How Influencers Break The Law (me included)

[@Agerian7]

Benn has influenced me to think critically and always obtain independent legal advice. Definitely an influencer

[@amans2806]

Well said bro

[@Liace159]

But one of the few best ones if you'd ask me

[@Cylus024]

"Who is doing a minute and a half ad read?" Unfortunately nowadays, a lot of people.

[@DavidFrankland]

I've seen segments over 2 minutes long recently.

[@cate01a]

sponsorblock ftw, baby!

[@wm1573]

It’s easy to hate on those people, but despite getting backlash from those ad reads, you gotta understand that it’s probably very tempting to accept 3,000$ for a short ad. Especially if you’re low on cash and starting on KZbin

[@Cylus024]

@@wm1573 I do understand why they do it and I do understand that it is very lucrative. Doesn't change the fact that 2 minute ad reads that are scripted word for word for dogshit products suck.

[@skinnyllama420]

I saw a 14 min vid with a 2 min commercial and now it all makes sense.

[@RoomieOfficial]

I like your transparency and philosophy around what you do. Great video!

[@MichelangeloParker]

Thats wild! Love your channel, Roomie 🔥

[@VinOnline]

Hey Roomie!

[@BobBob-nr1zt]

This video's background music isn't annoying enough nor loud enough.

[@FLPhotoCatcher]

Yep! 👍 But he kind of excuses other channels who don't follow the law. The requirements are not that hard to follow, mostly just unknown.

[@jonaswox]

@@FLPhotoCatcher Yea its a fucked up video. It is like the channel OP is trying to justify that he has an intertwined web of undisclosed interest and somehow this is not a problem .... it is a massive problem for the entire industry. And what OP is again forgetting is that he is entirely dependant on these handouts which muddies the water even more. Influencers gain from the trustworthyness of "a person", while actively not being a person but a company/brand. And yes OP its greeat that YOU have some great morals. Nobody else does. And the minute you turn rogue, you can just basically scam your entire fanbase....... Its not a new thing that influencers turn rogue as their consumption of sponsorship dollars goes up. At some point you reach a tipping point.

[@PXAbstraction]

I have a simple rule: If a KZbinr's advertising it, it's at best a crap product and at worst, a scam. This rule has served me quite well.

[@AutisticMorty]

Yep, avoid anything talked about on KZbin. Means the profit margin is so high there must be cheaper alternatives.

[@cat-le1hf]

Even if it's a good product, it's overpriced because the cost of advertising is baked in.

[@vixxcelacea2778]

I love that someone isn't afraid of talking about money made or calling out on all the BS when it comes to things like this. The cultural implication that it is uncouth to talk about money is how classism persists. A lot of companies don't want people to talk about wages, because then they find out that they might be getting ripped off.

[@ZenAndPsychedelicHealingCenter]

^ This.

[@pocketvices]

There's no direct competition to or on the platform, to their own work. Nothing really to bargain with, so disclosing it only rly gives insight to their respective choices on sponsors. But you can discern that from whats directly advertised to you as it's illegal not to label it as an ad. Traditional companies though, yes, learn to advocate for yourself. Its not uncouth to know or discuss your value, it just can be uncomfortable which can cause people to behave unprofessional Its good to present your side as somebody who represents the company well. Like continung your employment there is only a positive for both sides. If you devalue the company, it's hard to justify being upset at them valuing you less.

[@cat-le1hf]

Don't talk about money with friends and family though... that is how you attract leeches and parasites.

[@zoe_bee]

Thank you so much for being so transparent about all of this! More creators need to do this - we can only *all do better* if we communicate with each other about the ins and outs of this whole industry (and all the Good and Bad and Ugly sides of it all). Mad respect from one creator to another 💜

[@seatyourself7082]

Zoe watching Benn, big W

[@secretivesounds]

Worlds are colliding here in a way I never would have expected, hell yeah

[@AdamKirbyMusic]

Wow, surprised to see you here.

[@samphelps856]

🤯🤯🤯🤯

[@capabartz7380]

Definitely not the person I expected to see in a Benn Jordan video

[@Derpmind]

I'm not sure why KZbin recommended me this, but I appreciate your honesty and transparency in creating such an informative video. Thanks!

[@ThickpropheT]

Dudes got a pretty eclectic backlog of videos, but every time I start one, it hits the spot, even the ones that I watch just to clear the recommendation lol

[@WritingOnGames]

Excellent video as always, but my main takeaway from it was confirming a long-held suspicion that god, I (and others from those I've spoken to) have been getting absolutely screwed when it comes to rates on ad reads. Love to have zero leverage with companies keeping channels in the dark for precisely that purpose!

