I'm Tired of being an Influencer
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- Опубліковано 17 січ 2024
- I never set out to become an influencer on UA-cam. Really, I just want to make videos and have enough income to pay the bills. Today I discuss my thoughts on being an influencer while taking my new DJI Osmo Pocket 3 out for a test drive. Not sponsored and no affiliate links.
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You're not an "influencer", you're an educator...and a very good one at that!
He’s really amazing.. I’m a 23 year old blacksmith that’s just getting past being a amateur thanks to johns videos over on black bear, I have a son on the way that will be here within the month and I plan to teach him the art of blacksmithing when he’s old enough..my family has a huge construction company in a rual town and we make a good going so I just do blacksmithing as a side thing/hobby but do make a bit of $ off of it due to items like turning old junk hammers into blacksmith hachets with a back hammer it’s not much but I invest that 50$ right back into blacksmithing I’ve had quite a few orders for knives too some deals cash some bartered for local wild honey/wine, i am blessed to be learning this craft from in my eyes one of the best if not the best
You influence me to wear my safety glasses. Thank you 🙏
Happy to hear that!
John, this video is why we love you. Youre honest and wise and that makes your perspective on seemingly small things profound. I don't mean to flatter but my family and my forging are better for your influence. Thanks for all you do and share with us.
I am glad the videos are helpful.
You are a good influencer.
Mr John, I don't see you as an influencer " per say", I myself see you more as a teacher of the great craft of blacksmithing! And thank you sooo much for your vast wisdom of the craft that you have learned over the years and passing it on to us, God bless you and your family!
You're the favorite uncle we all wish we had.
He's my youtube dad
You are my favorite youtuber. The only person ive ever seen that covers every hobby i enjoy to do. Thank you so much for bringing so much joy to my life. 😊
Wow, thank you!
John, this is actually why we love you and keep coming back. You know your audience and we're also tired of the influencer garbage. Thank you for what you do!
Totally on board with you on this, John. Keep being you….we’ll keep watching, learning, and being inspired by you.
I've loved watching your channels, I've learned so much about blacksmithing and been able to develop new skills because of you. Thank you!
My great-great-grandfather was a blacksmith, and I inherited a wrought iron candelabra that he made for my great-great-grandmother; I stumbled across your channel because I was curious how he got everything put together without access to a welding machine, and I've been here ever since. Mr.Chickadee made a comment several years ago that's resonated with me about how there was a great lose of knowledge when people shifted from being agrarian to urban because no one wrote down or documented how to do lots of mundane tasks or 'common knowledge' that everyone knew in an agrarian society. I've always enjoyed how your channel includes a lot of just basic first hand knowledge that to you is just common sense and subconscious but to a 90s kid like me is practically dark magic. Several months ago you answered a question of mine about how you make a file without using a file. That question has plagued me for years and you answered it within an hour of me asking it. With all due respect, you're old; you've seen a lot, and know a wealth of knowledge in your craft that will go away if it's not recorded somewhere. UA-cam is the modern Library of Alexandria, and trade knowledge is an essential and honorable element of humanity. In a couple years when he's old enough, I'd like to try blacksmithing with my son, and I fully intend on making your videos required watching for Blacksmithing 101.
John, I've never recognized your being a YT influencer, but someone who enjoys sharing their day either in their workshop hours, or going about their everyday lives. I suggest you only share with us the gear that you really believe in, or instead, making a fine video sharing wonderful drone footage of your beautiful countryside - whatever the weather.
Your channel has always been hugely enjoyable to watch; you have taught me some jolly good tips for my blacksmithing hobby. Thank you for all your videos! I wish you happiness and success when filming. Take care, stay safe and thank you for always reminding me to wear my safety glasses. ~Wendi 🌻
Thanks, I appreciate that
Just do you, do what you love, don't worry bout the rest.
Hey John, just wanted to say thanks for all the videos, they've been very enjoyable and informative. However you want to proceed with your youtubing career, I'll be glad to watch! I enjoy all your video both here on your personal channel and on the Black Bear Forge channels. Don't know what it is but you're very watchable!
Congrats on the decision John. Stick to your guns and you will do fine :) I like that you only review and show stuff that pertains to the video or the work your doing. Keep up the great work and have a nice day :)
Good morning John,
You are doing good. The camera and audio did well. So good purchase so far. As far as being a influencer, totally understand....kind of. You are leveraging the platform. And to be honest, for blacksmithing gear, tools and equipment. Please keep you providing those reviews. But do not feel you need to sell yourself. I still love watching your hammer swing. Perhaps limiting how many you do in a given time period. Example 1 a month. Or every 3 months. That way you can focus your camera time appropriately.
As always though, I really appreciate you sharing your life story with the rest of us.
