Ending PhantomStrider (and why it's ending)

Summary

Phantom Strider, a YouTuber known for his engaging content, is facing financial struggles due to a dramatic drop in views. Unable to sustain himself on ad revenue alone, he must consider returning to full-time work as an electrician or plumber. He expresses gratitude for his time on YouTube and the community he's built. In a bid to save his channel, he's turned to Patreon, hoping that $2-5 monthly patrons can provide the support needed to continue creating content. He promises authenticity and treats his audience as equals, not just numbers.

Takeaways

• 🚫 The YouTuber 'Phantom Strider' is ending his channel due to an inability to afford living expenses as views have dropped dramatically.
• 📉 The decline in views has made it impossible to cover basic costs like rent and bills, which were previously covered by ad revenue.
• 🔧 As a result, he plans to return to full-time work, possibly as an electrician or plumber.
• 🌌 There's a slim chance that if enough people become patrons ($2-5 per month), he could continue making videos and they would essentially become his new bosses.
• 🙏 He expresses gratitude for the years spent on YouTube and the community he's built.
• 🎥 He's been working long hours on editing, writing, and filming to maintain content for his remaining viewers.
• 😓 The workload has negatively impacted his mental health, and with views dropping, he's unable to slow down.
• 🤔 He speculates on why viewership has declined but avoids over-analyzing it to prevent self-doubt.
• 📉 He notes a significant change in YouTube's algorithm where his videos used to get views just because of his name, but now they require controversial or clickbait topics.
• 💼 If the Patreon goal is not met, he will likely go back to full-time work and stop producing new videos, but old videos will remain.
• 💰 He prefers Patreon over YouTube memberships as it takes a smaller percentage of the creator's earnings and is more affordable for his situation.

Q & A

Why is the creator of Phantom Strider considering ending the channel?

The creator is considering ending the channel because of a dramatic drop in views, which has made it financially unsustainable to continue making videos.

What was the primary source of income for the Phantom Strider channel?

The primary source of income for the channel was ad revenue from YouTube.

What is the creator's plan if they cannot continue with the channel?

If the creator cannot continue with the channel, they plan to go back to full-time work, potentially as an electrician or plumber.

What is the 'cosmic anomaly' the creator refers to in the script?

The 'cosmic anomaly' refers to the unlikely but possible scenario where enough people become patrons to financially support the channel and allow the creator to continue making videos.

What are the benefits for patrons who support the Phantom Strider channel?

Patrons would become the creator's new bosses, receive exclusive member videos, shoutouts, early ad-free videos, and the creator promises to always make authentic videos that treat patrons like friends and equals.

How does the creator feel about the community that has formed around the Phantom Strider channel?

The creator is very grateful for the community and considers it a highlight of their time on YouTube, especially discovering that half the community is on the spectrum.

What has changed about YouTube that the creator points out in the script?

The creator notes that in 2024, YouTube is different from 2014, with viewers now requiring clicky or controversial topics to engage with content, rather than just being interested in the creator's opinions.

What does the creator promise to deliver if they continue making videos with patron support?

The creator promises to deliver regular, varied, interesting, and authentic content for as long as patrons want them to.

How does the creator feel about asking for help from the community?

The creator feels embarrassed and terrible about asking for help, but they are willing to do so if it means they can continue creating content.

What is the creator's stance on the quality of videos they produce?

The creator refuses to deliver a shoddy video and insists on maintaining high quality, even if it means working all night to edit, write, and film.

What is the creator's final message to the viewers of Phantom Strider?

The creator thanks the viewers for their support and expresses gratitude for the opportunity to have been on ad revenue for so long, and they are willing to wait for help if it comes.

Outlines

00:00

🚫 Channel Closure Announcement

The creator of Phantom Strider announces the unfortunate closure of the channel due to financial difficulties. For the first time in 8 to 10 years, the drastic drop in views has made it impossible to afford living expenses and channel costs. The creator has relied on ad revenue exclusively and now must return to full-time work, possibly as an electrician or plumber. There's a slim chance that the channel could be saved if enough patrons pledge support through Patreon, which would make them the new 'bosses'. The creator expresses gratitude for the years on YouTube, the community, and the experience, and mentions the impact of the workload on mental health. The creator also reflects on the changes in YouTube's algorithm and viewer behavior from 2014 to 2024, noting that views now heavily depend on clickbait or controversial topics.

05:00

💼 Financial Struggles and Patreon Appeal

The creator discusses the financial struggle of maintaining the channel and the appeal to Patreon for support. They compare the revenue share between YouTube memberships (30%) and Patreon (8%), suggesting that Patreon is a more favorable option for meeting basic living expenses. The creator is transparent about the fear and reluctance to ask for help but promises to continue providing quality content if supported. They assure that even if the goal is not reached, the channel will not be shut down completely, but new video production will cease, and they will return to full-time work. The creator thanks the viewers for their support over the years and expresses readiness to wait for help, while also preparing to return to work if necessary.