[@BennJordan]

Always go direct and set them up so they can be removed if they change the rates or remove the affiliate program. But ultimately it's probably best to just do an ad read for your own Patreon/community. 🙂

[@middaymeds]

Cool to see you on this channel Hamish, always loved your videos

[@SRFMF]

Bitch said what? Lol😂 great fkn video Ben holy crap it’s always way worse than you think😮

[@thehuntressdanni2972]

This is why people are afraid to talk about their finances. Capitalism. They made us all think it was for a different reason but nope. It's so they could get away with sleazy and immoral things. Capitalism is also why you were forced to have a DREAM JOB as a child. Do you ever actually DREAM of having a job? If money wasn't necessary and all the needs of everyone were taken care of... Would you dream of working? Probably not. But capitalism wanted you to. So they manipulated you from a very young age. And for most people, it has totally worked. They don't want you to have the upper hand. They want to milk you for everything they can and then they're going to throw you out and use up the next one. But they will have a harder time if the little people are talking about what the company is doing to them... So in comes the hush hush about money.

[@Crazy_Diamond_75]

@@thehuntressdanni2972 I mean, I always dreamed of doing work, but the work _I_ wanted to do. That doesn't necessarily line up with the work capitalism made available to me. In fact, more often than not, capitalism demands that you ignore the things you actually _want_ to create and do in favor of slaving away for someone else's profit.

[@ullrich]

Man, I respect the hell out of you. Your principles, your work ethic, etc. I went to school for advertising and graduated in 2013, which was a little bit before the absolute explosion that was SEO, SEM, influencer/social media marketing, etc. I mean, sure it was there, but not like it is today. And as someone who learned a lot about traditional advertising, I cannot stand this new era of advertising/marketing. I'm not saying that billboards, TV ads, radio ads, and magazine/news ads weren't manipulative in some way, or that product placement wasn't a thing, but it felt more out in the open. For the past like, 10 years or so, it has felt like some massive % of the content you consume on the internet is designed to funnel sales in some way, whether that's a web page optimized to exploit Google's SEO algo or half of your search results or social content being influenced by affiliate marketing. The incentive structure doesn't favor quality or truth. It's just optimized for smashing your dopamine buttons. Again, not saying that old-school advertising wasn't guilty of this in some way, but you can't deny that it's far more discrete but at the same time more effective and ubiquitous now. At least you knew when an ad break was happening, or when a page in a magazine was selling you something. I think that advertising, at least in theory, is an important component of a market. But unfortunately, it is now probably the most underregulated part of a market cycle and therefore, the most easily exploitable. The data and tools given to marketers are unlike anything we've ever known, and the incentives towards honesty and integrity are not there. And now, with the advent of AI, everything is going to get a whole lot worse. My only hope is that there will always be a substantial sector of the market that tries not to buy into all of it. That there will be consumers who are hyper concious of these issues and do their best to be critical of the content and marketing they see, and there will be creators who will prioritize integrity and truth over a quick payday. So anyway, thanks very much for this video and everything you do.

[@JeanMarceaux]

"I hope you've learned something" Now that, that's a phrase I'm more familiar with sounding in a new yorker accent, following a board repair video. All in all, your channel is a treasure trove, both for music production, and for cognitive gastronomy, so to speak. The fact that you're behind The Flashbulb, one of my favorite electronic music projects, is just icing on the cake. Another thing to add: the idea about the value of content creator and not content brought my thought towards a certain study. An Australian youtuber Matt Judge, better known as DarkViperAU, has made an in-depth study about reaction content, and its harmful nature towards content providers. Maybe it could interest you.

[@ErikPelyukhno]

Louis Rossmann is a national treasure

[@nicolae6173]

I wonder if KZbin recommended this video to me because folks like you like both and I follow Louis but hadn’t heard of Benn before now!

[@JeanMarceaux]

@@nicolae6173 quite possibly

[@natura808]

@@nicolae6173who is Louis?

[@nicolae6173]

@natura808, Louis Rossman

[@BennJordan]

Edit: From this video forward, this channel will be operating as a nonprofit organization. More info coming soon, but for now: twitter.com/bennjordan/status/1656681654402838528 Few things: In the original upload, I edited a World War Z product placement scene that complied with FTC influencer disclosure rules. It got copyrighted, naturally. My duck video got copyrighted by a 3rd party I never even heard of, ironically. I disputed. We'll see. 😅 Also missing (due to legal fuzziness) is a section showing how "The Problem With Jon Stewart" (Apple TV+) highlighted savings account yield rates before Apple unveiled their savings account program (and a few other examples). Finally, while the FTC requires me to tell you details about my agreement with, for example, Focusrite/Novation, contracts like that assume confidentiality due to the initial NDA. So I'm breaking a rule by telling you the amount and potentially breaking another rule by not telling you. Sadly, I assume any major audio brand enforces rules far more than the FTC seems to.

