As a mere mortal YT viewer, the more clickbaity the title and thumbnail, the less I want to click on it. It has got out of hand to the point that the title and thumbnail don't even reflect the content of the video at all.
Exactly! I will deliberately ignore all videos/content I see as blatant clickbait. Unfortunately, it's probably a sad reflection of today's increasingly braindead society.
The "get your income off of TH-cam" is actually a really insightful thing you don't see a lot of creators talk about in terms of not only the financial benefit, but also the mental health benefit of not having your income tied to a measure of success of something you love that's ultimately out of your control. Great video!
I don't understand your comment. Why is it "insightful" to want to make money from a TH-cam channel and then create a video to make money from TH-cam? Secondly, his income is tied to a "measure of success". Without views he wouldn't get subscribers, and without subscribers he wouldn't be able to do deals with Sweetwater, sell his courses, etc, etc. Lastly, "mental health benefit"? This isn't a 9 to 5 job where you get paid for hours worked. You create something and put it out into the world to be judged. If nobody likes it you lose twice. Your ego is harmed and your wallet is empty. As I said, I don't understand your comment.
@@thomasdequincey5811 He's saying YT creators are dependent on the whims of the TH-cam algorithm. views and subscribers and "interaction" are indeed measurable. But how the algorithm works, how and why it recommends videos to people,... Nobody knows, and it changes all the time. TH-cam is not accountable either - even if they act in bad faith to actively and negatively impact (part of) their creators, they can't be sued. Unlike for instance an author who could sue their publisher if said publisher acts in bad faith.
What a legend. This immediately undoes the damage that your clickbaitey (but ultimately necessary) thumbnails do to the bassists on YT. Also keep up the player of the week, I've found so many great people there!
I watched the lesson video immediately. It is, sincerely, one of the best blues lesson videos I've seen. I bookmarked it right away to work on this weekend. Adam Levy is a real musician. You are a real musician. People don't realize how privileged we are to have access to this information, related with such patience and care that anyone can understand it and incorporate it into their practice. For those of us who remember how hard it was to obtain information like this before TH-cam, it feels like being let in on a secret. In fact, if you had told me 25 years ago that one day I would have instant access to the wisdom of Adam Levy and other musicians of his caliber I would have assumed it's because I had died and gone to heaven. I get that some of your videos need to be about helping some company sell gear, but your live performance and lesson videos are about growing the garden of good music, and that's all anyone should care about.
Rhett, near as I can tell, the algorithm has changed. I’m not getting videos from channels I subscribe to recommended to me like I used to. I have changed nothing on my end. Something is up with TH-cam’s algorithm. Is anyone else seeing this?
Same here. I have to check subscriptions to find some content and have had to subscribe again to channels that I have watched regularly. I haven't figured out how YT can choose to drop channels from my subscriptions. Especially when I watch all of the content on the dropped channels.
Honest conversation can seem like such a rare find these days but when you stumble upon it, damn it's refreshing to hear. Thanks Rhett and keep rockin' ! Love your content.
Hey Rhett, this is great insight. I also hate the "TH-cam face" -- the mouth hanging open in fake shock that something could actually do something/not do something that somebody else said it can't/can do. When I see which TH-camrs have sky high subscription numbers, it really makes me wonder what the key to success is. For me, I appreciate your basic, straightforward style of presenting information. You seem like someone I'd like to hang with.
God, I hate that face you described. That’s the face of approximately one third of all YT videos (Ive been guilty in the past when I was starting out). It’s to the point I won’t even click on “surprise face” videos because it’s so annoying.
I saw it and didn't click on it because I wasn't interested in watching, and I am someone who watches most of your videos. Maybe it was partly the algorithm but also the viewers. Granted, I am someone that knows far less of the TH-cam machinery than you, just a thought.
Putting a cheesy, stupid YT bait thumbnail on a video you're genuinely proud of is soul-crushing work. What you're describing about a video being DOA, far below what you're used to has been almost my entire experience on YT since about 2016.
I’ve been subscribed to you for years, you can see it your face on thumbnails when you have to put them up that you don’t want to be doing that. We gotcha brotha and know it’s not a “you” thing!
I saw the video before you took it down and really enjoyed it. As a beginner/intermediate guitar player, I thought you both did a great job explaining how to start soloing in a blues jam. So sorry that YT does not recognize the time and effort… 😢
Fantastic video. As someone who has spent the past year or so building my channel and audience, this really speaks to me. I fill my lessons with so much usable, deep information, I spend countless hours editing audio, video and preparing lesson materials etc but the thing that I get so anxious about is coming up with a catchy title and thumbnail. Up until 3am messing around with thumbnails and titles after a day of 9 private lessons too.. it’s brutal man! On the plus side, my channel has grown faster than I ever imagined and I have over 1000 paying Patreon members who value my instruction. I now essentially just ignore the TH-cam ad revenue as it’s so hit and miss. Anyway, thanks for speaking out on this. It’s reassuring to hear an established guitar TH-camr say these things. P.S: Adam is a good friend of mine and we’ve done a few collab videos together (working on one currently funnily enough).. he deserves the attention of anybody looking to improve their playing.
Alex you’re a great teacher and I love your low key style. Your lessons are usually way beyond my skill level, and I’m not part of your Patreon, but I have purchased some individual lesson materials which keep me busy for weeks! P.S. I’m the one who requested a video on how you make your videos, but you should never listen to me.
Your channel is easily top three for guitar instruction Alex. You're great at explaining and the look and vibe of your videos is super-relaxed -- honestly sometimes I watch a couple in a row just because I like the look and sound so much. The algorithm seemed to throw you my way because I was sitting in front of Tom Waits stuff trying to figure out what the guitars were doing.
I agree with the other commenters here, Alex. Your lesson videos are inspiring and are generally a stretch for my playing, but give me the hope that I can improve. It is clear you put a load of work in, but maybe none of us realise the real scale of the task. Please don't feel unappreciated.
Rhett, this is perfectly explained. I have yet to yank a video, but admittedly tinker with title and thumbnail to an obsessive degree. Now, the plan is to make the shift and not rely on weekly videos to make a living. Cheers and thanks for a great vid
It bums me out that YTers have make these silly thumbnails and titles just to see any engagement, but I’m glad you’re open about this issue. Love the content. Cheers.
Content Idea: I'd love to hear your take on the "spaghetti western" guitar sound. To me, those are some of the most iconic guitar riffs of all time. Would love a deep dive in the history, the players, and gear they used
I love your videos and you input. I am a intermediate guitar player and search videos about things that pertain to me, my playing, and things i want to learn more about. I really dont give much thought into the thumbnail, but i can understand its importance. Keep doing what you are doing. I hope it works for you so you keep doing it. But it helps me out alot. Thanks for doing what you do and dealing with those frustrations. It helps. It helps alot of us.
This is why it can't become your income. Just like a writer who's on an assignment, not a project of their choosing (product demos); just like a writer for, say, Rolling Stone, who has a deadline, The quality of the content suffers when you have to think about quantity. When it stops being your passion project and becomes what you MUST do. I quit uploading, almost two years ago. Because I'm not inspired right now, because I'm busy right now, and because I can. That's why I'm proud of my work. The MOMENT my work becomes commissioned, it becomes my yoke and it suffers and so do I.
TBH Rhett I have been following you long enough to want to see what you have to say. I know it will be worth my time and attention, keep doing what you do.
This was really important for me to see. As a guitar guy who's been doing something for a longgggg time (my newsletter) along with other things thrown in like TH-cam, social, blogs, etc. it's always refreshing to see realness like this. Thanks Rhett.
Here’s a shout out to say I have learned so much from you, brother. And I continue to do so. The new blues course is really accelerating all the stuff that I already know and I’m good at. You bring a lot of enthusiasm to the game and it always translates. Keep up the great work.
Rhett, as a TH-cam content creator, I don't think you can expect every video to be successful. Your very good at the TH-cam video game. "Not every swing is going to be a homerun".
