Why I Deleted My Third-Party YouTube Apps

I deleted all my third-party KZbin apps, that are supposed to help you grow as a creator. I found a dark side to these programs, so I got rid of them.
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[@rickh6963]

The "Ben-Hur on a Ben-Broke budget" crowd is a niche. Expect the smaller numbers than other content creators. You are incredibly talented in what you are doing and I thank you for taking the time to share it with us. Make some movies and share them with us, if you develop some frugal techniques and you share those with us, all the better! No third party app can tell you what I am thinking, if you engage with us and read the comments it will tell you more that an algorithmic app. So lets really look at the numbers. There are millions of channels on KZbin. I subscribe to about 30ish of them. That puts you in the top 30 of millions!!! How are those numbers?????

[@tannerhoke]

Compare yourself to who you were yesterday. Those apps sound super toxic, I’m glad you escaped them!

[@knoptop]

You're number 1 in my book! ...My book being, Alaska-based Filmmakers who have worked with PVC tubing at some point in their career.

[@frugalfilmmaker]

Wow! Thanks! BTW, that first TubeBuddy graph is me vs. you. :)

[@markthomas3853]

I can absolutely understand the frustration especially if you are trying to make YT more of a job... that being said... I'm thankful for your old stuff... you helped me a lot and I was happy to see you come back... I hope you find what you are looking for from the YT gig...

[@HoggetBlanker]

The tools can be handy but the challenge is remaining objective and looking at the data coldly, without attachment. Social media has been shown to increase depression because people see what "great lives" others have, only to look around and see that their own life is different and "doesn't quite stack up". People compare their worst to other people's best and tend to forget that we all strive to present the most positive part of ourselves while attempting to hide the negative. While many KZbinrs seem successful, many have also burnt out. Whether you use the tools or not, I agree that the best metric is not where you stand compared to others but where you are today compared to yesterday, this week compared to last week, etc. If you have moved closer to where you want to be, whether it be a mile or a single step, that deserves congratulations.

[@Binbuster]

As a smaller channel we struggled and are struggling to balance full time work with our content. Because we weren’t seeing growth. But now, after watching this video you urged us to just be the best we can be!

[@ZackTrunzo]

Great well needed perspective on being a KZbinr. Nice to see your back making videos I used to enjoy all your DIY film projects. Keep making awesome content! 😀🎥

[@SeanSeebran]

Hey buddy, I definitely understand where you're coming from. I always find it very interesting when the "KZbin Gurus" tell you not to compare yourself to other channels, just compare yourself to your past videos to see if you're content is improving, etc, yet they promote the use of these third-party tools that automatically compares you to other channels that may be way more advanced than yours, how can this be good for your psyche?

[@Dannymclovin]

I've been subbed to you for years and had completely forgotten about your channel due to my growing interest in cars the thought about filmmaking on ths cheap reminded me I'm glad your still uploading 👌 I never go to the subscription tabs on the youtube mobile app so that's why, everyone typically ignores their subs unless they appear on the home tab I believe. the audiences laziness sure does affect content creators

[@vinvin1715]

You are so right. Bigger is not always better. Subscribers does not equal viewers. Always seek to be better but not compete.

[@justvish]

i watched the full video and the ad served.. you need to start sharing more how to - frugal filmmaking tips and techniques.. like how to live stream.. how to hook the audience.. how to tell a good story... we can then share these videos too..

[@marion_roberts]

Christ. I've been following your videos ever since what, you've been making those DIY stabilizers which was years before commercial gimbals became available, to help weekend hobbyists like me. It's not been fair, you deserve better. All I could say is thank you for all the wisdom you've been sharing to us, I plan to stick around regardless of how much success you'll make out here.

[@RookieRoost]

It's a hard call in a creative space to pay too much attention to the numbers. Creating your best content is what counts... but it won't pay the bills if no one is consuming it. The numbers have only demoralized me, personally. Every day is a chance to improve, and maybe one day I'll reach a point where others find my creations as valuable as I find them to make.

