The Hidden Value of YouTube Comments

[@ChannelMakers]

What are you going to implement from this video?

[@BobsUtopia]

I am going to start pinning a question to my videos to get things started.

[@ChannelMakers]

@@BobsUtopia Its a great place to start!

[@knowitintobeing]

​@😮ChannelMakers

[@ChannelMakers]

@@knowitintobeing hey! :)

[@smilingoma3334]

I already heart & respond back to comments, but haven't tried pinning comments yet, so I will give that a try. This video has much value in the tips shared & as I grow, hope to incorporate more of them too. I follow YT channels & tend to leave comments on the channels & videos that I know engage with their viewers whether it's responding back to a comment or at least hearting it. The channels that only respond back to the comments in 1st hour & then ignoring all other comments left, I tend to watch & like only & I feel no sympathy from these content creators when they whine in their videos that their views have gone down.... it's like they build up to a point with subscribers & success & then forget their audience that helped them grow in the first place & I think a reason for their views going down.... It's funny though, while I do scroll through comments on some videos, especially if it's someone I know being featured to shut down any trolls leaving unkind comments on my friends creations, but as a content creator, even if it brought more views & attention to my videos, I don't want drama on my video comments. That's not what I'm trying to create, but I get it from a marketing strategy. Anyhow, thanks for the tips, best of luck in your YT endeavors! ☮& ♥~ SmilingOma333 🙂

[@workinprogress3329]

Before I started creating content I probably rarely ever left a like or any comments. I didnt realize how that really helps out the creators I watch. Now I always try to atleast like the video even if I dont comment.

[@ChannelMakers]

That's a really interesting observation. I think that's a great way to show support to other creators. - Nathan

[@ThinkInPolish]

That's exactly what I've realized recently. I was unaware how important comments and viewer's engagement are for the creators until I started my owon channel. And I do the same- always want leave a hand up or a little comment, to show support for the creator. I am now fully aware of how much time and effort it takes to create even a short video. I think it's great when we support one another instead of treating others as purely competition.

[@asmrconexion]

Before I began my channel I was 100% a watcher, never oonsidered the value of comments. Now i love it so much not only for my own community who have become so important to me. I now involuntarily comment & also interact w other comments on videos I like when I am compelled to do so. I can't explain how much faith in humanity I have found anew in some of the eloquent and profound comments I have come across. Truly changed my YT experience on so many levels.

[@RebelCowgirl01]

It stops me from commenting. Takes the button away. It’s just gone. A donate heart is there but the regular comment is gone.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

We love interacting with our viewers in the comment section. Our community is everything to us! When someone goes to see a movie and then comes back and checks out our review, we always appreciate hearing their thoughts, and it's fun when they have a different impression of a film then we did. Thanks for the video.

[@ChannelMakers]

That's so awesome. Thanks for the comment! :)

[@BobsUtopia]

I just wanted to comment on this excellent video. I agree that many KZbinrs miss a golden opportunity to connect with their audience. For me, every comment gets a response and this interaction with my audience is one of the most rewarding things about having a channel.

[@ChannelMakers]

Thank you! I really appreciate that. I think you've got the right perspective. I agree, I love the rewarding interactions with those who watch the videos I make. - Nathan

[@RuthCompany73]

I’ve always been a comment junkie lol but rarely leave a comment. I have been watching KZbin videos for over a decade and I’ve always thumbs 👍🏾 up the videos. Recently I’ve decided to comment more but on the smaller channels. I would’ve never known how much goes into creating content until I started.

[@MyWildBackyard]

Underrated strategy that I use- generating word clouds from comments on individual videos. There are websites where you can download comments sections to csv files, and other sites where you can convert csv files to word clouds. This will give you a birds eye view of what people are saying about your videos to help you iterate forward.

[@ChannelMakers]

Very cool idea!

[@DougLietz]

@MyWildBackyard @@ChannelMakers I agree.. cool idea. Now... wouldn't it be great if we could embed an image of the word cloud as a pinned comment !?! This might help to encourage viewers who don't typically read the comments, to actually spend a bit of time reading the comments.

[@grantchatter]

I answer eevveerryy comment on my channel - unless it's spam; that gets deleted/reported to avoid commenters getting spammed. Glad to see this video, to know better how to serve the viewers who take the time to comment. Thanks!