I've watched you play and the way you conduct yourself. The faces you make, I didn't even notice. Keep doing what YOU DO. I'm 70 and have been playing for 53 years and have the respect of my peers, but I don't have the drive build a TH-cam channel, much less afford the equipment needed to do so.
I have an honest question. I've been watching Rhett's videos since almost the beginning. There is not a single piece of content of his that doesn't come up in my feed. I clicked on the video in question, and in less than a minute, I realized I didn't care for it, so I turned it off. Is it possible that if enough people do what I did, the algorithm will stop the video from showing up in more people's feeds? Or is it much more thumbnail based like Rhett is describing?
Yes, you clicking off the video makes its performance suffer. What I wonder is the following: Why would you click on a video which then gives you exactly what it says, and then still only give it 30 seconds of your time? What were you expecting that (if included) would have made you actually watch the whole thing?
So here's something some folk might know and some might not. TH-cam will also stop recommending videos to people if they have the bell notifications on for the channel but don't click on the videos when they are notified. So, this can also reduce impressions but yes if you click on a video and don't watch it, TH-cam will definitely push it less.
Yes, it's entirely possible and even plausible. TH-cam gives creators extensive analytics on every video, including watch time and drop off rates (basically how many viewers clicked off how many minutes into the video). The algorithm gods seem to value high retention, low drop off. The algorithm is data driven, not subjective judgement. Even if the video had a clickbaity thumbnail with a good number of initial clicks, but high drop off, I don't know for a fact but it seems plausible the algorithm will lessen it's promotion of a video that viewers arent watching for very long. A sign the content isn't engaging them. But only Rhett would know whether the drop off was different to his other vids.
100% correct. I’ve run my channel into the ground by ignoring the analytics. I always had courses and income streams outside from TH-cam. Keep up the awesome work man!!
If I had to guess as to why the video wasn’t doing well I would say it may have to do with the content as opposed to the quality. You and Adam are both fantastic musicians, and I watch practically every one of your videos, except for ones about blues guitar. I have a suspicion the majority of guitarists who watch YT just aren’t that interested in the genre. It just feels a bit tired and stale in 2024. Based on analytics, what types of videos do the best? I reckon the gear-related ones, trips to righteous guitar, what is the *blank* sound etc.
I started on playing blues, been playing blues for 20+ years. Have no interest in blues videos or watching people play the blues lol. I tried watching a Kingfish video the other day and was like "meh, I'm bored". I like different, Tim Henson blew me away when he came on the scene and lately I've been learning Chickin' Pickin' from Johnny Hiland.
@@whatmusiciwant I think a lot of people forget that part of what made the genre so popular decades ago was the songs. Like Crossroads, Statesboro Blues, Hideaway, Dust My Broom, Key to the Highway, Stormy Monday etc are all great SONGS. That’s what people love and remember, the guitar playing was the icing on the cake. For as incredible a player as someone like SRV was, he also had an incredibly solid catalog as a foundation for his virtuosity. One kind of video I’d definitely be into watching is a primer on how to write blues-based original songs in a modern context. Like how are The Black Keys for example able to straddle the line so successfully? They were able to write these bluesy rock songs that appealed to 65 year olds all the way down to people in their teens and younger. They’re not my favorite band or anything but that’s a pretty admirable feat in the modern era.
Rhett, keep going . I’ve been watching you for literally years and you have come a long way! Love your videos which are always entertaining and have learned a good bit along the way. I have been playing guitar myself for a long time and never stop learning new things about music, equipment and life.
I'll often roll my eyes or get a quick chuckle when Beato's thumbnail has him with some shocked, incredulous look or a pouty, forlorn look, but I know exactly why. He's playing the game.
@@robmlisanti dude. Not throwing shade at all. I watch a ton of Rick's videos. I don't care if anyone watches mine. I'm literally acknowledging one of the key points of this video.
The thing about lesson videos for me is that I save that for a day off where I can dedicate the time to make it stick and get something out of it. A amp video I can watch on a work break. Don’t stop making them man, they are some of the best.
I think it's worth being a little careful when blaming "TH-cam" - the reality is TH-cam just wants to promote what will lead to people watching for the longest period of time. It is frustrating that a good a thumbnail and title is SO important but it makes complete sense. If when people see the video they don't click on it, TH-cam can't promote it - why would they if no one wants to even click on it. Thinking in terms of people and not algorithms makes it at least a bit less frustrating.
The lameness and loathsome feelings one has when trying to TH-cam-ize your content for algorithmic success is soul crushing and defeating. Great video, Rhett ... and to your point about thumbnails and faces - imagine having to curate it with the responsibility of flattering/doing someone ELSE justice when you interview them for say the Rig Rundown. It's a downward spiral. -Chris Kies & Team PG Video
Adam Levy is a gem! He's played on so many formative records for me! Thanks for doing the vid! I was hella excited for you having that opportunity man, i know that had to be an honor! Im sorry for the speed bump. I struggle with emotional momentum disruption, i know thats got to be frusterating. Gotta say, Its pretty cool that you used this obstacle as an opportunity to give us some seriously good advice. Much appreciated! Good luck with the vid & course!
I like how average people in these comments are like…nah, I think you’re wrong, it was the content. Especially when you have someone like mrbeast saying thumbnails and titles are one of the most important aspects of getting views. I remember watching one YT’er say that not having one of those cringey thumbnails is like opening a restaurant without a sign on the front.
I think the point of my post is that based on what successful TH-camrs say that’s not entirely true. Now retention…maybe. You see a lot of popular YT’ers who make the payoff of the video at the very end - like to see if Rob guessed all of the guitars correctly - or which team of random strangers will win the $1M. I’m sure these are strategies which solve the second half of the equation.
I skipped the video you're talking about for 2 reasons: 1) I don't come here for lessons, I come for vlogs and seeing gear that I don't have access to. 2) I have no idea who the other guy is.
Please, for your own benefit, look up Adam Levy and learn more about him. If you play guitar, he's worth knowing about. If you LOVE guitar, he's essential to know about. Really. He's a great player.
Completely fair, you don't have to watch anything you don't want to watch and not every video is going to be relevant to every user. That said, you missed one hell of a video. This was a fantastic lesson and Adam is an incredible guitarist that we could all benefit from watching. I am really glad Rhett had the opportunity to collab with him on the lesson and that we all get to see a snippit of it for free.
I’m seeing a lot of people in the comments share my same sentiment: it’s not that I didn’t see it or TH-cam didn’t show it, I saw it and passed. For as much of the sentiment of wanting to give videos to your 14 year old self is awesome (and when I was learning I picked up a TON from you), I feel like the main draw of your channel is YOU. The vlogs, the opinions, the advice, that’s what I’m here for. I personally would much rather click on you talking about some weird pedal or amp, or give production tips, or just show a fun gig you did then I would the TH-cam formulaic “*Insert Guitar Hero* shows how a REAL PRO SOLOS with the PENTATONIC 🤘🏻🤘🏻🔥🔥🎸🎸🤯🤯 (watch till the end!!) (feat. *insert guitar hero*) also BUY MY NEW COURSE”. There are just way to many other spots across the platform already making that content lol
This is the perfect way to sum it all up Rhett. I've been trying to make my channel work for 3+ years and it's not taking off despite the audio and video being stellar, the info being accurate, and flow being smooth, they just aren't being shown to people.
Thanks for the honesty and transparency. TH-cam is no joke and I really appreciate all your coaching and inspiration. I still get stuck because title and thumbnails are so challenging!
I replied to another comment from Alex Farron and the same applies to you, Daniel. You have become a really valued element of me improving my playing. I even read your emails!
Thanks for sharing your honest thoughts with us. Certainly, the way youtube works nowadays has changed a lot in the last few years. Sometimes, I wander why TH-cam shows shit in my feed, and the stuff I wanna watch, I actually have to find in my "subscriptions" section. Ridiculous. Keep it up, Rhett!
