Ending PhantomStrider (and why it's ending)
Summary
TLDRPhantom 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
- π« The YouTuber 'Phantom Strider' is ending his channel due to an inability to afford living expenses as views have dropped dramatically.
- π The decline in views has made it impossible to cover basic costs like rent and bills, which were previously covered by ad revenue.
- π§ As a result, he plans to return to full-time work, possibly as an electrician or plumber.
- π 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.
- π He expresses gratitude for the years spent on YouTube and the community he's built.
- π₯ He's been working long hours on editing, writing, and filming to maintain content for his remaining viewers.
- π The workload has negatively impacted his mental health, and with views dropping, he's unable to slow down.
- π€ He speculates on why viewership has declined but avoids over-analyzing it to prevent self-doubt.
- π 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.
- πΌ 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.
- π° 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
π« 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.
πΌ 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Channel
π‘Ad Revenue
π‘Electrician Work
π‘Plumbing Work
π‘Patreon
π‘Mental Health
π‘Authentic Videos
π‘YouTube Memberships
π‘Phantom Strider
π‘Community
π‘Variety 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]
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