[@benefvctr]

Always appreciate your content Benn. You're extremely well spoken and informative. Thank you for doing what you do. Cheers!

[@equivocator7727]

I'm not a lawyer, so don't quote me, but it's my understanding that contracts can't legally bind you to breaking the law (including waiving legal protections), so the "correct" legal thing to do is disclose according to FTC regulations even under NDA. The really sucky thing is that won't keep those companies from trying to intimidate you with their legal team. So it really seems that the more "correcter" thing to do is not sign those contracts.

[@braincraven]

My duck video got copyrighted by a 3rd party I never even heard of, ironically. I disputed. We'll see. 😅

[@BombstractGnome]

Can you just pretend to like the stuff I use so I feel validated?

[@randommcranderson5155]

>Finally, while the FTC requires me to tell you details about my agreement with, for example, Focusrite/Novation, contracts like that assume confidentiality due to the initial NDA. You can't be bound be a contract that requires you to break the law

[@ComatoseMN]

Holy Crap Dude... I'd imagine you're not making a ton of friends with brands or content creators with videos like this. I've gotta give you mad props for doing videos like this. MAD. FUCKIN'. RESPECT. >M

[@jonaswox]

I think so as well. But your relationship is build entirely on your blind trust. So you should definitely get your hands down. Nothing to celebrate. We have seen this over and over. One of my peers even said one day "summit is so rich he would NEVER take money for shilling a product" ..................... which illustrates my point perfectly. People give massive trust to the influencers because they come off as "people" and not a business. This is a massive problem. Look at my friend here, he genuinely believes that someone like summit is like the pinnacle of transparency (i have nothing against summit....). The problem in itself is not how you act or whether you are honest. The problem is that we cant know for sure, and that the influencing party is living off of handouts from the companies they are shilling. It is a conflict of interest.

[@JacobTeach]

​@@jonaswox He stated in the comments and description that his channel and all related projects are now operating as nonprofit. You can see the finances and expenses of his channel by law.

[@jonaswox]

@@JacobTeach Im not commenting on this channel , but the philosophic problem in general.

[@MikeSchertenlieb]

this kind of transparency is rare, and hugely appreciated!

[@iamcino]

All of these _businesses_ look more like scam operations. It's really depressing. Thanks for being honest with your audience

[@lw8882]

I did not see an ad when you pointed top right. I got sick of seeing ads for financial scams and health supplements and alcohol and gambling, so I reinstalled my ad blocker.

[@1980rlquinn]

I know it's in a moral gray area and some KZbin creators rage about them being used, but I have three on my desktop and I just don't do KZbin on mobile. I value my mental health too much.

[@qmurec]

@@1980rlquinn Not really moral gray, it is your right not to expose yourself to ads.

[@bugnut4432]

​@@1980rlquinnI see modern marketing techniques as a direct attack on my brain so installing adblock is morally correct and even righteous.

[@elianmusic7452]

You are the coolest guy. When i think of role models, not just as musicians but as people too, I think of you Benn. Good guy

[@virkots]

Same. He might be the grumpiest guy ever off-screen, who knows, but the persona he presents himself as on his youtube channel is a great role model.

[@elianmusic7452]

@@virkots True yeah this isnt some parasocial obsession thing, I'm sure off screen he's less .. uh .. prophet level perfect lol. But I don't expect him to be either. The conscious info he relays and the values he chooses to espouse and the over all, dignified, very human and compassionate actions he takes are just mindblowing to me because the world does not make it easy to behave so "good". So the fact that he'd even refuse to pretend to obsess over raid shadow legends for an extra freaking Four Thousand DOLLARS just gives off so much integrity, and integrity is hard when you live in capitalist America AND are a musician. God damn Forever a fan of you Benn but not in a creepy parasocial way :))

[@bayarmenzat3090]

Damn bro you just explained the internet today better than anyone in ages, made me even more sickened by meme ads and generated a strong urge to support you. I wish your approach was the dominant way to "influencing" rather than a niche.

[@MilesKvndra]

As an PR&influencer manager in my day job that was insanely accurate and funny to watch. Stumble across so much of that weird stuff every day.

[@BlazeCapt]

This channel's commendable diversity, intellectual integrity, and candor are truly refreshing amidst the omnipresent advertising barrage.

[@ThickpropheT]

The folks I like to watch most are all influencers. They influence me to think and feel more, to be more introspective, to explore my curiosity, to not give up on doing the right thing, to value people instead of products and corporations, to stay engaged in the political process, and to just be a better person. Thanks, man. You're one of the good ones

[@richardsaffle]

I found you through Venus Theory. This is the 1st video of yours I’ve watched. This was totally informational, & I’m grateful for your honesty. Thank you.