The video was slow paced and kind of basic, you need to break it up with chapters, and give an overview in the beginning of what you are about to see, and put a little pep in your step. There was a lot of room for improvement. Study Mr. Beast (I'm not joking) how he pulls you into the video from the very first second and keeps you engaged. Keep at it, love your channel and content.
agree here. I just went and watched and it just starts out with some guitar playing that goes on too long. While nice, what's the point of the vide? If a user cant tell immediately, why should they keep watching?
And yet if the exact content in the video was happening in front of you in real life, you wouldn’t say the same thing lol. You wouldn’t be expecting jump cuts, text, zoom in and outs.
Thank you for posting. I've been avoiding your videos lately because the titles have seemed like click bait. I have more appreciation for your struggle with it now.
Eh... dont blame youtube. IMO people wanna see gear talk more than lessons. Just an assumption but you shouldnt expect a short lesson video to do as well as one that showcases unique gear.
No, you can blame TH-cam. If TH-cam isn't even showing the thumbnail to people then all who aren't subscribed to Rhett Shull will not see the video and be able to click on it. People who are subscribed might only want to see gear talk, but that doesn't go for everyone on TH-cam who is interested in learning guitar.
I don't even play guitar anymore and still watch nearly all of your output. I have channels that I watch for the content, which, from previous views, I have deemed worthy of my time. You, Mary Spender, Adam Neely, Phil McKnight are an example. Neither you (nor they) are trying to sell me anything, which I appreciate. Keep hanging tough, keep putting out the great content, and I'll be here as long as you are making the vids.
But in the end, the culprit isn't TH-cam and its management, the culprit is viewers. Because the TH-cam algorithim is just a learning machine that does what people, by their viewing habits, teach it to do. We have met the enemy and it is us.
Yes and... No : ) It's partially the viewers but also the fact that the algorithm is seen as the only truth. The problem is that the viewing data is not just used for analyzing what may work well or not, it is also actively influencing what is being presented to viewers (the algorithm). In other words the algorithm is influencing the data which then feeds the same algorithm again. This makes it very hard for any other great content or new ways which haven't been tried yet to through the filter of the algorithm and therefore won't scores well, which i return feed the algorithm again and so on and so on.
@@florisbackx1744 Yes, I understand. But TH-cam is a for-profit business and it is under no obligation to privilege the information that a channel owner thinks it should. YT privileges the information that works for its business model. No one has to like it, just understand it.
8:02 dude, this is SOOO GOOOD. It’s why I went from a full time musician to having many part time incomes and I encourage others to do the same! Keep creativity creative!!
I saw the first upload and was going to watch it later. I often watch a few seconds so I can find videos in my history. Anyways, when I was going to watch I noticed it was gone and was wondering what happened. It sucks that everything has to be so engagement optimized, especially when some of us actually want to spend time on valuable videos we can learn from. At any rate, I guess I'll go watch the re-upload now.
keep it up man, this platform is dull nowadays, u are authentic, u are gifted, u are blessed by god, don’t let this slow you down and always keep thinking and growing
You’ve done lots of fantastic, informative & interesting videos Rhett. Thanks for the tips on this platform. I hope moving forward you can get it working for you in a much better way.
One of the many reasons why I am a Rhett Shull fan, in addition to the wonderful guitar teaching and music knowledge, is the honesty, integrity, and sincerity. Totally get the cringing discomfort of certain just-gotta-do-’em job-related tasks. My guess is very few jobs are completely free of those. Please know, Rhett, that you, your dedication to your craft, and, yes, your TH-cam channel, are all very much appreciated!🌟🙏🏽😊
I’m from Brazil and regularly watch your videos; also have bought a few courses. Nowadays, I have disabled my “history” from TH-cam, witch removes the feed page. Then I go directly to my subscriptions pages, wich shows the Channels I like. Find it more suited to my interests and time. Thank you for your lessons, appreciate your job!
Thanks for the video. Definitely feel this. Can be pretty frustrating at times. But I don't think there's any other alternative that comes close to doing what TH-cam does that's worth considering. In the meantime, I'm just grateful to be here.
Thanks for sharing these candid insights. The whole "TH-camr Face" thing resonates with me so much. I've seen tons of analytics study videos that show the click through rates of those types of thumbnails perform well, but I recently polled my own audience across different platforms asking if they would be more or less likely to click on a TH-camr Face thumbnail, and literally 99% of people who responded said less likely. Granted, it wasn't a huge sample size, but it was big enough to be statistically significant, IMO. Very puzzling... Thanks again.
Thank you for addressing the deleted video, I was a bit gutted that I did not have the time to see it and wanted to know what happened. The current youtube meta is in a sad state. The Adam's video is great and thank you so much for making it.
I saw that video and really enjoyed it. The only thing is, it had an undertone of trying to sell me something and I usually immediately switch off videos like that. As soon as someone gets to the “sell line” I’m out.
It was a great video! I often don't watch the more educational guitar video until I'm at home and can actually focus on it, rather than something i can listen to in the background and occasionally glance at while working. I don't think the algorithm caters to that...
Thanks for sharing and clearly communicating a problem, that straight out shouldn' t exist! TH-cam really puts its own phrase "Our mission is to give everyone a voice and show them the world." to shame, if it's focusing on blant attention instead of quality first.
Hey Rhett. I so enjoy your content. You love for guitar, music, processing, amplification is so inspiring and educative. This was really informative. Keep doing what you do. Take care. Paul Sanders
I definitely feel this as a very low level content creator. It’s made me just take a more casual approach to the videos as just a hobby. I can’t imagine what it must feel like with your entire monthly income based on TH-cam. Hang in there. You make great stuff, and I’ve never been disappointed clicking on any of your videos.
i love your honesty, brother... i've loved all your videos for a year or two now, and respect your rad hustle. thanks for giving us a peek behind the curtain. i wish youtube would not hinder you / youtubers like this.
I was sorry to hear that you had such a problem getting the word out about your course. Perseverance is a key to success and because of this video I checked it out. I have been looking at the 12 bar blues recently and really liked what I saw and at your special price it’s a steal, thank you. It may take me a month or more to get through it but with my new and first tele arriving in a couple of days this course will help me get to know it.
Thanks for making this video. I thought this was a thing that plagued smaller channels. I spend so much time crafting my videos. When the impressions are just not there it says your video never had a chance. There is nothing more discouraging than that. Bad comments? Sure, I can deal with that. But no one even having a chance to see it? That's devastating...
Hi Rhett, i am totally with you on this one; package over content, problem of modern era, attention span of a goldfish of an average viewer, less and less logical thinking, challenging. The good news is, 691.000 subscribers are a testament of people appreciating an effort put into your videos. and in people making a difference in general. I am an "older generation" of people and I am experiencing similar problems in every aspect of live, business etc... stay true to yourself, it is appreciated and cant be faked, with or without "facial spasms". Love from Croatia
I am a long time sub and love the channel, but didn’t see that vid. Will watch now, but would have liked to have heard you discuss in some detail your decision making process in changing the thumbnail/title. Did you make the change already?
Ballsy message… and truly appreciated. A lot of comments seem to miss the point. It is important to support the creator over the platform. I love what you do!!
All go against YT here. Usually it is useless to comment on a video 2 days after release. I saw the (new) course video. But I am already subscribed to your channel. I was very intrigued. But this video sent me over the threshold and made me buy the course (just now). Therefore, this rant video works (at least in my case) well as advertisement ;) Well done!
Please take this as intended, I'm not your typical follower, I generally watch your videos to get a contrasting point of view. I'm not a SRV, dumble loving John Mayer, Jimmy Page obsessed reluctant hipster Maybe that isn't you as much as I think it is. But I do believe you are absolutely sincere if you love something or don't love Something, but I really have no idea who you are. I love that video you did about the vintage Les Paul's vs the Epiphone 50s and 60's... I knew how good the Epiphones were because it seemed to make you almost sick to admit it,. It may sound like a back handed compliment, but that's valuable because it's honest. Love the Stones shirt, I'm a huge Keith Richards fan, I don't think I've ever heard you even mention him beyond an official hand comment about something he was historically known for. Clapton, Page, Beck found success because of the ground work done by the Stones, the Stones sold Blues to the world, the American blues legends all acknowledged it, Keith Richards is probably the premiere player that combines Robert Johnson and Chuck Berry, is he even mentioned in your blues course?