[@ThomasConnery]

I do use Tube Buddy but purposely try to avoid comparing myself to other channels. Keep those blue collar videos coming! 🙏🏻

[@andreibazi]

The fact that your videos don't have the highest production value gives me a feeling of "coziness" and authenticity that always makes me come back to them. I think we are all tired of all of the fake overproduced content we often see around here, so having a channel like yours to watch is really refreshing, and I am glad I randomly thought to check out your channel again and see you are back. I made sure to hit the bell icon and can't wait to watch your next videos! Good luck, Scott!

[@MikeBenedict1]

I've never understood the point of comparing yourself to others. It's like trying outdo your neighbors with who has the biggest Christmas light display each year or who's driving the more expensive car, has the biggest McMansion. Why? I like your channel because I like to build things, improvise and learn techniques and you show ways of doing things I hadn't thought of. Building things seems to be a growing trend these days so my advice is to follow your heart and do what you find interesting and fulfilling rather than trying to follow the money. You might not be able to pay your bills off of KZbin but you'll be inspiring a lot of people with your ideas. Just my .02 worth. I'd also like to add that while this video isn't a build video, I found it very interesting to get an inside view of content generation on KZbin so even a rant video can be informative and instructional.

[@DRATproductions1]

As with everyone else... WELCOME BACK!! I fully understand your frustration, I have the same subscriber number for the last 7 years. I have tried everything, but realized I enjoy making videos and I do have a following (a very small one at that) and need to bring new content to them. I had grand thoughts of having thousands and thousands of followers, but I guess it is just not in the cards for me. But doing fairly well on FB but as long as I enjoy making my weekly videos, I guess I don't worry about the numbers game!

[@beatdiabetes3]

What you say makes a lot of sense. One thing we all need to recognize: You've got to have another life besides your "KZbin life." To be entirely absorbed in statistics and comparisons would be so depressing! Life is so much bigger than the videos we produce.

[@AntCooke]

Totally agree with deleting those apps. I’ve watched so many channels lose their way (and their magic) whilst chasing views and algorithms. Make content that makes you happy and interests you. It will show and people will watch.

[@Samtagri]

Nice to finally hear a bit about the disappearance. I don’t know about KZbin channels, but when I play online games and they tell me I scored 1millionth on a score board after a played my ass off I get completely demotivated to touch the game anymore. So I know what you mean. And that’s a controlled game. Competing on KZbin where some have under the table sponsorships and girls showing more cleavage than the thing they are reviewing.... makes the competition even more unfair and disheartening. I think you did well by unplugging from all this none sense.

[@risingempireentertainment]

Your channel has always been underrated. I love your content and built everything you shared. You helpef me develop as a film maker.

[@frugalfilmmaker]

Thank you! Glad I could help!

[@user-zv7lm8uk7h]

Just found your channel searching how to build a Chapman Leonard style jib/dolly. I found your job video. Thought you did a great job speaking to the camera, good personality and energy. Appreciate the ‘blue collar’ as you say in this video. Also about to watch teleprompter in a box, genius idea. Keep going!

[@vinvin1715]

Welcome back you have been missed

[@lasserious]

@thefrugalfilmmaker There's nothing wrong with being blue collar. I left my full time job in I.T. to run my photography business. I have a KZbin channel with 8k subscribers for the past 8 years and I thought I was going to make a living off KZbin. That of course didn't happen. BUT your channel has always helped me as a film maker and photographey because many of your tips are applicable to photography too! So now 10sh months later, I am self employed (during a "pandemic" and working my tail off doing Real Estate Photography and Video Tours! I say this in all honesty. You were one of the first channels I fallowed to learn more about how to improve my equipment and video techniques on a budget, I actually owe you a lot of thanks. I even have a Camera Stabilizer rig I made based off "Camera Stabilizer Rig for Under $5" video. It's 9 years old and still going strong! I'll send you a picture if you would like! All that said, I appreciate you and all your hard work! If I can ever help you in any way just say the word! Thank you again. Trevor B Modest Photography

[@Mostruggles]

Hello. I have never commented on your videos before, but i just wanted to say, i love your stuff. i am not a film maker, videographer, or channel maker. i am just guy who plays around with my camera, video tapes family outings ,and our animals. I enjoy the building of equipment that you might need. The budget setups you create and the problem solving techniques you display along with the out of the box thinking. i have purchased some of the fixtures you have recommended to make my own setups. Some things, such as mic booms, i might not need but enjoy watching the creation anyway. Thanks for what you produce and all the effort you put into them!