[@alexanderlane]

Get ready to have that feeling a few more times, all his vids are great like that!

[@catmastertrash369]

I found Venus Theory's channel through this one in the side bar! Definitely great recommends on the algorithms

[@ChuckNastyMoreBlood]

Super pretentious. Venus theory is for people who have never had a real job

[@davidemelia6296]

Some random called 'The Kurgan' calling others 'pretentious' and saying they've 'never had a real job' 🤣@@ChuckNastyMoreBlood

[@youlittlesaget]

You’re actually a really good investigative journalist!

[@martybyrnemusic]

right? Totally blown away by the details and the effort he's gone to get the back story on some of these shady companies!

[@IntenseCrazyHarmony]

I'm pretty sure benn is just a genius with how great he is with anything he does.

[@jameshasseriousedoubtsabou560]

Hi Ben. As somebody who has little to no knowledge reguarding the behind the scenes of sponsors spots and affiliate programs, this has been very eye opening. I really value your dedication to transparency and honesty, even if its not entirely for our sake. Please keep making the good content, I seldom find other creators who are willing to share so much. Also got Macca's and Amazon prime ads on this video. Add Bunnings and Tiffany&Co

[@SpeedOfTheEarth]

Singapore Airlines was my ad. That is why I watch your channel, you're always incredibly brutally honest and you make videos about unique topics I've never seen covered elsewhere! Appreciate it loads!

[@etiennnelacroix4653]

The more I watch your videos, the more I like them, not only because of the content but due to the fact that you seem to be a sincere, honest guy doing what he loves.

[@MMIStudios]

You sir, are an influencer in the purest sense, like certain poets and philosophers and musicians and intellectuals have influenced me, an influencer of the days of old. Besides that, your transparency and honesty is truly an influence to all those who want to know about this industry you’ve dived into.

[@Trk-El-Son]

Ben, this was so enlighting to see. The monetary waters of SoMe and KZbin can be so friggin’ murky, and you just spilled the beans. A standing ovation to you Sir. I hope this gets a lot of views. Please keep educating us on the hidden mechanics of these media that we need to know.

[@alesxemsky]

I swear, 15+ years ago when I was wandering around my city and listening to Benn's music (way too much actually) and knew nothing about him as a person maybe except couple of lines on the web telling he is from Chicago or at some point Georgia, USA, I was imagining him being the exact this guy I know today. This is crazy. Mad respect from Russia

[@cef-ym3gb]

Well done. Honesty, ethics and integrity is so rare to find, but, so very much appreciated.

[@Bossslaydee_Bailey]

Ben needs to be protected at ALL COSTS! This man is a saint!

[@rubbishaudio489]

I got an ad on this vid about a service that lets me hire influencers to do payed promotions lol

[@ericcarabetta1161]

I love how strict the rules on endorsements are for KZbin content creators and other social media influencers, compared to the non-existent laws regarding insider trading and campaign contributions for US Representatives.

[@alexanderlane]

Ha, imagine if congresspeople had to list everyone that paid them off before the said anything

[@ericcarabetta1161]

@@alexanderlane, they should just wear the logos on their clothes of the companies they represent; like NASCAR. _"Presenting, Senator _____, from the state of _____. Brought to you by Raytheon, Bank of America, Blackstone, and Home Depot."_

[@alexanderlane]

@@ericcarabetta1161 Oh man, I love that. I mean, hate that it's a thing, but love the absurdity

[@tookmusic]

I used to be subscribed to your patreon, but had to cancel because of financial problems. This video reminded me to subscribe again. :) Long time fan of everything you do!

[@MrDaveUsesWords]

You not only have a new subscriber, you have my utmost respect. Thank you for making this

[@JaydenEricBeaudoin]

This guy is so straight up and isn't selling out or buying in. We need mroe Benn Jordan's in the world.

[@ShelbyWatson]

I really appreciate the content you make. Honesty and transparency have become so rare when it comes to this stuff.

[@reveurmort6920]

You're a class act, Benn. I wish most other content creators had even an ounce of your integrity.

[@bwicklander]

Thank you Benn! This was a video many wouldn't make, I kinda feel dirty now as how much I've watched youtube but never understood what you all do. The product placement companies vying for your/our time has made me realize what a smarmy set up they have made all this. Love your content! Cheers!

[@lw8882]

This video confirmed a lot of things I suspected about influencer marketing and viral video networks, but also a lot that I had no idea were far worse than I imagined. Thanks for always being a great content creator, and having integrity.