Thank you for this video, Rhett! As someone just starting out it’s helpful to gain the insight on what does and does not work to help get views on a video. It sucks how much work has to go into the thumbnail and title 😮
For what it's worth, the course is amazing. I'll likely be chewing on it for months. Between the Blues Guitar Blueprint, and the Fretboard Fundamentals courses, I'm set for at least a solid year.
Rhett, I love your videos. Especially the "Live to Tape" you have done. It is interesting that we get to know the folks whose channel's we subscribe to. Trust me.....the content does matter. There are many video's I may click on while scrolling through TH-cam. If it is not something I am interested in, presented well, etc. I'm gone, so content does matter....not just a flashy title.
Hi Rhett. I wholeheartedly agree and your frustration is MORE than understandable...! And I say it's time for a change! It would be nice if TH-cam's monopoly finally started to falter, because I think the platform has way too much power. Power that TH-cam uses... As a creator, you have less and less control. You hear that from all directions, everyone who creates content knows that TH-cam is nowadays pretty dictatorial. Next thing you mentioned = Titles & Thumbnails...! The thumbnails and the lurid titles piss me off too. Sure, if you want to have reach you have to play the game - but if we all keep going along with it, it will only get worse. So once again: it's time for a change! Think about it and start uploading all your TH-cam videos to other platforms. And if that goes well, delete the videos on TH-cam. There's no other way if you want something to change...
Nice job man...authentic transparency is the strongest communication most times. A big fan from the beginning, have learned tons and will continue to do so.....
Rhett, *this* is good communication with your audience. That's the important thing to most of us - regardless of what TH-cam thinks. When you said TH-cam is "not a reliable partner," you nailed a whole bunch of concerns I see across my broad area of interests on YT. I watch guitar/music, automotive, modern tech, retro computing, and off-grid living. Content creators on YT in all these areas are experiencing so many problems that YT doesn't seem to care about. Draconian copyright issues, "algorithm problems" and "the thumbnail / click issue" - just to name a few.I wish there were an appropriate channel for feedback that we could feel like they're paying attention to. But I don't feel like that's the case at all. Hang in there my friend, we enjoy what you're making for us.
Rhett! This is absolutely one of the best & most honest videos! You're speaking truth! I know a few "big" content creators who've said similar things in conversations. You nailed a lot of reality to the wall. I hope people will watch & learn from this VALUABLE information that you're sharing here!
Thanks for being so honest, man. I‘ve heard a lot of people talk about the necessary modalities of youtube, but never this down to earth like you did here. Gladly, your community, the poeple that follow your channel don‘t care about the cringy stuff. They follow you (we follow you) and know that you HAVE to do this shit, we don‘t care. We care about the quality of your content. And I can only speak for myself only here, but: me, for my part, I care O N L Y about the content of your videos. Much love from Germany 💚
I totally get it. The feeling of putting sometimes days worth of effort into a video only to get a low hit rate. My channel is tiny, we just hit 1000 subs and sometimes its exhausting. Which is why i'm taking a long break. Which in turn reduces any exposure. You can't really win.. Keeping that content flowing while not getting burnt out seems to be key. Not easy. Well done with your channel and I respect the amount of time and energy required to keep going.
My default bookmark for TH-cam goes to my Subscription page so I can see those first and not the algorithm. That way I miss nothing from my subscriptions. Thanks for the work you do. Appreciation goes both ways
That's why it's important to follow the youtubers rather than waiting for the YT algorythm to feed you videos. I only watch videos for people I follow, point blank. I follow more and more by recommendations from people I already follow, I'm my own algorythm in a way ! Follow the damn guys !
This was really fascinating, thanks for sharing this. I've probably only watched a dozen of your videos previously, but I'm currently enjoying going through some older content, great stuff, keep it up, you've got 1 more sub from me.
Rhett, as a singer/voice coach and musician, I can empathise. On the content side, I see exactly the same thing as you. The fluff-content gets mega-engagement, the high-value gets glossed over. I try to remember that we will always take our content more seriously than most of our consumers do, and most consumers are seeking "entertainment masquerading as education" rather than "education that's also entertaining". It's a balance, but that's what I've noticed. Above all, keep up the hard work! I for one appreciate the hard work you put in, especially on the bigger projects.
I watched that video as soon as I saw it come up in my feed, yesterday- one of the most impactful video lessons Iʻve seen on TH-cam. Thanks to you and Adam for distilling something so important into a few minutes. And shame on TH-cam for how they treat creatives. Iʻm glad you called this out because now itʻs up to all of us to choose and support content more mindfully. Thanks for all the great content you provide in this space! And by the way, BOTH Adamʻs and Rhettʻs channels provide crazy valuable content for free- before you even think about buying a course. We are super lucky to have this access. All the click bait crap should be taken down but of course that wonʻt happen so instead, Iʻll just keep subscribing to and searching for, channels like Rhettʻs and Adamʻs, Tim Pierce and Rick Beato. Guys who have not only paid their dues and proven themselves but who have shown a real commitment to helping the rest of us.
Rhett I love your content. You've really helped me understand how guitar sound works. Don't be too discouraged by this algorithm bullshit. Algorithms may suck but your content is consistantly good and that's what matters.
Simply stated, the video you made with Levy is pure gold. I’ve watched it several times now, and took plenty from it. Thanks. BTW, the cheesy thumbnails and titles have driven me away from TH-cam. At this point, I will only go to a small few channels of creatives that I trust (you, Rick, Tim, and several others). Keep doing you. 🤘🤘
As a mere mortal YT viewer, the more clickbaity the title and thumbnail, the less I want to click on it. It has got out of hand to the point that the title and thumbnail don't even reflect the content of the video at all.
I mean. You just clicked on a video with clickbait in it.
@OniDasAlagoas yeah what's your point? Lmao every video is click bait? Teach us genius
@@Yakomoe I'm literally just pointing the obvious.
@@OniDasAlagoas ROFL
Exactly! I will deliberately ignore all videos/content I see as blatant clickbait. Unfortunately, it's probably a sad reflection of today's increasingly braindead society.
The "get your income off of TH-cam" is actually a really insightful thing you don't see a lot of creators talk about in terms of not only the financial benefit, but also the mental health benefit of not having your income tied to a measure of success of something you love that's ultimately out of your control. Great video!
I don't understand your comment. Why is it "insightful" to want to make money from a TH-cam channel and then create a video to make money from TH-cam? Secondly, his income is tied to a "measure of success". Without views he wouldn't get subscribers, and without subscribers he wouldn't be able to do deals with Sweetwater, sell his courses, etc, etc. Lastly, "mental health benefit"? This isn't a 9 to 5 job where you get paid for hours worked. You create something and put it out into the world to be judged. If nobody likes it you lose twice. Your ego is harmed and your wallet is empty. As I said, I don't understand your comment.
@@thomasdequincey5811 100%.
@@thomasdequincey5811 He's saying YT creators are dependent on the whims of the TH-cam algorithm. views and subscribers and "interaction" are indeed measurable. But how the algorithm works, how and why it recommends videos to people,... Nobody knows, and it changes all the time. TH-cam is not accountable either - even if they act in bad faith to actively and negatively impact (part of) their creators, they can't be sued. Unlike for instance an author who could sue their publisher if said publisher acts in bad faith.
Here here, Rhett, well said! I have felt (feel) the same pain. Keep at it dude, LOVE your channel! xoxo
Hi Scott!
Thanks Scott!
What a legend. This immediately undoes the damage that your clickbaitey (but ultimately necessary) thumbnails do to the bassists on YT. Also keep up the player of the week, I've found so many great people there!