[@HPoppington]

You're 100% right about competition and psychological effects it has on your creativity. Hopefully now that you've removed some of that clutter from your mind, you can get back to the content this channel promises -- custom builds, thrifty tips, gear reviews, etc.

I absolutely agree with you. I'm not in competition with any other channel and not in a race to increase the number of my subscribers. I just share my aerial vids. Thank you for sharing your opinions. 👍👌

[@LukeWidas]

Miss your Vids, You were the reason I got into video in the first Place :) Glad to have you back. Hopefully you can come out with new ideas and cool frugal ways to make better videos :)

[@GuyBrown]

Glad to see you back!!!

[@newfoundmass]

I agree completely. I suppose for competitive people those tools are great, but I'm a big believer that success is different for everyone and you shouldn't measure yours based on what others are doing. To me that's not healthy, and there will always be someone doing "better" than you. That just sounds stressful.

[@AthanCondax]

Was the same with when I removed my social media apps. You're constantly comparing yourself to others in a way that isn't healthy. Just do what you love in the way you love it. I've come to accept that KZbin likely won't be a career for me, but I use it to publish content that makes me happy. The only analytics I see are my comments from my beautiful subscribers. I have only a few of them, but each and every one of them make me really happy and that's what I reserve my KZbin channel for: making me happy.

[@robertlongoria765]

Great to see you back I was a loyal follower and will be so again. You can't be everything to everyone but you have the indy creative (broke?) and that counts for more than enough. My opinion

[@XSpImmaLion]

I don't really have an active KZbin channel, but thought a lot about publishing content... my position on this is kinda simple - if I was ever to start actively working as a KZbin creator, I'd just run it totally blind regarding analytics... kinda same way I did a very long time ago my old blog. Basically because I wouldm't be doing it to cater to a certain crowd, but more to share the stuff that I'm interested in. Anything less and I'm 100% sure that I'd lose interest and just stop doing it. This isn't a tip for others, just an acknowledgement on how I operate. It's what happened with the blog, it's why I stopped using stuff like health trackers, it's why I lost interest in a whole bunch of channels and blogs. I burn easy, and constantly looking at statistics only makes thing worse for me. It takes too much time, it has no productive results, and it turns fun into chore or competition which I'm not really interested in the fist place. But again, this is a personal point of view. I don't see anything wrong with people keeping a close eye on those and constantly adjusting their own stuff to improve metrics... it just isn't something that works for me. o/

[@LostWax]

I think you nailed it. Whenever I start comparing to others in my niche, I end up feeling awful. There's always going to be someone getting more traction than me, and of that's what KZbin serves up. It's a lesson I seem to have to learn over and over:)

[@BillDubeVariety]

Interesting video. My feeling has always been ONE TIME FEE when possible. If I was at a point where I could start paying for comparison for additional analytics from getting past 1,000 subs and having a merch store which I have not even figured out yet, then maybe I'd consider it. It seems like we all have different views on what success is and how important it is to gain success. And yes when watching other channels it is definitely humbling. For example when I watch Mr. Beast and his logarithmic growth, it is amazing. Always enjoy your presentations. Every day this side of the dirt is a great one regardless of how our channels do. Have many more GREAT days my friend.... Glad I subscribed to your channel.

[@DanielScottFilms]

Good for you. I had to remove a bunch of subscription channels because they made me feel depressed because all they did is flaunt new gear and how it will make you a better filmmaker. It seemed like they focused too much on sponsors and affiliate sales instead of showing us how to succeed with the tools most of us already own.

[@ThePheonix2009]

It is really awesome to see you are back. You inspired me to get into video. I would give you two thumbs up but there is only one place to click.

