8586
3 күн бұрын
I'm so sorry to hear this news!
@beaujarkko
4 күн бұрын
I just found your channel a couple weeks ago and I've been telling all my friends that you're the best one out there! So much so that I became a Patron the other day. I hope you succeed; I know how difficult it must be.
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Thank you so much for your patronage and spreading the word!
@Quackalope
4 күн бұрын
Wishing you the best.
@parkersimpson4023
4 күн бұрын
Wow that's a surprise about the shoebox video, I thought it was an incredibly detailed and entertaining look at the antithesis of modern board game collections. I absolutely loved it and I would have thought the affiliate links for the featured games would have been more successful. Anyways, I totally understand the need to either pivot to something else or hunker down to keep the channel going. Especially with the little one at home now. Your videos are always such high quality, from the videography, the critical insight, and the superbly humorous writing. I wish you the best with the new ideas you're pursuing and I'm hopping over to Patreon now 🖤
@parkersimpson4023
4 күн бұрын
I'm also looking forward to hearing about the game you're designing! ✨
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
@@parkersimpson4023 It's designed! I just need to get it published.
@parkersimpson4023
3 күн бұрын
@@actualol Nice! Best of luck with the pitching process. You've definitely got a great mind for what makes a gameplay experience enjoyable, so I hope that translates well into your design 🙂
@drjohngdrozdal3091
3 күн бұрын
Your channel has been the best. Your recommendations are always spot on. I’d miss your videos.
@actualol
3 күн бұрын
Thank you so much for becoming a member
@iwonapersolimetea6588
3 күн бұрын
I really like your old videos, before this studio. There was a planty of creativety. It was more sketchy. My absolutely favorite is one with Daniel Radcliffe. Now days is often one talking head. Still funny, but not like yesterday's. I'm talking this with love and those are my feelings.
@floraidh4097
2 күн бұрын
I miss the ones with all the characters. There are so many reviews channels out there, but not many that are also comedy shows.
@yukitadano5098
4 күн бұрын
People say money doesn't buy happiness and you shouldn't worry about making a lot of it and I'm here just wanting to actually be able to support all of the creators that deserve it
@whiteflare2008
3 күн бұрын
Hey Jon, I discovered your channel last year and I love it. I actually feel our board game interests do not quiet intersect (other than Sea Salt & Paper and some party games), but I really like your delivery, some of your content ideas that was not exactly captured by other similar youtubers, often in light humors (game etiquette, gift ideas that aren't game, etc.), and what always feel like your genuine, honest opinion on the games you covered. I really hope best of luck for you. (And I'm already one of your patreon member, so happy to keep support) I'm not a finance person nor a content creator, so I'm afraid I don't really have constructive feedback that would probably be actually helpful as if I am a person in those aspect, however I do want to echo two sentiments already mentioned by others: 1) I think it would be helpful if you have a somewhat "set" schedule of releasing your videos, it doesn't have to be something rigid like "20th of every month", but at least like "sometime during 3rd week of month", I think that creates more anticipation for lack of better term, and that also if we have in mind you are releasing video during a time frame instead of guessing when it would pop up, then we are also less likely to miss your new video because whatever algorithm KZitem is using to push new videos, even for those with subscription, isn't great, and it's not a problem that just faced by you, much larger channel have this sort of problems too. 2) I don't know if your video is necessarily too long, but if it is long, having timestamp is immensely helpful so I can get to the point that I'm interested and might have people checkout the video they otherwise won't. I think it also make videos appear to be more organized and give it more feeling of being professional. Lastly, I will echo a bit concerned that if you are making the promise you won't be able to keep long term. As you said this is your full time job and you spend many hours making videos that you feel make it right, and I believe it too and I think the quality shows. So I'm a bit worried that if you can actually (if the pledge level hit) making extra content (up to and including starting a new podcast) long term while still keep up with the same quality of your current work, which is what attracted so many of us to your channel to begin with. I'm sure you must've give it serious thoughts and researches before making these promises, but there's always this lingering fear that your content or quality of content diverge from what make me like your channel to begin with. Best of luck to you and your Family Jon, and hopeful for more fun videos for many years to come.
@cwb95k
3 күн бұрын
Sorry to hear this 😫. You've done a great job and I love your content. Kudos to pursuing something you loved and making the most of it.