New camera was great. Totally agree with your UA-cam opinions. Most UA-cam creators are not sales people ... and shouldn't try to be.
Camera worked well. Car audio is a tough nut to crack. It did a good job. Lighting and exposure too. Any vibration recorded was really un distracting and barely noticeable. Probably 1000 times better than duct taping a camera to your dash :D
As for the affiliate links. I appreciate that a lot. Its so jarring when a channel about coffee advertises a sports app or VPN. These affiliates are often shotgun advertising (Spread wise and un targeted).
Very occasionally I'll see some content appropriate stuff.
I think my favorite is SpiffingBrit (Gamer channel) that has a fairly permanent sponsorship with a british tea company. He makes a comment or joke once per episode like "so, sit back and make yourself a cup of tea" and pops up their brand box in a cartoon, then moves on. Its part of his personality and a running un-jarring joke.
But that's rare.
So I applaud you finding other ways of monetizing that are more related to making good content.
Always have approved of your ethics :D
Another great and truthful video , thank you! I have never watched you videos for something to rush out and buy, but rather for something I need to build or redo for my own little shop. Thank you for all the training and tips you provide.
The little camera did a good job and I was surprised at the audio quality, especially in a moving car.
Cheers
The camera worked great. Keep up the great videos. Thanks
Sir. I’ll support your channels no matter where you decide to go. My wife and I have worked our Patreon support for your channel into our budget.
You’ve taught me more than any class I could have paid for, and I will gladly continue to support your channel.
I appreciate that you don’t want to sell out to the ad vendors. I hope you keep that mindset, but do what works for you:
As always;
Another excellent video sir.
I saw this in my feed several days ago and thought, "So quit being an influencer. Stop posting videos." I realize now I misunderstood what you meant by "influencer." And, as a now-retired faculty member from a primarily undergraduate institution, I can see that posting videos and sharing your knowledge and love of a subject can be personally rewarding. I just watched your saw/plane till video and decided to watch this, now knowing something about you. I'm glad I did. I hope you keep sharing your knowledge for a long, long time.
John, I've never thought of you as an influencer, though I suppose you are now that you mentioned it. When I hear the term 'influencer', a zit-faced kid showing his/her version of proper Tide Pod etiquette comes to mind.
I find your channels, teaching, and information INSPIRATIONAL and informative.
Many thanks.
I would think that the first and foremost reason to initially click on one of your videos is to see some blacksmithing. It was icing on the cake to have someone that could actually make quality videos and a cherry on top to have someone with a personality that you would invite into your circle of friends! We come for the hammer at the anvil, we stay for everything else you bring to the table. Make, teach, so that we can enjoy your company.
I follow all 3 of your channels and will continue to . I have used your knowledge to build my budget blacksmith shop and your teachings have helped me grow . I use some of your products because you show that "they get the job done " . Sharing some of your personal life and lifestyle helps the viewe4s to build a more personal feeling to the videos and you as a person . Keep it going anyway you feel fit and all of your subscribers will continue and support your channels , thanks for being you .
I'm with you John. If I'm shopping for a product, I appreciate the folks that focus on product reviews, but most of the time I'm watching to learn from people like you who share their trade or craft with those who are interested in that subject. I'm always happy when you share about a product (new or old) that you've found to be helpful in doing the work you do, but regular, lengthy promos for a product in the middle of a project cause me to click the timeline and move past them. Overall, I think you maintain a pretty good balance in the work you do.
Good audio, very stable video. Personally, I really enjoy the content, especially on BBF and the trick and tips. Please keep the content coming!
I've quit watching channels that have drifted away from making stuff and are selling sponsored products. I follow you because I too make as many of my woodworking tools as I can.
Such a good video! I really appreciate it. Such a breath of fresh air on this format! I love your work and I'm excited to go though 24 with you!
Just keep hammering on hot metal! Thats what I love to see on your chanel. You're my favourite YT maker. Keep atter john!
Nice new camera John, good picture, good sound 👌 great chat 🍺🍔👓 stay safe team 👍🏻
You give us wisdom and we are grateful ❤
Completely understandable. I appreciate your honest and complete instruction and feedback
Great stable camera, with no road vibration.
I honestly really appreciate the way you have done tool reviews and your outlook on them. It's great info for us starting out to have someone with your experience give us your opinions on a tool. Thank you 🙏
Good for you, sir. I've recently unsubscribed to a few channels. Life is too short to sit through a ten minute ad in the middle of a video!
John, yeah...I hear you. My wildlife channel is about the animals, and I have wondered if I should do gear reviews. But I don't want to spend time talking about equipment and frankly there are enough photography channels that cover that subject anyway. I enjoy your videos because you are a good instructor and amiable. The blacksmithing is something I do as a hobby....