Keywords

💡Channel

A channel in the context of the video refers to the creator's YouTube channel, 'Phantom Strider', which is the platform where the creator publishes videos. The video discusses the creator's decision to potentially end the channel due to financial constraints, highlighting the central role the channel plays in his career and livelihood.

💡Ad Revenue

Ad revenue is the income generated from advertisements displayed on a YouTube channel. In the video, the creator has traditionally relied on ad revenue to support himself financially. However, a significant drop in views has led to a decrease in ad revenue, making it unsustainable for him to continue creating content on his channel.

💡Electrician Work

Electrician work refers to a profession that involves the installation, maintenance, and repair of electrical systems. The creator mentions considering a return to this trade if he cannot sustain his YouTube channel, indicating a potential career shift from content creation to a more traditional job to cover living expenses.

💡Plumbing Work

Plumbing work is another profession the creator considers if he has to leave YouTube. It involves the installation and repair of pipes and fixtures in a building's water supply, drainage, and heating systems. The mention of plumbing work underscores the creator's willingness to return to a trade to ensure financial stability.

💡Patreon

Patreon is a platform that allows creators to receive financial support directly from their fans through monthly subscriptions. In the video, the creator suggests that if enough people become patrons, he might be able to continue his YouTube channel without relying on ad revenue, making Patreon a potential lifeline for his content creation endeavors.

💡Mental Health

Mental health refers to a person's psychological and emotional well-being. The creator discusses how the pressure of producing content, combined with the drop in views and revenue, has negatively impacted his mental health. This highlights the personal toll that content creation can take on creators, especially when facing financial uncertainty.

💡Authentic Videos

Authentic videos are those that are genuine, heartfelt, and reflect the true personality and intentions of the creator. The creator emphasizes his commitment to producing authentic content, even if it means working harder to maintain quality. This concept is central to his appeal for Patreon support, as he promises to continue delivering content that is personal and engaging.

💡YouTube Memberships

YouTube memberships are a way for viewers to support their favorite creators by paying a monthly fee. The creator mentions that YouTube memberships take a larger percentage of the creator's earnings compared to Patreon. This comparison is used to explain why he prefers Patreon support and why it could be more beneficial for him to reach his financial goals.

💡Phantom Strider

Phantom Strider is the name of the creator's YouTube channel and persona. It is used throughout the video to refer to the creator's identity and the brand he has built. The decision to potentially end Phantom Strider signifies a significant turning point in the creator's life and career.

💡Community

The term 'community' in the video refers to the audience and fans who follow and engage with the creator's content. The creator expresses gratitude for his community and acknowledges their importance in his success on YouTube. The community's support, or lack thereof, directly impacts the creator's ability to continue producing content.

💡Variety of Topics

A variety of topics refers to the diverse range of subjects the creator covers in his videos. The creator mentions his intention to always provide a variety of content to his audience, which is part of what he believes has made his channel successful. However, the changing landscape of YouTube has made it more challenging to attract views with a wide range of topics.

Highlights

Creator announces the end of the Phantom Strider channel due to financial constraints.

Views have dropped dramatically, making it unaffordable to continue video production.

Reliance on ad revenue as the primary source of income has become unsustainable.

The creator plans to return to full-time work, possibly in electrician or plumbing fields.

A remote possibility exists that enough Patreon support could save the channel.

The creator expresses gratitude for the past years on YouTube and the community built.

The creator reflects on the changes in YouTube's audience engagement over the years.

In 2024, videos require clicky or controversial topics to attract views.

The creator has been working extensive hours to maintain video quality despite financial strain.

Mental health has been affected by the constant pressure to produce content.

The creator is realistic about the chances of the channel being saved but remains hopeful.

Patreon is offered as an alternative support system with exclusive benefits for patrons.

The creator emphasizes the authenticity and personal connection in their videos.

A plea for support without promising unrealistic outcomes, acknowledging the difficulty of the situation.

The creator compares the revenue share between YouTube memberships and Patreon.

If the basic living goal isn't reached, the channel will still provide access to old videos.

The creator expresses fear and embarrassment but is willing to ask for help to continue creating content.

A final note of thanks to the viewers for their support over the years.

