Ever seen people who bitch about things not changing but don't change themselves to create the change?
While negativity is easy to generate, a positive change is so much harder but who's responsibility is that? Look in the mirror, that's who.
Canadian YouTube Creators, big fish, like me, have been assigned a YouTube Representative to navigate us through changes that are up and coming, as early as this fall. I've had mentorship in the past from YouTube and I was really reluctant not to answer the emails as I didn't want to go through the same old thing. Telling me to adjust the channel to match a music performer, mega-brand or celebrity. We are not this type of channel, nor do I want to be.
I was pretty direct after I agreed to sit for a 30-minute video chat and I laid out the issues I have with mentorship. Extremely receptive, this time, it's been much more different. The mentorship is tailor-made for me. My representative is in their 20s and sees the internet and educational resources from a person that is almost 30 years younger than I.
Ask My Team... I Can Be Really Obsessed
I can be very stubborn if my goals and vision for The Crochet Crowd don't match what I believe. However, this time, I am seeing things from a different perspective. If you are watching on YouTube, you are seeing changes in presentation and including visuals. It's actually been fun to make some changes that, for me, I have a rhythm and it's being broken to bits.
I have a simple goal and through Yarnspirations sponsorship, it can happen. "Keep crochet resources and patterns free to use!" Whatever I do in the changes ahead, this goal cannot be changed. It's my core foundation belief that created this community.
Yarnspirations Has Been Asking For Change
Yarnspirations has been asking me to have more balance in long-form content, which this blog is and also full-length tutorials for creating short-form content which is video format under 60 seconds. For me doing long-form, I didn't know how to do it as I feel explanations and thorough answers are needed in videos so people don't suddenly email me or start tagging me in questions where I haven't answered the question in the video.
They have given advice, but I'm goal oriented and the advice doesn't feel solid. I'm scared of failure with the changes needed.
I asked my representative at YouTube for guidance to show this nearly 50-year guy what I can do to change. She came back with advice on visual changes. Also, some advice on short-form content to help me take the risk for change. Giving me an understanding on computer logistics on the implications of change.
I Found a Consultant Online To Guide Me
Not just give me a course on how to make the changes but guide me through personal fact-hitting statistical data, which is how I function. Of course, it's not free and I don't expect it to be free.
I have taken these workshops now and now it's time for hands-on mentorship. Lessons learned:
- I was feeling that short-form content was me acting in front of the camera. While I have comical timing, I'm in a business mode more than a friendly go-lucky mode. I am a serious person.
- I have had to learn new programming, which I do truly love.
- If he tells me something, I have a way to contact YouTube to confirm details. I've already discovered a conflict of data points but it's not a deal breaker. It just means I straddle both consultants in this advice and make my own judgement call.
- I have to learn how to get to the point fast without the fluff.
Adjusting for Change
As crude as this sounds, I have read and also received advice that the generation that is being raised right now to up to 24 years old is the generation of ADHD. This isn't limited to this generation but also to people my age who are adjusting constantly to the pressures of society to stay caught up.
- This mindset is people who need the point to be hit within 3 seconds! Three F'ing Seconds! Do you know how hard that is to achieve that? MY GAWD!
- The visuals have to be constantly changed, different angles, different scenes and almost have a surprise that is expected but many fail to deliver.
- If you watch TV, you know the camera angles change quickly in the same scene. It keeps you hooked on what's next. That's what I need to achieve. The long-form tutorial work cannot achieve this, nor do I plan to adjust from that as it's still needed.
Doing this Since 2008
I have been doing this for a long time already and have seen many changes over the years. I expect people will buck at the change that will occur but it's important to stay caught up versus letting the technology bowl me over.
It's hard... it really is hard... but it doesn't mean it shouldn't be done.
What changes would you like to see? Remember, change is necessary at times. Whether it's in business or personal lives. Leave me a comment below.
elizabeth trutwin says
Mikey. I have been slow to post Study of Ombre pictures because doing these stitches with those videos got me thinking about so many new ideas I have had to navigate researching and cataloguing and organizing all the new ideas.