[@HyperactiveHighs]

This is something I've been big on lately, making my audience feel part of a community they want to interact with. It helps a lot, and honestly I love interacting back, it's a lot of fun and it's cool seeing the same people come around. I only started doing this a few months ago, but it's been a blast.

[@mpsmanger4713]

I like those RGB portable lights you fired up in the beginning of the video.

[@ChannelMakers]

Thanks, they are fun!

[@DetroitNinja]

I break out the popcorn and read the comments on my KZbin shorts. I pin the best comment that will get the most replies.

[@ChannelMakers]

That's a great idea!

[@AIKnowledge2Go]

Engaging with your audience is key! I've noticed that many medium-sized KZbinrs in my niche often overlook this, resulting in few, if any, comments on their videos. Despite being a faceless channel, I find myself receiving more interaction, which I believe is largely due to my commitment to responding to comments. It's about creating memorable conversations and building a loyal audience. Remember, it's not just about the content, it's also about the community you foster around it.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

I agree with what you said about comments. I always appreciated when my comments were noted by the video creator and it does make that special connection. I too try to reply to all those how comment on my videos. It does help.

[@WheelBite_]

Just started watching this channel it’s incredibly helpful. Ty!

[@ChannelMakers]

Glad to hear it! 😀- Nathan

[@splifster88]

I’m watching this as a viewer and not a content creator. I want to help those creators I enjoy and have no clue how I do that. So, I appreciate what you’ve included here. Thanks!

[@jmilkslinger]

I've tried to always respond to each comment --- and the result is that I feel like I'm building an actual community, a community of friends. It's kinda wild, really. What I'd like to hear more from you, Nathan, is how to level up that community to a patreon. I won't always be able to maintain this level of communication on the channel itself, but leveling up --- the actual HOW to do it --- leaves me feeling bewildered and uncertain. Maybe a mastermind session for people who are starting a patreon? Just a thought.... P.S. I'm LOVING your on-camera presence. You're killing it.

[@ChannelMakers]

That's a great idea! I'll chat with Anna and see what we can do. And thank you! I really appreciate it! :)

[@eyesonindie]

This is really fresh and valuable advice! Love this! To take it a few steps further: it's also incredibly valuable, when you are small especially, to comment on other people's videos in your niche. That's how I've gotten so many of my subscribers. AND if someone takes the time to comment on your video, and it looks like they have their own channel, the power move is to go watch and comment on one of THEIR videos. Then you have really built engagement and connection. Again, this is easier when you are small! Thanks, Nathan!

[@jeriheggie]

Totally agree and have been doing this with great success. I just started my channel so I was pleasantly surprised it worked 🎉

[@ChannelMakers]

Absolutely! Thanks for sharing that

[@Rufio1975]

I usually leave a comment on top of reading the comments. Most of the time if I like it. I'll click the like button but if I don't like it, I usually do not hit the dislike button. I just move on.

[@BrianReplies]

Well...I dunno. I comment addictively and I rarely buy anything or get "taken to the next level." (Though I did use someone's Epidemic Sound link once)

[@trinciacakewalk]

I will definitely put in pinned comments. I rather recently started publishing. Every video takes eons of time to make so I don’t publish every day and not even every week. That is one reason to why my channel is growing very slowly. And very few have commented so far. So I look forward to those small extras that might make my viewers a bit more active. Hope it will work even for my channel, which is in a rather narrow niche - storytelling, although it’s based on a game. Storytelling might not be the most attractive subject on KZbin, but is the thing I like to do and will continue doing despite the hard work. 😸

[@ChannelMakers]

That sounds great!

[@AafkeArt]

It's the same here!

[@EvelynM-vlogs]

When you where talking about using the pinned comment feature, I paused your video and immediately went to my latest video and left a pinned comment thanking everyone who participated in my first ever text poll on my first ever community post. Thanks for the knock on my head to get that lightbulb back on.

[@ChannelMakers]

That's awesome!

[@asiaminddynamics]

I respond to every single comment and get into good conversations every now and then. But you got it right... I need to add a link.

[@Dancing_Alone_wRentals]

It is very rare that I don't leave a comment on a video. I'm watching from desktops.