[@POPDELUSION]

Ben, I first started listening to your music when I was 13 years old, 12 years ago already. I admire the fact that you have a channel, and make videos, participating in this influencer culture. Nothing wrong with that, but I will ALWAYS SEE YOU AS AN ARTIST! TRULY. your music is so inspirational, it truly stikes a chord to whoever listens. Just wanted to put that out there, ur amazing man, and I see your value wether you are posting on KZbin or not ❤

[@djPositive]

Quality, sincerity, openness makes you Benn unmached human being and influencer in good meaning of this word.

[@jjptech]

Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude for sharing this video. Not only was it informative, but it also sparked some great ideas. For instance, I found the tip about changing locations during long videos particularly helpful as it helped my ADHD brain stay engaged and focused on the valuable information you presented. Furthermore, I have come across several videos from so-called "influencers" attempting to shed light on their earnings and the process behind it. However, after watching your transparent video, I realized that no one had honestly taken the time to explain the real details and the shady dealings that can occur behind the scenes. Lastly, it's concerning to think about how many innocent people are falling prey to these scammy agencies. Even those with some experience in the industry are likely falling for these scams in one way or another. Thanks again for shedding light on this topic in such an honest and insightful manner. On another note. I uploaded a song that I found on a very old version of Adobe Audition, It was Audition 2 I believe, and I asked people if they knew the band. It turns out that the band recorded the demo specifically for Adobe, and they hold the rights to the song. However, a random Brazilian music group has claimed the rights to any monetization on that song, and despite me contacting Adobe about the situation three years ago, the monetizations are still going to this shady group. This makes me wonder what they can do to anyone who shares their original creations with the world, regardless of whether they register their intellectual property first or not.

[@kaitlyn__L]

Oh crap. I'd noticed his videos go by quicker/easier than others, less fatigued after the time, even though I'm also being made to think about a ton of stuff. I think the scenery changing stuff has a huge part to do with it!! (I also have ADHD, I guess that's implicit but here I'm making it explicit)

[@MakeKasprzak]

I've often wondered what those ad reads paid. I get bombarded with the equivalent folks who want me to post their blog trash on my website. They always ask for my rates, so I don't know what they're offering.

[@HisRoyalSelf]

Just fully engaged with your channel for the first time today. Man, what a breath of fresh air. It’s absurd what the all mighty dollar will do to people. This just reaffirmed why i immediately disregard half of what most influencers say and almost completely disregard nearly all adds as complete bullshit. Bill Hicks was always right about the concept of marketing and advertising.

[@eig101101]

Thank you for your honesty. Certain ones I watch, are not like you, it’s join, join, join. Get so tired of it. Being elder and trying to make it alone on Brandon’s watch, it’s been hard and stressful. I would do at least 5 member/pat. I know of now, but going to the food bank I use to volunteer, I have to pass for now. But seriously. Thank you for breaking this down. May your future be bright and happy.

[@TristanBaldi]

I started watching synth channels when I first started with synth 2 or 3 years ago. At first I was just amazed by all the great stuff, the cool videos from a short demo to a full in depth review, and always felt like the synths I was discovering were unique. And then I started to see a pattern. Whenever a new synth would come out I'd see always the same guys doing a video on it. Each time it was one of their favorite synths of all times. Each time they'd say how unique it was. Then I started to see music chanels, I mean chanels with the word music in it, uploading non sense, like drama content, or just videos saying that this plugin sucks, or that hardware synth is a scam. Then I started to see chanels growing in real time: people starting with music they loved and progressively doing the KZbin thing, surfing on the likes, and going deep into the synth reviewing stunt, or the setup explanation. Which was alright I thought in the beginning. Then most of them started doing talks about GAS, what you should and shouldn't do, how to grow a KZbin chanel... And then most of the time it came to "how to get creative again" etc. So it went full circle. I went from naive dude thinking everyone who's into music is something special, far from the influencer thing, to realizing that I don't watch most of the youtube chanels I used to enjoy because I'm just sick from either seeing people selling me things or just slowly diving into the small/medium youtuber hell where I can see them lose their soul and will to make music little by little. And then there are some chanels like yours, that are frankly most of the time a step on the side. Something reflective on music or behaviours. And it's cool. Not judging anyone but me here. I'm 35 yo I should've known better when I first watched the videos about a world of synths I didn't know. But the thing you're saying about not willing to set everything up just to do negative reviews rang a bell here. And some of the chanels you linked really shocked me with that kinda stuff. Anyway thanks for the vid. Let's make more music all together and less influencing.

[@freebornaiden7666]

When I first got into music production, I noticed that most of the content makers (who to be fair, are doing some really good work) would introduce paid software Plug-ins to do a particular job that could often by done using the existing stock plugins in any DAW- but they never mentioned the alternative methods. I don't exactly resent them for doing it, a lot of them make a lot of really great content that helped me along and I understand that somehow they need to get paid but yeah...