Have you guys ever collabed??? Man I would love to see that!
He's saying your thumbnails are clickbait.
I watched the lesson video immediately. It is, sincerely, one of the best blues lesson videos I've seen. I bookmarked it right away to work on this weekend. Adam Levy is a real musician. You are a real musician. People don't realize how privileged we are to have access to this information, related with such patience and care that anyone can understand it and incorporate it into their practice. For those of us who remember how hard it was to obtain information like this before TH-cam, it feels like being let in on a secret. In fact, if you had told me 25 years ago that one day I would have instant access to the wisdom of Adam Levy and other musicians of his caliber I would have assumed it's because I had died and gone to heaven. I get that some of your videos need to be about helping some company sell gear, but your live performance and lesson videos are about growing the garden of good music, and that's all anyone should care about.
It’s possible to care about music AND gear, the two aren’t mutually exclusive.
Rhett, near as I can tell, the algorithm has changed. I’m not getting videos from channels I subscribe to recommended to me like I used to. I have changed nothing on my end. Something is up with TH-cam’s algorithm. Is anyone else seeing this?
I constantly have to physically check my subscriptions tab. Then I wonder how isn’t this video featured? I subscribed for a reason.
Yeah, found myself unsubbed some folks as well. Its been an ongoing “conspiracy” in the background of those who look into it regularly enough.
Same here. I have to check subscriptions to find some content and have had to subscribe again to channels that I have watched regularly. I haven't figured out how YT can choose to drop channels from my subscriptions. Especially when I watch all of the content on the dropped channels.
Same, if I don't click on videos of a channel for few weeks, the channel literally disappear.
same here
I really admire you for sharing this in such a transparent and human way. Hang in there
That Adam Levy video was, literally, one of the most helpful videos for blues improv that I’ve seen recently.
@@byherndon9981 that guy can play his version of Parisienne walkway is a wowza
Honest conversation can seem like such a rare find these days but when you stumble upon it, damn it's refreshing to hear. Thanks Rhett and keep rockin' ! Love your content.
Hey Rhett, this is great insight. I also hate the "TH-cam face" -- the mouth hanging open in fake shock that something could actually do something/not do something that somebody else said it can't/can do. When I see which TH-camrs have sky high subscription numbers, it really makes me wonder what the key to success is. For me, I appreciate your basic, straightforward style of presenting information. You seem like someone I'd like to hang with.
God, I hate that face you described. That’s the face of approximately one third of all YT videos (Ive been guilty in the past when I was starting out). It’s to the point I won’t even click on “surprise face” videos because it’s so annoying.
I saw it and didn't click on it because I wasn't interested in watching, and I am someone who watches most of your videos. Maybe it was partly the algorithm but also the viewers. Granted, I am someone that knows far less of the TH-cam machinery than you, just a thought.
Even monster budget movies have to worry about titles and thumbnails. It ain't just TH-cam. Cheers Rhett!
Yes, but they have entire teams of people whose job it is to handle all of that. The actors and writers can focus on just making the movie.
@mgsg50 maybe it's time for Rhett to build a team! Cheers!!
Putting a cheesy, stupid YT bait thumbnail on a video you're genuinely proud of is soul-crushing work. What you're describing about a video being DOA, far below what you're used to has been almost my entire experience on YT since about 2016.
I’ve been subscribed to you for years, you can see it your face on thumbnails when you have to put them up that you don’t want to be doing that. We gotcha brotha and know it’s not a “you” thing!
I saw the video before you took it down and really enjoyed it. As a beginner/intermediate guitar player, I thought you both did a great job explaining how to start soloing in a blues jam. So sorry that YT does not recognize the time and effort… 😢
It's the age old problem. As soon as we try to make a living doing something we love, it screws up why we started doing it in the first place.
Fantastic video. As someone who has spent the past year or so building my channel and audience, this really speaks to me. I fill my lessons with so much usable, deep information, I spend countless hours editing audio, video and preparing lesson materials etc but the thing that I get so anxious about is coming up with a catchy title and thumbnail. Up until 3am messing around with thumbnails and titles after a day of 9 private lessons too.. it’s brutal man!
On the plus side, my channel has grown faster than I ever imagined and I have over 1000 paying Patreon members who value my instruction. I now essentially just ignore the TH-cam ad revenue as it’s so hit and miss.
Anyway, thanks for speaking out on this. It’s reassuring to hear an established guitar TH-camr say these things.
P.S: Adam is a good friend of mine and we’ve done a few collab videos together (working on one currently funnily enough).. he deserves the attention of anybody looking to improve their playing.
Alex you’re a great teacher and I love your low key style. Your lessons are usually way beyond my skill level, and I’m not part of your Patreon, but I have purchased some individual lesson materials which keep me busy for weeks! P.S. I’m the one who requested a video on how you make your videos, but you should never listen to me.
Your channel is easily top three for guitar instruction Alex. You're great at explaining and the look and vibe of your videos is super-relaxed -- honestly sometimes I watch a couple in a row just because I like the look and sound so much. The algorithm seemed to throw you my way because I was sitting in front of Tom Waits stuff trying to figure out what the guitars were doing.
Good luck 👍🏾 💓
I agree with the other commenters here, Alex. Your lesson videos are inspiring and are generally a stretch for my playing, but give me the hope that I can improve. It is clear you put a load of work in, but maybe none of us realise the real scale of the task. Please don't feel unappreciated.
I’m a fan of your posts! Love your content. Owe you a cup of coffee, at the least 😉
Rhett, this is perfectly explained. I have yet to yank a video, but admittedly tinker with title and thumbnail to an obsessive degree. Now, the plan is to make the shift and not rely on weekly videos to make a living. Cheers and thanks for a great vid
It bums me out that YTers have make these silly thumbnails and titles just to see any engagement, but I’m glad you’re open about this issue. Love the content. Cheers.
This is profound advice. A lot of people don't realize the amount of work that goes into making content
Content Idea: I'd love to hear your take on the "spaghetti western" guitar sound. To me, those are some of the most iconic guitar riffs of all time. Would love a deep dive in the history, the players, and gear they used
I’m gonna have to second this
That’s a great idea!
Ditto
I love your videos and you input. I am a intermediate guitar player and search videos about things that pertain to me, my playing, and things i want to learn more about. I really dont give much thought into the thumbnail, but i can understand its importance. Keep doing what you are doing. I hope it works for you so you keep doing it. But it helps me out alot.
Thanks for doing what you do and dealing with those frustrations. It helps. It helps alot of us.
This is why it can't become your income. Just like a writer who's on an assignment, not a project of their choosing (product demos); just like a writer for, say, Rolling Stone, who has a deadline, The quality of the content suffers when you have to think about quantity. When it stops being your passion project and becomes what you MUST do. I quit uploading, almost two years ago. Because I'm not inspired right now, because I'm busy right now, and because I can. That's why I'm proud of my work. The MOMENT my work becomes commissioned, it becomes my yoke and it suffers and so do I.
TBH Rhett I have been following you long enough to want to see what you have to say. I know it will be worth my time and attention, keep doing what you do.
Don’t sweat it man…..we all understand that sometimes it’s the nature of the beast. We’ll be here to support you no matter what.
This was really important for me to see. As a guitar guy who's been doing something for a longgggg time (my newsletter) along with other things thrown in like TH-cam, social, blogs, etc. it's always refreshing to see realness like this. Thanks Rhett.
This reminds me very much of a mission statement that I read once called "the things we think and do not say". Bravo.
Here’s a shout out to say I have learned so much from you, brother. And I continue to do so. The new blues course is really accelerating all the stuff that I already know and I’m good at. You bring a lot of enthusiasm to the game and it always translates. Keep up the great work.
Rhett, as a TH-cam content creator, I don't think you can expect every video to be successful. Your very good at the TH-cam video game. "Not every swing is going to be a homerun".
And you nailed right there!
I've watched you play and the way you conduct yourself. The faces you make, I didn't even notice. Keep doing what YOU DO. I'm 70 and have been playing for 53 years and have the respect of my peers, but I don't have the drive build a TH-cam channel, much less afford the equipment needed to do so.