[@20thand21stMovies]

Awesome video, Nathan! I definitely need to utilize pinned comments more on my videos and I love the marketing funnel reference. Very helpful 😀.

[@ChannelMakers]

Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful! - Nathan

[@SpeedWaves1]

I just noticed that while You say "Like" the button is not sprinkling ! 😮🎉

[@ChannelMakers]

KZbin is playing games with us. :)

[@patfrenchcountryblessing]

Hello Dear, Thank you so much for all your information really appreciate you. PAT XOXO YES I subscribed 😘 🙏🥰❤️

[@patfrenchcountryblessing]

BIG 👍 UP

[@hamradioeconomystyle48]

As a creator I read all the comments left. I try to respond to as much as I can. I rarely delete comments even insulting ones. I've deleted 2 that I can remember, because on one the person was😢 a bit hostile, but not threatening. I can't remember the other comment I deleted.

[@lislearnitalianwithsongs]

Well, I heart and reply to each and every comment, even the rare mean ones. And some viewers have become such regulars that we even exchange emails!

[@spetheofmusic]

i stopped asking for friend to write comments on my songs, just because they only write the comment to "help" and usually they skip the video after doing only that

[@trinciacakewalk]

I have noticed here - as well as in any other “business” - that friends and family are the worst supporters. Most of them are just suspicious to your new ideas and very reluctantly “help” you. Most of my friends, actually my closest friends, have all kinds of excuses to not watch my videos. They are absolutely not interested and can’t think of spending a few minutes for free just for support. My very closest friend even asked what a subscription costs, even if she has a channel of her own!!! 😮 So don’t rely on friends and family. They just make you disappointed. 😢

[@ChannelMakers]

Good call! Unless your friend is someone who would naturally watch your content and other channels like yours, it can actually confuse the algorithm doing more harm than good.

[@spetheofmusic]

@@ChannelMakers exactly my point.

[@ringgate]

Absolute tip ideas to hear

[@mpsmanger4713]

Wow, Sparkles.... :)

[@ChannelMakers]

Sparkles for the win :) - Nathan

[@SarahGaleano]

Thanks Nathan! You got me to comment lol. I’m definitely a watcher. I didn’t notice any problem with the lighting. I guess those things really don’t matter as much as the content does 😊 Good video

[@ChannelMakers]

Thanks for commenting Sarah! :) I am also normally a watcher. I'm glad you enjoyed the video! - Nathan

[@ianhopfethehrpro]

Funny I was just thinking of making the first comment on each new video. Thanks Nathan! Makes me feel I’m thinking the right direction!

[@RoadsideRC]

Solid tips!! Thank you!

[@ChannelMakers]

You bet! - Nathan

[@GetIntoLifeBudgetingLifestyle]

Love the video!!!

[@ChannelMakers]

Thank you! :) I'm glad! - Nathan

[@FunkyTimers-54321]

Nice tips! thanks dude

[@ChannelMakers]

You bet!

[@MaxperBF]

Hi! I've been subscribed to this channel for a long time and I will continue to watch it bc I know that you have a great team and a lot of ideas for the future vids. But! I really think you need to improve ur video editing. Background noise is very loud and it distracted me from your voice in this one. Also i think that you need to cut silence between ur saying something a bit more so it would have more energy. I think that thumbnails have been a lot better for the last few months, but they still can improve. Just use ur own advice of keeping it simple and making it bigger. And also i liked the onscreen chemistry between ur team in the 30 days vid, so maybe u can use it for the storytelling (like u help each other with analyzing something or improving on something idk) I know that rebuilding ur channel from the ground up must be really hard, but im sure you'll succeed. Good luck! (sorry if my comment sounded dumb, not a native speaker)

[@ChannelMakers]

Thank you for the feedback! :) We will keep improving!

[@BrookesologyOfficial]

New KZbinr 41 subscribers good information.

[@baliroads]

Most my comments are telling me I'm wrong and hurtful comments.

[@ChannelMakers]

That’s really rough. I’m sorry to hear that! Try not to let it discourage you.

[@danix721]

Very informative Thank you!

[@ChannelMakers]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Velogi]

Shouldn't you make the white balance of the two cameras equal? Disturbing in this kind of channel.