@MasterDayman
4 күн бұрын
Really hope you'll be able to continue. You have one of the best KZitem boardgame channels, especially for us peeps who usually don't prefer super heavy games. Plus, the lols are definitely there in all your videos:)
@christopherleary7934
4 күн бұрын
I have zero idea how the monetization works on this platform but that small box video currently has 72k views, so I’m genuinely curious what level of views provides enough value to dedicate the time, energy, and resources to this channel. My comment is NOT a veiled attack as I cannot fathom the hours required to produce a single video but I know it is a lot (as well as the required technology investments to make the sound/visuals look as great as they do).
@FatherLizard
4 күн бұрын
I have to agree with you - I am confused about some of the context here. I also mean this comment to be positive and constructive and in no way an attack, but the numbers are just telling a bit of a different story to me than what I might be aware of or understand. 1 video per month in 2024 is certainly low, and while I have no experience in the craft and understand that there is likely a lot of work that needs to go into it, other channels consistently produce with just 1 to 2 people. The content here is typically the same, long format video and there is no use of Shorts attracting new members. Also, the small games video from last year had a little over 409k views which at the time of this posting means it had roughly 1030 views a day - your current video is averaging 5600 a day. I know this will flatten out over time but it seems to be doing alright? Hopefully the video and the channel continue to get engagement and things work out for the best.
@actualol
3 күн бұрын
It's a complicated question to answer. You're right that the small box video is doing okay - but not as well as I'd expected amongst videos of its type. The same goes for my Top 10 Games of 2023 which totally under performed the previous year's videos of the same type. But it's not just the video themselves, but last year KZitem would push my other, older videos whenever I released a new video. So I would get much more ad revenue as a whole, per month. For whatever reason, this isn't happening now. Usually one or two weak videos would be saved by a better one - but that hasn't been the case this year. And I would usually expect much better views in February/March than in the summer, which didn't happen for me this year, for the first time.
@actualol
3 күн бұрын
@@FatherLizard With video success, they all typically follow a trajectory. Lots of views early on then tail off. The better they do early on, the better they will last. The shoe box video is on a much worse trajectory than the 10 small game video from last year, despite me having many more subscribers now. But as I've said above, the shoebox video is just a small part of it all - something to focus on in this video because I couldn't possibly go into it all in detail. In another year, I probably wouldn't be as concerned about the shoebox video, but it's the latest in a trend. KZitem shorts are not proven to increase audiences for long-form content. They are a different audience. And by recruiting short-form subscribers to your channel you're hampering the chances of your long-form content because your new shorts subscribers will not click on them when served them. This is a pretty well discussed topic in KZitem creator spaces that I've recently learnt.
@christopherleary7934
3 күн бұрын
@@actualolThank you very much for the reply. Yikes! Personally, I’ve noticed my suggested videos are full of things I’m not interested in yet 90% of what I watch are boardgame related. But if I watch something novel then my feed gets flooded with that topic and I have to go to my Subscriptions to get my game content, but all of those are new videos. So where my feed used to be full of older videos it is mostly newly released stuff, which aligns with what you’re seeing. I appreciate the time you & others put in for us to consume for free on this platform.
@daddyg9401
4 күн бұрын
Thanks!
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Thank you for the donation! ❤
@daddyg9401
4 күн бұрын
@@actualol You're very welcome. Thank you for providing highly entertaining and informative board game content!
@R4mpZs
3 күн бұрын
I don't know how much it cost to someone who lives in UK, but to me the menbership is way to expansive. I would love to support. But since theres no way arround the currancy balance i can just hope for the best
@Pamelealr
2 күн бұрын
Your channel is the best board game channel, you just feel like an old friend 🎲 I hope you stay with us for years and years to come. You deserve all the support in the world.
@actualol
2 күн бұрын
Thank you, what a nice thing to say.
@signecardow5840
4 күн бұрын
Unfortunately I am not in a position to donate anything at the moment, but I hope to join your patreon as soon as I can! I do wish you all the best in the meantime - yours is by far the best board game channel out there!! ❤
@curse8763
4 күн бұрын
this was a punch in the gut.
@JayseabeeSTL
3 күн бұрын
You're by far my favorite board game channel on KZitem, so I really hope the Patreon does well and we continue get to see you do what you love!
@user-od9eg6fr7x
4 күн бұрын
Thanks
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Thank you for your donation!
@linkypete
4 күн бұрын
I was introduced to thic channel earlier this year. I hope things start looking up for you! I can't afford it, but i wish i could support the channel.
@LJ.613
4 күн бұрын
More content would help. You regularly fall of my recommendation page for ages because you dont post stuff.