Transcripts

howdy so I've kept it to myself up until

now but I basically have to end the

channel as for the first time in 8 to 10

years I can no longer afford to keep

making videos on Phantom Strider I'll

break this video up into why this is

happening and what's going to happen to

the channel next the reason this is

happening is in the last few months

views have dropped so dramatically that

I can no longer afford to pay the bills

rent basic living expenses over the

years I've relied on ad Revenue almost

excl exclusively to survive so as a

result in order to make sure I can pay

the bills I'm going to have to leave

YouTube and go back into full-time work

if you're curious my current plans are

to do either electrician work or

Plumbing work if someone will hire me

anyway now there's a very very unlikely

chance a cosmic anomaly perhaps that

enough people will become $2 to5 patrons

to essentially save my channel and they

will be my new bosses I've put the

patreon link in the description uh but

don't get me wrong that would be a dream

come true as I love this job but I'm

being realistic and not counting on it

I'll explain shortly why this dramatic

drop in views has occurred but I do want

to preface that with how grateful I am

for the time I have had here as I've had

a really good run I released my first

top video best future armor episodes

about 10 years ago now YouTube has been

by far the best job I have ever had and

I will always be thankful for this

experience experience and it was so cool

when I recently discovered that half my

community was on the Spectrum like me in

a pole sample size of 19,000 anyway it's

not ideal to leave YouTube but I'm okay

to end Phantom Strider gracefully and

quietly full disclosure in the last few

months I've been working on editing

writing or filming often all night in

order to make sure I've got something

out for the quarter or so viewers who

are still tuning in because things have

gotten so tight I can't even afford

editing help anymore and I like to

videos properly apart from my wife this

Channel and this community has been my

everything for so long and I refuse to

cut Corners in videos I will not deliver

you a shoddy video but writing editing

and filming all night has been affecting

my mental health pretty badly at this

point but since views have dropped so

much I I never get to stop I never get

to slow down revenue is getting Slimmer

every month every day at this point and

frankly I'm just scared as to why

viewers of suddenly packed up and gone

based on my years here I have a theory

but I'm trying not to speculate too much

as I'm already really good at attacking

a nitpicking my own work so I try to

always give a variety of different

topics to you in videos and put my heart

into everyone and I hope that comes

through all I can do is my best but

unfortunately my best just isn't good

enough for YouTube anymore it was enough

in 2014 YouTube but it's not enough in

2024 YouTube the change I've noticed is

I used to be able to make a video and

people would generally click on it

because they think hey phantom strier

released a video and I'm curious to see

what he's talking about it wasn't

required that what I was talking about

was an incredibly clicky or

controversial topic viewers clicked

because they just wanted to hear my

opinion on a variety of different topics

but in 2024 that's not the case on my

channel anyway whatever's happened

that's okay 2014 YouTube was a very

different place to 2024 YouTube so what

happens from here basically there's two

things that can happen the most likely

thing is I go back into full-time work

the second much less likely scenario of

what could happen is this the patreon

link is in the description if enough

people become $2 to5 monthly patreon

members that I don't have to pay the

bills with ad Revenue I don't have that

would save my channel and I could stay

here and keep doing what I love for the

first time in 10 years I would be safe

on YouTube whoever's a patron will be in

my new boss for half a cup of coffee per

month or whatever they want to give I'll

give them exclusive member videos I'll

give them shoutouts I'll give them early

ad free videos and I'll keep producing

videos on YouTube for as long as my new

bosses want me to and if we reach

special goal markers I'll produce goal

videos videos I've always wanted to do

but most importantly I promise any

videos I make I will always make them

authentic videos that speak to you as a

person that treat you like a person and

not just a number or a fan you're not a

big beautiful bee or whatever I will

always speak to you like a friend and an

equal always so anyway whatever the case

if you personally think I deliver a good

service to people and that I'm worth

staying on here and you can spare a

couple of dollars I would be honored if

you could be my new boss I'll stay here

making videos as long as people want me

to again patreon Link in the description

I'm embarrassed to admit I only just

realize YouTube memberships takes 30 %

of all creators money while Patron only

takes 8% and given I already feel

terrible asking for this at all I like

it'll take less to reach basic living

goals if I ask for patreon rather than

YouTube memberships but all that said

even if I don't reach the basic living

goal I totally understand and obviously

I'm not shutting down the channel

completely my old video library will

still be here but I will have to end

production of new videos and go back

into full-time work I won't deliver a

crappy product to you if I am forced to

win Phantom Strider I will of course end

patreon and memberships too if I may be

transparent with you though I'm scared

and as I said I feel terrible asking for

help at all but if enough people do

pledge I promise you I will do my best

to keep bringing people regular varied

interesting content for as long as I'm

still breathing whether or not you're

able to help thank you for hearing me

out and thank you if you've watched my

videos before you're the reason I was

able to stay here on ad revenue for so

long and hey I've had a good run for

once I'm going to sit for a short time

and wait for help if help doesn't come

that's

okay I'll put my helmet back on and get

to work thanks for

watching you're okay

[Music]