YES! I wish this was more common knowledge. EVERYTHING in this video is so relatable to every TH-camr.
Brilliant video Rhett!
I have an honest question. I've been watching Rhett's videos since almost the beginning. There is not a single piece of content of his that doesn't come up in my feed. I clicked on the video in question, and in less than a minute, I realized I didn't care for it, so I turned it off. Is it possible that if enough people do what I did, the algorithm will stop the video from showing up in more people's feeds? Or is it much more thumbnail based like Rhett is describing?
I did the same thing. I like Adam Levy, but it didn't seem to have his Jazz content covered, so I wasn't interested.
Yes, you clicking off the video makes its performance suffer. What I wonder is the following:
Why would you click on a video which then gives you exactly what it says, and then still only give it 30 seconds of your time? What were you expecting that (if included) would have made you actually watch the whole thing?
@Jamsville I gave it a chance, I didn't enjoy the video, I watched something else. It's pretty simple. I'm sure a lot of people do the same thing.
So here's something some folk might know and some might not. TH-cam will also stop recommending videos to people if they have the bell notifications on for the channel but don't click on the videos when they are notified. So, this can also reduce impressions but yes if you click on a video and don't watch it, TH-cam will definitely push it less.
Yes, it's entirely possible and even plausible. TH-cam gives creators extensive analytics on every video, including watch time and drop off rates (basically how many viewers clicked off how many minutes into the video). The algorithm gods seem to value high retention, low drop off. The algorithm is data driven, not subjective judgement. Even if the video had a clickbaity thumbnail with a good number of initial clicks, but high drop off, I don't know for a fact but it seems plausible the algorithm will lessen it's promotion of a video that viewers arent watching for very long. A sign the content isn't engaging them. But only Rhett would know whether the drop off was different to his other vids.
100% correct. I’ve run my channel into the ground by ignoring the analytics. I always had courses and income streams outside from TH-cam. Keep up the awesome work man!!
If I had to guess as to why the video wasn’t doing well I would say it may have to do with the content as opposed to the quality. You and Adam are both fantastic musicians, and I watch practically every one of your videos, except for ones about blues guitar. I have a suspicion the majority of guitarists who watch YT just aren’t that interested in the genre. It just feels a bit tired and stale in 2024.
Based on analytics, what types of videos do the best? I reckon the gear-related ones, trips to righteous guitar, what is the *blank* sound etc.
I started on playing blues, been playing blues for 20+ years. Have no interest in blues videos or watching people play the blues lol. I tried watching a Kingfish video the other day and was like "meh, I'm bored". I like different, Tim Henson blew me away when he came on the scene and lately I've been learning Chickin' Pickin' from Johnny Hiland.
@@whatmusiciwant I think a lot of people forget that part of what made the genre so popular decades ago was the songs. Like Crossroads, Statesboro Blues, Hideaway, Dust My Broom, Key to the Highway, Stormy Monday etc are all great SONGS. That’s what people love and remember, the guitar playing was the icing on the cake. For as incredible a player as someone like SRV was, he also had an incredibly solid catalog as a foundation for his virtuosity.
One kind of video I’d definitely be into watching is a primer on how to write blues-based original songs in a modern context. Like how are The Black Keys for example able to straddle the line so successfully? They were able to write these bluesy rock songs that appealed to 65 year olds all the way down to people in their teens and younger. They’re not my favorite band or anything but that’s a pretty admirable feat in the modern era.
Rhett, keep going . I’ve been watching you for literally years and you have come a long way! Love your videos which are always entertaining and have learned a good bit along the way. I have been playing guitar myself for a long time and never stop learning new things about music, equipment and life.
I'll often roll my eyes or get a quick chuckle when Beato's thumbnail has him with some shocked, incredulous look or a pouty, forlorn look, but I know exactly why. He's playing the game.
@@WeirdErnie I just roll my eyes at him. Lol
yeah you and your 64 subscribers lol
@@robmlisanti dude. Not throwing shade at all. I watch a ton of Rick's videos. I don't care if anyone watches mine. I'm literally acknowledging one of the key points of this video.
The game is a rat race.
The thing about lesson videos for me is that I save that for a day off where I can dedicate the time to make it stick and get something out of it. A amp video I can watch on a work break. Don’t stop making them man, they are some of the best.
I think it's worth being a little careful when blaming "TH-cam" - the reality is TH-cam just wants to promote what will lead to people watching for the longest period of time. It is frustrating that a good a thumbnail and title is SO important but it makes complete sense. If when people see the video they don't click on it, TH-cam can't promote it - why would they if no one wants to even click on it.
Thinking in terms of people and not algorithms makes it at least a bit less frustrating.
The lameness and loathsome feelings one has when trying to TH-cam-ize your content for algorithmic success is soul crushing and defeating. Great video, Rhett ... and to your point about thumbnails and faces - imagine having to curate it with the responsibility of flattering/doing someone ELSE justice when you interview them for say the Rig Rundown. It's a downward spiral. -Chris Kies & Team PG Video
501chorusecho uses a picture of homemade chili in a pot and gets 17k views.
It came to me and I watched, and it’s great. This is one of those evergreen videos, go back and watch again and again over the years.
Tim Pierce has said the same thing. He has to spend a ridiculous amount of time creating a thumbnail and title for his videos.
Adam Levy is a gem! He's played on so many formative records for me! Thanks for doing the vid! I was hella excited for you having that opportunity man, i know that had to be an honor! Im sorry for the speed bump. I struggle with emotional momentum disruption, i know thats got to be frusterating. Gotta say, Its pretty cool that you used this obstacle as an opportunity to give us some seriously good advice. Much appreciated! Good luck with the vid & course!
I like how average people in these comments are like…nah, I think you’re wrong, it was the content.
Especially when you have someone like mrbeast saying thumbnails and titles are one of the most important aspects of getting views.
I remember watching one YT’er say that not having one of those cringey thumbnails is like opening a restaurant without a sign on the front.
You can put up any thumbnail and title you want, if people aren’t interested in the content contain therein, they won’t click.
I think the point of my post is that based on what successful TH-camrs say that’s not entirely true.
Now retention…maybe. You see a lot of popular YT’ers who make the payoff of the video at the very end - like to see if Rob guessed all of the guitars correctly - or which team of random strangers will win the $1M. I’m sure these are strategies which solve the second half of the equation.
Rhett thx for taking the time to explain this issue. You make and I'll watch.
I skipped the video you're talking about for 2 reasons:
1) I don't come here for lessons, I come for vlogs and seeing gear that I don't have access to.
2) I have no idea who the other guy is.
Please, for your own benefit, look up Adam Levy and learn more about him. If you play guitar, he's worth knowing about. If you LOVE guitar, he's essential to know about. Really. He's a great player.
@@madmick78
I know his videos. He’s just not my cup o’ tea.
I like Rhett’s videos.
Well, most of them. 😄
Completely fair, you don't have to watch anything you don't want to watch and not every video is going to be relevant to every user. That said, you missed one hell of a video. This was a fantastic lesson and Adam is an incredible guitarist that we could all benefit from watching. I am really glad Rhett had the opportunity to collab with him on the lesson and that we all get to see a snippit of it for free.
@@CorbCorbin Fair enough. He is phenomenal, though.
@@madmick78 Thank you so much.
This is why I love Rhett! Not only are his videos great, always open and honest about the less fun side of TH-cam!