There are a few things. On videos where every round has new stitches or very complicated moves I invite you just before exiting the round to reiterate in one sentence what I must remember to do, example, "remember to land all your stitches in this round in the back bumps". Or, "check over you have five back posts in every group at the end of the round'". I noticed when I can hear that last thing I need to remember before exiting that round I will need to back up the video less. That's it. As you well know, your videos are quite perfect and always have been. I had new ideas about growing the Crochet Crowd into new countries with new languages. To grow crochet to the 20s set in countries where no one speaks English. I found a sacred symbol of this one country and it could be expressed in a granny square design using certain colors and be recognized as that symbol by anyone there. To design the granny square which I researched for days I found a gal who was close but I only needed her first 2 rounds of the granny square and I had to edit hers to make it a recognized symbol. Then I went to your basic '4 square' to finish the design. It took me 4 tries and I had designed their national pride granny square. I thought I could search and formulate projects that appeal to the culture of one country. And the goal would be to drive every project idea with a paragraph in their language and back to a Mikey Crochet Crowd YouTube video which would be translated for them into their language. I am also above average doing research and have built websites for over 15 years. I have ideas about organizing a website in a foreign language and having a website address not in English so their search engine sees it with their country code extension. This involves using asian characters in the name for example. I have already translated 3 websites in this language. You said about not getting 10 million followers and I saw a vision that is likely not true. How I would design such a website is have much less Mikey content than the crochet crowd site and have only category tabs with the content under a clickable image and subsequently all content, only your content, but culled for that nation. So less stuff and targeted stuff. And can then find all your videos searching on YouTube in their language. Crochet can be organized in about 10 categories that anyone doing crochet would be interested in - all only your content - and then an individual can search all your content for anything they may be trying to find. It can be organized in the "ten" by level and by stitch type inside a website very easily which makes content easier to find and do. So what can I do to change this world? It costs about $350 in hosting fees and url renewal, a year, to carry out this idea to any new country. You can be guided about how to have your own host account with these little cookie cutter - same in all places - and all your content - and all designed for each new nation, example, Portugal, Philippines, Finland, using their national pride colors or child culture theme special to them - have a host account in one place owned by you, that has the site names in their language that you decide. Then I recommend you find someone you know, a native speaker, to "what can you do" pay to the account each year the fee for their language website to you, your account, your url. Then I take that web design I do, which you approve and love, and work with them as a volunteer to translate each new website as it gets its own sponsor volunteer (about $350/yr) from that country and that ends their involvement - being that annual sponsor and helping with initial translations in setting it up. After that nothing changes. If for some reason the sponsor goes away, the website on your account is "parked". It stays there built and never has to be done again and is yours but when its parked it just cannot be seen on the web. In time you could (I can volunteer to) build multiple beautiful, easy to navigate, uncomplicated websites integrated with YouTube in their language. It takes me about 4 days max to clone a website in a new language with translation help and I would do that as a volunteer so young people can find national pride crochet with Mikey as their guide. Your home website can have flag icons on the top of the page which take a viewer to a translated Mikey website. Those are my visions lately. I have no doubt you can get 10 million. You are that good. Crochet is that needed. I have lots of "3 minute" ideas but that's a different conversation. I love your non-crochet shorts too.
Enerod Leba says
I understand that things change and have gotten much faster. But please don’t forget about those of use who can’t take the constantly changing images and bare bones instructions.
Image flashing gives me headaches and I end up not wanting to watch anymore so I head to a different channel or just stop looking.
Not all changes are good for certain target audiences.
But Mikey you have done an awesome job up to now and suspect you will find the balance in the future
Bonnie Ratcliff says
Gosh Mikey you have given me something to think about because I don't know that I would change anything about the way you do your tutorials. You break them down to the right lengths/sections, you go at just the right speed, you make it fun and interesting, and with every one, even those that are similar, I learn something new. I look forward to all of your videos. I've enjoyed the new shorts you've been doing, they're fun and informative. I think I've saved every video you've done. Thank you for your time, your energy, and making learning an experience I look forward to. ?