@amyjudy33
3 күн бұрын
//HUGS!! Thank you for your hard work!
@Alloniya
4 күн бұрын
I heard so many board game channels close up 😢 this is insane. I’m starting to think this is my bad luck
@thevarunshah
3 күн бұрын
there are quite a few board game channels I regularly watch content from but only a couple that I eagerly await content from - you're one of them. in the hope that you continue to do what you love without struggling, I'm going to join as a member to help you as much as I can - thanks for keeping us entertained with your unique content!
@actualol
Күн бұрын
Thank you so much for becoming a member :)
@ninjabiscuit1095
3 күн бұрын
Sorry to hear about this Jon, I love your videos and your sense of humour, best of luck with the fundraising, want to keep you around
@schululalala6212
4 күн бұрын
Hope things turn out well
@coreymack6208
3 күн бұрын
The shoebox game collection was so good! I’m sad to hear it’s not doing well. I picked up a copy of Knarr because of that video
@woggers6882
4 күн бұрын
You made a request for feedback, so here you go. I didn’t click on your “shoebox” video because I thought it was about how to pack games to be travel-sized, which I’m not interested in. Seems like it was a branding/thumbnail issue, at least from my perspective. Now that I know what it is, I just clicked on it, and Knarr is a game I’ve been interested in hearing thoughts on. But there are no timestamps or way to jump to your thoughts on a specific game. I think you would have gotten a lot more engagement if you’d made 20, 3-5 minute videos reviewing each of those games. Just my opinion- it’s fine if that’s not the kind of content you’re willing to make. I think your channel is awesome and I hope you stick with it.
@suy21
4 күн бұрын
Count me in asking for timestamps, please. 😢
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Thanks for your thoughts. I definitely think that the shoebox collection video struggled because people didn't know what they were clicking on. Definitely food for thought for the future. As for shorter videos - my experience from 9 years of making videos is that sort of content would get me a lot less views and ad revenue in total than a video which combines them. But as ever, I could be wrong.
@ExtraTrstl
3 күн бұрын
@@actualol I only interact with this stuff as a consumer, not a producer, so know that's where these "vibes" are coming from, but YT et. al. (Instagram is a good example) are doing their darnedest to push TikTok-like short video clips. It's the first thing in my recommend viewing in the YT app, it's what Instagram pushes as their stories, it's the "video" section of Facebook you accidentally end up in. I don't know if those are monetizable, but those types of video are *definitely* what the services are pushing for me to interact with.
@elveebee3264
3 күн бұрын
You could do both! I see a lot of channels with longer format content clip their videos into shorts. That might reach a larger audience scrolling through shorts as well. I always stop for boardgame shorts.
@arthurdauwe751
3 күн бұрын
My first Patreon pledge is a fact as of today! Keep it up Jon, and no, you don't need to make "shorts" or anything of that kind. Your unbiased, funny and useful videos are the reason me and lots of people think you're the best board game youtuber around. Good luck to you, from a Belgian board gamer who has been inspired multiple times by your recommendations.
@actualol
Күн бұрын
Thank you so much for pledging on Patreon :)
@hsm4983
3 күн бұрын
This isn't fun to hear but are you against evolving the kinds of content you produce? Audience's evolve and so must channels. You're probably paying an algorithm penalty for the time taken off for paternity leave. That sucks, but my advice (beyond going to your community as you have), is to cull/review/revamp your production catalog. Consider new types of videos like producing how-to-plays for your top fives, or even play-alongs for them, shorts to quickly show stand out games or remarkable misses, unexpected delights from new games, or BTS from your own testing experiences. You could also make how-to-prep videos for convention attendance, or even streams of your game nights with your own friends. -it would be cool to watch you actually teaching people how to play, etc. You said in a video that you've been using the same outro music even tho you want to change it because you don't have the time to invest in changing it, maybe now is best recogonized as the opportunity to enact the channel expansion and zero-cost content expansion yoube been procrastinating. List-style content can only carry you so far. Especially when, as you do, you have a soul and don't want to push bad products on people. Ps: the best thing you can do is offer people community. Investing in your channel's community, more than just giving yourself even more videos to produce on patron, will be what gets this channel whiring. Pps: consider renaming your last video "Roadtrip and Games" -- it's June. People aren't typically looking to fill a shoe box full of games; but in the Northern Hemisphere they are traveling right now; my gentle advice is to lean into this.
@jonathanharrell5932
4 күн бұрын
Good luck! I hope we can help!!