I’m seeing a lot of people in the comments share my same sentiment: it’s not that I didn’t see it or TH-cam didn’t show it, I saw it and passed. For as much of the sentiment of wanting to give videos to your 14 year old self is awesome (and when I was learning I picked up a TON from you), I feel like the main draw of your channel is YOU. The vlogs, the opinions, the advice, that’s what I’m here for. I personally would much rather click on you talking about some weird pedal or amp, or give production tips, or just show a fun gig you did then I would the TH-cam formulaic “*Insert Guitar Hero* shows how a REAL PRO SOLOS with the PENTATONIC 🤘🏻🤘🏻🔥🔥🎸🎸🤯🤯 (watch till the end!!) (feat. *insert guitar hero*) also BUY MY NEW COURSE”. There are just way to many other spots across the platform already making that content lol
This is the perfect way to sum it all up Rhett. I've been trying to make my channel work for 3+ years and it's not taking off despite the audio and video being stellar, the info being accurate, and flow being smooth, they just aren't being shown to people.
Thanks for the honesty and transparency. TH-cam is no joke and I really appreciate all your coaching and inspiration. I still get stuck because title and thumbnails are so challenging!
I replied to another comment from Alex Farron and the same applies to you, Daniel. You have become a really valued element of me improving my playing. I even read your emails!
@@superreality3823 Super kind!! Thank you for saying that.
Thanks for sharing your honest thoughts with us. Certainly, the way youtube works nowadays has changed a lot in the last few years. Sometimes, I wander why TH-cam shows shit in my feed, and the stuff I wanna watch, I actually have to find in my "subscriptions" section. Ridiculous. Keep it up, Rhett!
The video was slow paced and kind of basic, you need to break it up with chapters, and give an overview in the beginning of what you are about to see, and put a little pep in your step. There was a lot of room for improvement. Study Mr. Beast (I'm not joking) how he pulls you into the video from the very first second and keeps you engaged. Keep at it, love your channel and content.
agree here. I just went and watched and it just starts out with some guitar playing that goes on too long. While nice, what's the point of the vide? If a user cant tell immediately, why should they keep watching?
And yet if the exact content in the video was happening in front of you in real life, you wouldn’t say the same thing lol. You wouldn’t be expecting jump cuts, text, zoom in and outs.
@@Jamsville unfortunately TH-cam isn’t real life so you have to do things to keep it interesting. I don’t make the rules
Thank you for posting. I've been avoiding your videos lately because the titles have seemed like click bait. I have more appreciation for your struggle with it now.
Eh... dont blame youtube. IMO people wanna see gear talk more than lessons. Just an assumption but you shouldnt expect a short lesson video to do as well as one that showcases unique gear.
No, you can blame TH-cam. If TH-cam isn't even showing the thumbnail to people then all who aren't subscribed to Rhett Shull will not see the video and be able to click on it. People who are subscribed might only want to see gear talk, but that doesn't go for everyone on TH-cam who is interested in learning guitar.
I don't even play guitar anymore and still watch nearly all of your output. I have channels that I watch for the content, which, from previous views, I have deemed worthy of my time. You, Mary Spender, Adam Neely, Phil McKnight are an example. Neither you (nor they) are trying to sell me anything, which I appreciate. Keep hanging tough, keep putting out the great content, and I'll be here as long as you are making the vids.
But in the end, the culprit isn't TH-cam and its management, the culprit is viewers. Because the TH-cam algorithim is just a learning machine that does what people, by their viewing habits, teach it to do. We have met the enemy and it is us.
Yes and... No : ) It's partially the viewers but also the fact that the algorithm is seen as the only truth. The problem is that the viewing data is not just used for analyzing what may work well or not, it is also actively influencing what is being presented to viewers (the algorithm). In other words the algorithm is influencing the data which then feeds the same algorithm again. This makes it very hard for any other great content or new ways which haven't been tried yet to through the filter of the algorithm and therefore won't scores well, which i return feed the algorithm again and so on and so on.
@@florisbackx1744 Yes, I understand. But TH-cam is a for-profit business and it is under no obligation to privilege the information that a channel owner thinks it should. YT privileges the information that works for its business model. No one has to like it, just understand it.
8:02 dude, this is SOOO GOOOD. It’s why I went from a full time musician to having many part time incomes and I encourage others to do the same! Keep creativity creative!!
I saw the first upload and was going to watch it later. I often watch a few seconds so I can find videos in my history. Anyways, when I was going to watch I noticed it was gone and was wondering what happened. It sucks that everything has to be so engagement optimized, especially when some of us actually want to spend time on valuable videos we can learn from. At any rate, I guess I'll go watch the re-upload now.
keep it up man, this platform is dull nowadays, u are authentic, u are gifted, u are blessed by god, don’t let this slow you down and always keep thinking and growing
You’ve done lots of fantastic, informative & interesting videos Rhett. Thanks for the tips on this platform. I hope moving forward you can get it working for you in a much better way.
One of the many reasons why I am a Rhett Shull fan, in addition to the wonderful guitar teaching and music knowledge, is the honesty, integrity, and sincerity. Totally get the cringing discomfort of certain just-gotta-do-’em job-related tasks. My guess is very few jobs are completely free of those. Please know, Rhett, that you, your dedication to your craft, and, yes, your TH-cam channel, are all very much appreciated!🌟🙏🏽😊
Stay with it Rhett, you're doing a great job, and TH-cam is still evolving . Thank you for helping it to evolve.
I’m from Brazil and regularly watch your videos; also have bought a few courses. Nowadays, I have disabled my “history” from TH-cam, witch removes the feed page. Then I go directly to my subscriptions pages, wich shows the Channels I like. Find it more suited to my interests and time. Thank you for your lessons, appreciate your job!
Thanks for the video. Definitely feel this. Can be pretty frustrating at times. But I don't think there's any other alternative that comes close to doing what TH-cam does that's worth considering. In the meantime, I'm just grateful to be here.
Thanks for sharing these candid insights. The whole "TH-camr Face" thing resonates with me so much. I've seen tons of analytics study videos that show the click through rates of those types of thumbnails perform well, but I recently polled my own audience across different platforms asking if they would be more or less likely to click on a TH-camr Face thumbnail, and literally 99% of people who responded said less likely. Granted, it wasn't a huge sample size, but it was big enough to be statistically significant, IMO. Very puzzling...
Thanks again.
Thank you for addressing the deleted video, I was a bit gutted that I did not have the time to see it and wanted to know what happened.
The current youtube meta is in a sad state.
The Adam's video is great and thank you so much for making it.
4:23 so you're telling me there's a hours long compilation of you mogging at the camera?
I’m losing it rn I absolutely cannot
I need that. We need that.
I saw that video and really enjoyed it. The only thing is, it had an undertone of trying to sell me something and I usually immediately switch off videos like that. As soon as someone gets to the “sell line” I’m out.
It was a great video! I often don't watch the more educational guitar video until I'm at home and can actually focus on it, rather than something i can listen to in the background and occasionally glance at while working. I don't think the algorithm caters to that...
Thanks for sharing and clearly communicating a problem, that straight out shouldn' t exist! TH-cam really puts its own phrase "Our mission is to give everyone a voice and show them the world." to shame, if it's focusing on blant attention instead of quality first.
Hey Rhett. I so enjoy your content. You love for guitar, music, processing, amplification is so inspiring and educative. This was really informative. Keep doing what you do. Take care.
Paul Sanders
I definitely feel this as a very low level content creator. It’s made me just take a more casual approach to the videos as just a hobby. I can’t imagine what it must feel like with your entire monthly income based on TH-cam. Hang in there. You make great stuff, and I’ve never been disappointed clicking on any of your videos.
Thank you for your honesty and frankness on this topic, so refreshing.
i love your honesty, brother... i've loved all your videos for a year or two now, and respect your rad hustle. thanks for giving us a peek behind the curtain. i wish youtube would not hinder you / youtubers like this.
I was sorry to hear that you had such a problem getting the word out about your course. Perseverance is a key to success and because of this video I checked it out. I have been looking at the 12 bar blues recently and really liked what I saw and at your special price it’s a steal, thank you. It may take me a month or more to get through it but with my new and first tele arriving in a couple of days this course will help me get to know it.
Thanks for making this video. I thought this was a thing that plagued smaller channels. I spend so much time crafting my videos. When the impressions are just not there it says your video never had a chance. There is nothing more discouraging than that. Bad comments? Sure, I can deal with that. But no one even having a chance to see it? That's devastating...