[@ChannelMakers]

Yep! I must have overlooked it. :) It happens! I don't know if I would consider it disturbing though, maybe mildly annoying at best. :) Thanks for keeping me accountable! :-) - Nathan

[@matteugine]

Yeah white balance is a good thing to do but Nate was out of focus on his new "teaching KZbin" channel for like the first 10 videos. Now that IS disturbing.

[@stevendavis7628]

Thank you for the Ah Ha on the comments "subchannel" for our channels! Off to do this today.

[@ChannelMakers]

Glad it was helpful! 😀

[@JelloTheDragon]

Just ignore em! I probably don’t make much of a difference but if it makes you feel any better I think you OCs are super cool! Also just think of it this way, they’re still watching your videos and commenting on them which is like good for your channel so it’s still a win in some way. But yeah just ignore them or block them, you’re super cool don’t let anyone convince you otherwise!

[@rileydeutsch9418]

Reached 200 subscribers! In just 9 months alot of my drumming videos short have over 2k views

[@ChannelMakers]

Great job!

[@MoudyChokri]

Oh ty

[@SydneyRayGolf]

I try to on most

[@axeelite0]

Erm the flip guys?!

[@maykazayaki6296]

Well, I don't have videos, but I watch vids and like the ones I like I don't comment that often But sometimes I do And I can be too honest sometimes which made some comments be deleted (it foes not mean that I curse or something like that) Just some facts (if it's about something bad) But it actually makes me feel bad and it makes me feel like I am a bad person at that point which makes me comment less mostly

[@MoudyChokri]

Your the best i love you

[@RetroGamingCapsule]

Commented

[@MrFib112358]

Here some feedback: I just discovered your channel, watched a few videos and really liked your great and valuable content but every time you point your index finger at the camera I am tempted to stop watching. I resisted but I noticed that it is very recurrent and I could not continue. To me, finger pointing is like videos with poor audio, I try to resist and stay for the good content but in the end I feel like I can't take it. Maybe it is just me but I wanted to share.

[@ChannelMakers]

Thanks for the feedback! ☝️

[@johndoh795]

KZbin comments are literally the worst. Dumb people can smell my comments I swear. I'm still getting randos responding to a throwaway comment I made 3 months ago.

[@ChannelMakers]

It's true, the comments section can attract trolls and negativity. It can be hard to look past those things. - Nathan

[@SpeedWaves1]

TikTok comments are the worst 😅

[@BrettsWoodshop]

I just updated my top 10 videos with new pinned comments which point them to my Chess Table Build video kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6OyoHuQfZifgpo Except where the KZbinr I mentioned commented. Those I left. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@Maxonum]

Here’s a comment. No comment.

[@cheapskateaviation]

I have no reply to this

[@axeelite0]

I have no reply to this

[@JohnFinkelde]

I like videos from channels I enjoy Rarely comment 😁

[@Daydreambeliever365]

I love reading the comments but no matter when I make a comment, it always shows up as first comment. I don't care for that because a few times, my comments get overlooked and the next few comments get tons of likes. It's embarrassing even if those commenters don't say anything exceptional. I don't care about getting likes but I don't like being on top all the time. I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks

[@ChannelMakers]

KZbin often shows it as the top comment when you're looking at it from YOUR account but not from others. Try logging in from another account, or not signed in from an incognito browser sometime. It's most likely buried lower in the comments unless it has a ton of likes or responses to it. Good question though! Idk why they do things like that.

[@Daydreambeliever365]

@ChannelMakers I can't thank you enough for your response. I have been reading and asking others, but you are the first to answer my question. That means a lot to me. Now, I can support my favorite channels and not feel self-conscious . You really rock!

[@ChannelMakers]

@@Daydreambeliever365 Aw my pleasure! So happy to help. Love that you care about supporting your favorite channels, that's awesome. -Julia

[@rezamohammadpoor4753]

[@your_spirit_guide]

Whenever you see comments impersonating you to get your audience to call or contact them, it's best practice to delete them as soon as you see them so that you can minimise the amount of audience being scammed by them When they do get scammed by them, your audience might not be as enthusiastic as before to watch your content as they already have bad experience although it's not our fault As long as that comment does not have the channel's name with a tick, it's not the channel itself that dm you I noticed that many content creators didn't bother to delete them and let the scammers continue to confuse the audience, even though they will write a comment or post a video to be careful of scammers impersonating them