To monetize or not to monetize?

[Sabrina]

Ads are considered normal on big channels, yes, but ads on small channels can put people off (myself included). If it's so important for someone to earn 0.003$ I question the intent why they're on YouTube. Personally, I've only enabled monetization for the few videos >500 views but only just because of the rumour that the algorithm might "treat them better".

 

[Shakycow]

Interesting point. People unsubscribe bc of ads? Why is that? Also, do your subscriber numbers fluctuate daily?

No, people don't unsubscribe because of ads, but there is a chance they'll click off the video rather than watch the ad... and, in turn, could never become a subscriber.

If a video has a few thousand views, and a positive rating, people are more inclined to watch the ad (or wait the 5 seconds to skip it). If the video is relatively unknown, there is a far stronger temptation to click elsewhere instead of waiting.

 

[Ayden TravelsandToys]

No, people don't unsubscribe because of ads, but there is a chance they'll click off the video rather than watch the ad... and, in turn, could never become a subscriber.

If a video has a few thousand views, and a positive rating, people are more inclined to watch the ad (or wait the 5 seconds to skip it). If the video is relatively unknown, there is a far stronger temptation to click elsewhere instead of waiting.

Is this something you've witnessed? Or based on personal experience? I've clicked away before bc the video took forever to load, but never bc of ads. [DOUBLEPOST=1473572050,1473571830][/DOUBLEPOST]

Ads are considered normal on big channels, yes, but ads on small channels can put people off (myself included). If it's so important for someone to earn 0.003$ I question the intent why they're on YouTube. Personally, I've only enabled monetization for the few videos >500 views but only just because of the rumour that the algorithm might "treat them better".

Maybe it's not the 3/1000 cents they're after. Maybe it's for practice. Or a hopeful possibility.

 

[ProfessionalRik]

I monetize my videos and take off the 'skippable ads' so they don't get in the way.

In the simplest reasoning I feel I can give: It doesn't hurt anyone.

If you magically went viral for 24 hours on a video, and some how MILLIONS of people flocked to your video, and monetization was off, you gain nothing. Next day, all traffic on the video magically ceases and you missed your window. Brutal.

Basically I do it to be hopeful. If people actually like you, why would they care if you're trying to earn a penny or two? Why would they stop you?

Edit: That question is rhetorical.

 

[Sabrina]

Maybe it's not the 3/1000 cents they're after. Maybe it's for practice. Or a hopeful possibility.

Putting ads on videos for practice? Huh? As for the possibility, I think it's a good idea to prepare an Adsense account and put ads on a video if you think it has an actual chance to go viral, like, if you happen to film something extraordinary (or something that's right up Reddit's alley )[DOUBLEPOST=1473597602,1473597478][/DOUBLEPOST]

If people actually like you, why would they care if you're trying to earn a penny or two? Why would they stop you?

The subscribers won't care, they'd support you, but not the people who randomly stumble upon your video and are already questioning whether it has any value to them. If there's a pre-roll ad, they might bail.

 

[Mirandapanda]

I say you should start doing it right away. Even if you only earn a cent a month lol. People are so used to ads nowadays that no one cares
anymore. And if they do, they're using adblock anyway haha.

I say monetize because
a) People are used to seeing ads and
b) Your audience is better off seeing ads from the get go rather than all of a sudden

I agree with this.

To the people on here who get turned off by ads on small channels and leave, why? Does a few seconds of waiting upset you that much, even while you have your own channel that you hope others will support by viewing your ads one day?

Most people who are that upset by ads already have ad blocker. Perhaps you should consider getting that too so you can still watch youtube videos and support creators by increasing their view (and maybe subscriber) count, even if not supporting them financially. Most people who don't have ad blocker installed accept ads as a part of youtube (and the internet in general) and hardly notice them anymore.

 

[Sabrina]

To the people on here who get turned off by ads on small channels and leave, why? Does a few seconds of waiting upset you that much,

I happily sit through an ad or watch a sponsored video if it supports the creator (for that reason I'd never ever use an adblocker). I'd totally understand it even if the creator made just 5 dollars - that's still a lot to some, me included. But if the views are so low that the creator could only be making 5 cents total, I don't get it. That makes the person seem overly money hungry, as if money is more important to them than creating videos and giving their viewers a nice experience. That's a bad first impression and increases the likelihood of me clicking off.

 

[ProfessionalRik]

I'd totally understand it even if the creator made just 5 dollars - that's still a lot to some, me included. But if the views are so low that the creator could only be making 5 cents total, I don't get it.

That's because you're clearly not poor. Change adds up. $5 might mean a lot to you, but anything means a lot to me. You can see that as greedy, but I see it as how I might get to eat.

 

[Mirandapanda]

I happily sit through an ad or watch a sponsored video if it supports the creator (for that reason I'd never ever use an adblocker). I'd totally understand it even if the creator made just 5 dollars - that's still a lot to some, me included. But if the views are so low that the creator could only be making 5 cents total, I don't get it. That makes the person seem overly money hungry, as if money is more important to them than creating videos and giving their viewers a nice experience. That's a bad first impression and increases the likelihood of me clicking off.

Sorry, I just really don't get why having less than an arbitrary number of views suddenly makes them overly money hungry. They put in the work and allowed monetization just like any other channel, in the hopes they will get a little return from it. Whether that return is 500 dollars, 5 dollars, or 5 cents. Making that distinction just seems arbitrary to me. 5 cents still supports the youtuber, even if it isn't much.

A lot of creators, big and small, invest so much time and money into their craft. They care very much about creating videos and giving their viewers a nice experience, which is why they choose to make videos in the first place. They just also would like to at least maybe break even someday. And hey, if they upload a lot of videos making pennies, it will add up and they'll get to that 5 dollars. That little bit of money might be used in making that channel even greater for their subscribers.

I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree. And if my channel is too money-grabbing for you, that's cool- I'm sure there are others out there who feel the same as me and don't mind.

 

[Sabrina]

I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree.

No problem But my intent in this thread was not to agree or disagree but to say be careful with the generalisation "no one cares about ads anymore and it doesn't hurt to turn on monetisation" as that's simply not true.