Hi Rhett, i am totally with you on this one; package over content, problem of modern era, attention span of a goldfish of an average viewer, less and less logical thinking, challenging. The good news is, 691.000 subscribers are a testament of people appreciating an effort put into your videos. and in people making a difference in general. I am an "older generation" of people and I am experiencing similar problems in every aspect of live, business etc... stay true to yourself, it is appreciated and cant be faked, with or without "facial spasms". Love from Croatia
I am a long time sub and love the channel, but didn’t see that vid. Will watch now, but would have liked to have heard you discuss in some detail your decision making process in changing the thumbnail/title. Did you make the change already?
Ballsy message… and truly appreciated. A lot of comments seem to miss the point. It is important to support the creator over the platform. I love what you do!!
All go against YT here. Usually it is useless to comment on a video 2 days after release. I saw the (new) course video. But I am already subscribed to your channel. I was very intrigued. But this video sent me over the threshold and made me buy the course (just now). Therefore, this rant video works (at least in my case) well as advertisement ;) Well done!
You keep posting and I’ll keep watching! Appreciate your content, regardless of the TH-cam games you have to play.
Please take this as intended, I'm not your typical follower, I generally watch your videos to get a contrasting point of view. I'm not a SRV, dumble loving John Mayer, Jimmy Page obsessed reluctant hipster Maybe that isn't you as much as I think it is. But I do believe you are absolutely sincere if you love something or don't love Something, but I really have no idea who you are.
I love that video you did about the vintage Les Paul's vs the Epiphone 50s and 60's... I knew how good the Epiphones were because it seemed to make you almost sick to admit it,. It may sound like a back handed compliment, but that's valuable because it's honest. Love the Stones shirt, I'm a huge Keith Richards fan, I don't think I've ever heard you even mention him beyond an official hand comment about something he was historically known for. Clapton, Page, Beck found success because of the ground work done by the Stones, the Stones sold Blues to the world, the American blues legends all acknowledged it, Keith Richards is probably the premiere player that combines Robert Johnson and Chuck Berry, is he even mentioned in your blues course?
Thank you for this video, Rhett! As someone just starting out it’s helpful to gain the insight on what does and does not work to help get views on a video. It sucks how much work has to go into the thumbnail and title 😮
For what it's worth, the course is amazing. I'll likely be chewing on it for months. Between the Blues Guitar Blueprint, and the Fretboard Fundamentals courses, I'm set for at least a solid year.
Rhett, I love your videos. Especially the "Live to Tape" you have done. It is interesting that we get to know the folks whose channel's we subscribe to. Trust me.....the content does matter. There are many video's I may click on while scrolling through TH-cam. If it is not something I am interested in, presented well, etc. I'm gone, so content does matter....not just a flashy title.
Hi Rhett. I wholeheartedly agree and your frustration is MORE than understandable...!
And I say it's time for a change!
It would be nice if TH-cam's monopoly finally started to falter, because I think the platform has way too much power. Power that TH-cam uses...
As a creator, you have less and less control. You hear that from all directions, everyone who creates content knows that TH-cam is nowadays pretty dictatorial.
Next thing you mentioned = Titles & Thumbnails...! The thumbnails and the lurid titles piss me off too. Sure, if you want to have reach you have to play the game - but if we all keep going along with it, it will only get worse.
So once again: it's time for a change!
Think about it and start uploading all your TH-cam videos to other platforms.
And if that goes well, delete the videos on TH-cam.
There's no other way if you want something to change...
Nice job man...authentic transparency is the strongest communication most times. A big fan from the beginning, have learned tons and will continue to do so.....
Rhett, *this* is good communication with your audience. That's the important thing to most of us - regardless of what TH-cam thinks. When you said TH-cam is "not a reliable partner," you nailed a whole bunch of concerns I see across my broad area of interests on YT. I watch guitar/music, automotive, modern tech, retro computing, and off-grid living. Content creators on YT in all these areas are experiencing so many problems that YT doesn't seem to care about. Draconian copyright issues, "algorithm problems" and "the thumbnail / click issue" - just to name a few.I wish there were an appropriate channel for feedback that we could feel like they're paying attention to. But I don't feel like that's the case at all. Hang in there my friend, we enjoy what you're making for us.
Rhett! This is absolutely one of the best & most honest videos! You're speaking truth! I know a few "big" content creators who've said similar things in conversations.
You nailed a lot of reality to the wall. I hope people will watch & learn from this VALUABLE information that you're sharing here!
I did not expect to see this real side of Rhett. I respect this and it makes me see his videos in a different light.
Thanks for being so honest, man. I‘ve heard a lot of people talk about the necessary modalities of youtube, but never this down to earth like you did here.
Gladly, your community, the poeple that follow your channel don‘t care about the cringy stuff. They follow you (we follow you) and know that you HAVE to do this shit, we don‘t care. We care about the quality of your content. And I can only speak for myself only here, but: me, for my part, I care O N L Y about the content of your videos.
Much love from Germany 💚
I totally get it. The feeling of putting sometimes days worth of effort into a video only to get a low hit rate. My channel is tiny, we just hit 1000 subs and sometimes its exhausting. Which is why i'm taking a long break. Which in turn reduces any exposure. You can't really win.. Keeping that content flowing while not getting burnt out seems to be key. Not easy. Well done with your channel and I respect the amount of time and energy required to keep going.
As someone who is interested in the content creation side, I really appreciate the honest opinions and advice.
You're doing great work and are keeping me watching for years now at this point. Keeping putting them out and I'll keep watching.
My default bookmark for TH-cam goes to my Subscription page so I can see those first and not the algorithm. That way I miss nothing from my subscriptions. Thanks for the work you do. Appreciation goes both ways
It is getting harder and harder for great musicians to make ends meet! I appreciate your content, Rhett!
That's why it's important to follow the youtubers rather than waiting for the YT algorythm to feed you videos.
I only watch videos for people I follow, point blank. I follow more and more by recommendations from people I already follow, I'm my own algorythm in a way !
Follow the damn guys !
This was really fascinating, thanks for sharing this. I've probably only watched a dozen of your videos previously, but I'm currently enjoying going through some older content, great stuff, keep it up, you've got 1 more sub from me.
Rhett, as a singer/voice coach and musician, I can empathise. On the content side, I see exactly the same thing as you. The fluff-content gets mega-engagement, the high-value gets glossed over.
I try to remember that we will always take our content more seriously than most of our consumers do, and most consumers are seeking "entertainment masquerading as education" rather than "education that's also entertaining". It's a balance, but that's what I've noticed.
Above all, keep up the hard work! I for one appreciate the hard work you put in, especially on the bigger projects.
I watched that video as soon as I saw it come up in my feed, yesterday- one of the most impactful video lessons Iʻve seen on TH-cam. Thanks to you and Adam for distilling something so important into a few minutes. And shame on TH-cam for how they treat creatives. Iʻm glad you called this out because now itʻs up to all of us to choose and support content more mindfully. Thanks for all the great content you provide in this space! And by the way, BOTH Adamʻs and Rhettʻs channels provide crazy valuable content for free- before you even think about buying a course. We are super lucky to have this access. All the click bait crap should be taken down but of course that wonʻt happen so instead, Iʻll just keep subscribing to and searching for, channels like Rhettʻs and Adamʻs, Tim Pierce and Rick Beato. Guys who have not only paid their dues and proven themselves but who have shown a real commitment to helping the rest of us.
Rhett I love your content. You've really helped me understand how guitar sound works. Don't be too discouraged by this algorithm bullshit. Algorithms may suck but your content is consistantly good and that's what matters.
Simply stated, the video you made with Levy is pure gold. I’ve watched it several times now, and took plenty from it. Thanks.
BTW, the cheesy thumbnails and titles have driven me away from TH-cam. At this point, I will only go to a small few channels of creatives that I trust (you, Rick, Tim, and several others). Keep doing you. 🤘🤘