[@TristanBaldi]

@@freebornaiden7666 yes, first you learn valuable things and then looking back you can't help but notice that they could have done things differently, maybe more genuinely

[@thomas.moerman]

Very important topic, as a GAS-patient I can relate. It has been dawning on me that reviewer + affiliate links is a dangerous combination. Sufficient scrutiny applies because their income depends on it and probably compromises their honesty even with (kinda) good intentions.

[@dirg3music]

As always you're a great voice of reason for creators and musicians everywhere and im glad that there are people out there with your level of success that still hold themselves to a high ethical standard. Serious role model vibes and im proud to say i've been a fan of yours since Arboreal.

[@laurenv1223]

Thank you, thank you for this. These are the concepts that I don't know how to phrase and don't know who to ask. You covered ads, media, vanity, content, authenticity, monetizing one's passion, etiquette while doing so... Thanks pal.

[@atomsofstardust]

I have utmost respect for you and your stance!🙏🏻 And thank you a lot for sharing the rates and the names, so that we all can have a glance behind the scenes at something creators rarely talk about!

[@MikeButle]

Pinterest was the ad 😁 Thank you for the great videos. Truth is what, we, the people are desperately needing.

[@gossamyr]

This is my favourite type of content of yours, this is why I watch you. I've struggled with the idea of monetization, even though my channel is no where near yours, but I had to think about it because, should it come to it, I want to be able to say no to dirty money like you have. This solidifies I was on the right track and helps my future self make better choices, not the quick cash/regret for life ones. Those meme/influencers...man, ty for the tip, i n v a l u a b l e!

[@vj512]

Huge respect for you Benn!

[@cmd_f5]

You're the best. This is indeed my thing. Keep it honest and real, I'll keep watching. Influenced by reality, vs whatever they're tryna sell me.

[@brianwithnell3570]

There wasn't an ad ... but I use an ad silencer to prevent them from showing up.

[@hw305]

Oh no. plz Benn dont do it, you'll give all the synthfluencers an existential crisis again, and they'll all start doing these semi tearful direct to camera monologues about how honest they are, and crying about how they have to pay tax on their earnings etc. I want to see them messing around with new gear and showing how it works, not blurting out some boring video essay about how depressing it is that they have just realised that they are a one person teleshopping channel. 😅

[@Ayavaron]

When was the previous time he gave them an existential crisis?

[@mofynn]

​@@Ayavaron there was some really annoying drama

[@methyod]

​@@mofynn like what? You can't just say something like that and refuse to elaborate that's rude

[@shipsahoy1793]

Some of them are perfectly happy with that apparently.. 😉

[@thehuntressdanni2972]

Omg best summary of KZbinrs today... They're the modern version of the TV channel your mother or grandma would buy jewelry and cool egg cookers from! Lol 😆

[@christheghostwriter]

Right up until you paused to ask who was buying ads on this video, I had forgotten that most people see ads. I've had KZbin Premium for years and years, every since it was first available and was called KZbin Red. It recently jumped from ten bucks to twelve bucks, but it's still a great value proposition relative to how much I like and use it. I have KZbin playing pretty much around the clock (music during my workday, podcasts, lectures, and documentaries at night). We pay for KZbin in one of two ways: with our money or with our time. My time is worth way more than twelve bucks, and I hate sitting through ads.

[@b130610]

Totally agree with you on this. Obviously, adblock is trivially easy on most platforms for youtube and accomplishes basically the same thing, but I like the feeling that my engagement with videos I enjoy always contributes at least something to the people who made them, so I shell out for the officially sanctioned adblock. Tipping a few bucks here and there on a patreon or kofi also gives me some warm fuzzies even if it is an insignificant amount of money in the grand scheme of things. The amount of time I spend, and value I get from youtube is definitely worth at least a bit of money to me on an ongoing basis, so I try to keep a little sliver of my budget set aside for showing financial support for people who go the extra mile to make great videos.

[@NedJeffery]

I don't have ad block or KZbin premium. There was no ad in that slot. Video has probably been demonetized or something.

[@christheghostwriter]

@one30610 same. I read somewhere that creators get a slightly higher payment from Premium viewers than from from ad-watching viewers, so I liked that. I happily pay my twelve bucks a month for a service I like, especially knowing that I'm contributing to creators

[@jennoscura2381]

I love KZbin premium. I watch a crap ton of KZbin on my TV and appreciate having no ads. I watch KZbin more than any of the other streaming services I pay for. But I keep those around for family members and the occasional movie or TV show.

