YouTube Just Fired Me!

Thanks, YouTube! You shut me and other loyal YouTubers off without any recourse. A lot of small YouTube content providers like me are feeling this way, because you changed your partnership rules. In order for me to make money, my videos must be viewed at least 4,000 hours in the past year and my channel must have 1000 subscribers.

I've been posting since 2005, when you first opened your doors.  Just by the brute force of multiple posts, and a few videos that are popular, my videos have been viewed close to 12,000 hours in the past year, but because I never promoted my channel and hardly even added subscribe buttons to the videos I only have 483 subscribers.

My videos were and always will be about anything and everything. Most of them were for family, friends, or students. I would get a real kick out of seeing any video get over 100 views.  I've posted and removed hundreds of videos over the years. I didn't create them with the idea that I would make money. I never even thought about actively promoting my channel. Even so, I've made a few hundred dollars, most of which was passed on to charity.

It's hardly the end of the world, but you are forcing me to change the way I post. I will adjust and now that I know subscribers are important, I will do what I must to gather them, but you've taken some of the joy and fun out of how I use YouTube.

I will narrow the focus of my channel to videos that I think have general appeal.  Instead of public posts on any and all topic. I will stick to wildlife, recipes, and a few other topics.  All the rest will be unlisted videos that will be shared with a smaller target audience who might be interested in my grandson or the growth of perennial rye grass.

So in a shameless act of self promotion, I will now ask you to subscribe to my channel.  

Here's a link to my channel where you can help by subscribing.

If YouTube did the same thing to you, feel free to share your story and a link to your page in the comments.