What am I doing wrong? How can I get people interested?

I agree with the many others here in that I mostly don't watch videos like you are offering.  I get in the mood a few times a year when I'm researching a specific topic and then will binge watch everything on it and/or related to it.  I did then when I got my homestead and could really start embracing permaculture.  My favorite were the ones that were less polished but also not rambly (like Geoff Lawton where he is showing how to build hugelkultur mounds and there is video of before and after).

Many of the videos are geared towards how do I get viewers or entertain people or keep them coming back rather than succinctly and clearly offering information.  In general, I want my information from someone who barely has the time to make the video or post because they are so passionate about DOING what they are doing that the only reason they are taking a break to post or make a video is because this particular topic is so useful or important and they want to share it.  They are only making it as polished as it needs to be to be basically palatable.

Mostly I like blogs with pictures and good information.

So I don't think I'm your target audience but I do wish you luck.  And it's nice that your post brought more people like me out of the woodwork because sometimes I feel like the whole world wants the flash and I'm alone in preferring something else.

Thanks to all who replied recently! I want you guys to know that I'm taking all your advice and suggestions to heart. So your efforts were not in vain by any means! I've started looking at SEO, optimizing my video titles, tags and descriptions. I've started a new How To series and shortened my video length to 5-6 minutes. Moving forward, I'm going to try my best to provide useful content rather than just documentation. I'm spending a lot more time in front of the camera. Time-permitting, I'm going to start writing actual articles in my blog more often. And most important of all, I've stopped giving a crap about my views and likes on YT/FB. Feels good! :)

I'm also being realistic with all this and trying hard to be patient (which is not my forte). I know the changes I've made will not magically improve everything over night but I feel like it's a really good start! I'm encouraged for the first time in a while and I have many of you to thank for that! AND I'M NOT DONE YET EITHER!

Here's an example of what I've been able to do since I started this thread:



Any additional feedback or suggestions are still very much welcome so keep it coming!

Cheers,

Matt Leger
Maple Grove Productions

Hi Matt,

I watched your latest video and found the introductory audio and mildly irritating flickering graphics didn't seem to match the mood of the content very well. This is generally true of many youtube videos and not just yours alone. There's really no need to try to "grab" the attention of a viewer as they're already interested your content or they wouldn't have clicked on it.

We love watching a lot of youtube videos as our substitute for television programs. Whenever we need to find out how to do something there is almost always someone there who took the time to make a video patiently demonstrating exactly how to do it. I'm certainly a total amateur and make simple videos just for their own sake and not to try to get likes or subscribes because I'm not trying to grow an audience. I do use them as a reference for people I'm talking with, but nothing else.

Youtube is like the lottery. Only a few people really hit it big.

Terri Matthews wrote:when I die, my home and land will be sold because nobody will want to care for an acre of land, and my family will use their inheritance to fund their OWN dreams

Well said, Terri. I struggle with that idea a lot. Even though I'm just getting started, I feel a deep need for it all to MEAN something and be worthwhile, not only in my lifetime but future lives, beit my family or not. The idea that my hard work will some day be destroyed by someone who doesn't see the value in what I was trying to do is just devastating. But what will I care if I'm 6 feet under, right?

I should note here that mortality and impermanence are things that I have a hard time with in general but that's a whole other topic.

Looking at it from a different angle, I suppose part of the reason why I'm so fascinated by nature is because of life's ability to regenerate indefinitely. It's almost like a loophole that cheats death, which is strangely comforting.

Greg Mamishian wrote:I watched your latest video and found the introductory audio and mildly irritating flickering graphics didn't seem to match the mood of the content very well.

Thanks for your candid feedback regarding the intro, Greg! I agree and I've actually been considering a makeover lately. The bookends don't fit the style I'm going for as well as I originally thought. I'm going to make a conscious effort to keep all aspects of my videos more consice and consistent with the channel's theme.

Matt Leger wrote:
Well said, Terri. I struggle with that idea a lot. Even though I'm just getting started, I feel a deep need for it all to MEAN something and be worthwhile, not only in my lifetime but future lives, beit my family or not.

Matt, so much of what you have written in this thread resonates very strongly with me. Thank you for starting this thread and giving a voice to the feelings I (and I'm sure many others) feel too!

It can be difficult to find like minded friends in real life, that has been my experience too. However, I have found people nearby who share some parts of what I'm interested in, and that is something. For example, people who like cooking or crafts, entrepreneurs, conventional dairy farmers, people who are active in some social cause. I can discuss some aspects of what we do on our farm with each of these neighbours and that's great. None of them really gets "the big picture" but that's why I'm here on Permies

Our extended family members are the ones least enthusiastic about what we do. They tend to focus on the downsides and the list of their worries is endless: What if you get ill, what about social security and unemployment benefits that you lose when you're self-employed, what if your kids are teased in school (because they don't have designer clothes), isn't your life too hard physically, why don't you get rid of your animals so you can have a proper vacation and visit us every weekend, why don't you move back to the city, think about the children and how much better it would be for them if you lived in the city and they could have "a normal life", aren't you kind of selfish when you force your children to live in such "primitive" conditions just so you can chase your dream.

Me and my husband have both struggled with the need for it all to MEAN something, too. Especially since there has been a fair amount of criticism of our life style, it has made us take a deep look into our motivation: why are we doing all of this, really? What does it all mean?

We still don't know the answer.

However, what I've found helpful are these simple quotes from John Seymour's classic self-sufficiency book:

"If it's true that the only person whom I have control over actions is myself, then it does matter what I do.
It may not matter a jot to the world at large, but it matters to me."