[@CommunityGuidelines]

LOL, are you people receiving money to shill paid YT subscriptions? Anyone with a brain just uses ad-blockers and hasn't seen any online ads in a decade.

[@chasekanipe]

You're not an influencer; you're a synfluencer

[@lumotroph]

Sinfluencer sounds like a good onlyfans

[@StatusFX3]

I see what you did there..

[@sandequation2653]

I wonder why KZbin has been hiding this channel from me for now, the more videos from you I see the better I like it. So many people turn out to be scumbags or idiots that it's really refreshing to never be disappointed by a single video from a creator.

[@gearboxworks]

This was one of the most useful videos I have seen in months regarding the business of being a KZbin “influencer.” Your’s is the first video I have seen that actually explained what the different companies like Brilliant are paying for their sponsorship spots. Thank you for shining a light on these typically hidden transactions.

[@danielvinogradov3013]

I am truly fascinated how Benn is Navalny from the world of music, exposing dubious business practices and sharing this knowledge with us so that we all see it for what it actually is! Benn, you are remarkable❤

[@yurijogurtsov8710]

if I show you a several years old Navalny calling to kill migrant workers, marching with fascist and screaming that russia should take over Georgia, etc, would you take your words back? ;) he's controversial to say the least. not that putin is better of course, but it's not the point. they're worth each other. Benn is miles ahead. and nah, Navalny exposed corruption, not dubious practices like Benn, while Benn didn't speak of corruption or crimes.

[@TheRumpletiltskin]

10:35 I see no ad cause i'm a degen who uses adblocker.

[@genericsomething]

When I hear people complain about ads on the internet, I feel sorry for them. Sometimes.

[@amj.composer]

Revanced gang

[@Noise-Conductor]

@@genericsomething Sometimes I forget YT even has ads.

[@real_anxst]

Sorry, I pay for KZbin, so no ad at that point for me.

[@fozzythealbino]

Same. I used to think that paying for KZbin was dumb, but then I realized that I could cancel my Spotify and get KZbin music for the same price. Surprisingly good deal for me.

[@brandonwilliams966]

Easily the best KZbin I've come across in recent days. Thank you for what you do, my man! You're a gem.

[@orbatos]

Thank you for this. Grifting has, without a doubt, become the main driving force for KZbin production. This has terrible consequences for users and honest producers as ad values pay less, but it also affects everything from individuals to national politics.

[@dojohansen123]

Kudos for being so transparent about the finances of the channel. I think Patreon should always show Patrons the numbers.

[@dudaseifert]

i've binged 10-20 videos from you in the last 2 days, but this one made me subscribe. your values are insanely well aligned with mine and i hope more youtubers act like you act

[@treelym]

I saw an ACE hardware ad. My I say I love your honesty. Ad revenue is definitely starting to dry up. Other channels I follow have suffered from this.

[@AlexGriggAnimation]

I love this Video Benn. Super insightful for someone like me trying to avoid making sponsored sponsored content

[@p.f.a.l.n.2280]

rare to find someone with integrity on this website. good on you

[@1337LXD]

Respect for the honesty! But here something to think about, when majority of people see ads on KZbin they don't blame the creator they blame KZbin and when you don't enable all of the ads nobody notices because KZbin randomly show and hide the ads. So enable all of them the people who really hate ads and know how they work pay for KZbin Premium or just use Ad-block and the rest of the viewers don't notice.

[@stephencshapiro]

Thanks as always for your honesty. KZbin (as a career) seems exhausting-and not for me-but I'm glad you're still sharing your thoughts.

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

Wow. This is very eye opening!

[@7digger3]

Much love brother! This new direction your KZbin is going is soooo refreshing!! Thank you 🙏🏻, for your efforts.

[@expeditionadventureUSA]

I randomly got pulled in and intrigued with your great story telling and presentation, even though I’m not in or related to music/sound industry at all; short of being related to a few names or providing services for a few more names - in the movie/tv industry. In short -your content ‘is better then the sum of its parts’ high informative and valuable info; Not to mention simply being highly entertaining! Your work, points of interest, and time applied in creating your content & topics; Is of high value, despite one’s specific ‘walk of life’. To do my small part in helping bring more eyes your direction, I wanted to leave a comment- to say thanks for another great topic,+ being genuine & straightforward! Keep kicking ass!

[@A_Fortunate_Traveler]

A very interesting post Benn... Thank you for being so honest and transparent. As a very, very small KZbin creator I think your info and experience is invaluable. Thanks

[@BillyBlazeTheKeenest]

I've been a huge fan of your music through the band The Flashbulb. Didn't know you ran this youtube channel!