John I have to say that you have influenced me to improve my skills and try new things in my shop and I thank you very much for that
I feel the same way on all that you said. I hope that UA-cam won't become a marketing platform, but there is no way it can be helped. As you stated it is how most people can make a living. I saydo your video's how you feel is needed. You are how me and my brotheer started into smithing and i continue to learn more from your channel that others that try and do smithing tho about 75% have gone to just doing timplet smithing.
Good clear video and camera. I appreciate your candideness and views. The background looks nice too.
That little DJI looks really good. Thanks for sharing.
John, one of the things that I appreciate about you is that when you do a review, it is always something that you have used and are convinced of its quality.
john do what makes you happy! that camera has really good quality!
If a product review has an affiliate link, you can be sure it's biased, so i think your decision to not accept them is good.
Love your videos
Hey John, you are my friend that I have never met, but look forward to seeing via UA-cam. Your videos on both channels are great and I have enjoyed watching each one. Blacksmithing, woodworking, outings and clawhammer banjo. Hey, break out the banjo more often. I'm not sure you influence me, but you do inspire me to get out and do something in the shop. Thanks for the inspiration. 😃
I really do need to pick up the banjo more often
I'm glad you posted this video! I really enjoyed it!
We all love your videos, don't worry about it to much. You inspire and educate. Thank you for that.
I appreciate that!
Really enjoy your videos. Honestly, hope you take us on more trips. When I saw your visit to Timberline Lodge, made me want to go. Very interested in that style of iron work. Would like to see you do a video with Darryl Nelson, and if you do, please bring us along. Would like to meet you both! Always enjoy seeing you pop up on the other platforms as well.
Working on our recent trip now. We thought about going by Timberline while we were in the area, but they had 52" of snow that week and still snowing.
John, the little camera works fine, and the image stability seems to be doing a good job. Take it off road and see how it works!! You are not the "influencer" that has become so objectionable, don't sweat it. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for not being out to influence anything other than the continuation of the craft and the safety of the craft as well.
You do what you want it is your channel both of them. I started watching your channel because I would like to do blacksmithing one day only to find out you was a wood worker bonus for me the things you have reviewed are just things every person starting out needs or wants to get or should have and did not know about it
I hear you on too much selling. April Wilkinson, Jonathan Katz-Moses, Bourbon Moth, 3x3Custom - Tamar, & Make Something have all been purged from my feed because all I hear is them pushing products about as much as they do projects. Modustrial Maker is just about there too.
I don't mind the occasional in-video ad but when it gets too much for me and my annoyance outweighs the pleasure I get from watching I can't watch anymore no matter how good of a craftsperson they are.
The new camera looks good by the way!
I agree; I have to watch commercials to get to the video, then listen to someone who is paid adsense revenue get paid again to hawk something I don’t need, and it’s just so much static in the way of watching a video. The upside is I can put down the iphone and get outside and enjoy the day!
Whatever tou decide, it will be fine. I'm not camera savvy, but I listen to your critique of your cameras. Perhaps one day I'll make videos on my millwright projects from wood. Anyway, you were the first blacksmith channel that I subscribed to, and then Roy, Rory, DF, and so on. I believe that you suggested Ken's Custom Iron for tong blanks. Great job all around, and as I'm also a woodworker, I enjoy your woodworking videos too. Thank you for the knowledge that you share.
Trust your own feelings about products and be true to yourself and we will all be in safe hands. Thanks for all you do John.
I appreciate that
Glad you liked your new camera John.
Posso dizer que você mantém uma seriedade e honestidade que tornam os vídeos muito especiais. Mesmo que você apareça apenas para tomar um café na beira do fogo e contar histórias de ferreiro eu vou apreciar muito. Felicidades!
just do what you like to do jhon. Keep in mind your influence made people such as myself go the blacksmith way. Stay safe , love from france
I certainly liked this video and I like the peek behind the scenes style.
Very coincidental timing, John. As 2024 rolled around I had the thoughts about how UA-cam had just become another marketing algorithm and how I can barely find grass-roots videos like they used to be, rather than the hype that's out there now. I just don't feel I can trust so many of the videos out there anymore because they aren't there to be helpful, but to persuade instead.
As always, thanks for sharing your thoughts and time. Good luck navigating this landscape.
Thank you. It gets tough balancing the creative urge with the need to earn a living
Thank you, John. I'm glad to be influenced by you, at any rate, and the less you get engaged in the less pleasant side of UA-cam's business model, the more I'll follow you.
love you brother. keep it up!