@londongaz2
2 күн бұрын
Sorry that times are tough at the moment, Jon.
@actualol
2 күн бұрын
Thanks Gavin :)
@welbus1
4 күн бұрын
This channel definitely earns my $10/month on Patreon. Actualol(Actually, ;)), it's my first Patreon back, and well deserved in my opinion. He does unique content unlike most anyone else. Keep it up and I hope you are successful.
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Thank you for taking the Patreon plunge for Actualol!
@xthedudex
3 күн бұрын
First off, congrats on the new addition to your family! I can imagine it's a busy time for you. I wanted to share some thoughts on why your channel might not be as successful as some of your counterparts. 1. Frequency of Content: You release only one video a month, whereas similar channels put out 3-5 videos each week. While I don't watch every video they release, I do tune in for the ones that catch my interest. If your single monthly video doesn't stand out because it's similar to something you've done before, I might skip it. 2. Consistency and Engagement: In sales, we say, "Time kills all deals." The longer you go without engaging with your audience, the more likely they are to move on and forget. Regular engagement is key to keeping your viewers invested in your content. 3. Scheduling: There's no set schedule for your video releases, which can make it hard for viewers to know when to expect new content. If you're struggling with topics, consider covering current board gaming news, upcoming games, interviews with developers, reviews, previews, and walkthroughs. 4. Originality: Try to be more creative with your content rather than remaking videos you did a year ago. Fresh and original content can perform much better and keep your audience excited. I hope this helps, and I look forward to seeing how the channel evolves.
@rbeauvilain
4 күн бұрын
You should really try other formats. Maybe smaller videos. Sometimes I just don't have time for 30-40 mins videos.
@scar0815
4 күн бұрын
Also cooperations with other channels could bring in new potential viewer's and they are very often very fun to watch xD
@actualol
4 күн бұрын
Fair enough - I have had a few too many long videos this year - that was an accidental coincidence of some videos I made, but won't be the case going forward.
@cranelord
3 күн бұрын
The strange thing about people is we won't watch a 30 minute video but instead watch six 5 minute videos.
@sarahwatts7152
4 күн бұрын
I bought 2 games off the back of the shoebox video, I'm amazed it didn't do better
@gerhardfink8093
4 күн бұрын
I loved the last video and think, it´s a perfect idea - also for birthday surprises! I hope, you will continue with your amazing, entertaning and fun channel!
@smoogums89
4 күн бұрын
He got the family expansion and now we have to pitch in to keep it going. 😢
@leonardlangenscheidt2773
3 күн бұрын
pushed me over the edge to finally support. all the best to you and the fam!
@actualol
Күн бұрын
Thank you so much!
@yipyipyipi
3 күн бұрын
I always loved your reviews. I didn't always agree. But you always stated very clearly why you liked or disliked something. I never thought a review of yours was unfair, only differing in opinion. I especially like how you would often include "games like this" sections, such as "if you liked x you should like y", or "if you were thinking of getting y I encourage you to buy z instead". Im glad you chose to make an online presence like you did, and your songs and comedy alone are worth the watch!
@timisaverage
3 күн бұрын
A comment for the algorithm! Hoping you make it through this rough patch.
@CarlosMdz72
2 күн бұрын
I love your channel, it is one of the best channels for board games out there.
@AkibanaZero
4 күн бұрын
Take my opinion with a grain of salt but as a "failed creator" myself, I can empathize. What I feel you're missing, like others have pointed out, is shorter form factor videos. Your shoebox games video was a great idea but it lacked a certain journey, a buildup towards it. What problem are you actually addressing with that video? How does it relate to past ones (you can't say it's board games, that's not specific enough)? What could be a good idea is to do series of shorter videos that focus on a theme (if relevant to a time of year even better). Tips for running board game sessions could be great as well. Keep them short and punchy. Maybe address common problems or misinterpretations of rules (I am so guilty of this one). At the stage you are at, I feel you can afford to throw a bunch of ideas at the wall and see if they stick. Your quality is pretty good and I like your lighting and background. You just need more punch, variety and a better content cadence.
@MinuteManUnboxing
4 күн бұрын
Most of the board games I've ever loved have been through the ones that you have featured on your channel 🥺
@vanillaboi5475
4 күн бұрын
Thank you for making this video. I don't want this channel to stop and I certainly don't want someone who has give me so much joy in just the 6 months I've watched him, to struggle because of that. I'm subscribing to I Want more LOL's in Patreon, the tier name reflects my feelings
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