[@ptsd3243]

This is one of the most informative videos I have ever watched on KZbin! Thanks for lifting up the veil on how this monetizing and influencer world works; I knew it was bad, and I know aiy of people make millions, and it's a dirty (and inane!) and fucked up business, but this is a pearl of a videoan! THUMBS UP!

[@CmoIsDaNam3i]

Next year when I can actually afford it I will be support your stuff. Because like DANG. I wish there were more channels like you. So far only ever seen literally *one* other channel like yours with the way your handle sponsors. Keep doing what you are doing man. 💙

[@andrewhallock2548]

I appreciate your openness about the subject of how you get paid, and what you've been offered by whom. Keep up the great work.

[@subVersionband]

Tbf, its not “if” youre an influencer thats important - its “how” youre an influencer. For example, being straight up about behringer is you being honest. You’ve “influenced” people in a positive way by being truthful. Disingenuous influence for personal gain is the bad kind - but so long as you follow your conscience, its all good :) You seem like a straight-up guy with a lot of good advice to offer 👍

[@AROAH]

I wish more content creators were as thoughtful and self-aware as you. Younger people in particular need to see more content like this, explaining the seedier aspects of the entertainment industry at large.

[@bobbychaos]

Thank you for making this. Your integrity is invaluable to the community

[@andrewrichardsuk]

Dear Mr Jordan, i rearly comment on a video but i feel you are a special case. Ive watched a few of your vids now and id like to thank you for bringing to light the not so glossy side that is tied to the glamour side. I am fortunate in life not to have fallen for any tricks, and use the principle regularly taught to me by my father, "if it sounds to good to be true..." and "money and respect must be earned" . However some of our younger brothers and sisters too readily fall for quick cash offers with no thought on whether it is good for the next person. So please keep up the great work! Im now subscribed. Andrew UK 🇬🇧

[@TheSchmitz77]

Videos like this are honestly why I’m subscribed. Incredible info thanks so much!

[@cms9902]

Frank and honest and an excellent pitch for new subscribers. So I was hopefully not dumb by subscribing as a first time viewer of your channel.

[@donttalkcrap]

Wow! thanks for being so transparent. I'm really disappointed to know that some of my fave channels are just shills. Really leaves a nasty taste.Thanks for exposing the truth.

[@CRtrain]

Your videos are so on point. This one in particular was eye opening and jaw-dropping to say the least. Appreciate your candor and insanely well-researched points about how this influencer world works.

[@jamescarter3883]

Wow! I had no idea of the number of traps set up for creators. Likley that you covered just the tip of the iceberg. Thank you Benn, for the reality check !

[@DijaFix]

As you asked at that part of the video, I got an ad for a new John Wick film, and an ad for grilling sausages. Not a big movie guy, and a vegetarian, so spot on

[@nescius2]

i got nothing, probably because i am an IT person who knows how to install ublock origin.

[@DijaFix]

@@nescius2as you should, it’s a really good adblocker

[@heavyion]

Thank you for making this video, man. You are a good teacher and musician, and also you, Sir, have balls of uranium. Awesome content!

[@13donstalos]

The transparency is as refreshing as it is rare. Good stuff my dude. Subbed.

[@AndrewMasters]

Benn, I just found your channel and am absolutely in love with your videos. Kick ass job.

[@leosphilosophy]

You're awesome, dude! The 'what other animals hear' video was how I found your channel, subscribed! Thanks for your content!

[@saulcross9690]

Your open and honest discussion is as always refreshing and enlightening. Thankyou.

[@AlexKGameson]

Thank you so much for sharing this information and being humbly humorous in the process ❤🎉😊

[@joerama]

TY for all the eye-opening insights on a side to influencing that most of us don’t even know exist. I am very glad I watched your video. You have pulled back the curtain on some seriously dark (cough cough) shenanigans. TY

[@kilgore_trout_37]

This is an incredible video, and I’m fascinated this is the first thing I’ve ever seen of your channel and it has a meager 90,000 views. This should be required viewing by anyone using KZbin and/or social media. You’ve earned a new sub and I’ll send this far and wide.

[@SoftDistorsions]

Thanks for making this informative, and humorous at times, video! I am thanking about finally starting to make time to create and share content on KZbin. I’ve recently read a book on the impact the way we share information online has been changing our minds. About the importance of keeping and open mind just as much as a healthy dose of skepticism when it comes to information. (Published in 2011 and still holds up super well because it’s different passionate professionals sharing on the subject. I.E. physicist director from MIT) Your video resonates with some of what a read very well. I might just subscribe, because I appreciate your realness and maybe you’ll inspire some of my animation sound design or electronics build. 😊

[@sumerianliger]

The main thing this video taught me is that creators can in fact choose when the KZbin ads start, which makes it BAFFLING to me that they so often are randomly placed.