[@frankligas2249]

Thanks for the video. I've missed your channel Ichiban Scott Son. (Ichiban: First of one, incomparable to all others. In a class all your own and therefore incomparable to others.) PS: I have a workshop now and building many of your projects and most important... I just hit the subscribe button! Thanks again for the video.

[@TheBendermen]

On this episode of Frugal Feelings

[@TheNashvilleJason]

I'm not much of a youtuber, but I'm about to dive in with more effort. I think you're somewhat right. Sadly KZbin is a trendy type of platform and following trends will get you more views so monitoring what the popular channels are doing might help you present your channel in a trendier way. Leading to more views and possibly better results. However, I've also seen very strong channels with few subs solely because a channel sticks to their guns. Presents their information their way and their audience appreciates them for it.

[@funwithmadness]

I've never used any of these tools, so I'm probably saying something out of line, but unless they are giving you suggestions on how to you can improve then they aren't really useful. By the way, I'm glad to have back!

[@BadKarma714]

When I use tube buddy I never thought about it that way but then again I only used the free version I don’t pay for that stuff lol I am cheap

[@buddyshearer4170]

I'm at that point as well. Almost ready to pull the trigger at ending those apps. I just want a decent keyword research tool. What do you use for keyword research?

[@WolfsHaven]

Mixed feelings about it. When you're new to the game it might help you to find out what you need to do to make more money. However after you've learned the ropes, unless you are looking to be the best on KZbin or even just your category, it's not really necessary. There's really two ways to look at KZbin, Twitch, or whatever platform(s) you choose. 1. If I make a few extra bucks, great. If you just want to share your knowledge or figure hey I'm doing this anyway, I might as well film it. You'll be fine. 2. You want to make it a career. That takes a lot more effort and if you aren't making the money you want to make well you need to find out why and try to change. Find out who's making it and what they are doing differently (ok the apps help here). Pay close attention because even if you don't see it at first, it's there. It's usually little things. Something as stupid as a thumbnail can make or break a video. Channel grow usually doesn't happen overnight. Just because one video blows up, dosen't mean subsequent ones will. Even the bigger channels are hit and miss with their videos. You have to constantly think about what you can do to grab more viewers. Viewers come and go, not all of them are loyal fans like me that were waiting with baited breath for your return. About a year ago Harris Heller did a video about how to get sponsors. One thing that really got me is every company he interviewed, said they don't care about how many viewers or subs you have. They care about what you do, where you're planning to go, and if that fits with thier plans. They want to see you grow, if you're working with them, as you grow, you'll get more eyeballs on thier products. It's a win/win. You are back and that's excellent but you are pretty much starting over again. It's going to take some time to build your following back up. So what if other channels are doing better. Many of them have been at it for longer and have built that up from nothing themselves. You'll get there, keep at it and keep your chin up. I have faith in you.

[@chipbrandstetter]

Good to see you back sir. The FB page kind of became my camera's better than yours. It's like fight club over there!

[@barrysoutthere]

You speak the truth

[@ZvilgantisKailis]

No program will tell me how to feel. Competition is not bad.

[@MichelleCaruso]

I’m just starting out on KZbin & I haven’t used any third-party apps. Thanks for the intel. Comparison is the thief of joy.

[@MileyonDisney]