You do what you need to do. I'll watch whatever that is!
gimbal worked great not too much bounce
You are one of the few instructional UA-camrs that haven’t completely sold out to influencing and pure entertainment fluff with little to no education. The golden era of UA-cam instructional videos appears to be dead, and I don’t blame those who need to make a buck rather than instruct, it’s just a bummer for those of us looking for good instructional content.
I completely agree with everything you said.
John, you just have to do what you want to do. You don’t have to think about being an influencer. Some people get into this to become an influencer, but you can also ignore that. I’ve learned a lot from you even though I’m not a blacksmith. I do machinery design, pro typing and building. But what I’ve learned from you has been helpful. I bought an anvil and have gotten involved in that.
And that's why I love your channel!
I enjoy the links to tools and other equipment. Please consider listing names or links items you like.
I've often searched for links.
I'll keep that in mind
I have no problem with a paid product review once in a while. I AM interested in your camera gear. I Did buy some stuff from Kens custom tongs. As long as it's just a few, go for it.
Thanks for this special sharing video John. The video was great and the information was also share honestly. Thanks, Fred.
Glad you enjoyed it
Camera works great. Keeping any products you review to just the ones you want to promote to us is probably the best.
I see that IAFF Sticker in the rearview. Clearly you’re enjoying your retirement and make UA-cam what you want Brother! Hopefully at the end of my career, I have the same.
Where does selling yourself/blacksmithing items come in? Sponsored by myself.
A sponsored ad can be as easy as yelling ‘buy this’ and demonstrating if doing what it does. The sort of no-nonsense approach can be fun.
Thank you, I know you are not trying to push the camera, but it does seem to work good and I've been looking for a better one for my channel. On another topic, is that an IAFF sticker on your rear car window. I'm a member and it looks like it.
I have heard and seen (like this video) that it's a good camera for the price. One thing to be aware of, it can break easily if dropped from a fairly short distance. All that said, the video is good.
Its one of the few things I buy the replacement insurance for.
Thanks John!
Whatever you decide, I know it will be tastefully orchastrated to your own satisfsction in making useful and applicable content.
Thank you!!!
If being an influencer is being real and honest then that is o.k. with me
I'm just here to learn some blacksmithing from an experienced smith and I've gotten what I came for up until this moment, so really you should make what you feel good about
Thanks, of course thats over on the blacksmithing channel
John, you should know, you helped me into the world of blacksmithing which has brought me to all metal work! Thank you, LT!
I love watching all your content
John, I would never have started forging if not fot your videos. Thank you.
Glad to help
No wait, stop! INFLUENCE ME!
I wonder if he's talking about the skits on Sampson Boat Co.... Boulderdash!
I've never actually seen that channel, I'll check it out
You are the Bob Ross of blacksmithing John.
There is a UA-camr who I really enjoyed watching, but anymore all he is , is an infomercial and in a way I don’t blame him I know there’s a lot of money in it . But I can’t do it . Wrangler star
I hate to ask you about the product you are not selling, DJI OSMO Pocket 3, but I would like to know how you attached it to your dash.
I bought the option that came with a little mini tripod. It sits on a flat area of the dash. Makes me a bit nervous though, it would fall of if I turned a sharp corner or hit a pot hole. I think a suction cup mount might work better.
Camera and mic are excellent! With respect to affiliate marketing, perhaps accept or produce videos including them, only if you feel strongly pro/anti the item.
I don't think the audience expects you to set up studio lights in the car😂
I'm always amazed at what people seem to expect.
It's happening on your channel right now
If you believe in something that you like or use, let us know and make a little $
After an overwhelming holiday season, I am ready to be "$OLD" way less!
well I'm tired of being used, because I'm the worlds most handsome Man!!!! it's hard, being Me!!! good luck!
You can just say your tired of 731 Woodworks video clickbaits!
🤣
While that is one I was thinking of, there are lots of others doing more and more of that style video
I think of you less as an influencer and more of a teacher/mentor
This is why left wanglcrap. All marketing. Ughh awful and zero content. Make what you want and keep yapping. Hoping for hook of week or similar one day. Not the health food or better health rubbish
I can't imagine doing health related stuff over on the blacksmithing channel. There will almost certainly be videos similar to the hook of the week over there. But here on my personal channel, it could happen. Just have to make sure you know which channel you're watching.
@@JohnSwitzer that's for sure this came up after watching the other one. Good luck with the looms
Remember John we are here for you, to watch you work, to see you craft and learn from your knowledge and experience. That in itself is the pure joy of your content and your gift to us. If you want to or need to do reviews then do it but only if you would genuinely endorse a product or nobody here will begrudge you making money if you need it just pick some service people might use, it doesn't need to be some low grade trash tool that makes you feel uncomfortable. I think any of your subs would either watch or skip unrelated sales pitch happily to get to the good stuff. Genuine thanks for what you bring. 🫶❤️