VIDEO REQUEST: I'd like to see a video on recording tabletop items, including what audio gear hold the smartphone (with tip on how to be sure it's horizontal video) or DSLR, lighting, what audio gear to use, etc. Your content is good - always has been. An idea: Have a giveaway, maybe the cost of a month or two of your KZbin 3rd party software, and ask people what video they would like to see. Say they can leave as many comments about it as they would like, which would increase their odds when the giveaway software randomly picks a comment for the winner. Maybe start the comment with "VIDEO REQUEST:" in all caps to be easier for you to spot to get the ideas. My video request was just an example, and I could've broken it down to about 6 comment, increasing my odds of winning. And I know you had a video about that - it was just an example. And a big THANK YOU for all of your videos. I've watched every one and got a lot of great tips. I built a few of your DIY projects and purchased some of your recommended gear. I recently sold my Sony 4K camcorder (that I LOVED). My sister and I started doing personal biography interview videos (where you record [mostly old] people, where they tell about old family history, growing up, going to school, getting married, time in the military, etc. - you get the idea. And we did a 2-day Pentecostal church dedication service (I was very proud of how that video turned out). If you knew me, you'd be amazed that I even stepped foot inside there. I'm an atheist, and my family often talks about me being inside a church, saying the roof would fall in. I have nothing against anybody's religion. In fact, I think a big part of our country's problems today are that people are not religious as they used to be. ANYHOW, sorry to go off on a tangent there. Thanks for everything! I hope all is well. I want to ask if you and the missus are still together and if you're still in Alaska, but I know that's too personal. Ask me anything (I probably won't answer).

[@noahsduck4109]

Great video! And a very good lesson! Keep going!

[@biscuitsalive]

it gameifies KZbin. Which, if you treat KZbin as a hobby, like me, it sucks the fun out of it very quickly. I gave up looking it view numbers etc a long time ago. But then ive never done it to make money... i think my attitude would be very different if i was trying to make a living out of KZbin.

[@sydneylmyers]

I built a channel to over 100k subs and never used any of those tools that are recommended in these 'how to be successful on KZbin' videos. I dug into each one to see what they did and I found the features to be only mildly helpful. Lots of data, but not relevant or actionable data. Everything you need is in KZbin Studio. And yes, only compare yourself to yourself, not someone else. That's how every successful business operates.

[@theultimateninja]

What the hell, when did you come back?? I hate when KZbin doesnt show my feed correctly.

[@CreepyTreeProductions]

feel the same way you do

[@marklopez9238]

Wow!...interesting! Never judge urself based on others! We are just competeing with ourselves!

[@actioncom2748]

Definitely helps the blood pressure.

[@OneCheapEric]

Refreshing take! Metrics are the devil. I just want to make videos.

[@Samtagri]

You may do better by renting/borrowing new cameras for a day after they are released and give your first impressions. The nerds love to see these videos about new products more than budget film making review. You can call the segment frugal wish list! Or unaffordables!! Or is this frugal?? Actually the last one is not a bad idea. There are cameras like the Sony A6000 series and Canon 300D or canon eos m 50 which are very frugal new cameras. Of course hiring models as subjects to shoot during the video and having them in the thumbnail will also boost your clicks dramatically. Maybe go against the trend and get sexy male models so the wife doesn’t get jealous!! :P

[@TSGEnt]

0:43 green with envy I see. Nice touch. First off, bravo to you. As for the tools, the only one making any money with those tools... are the tool makers. They have passive income from the subscription. Great for them, but it's useless to compare one's work with another person's work at least from a growth perspective. Personal goals are the way to do "grow". If I have a goal to reach 10 million subs, comparing and perhaps mimicking other's work isn't going to do it. Find a unique way to attract 10 million subs, or whatever the goal is. Frankly, video engagement is a better goal. A video with 100k+ comments will trump subscriptions in my opinion. I digress. Anyway, set goals and do the things that help you achieve those goals. 2:49 Oxymoron wouldn't you say?

[@dphotos007]

It is unfortunate that some of these teenage KZbin channels that do stupid pranks or play video games can make a great deal of money. I think your channels subject material is too narrow to get real high subscribers numbers. Have you though of branching out? For example one channel I subscribed to when he first started in 2009 he was only doing RC planes builds and reviews but he has an engineering background and he started another channel and he does product reviews by testing the various products and comparing them as an engineer would test and he now now has a few million subscribers.

[@davidtaylorsr]

You’re right FF! I don’t care to spend most of my time making a thumbnail! Just make a good video about something you’re passionate about.

[@ARTFLY]

Your channel is GREAT for me :) Sorry I can only subscribe once ;)

[@GuyBrown]

Vid IQ is what I use.

[@sirnubenegra]

Wow dude. You really have ego issues. Do videos for you first. They will follow. That was my down fall when I started to care