That has sort of become my motto

I've also come up with a modified version of this motto: "Other people may not believe, but I believe." That simple thought has carried me through many tough times. I've tried to search for better and more sophisticated reasons and justifications for what I do, but in the end I keep coming back to this simple statement. It sounds kinda crazy, autistic even, but it works for me

Nina Jay wrote:It can be difficult to find like minded friends in real life, that has been my experience too. However, I have found people nearby who share some parts of what I'm interested in, and that is something. For example, people who like cooking or crafts, entrepreneurs, conventional dairy farmers, people who are active in some social cause. I can discuss some aspects of what we do on our farm with each of these neighbours and that's great. None of them really gets "the big picture" but that's why I'm here on Permies

Pretty much what I've experienced, and expressed, too.

Permies get into construction, road maintenance, water systems, plumbing, electricity, firewood provision, equipment repair & maintenance.  Connections can be made with neighbors and local people starting around such things.

Nina Jay wrote:Our extended family members are the ones least enthusiastic about what we do. They tend to focus on the downsides and the list of their worries is endless...

This whole paragraph resonates with me deeply. I feel that way not only with most of friends and family but also the majority of people in society. My problem is I'm kind of shy, introverted and socially awkward, so I sometimes have trouble stepping out of my comfort zone to make new friends/connections. It's something I need to continuously work on but permies.com has helped a lot for sure!

I admire your approach and I love that quote you shared. It's a good motto to live by and I think it really expresses the sentiment of what we're experiencing perfectly. That's the way I see it now too. If no one gives a crap what I'm into, no matter how beneficial it may be to them, there's really nothing I can do about that. I'm not going to preach. If it's important to ME, that's all that really matters. "Other people may not believe, but I believe." is an even better way of saying it. I just need to remember this during the more difficult times.

So long as we each have our own little personal paradise and big brother stays out of it, we'll be happy. And there's a lot of meaning in that alone. I would so much rather my family and I live "primitively", as you put it, than be consumerist slaves, addicted to modern conveniences like technology and other flashy objects. My personal dilemma is trying to strike a balance between the two, which is not always easy. But that's essentially what I'm trying to do with all this - marry technology with regenerative agriculture. The two seem to clash sometimes but there are actually a lot more moments of synergy than conflict. That may not always be the case in the future, but for now, that's my end game. The next generation needs to learn all these skills too and it's easier to reach them using the technology they have at their disposal. Perhaps in the future we will be using VR as a means of sharing all our permacultre tips and tricks with each other. I wouldn't be surprised if it's already being done now...

I got off on a bit of a tangent there lol but hopefully you were able to stick with me and caught some of those vibes. Thanks so much for your insightful reply! It's reassuring to know there are others out there working through many of the same things.

Best of luck in your own journey, Nina!

Ok guys. Well, I have some major updates for you. While I haven't been able to incorporate ALL of your suggestions (there were a lot lol and thank you for those), I was able to implement a few of the major ones. Here's what I've done so far:

Shortened videos to 5-6 minutes each.

Performed A LOT more edits (much less waffle nonsense)

Purchased and customized a professional AE template that I had been eyeballing for a while.

Purchased a new looping outro video (as a background for End Screens).

Created a title/subject lower third graphic that appears at start of video.

Added new music by The 126ers. I love these guys! Their music is free and you don't even have to give them credit, although sometimes I do anyway. And more importantly, I feel like the music fits my style and theme a lot better.

Shorter intro speech.

Videos are more concise in general.

Beefed up my knowledge on SEO, YouTube/Google ranking and thumbnail creation.

Started writing ACTUAL blogs on my web page.

Created a little mystery and intrigue. Oooh la la! It's not click bait, I swear! [cue detective music and shifty eyes]

Started making "How To's" instead of documentary-type videos.

More attention to overall production quality.

There's probably more but that's all that comes to mind right now. But as you can see, I've been a busy beaver! I can honestly say that this is pretty much the BEST that I can do with the tools available to me. I mean, yes, it could always get better and more refined, but for now, this is as good as it gets for me. My editing application now has a template so I can easily drag and drop my raw videos into the timeline, do some quick edits, save and render in a couple hours or so. So I'm not spending crazy amounts of time on it like before, which is important to maintain a good family/work balance.

Below is my latest video which was published today. I will try to release a new video every Sunday at 11:00 AM ET (Eastern Time). As you'll see, compared to what I was doing before, it's a bit more of a "How To" than it is a documentary. I've changed my stance a little bit in that regard. Although I'm still very much learning the ins and outs of permaculture and homesteading (or farmsteading as I prefer to call it), I now think this is actually the perfect time to teach others what I'm learning because the knowledge is still fresh! At first, I saw it as "the blind leading the blind" but in reality, it's easier to learn something new when you have others also learning it at the same time. You can "proofread" and fact-check each others work and share tips that you come across along the way. So I'm thinking of my viewers more as classmates now rather than mere observers. I figure we can all save the observing for when we're studying nature. I want to pass along what little I know and hopefully others will want to start their own farmstead, food forest or even a simple raised bed garden some day. That is the dream... so dream BIG and dream OFTEN! That's MY new motto. ;)



Thank you all! I look forward to reading your comments. As always, your feedback is most welcomed! If you want to give me a like, or a sub, or share my video, great! If not, that's OK too. I'm now content to just add to the "global information depository" as Lucrecia Anderson put it:

Lucrecia Anderson wrote:If you view it as a global information depository instead of a popularity contest (aka a cult of personality) you won't be disappointed by the lack of views, but you will occasionally be pleasantly surprised by the number of views.

The fruit tree video above was superb! Very professional looking to me! Not too long and full of information, which is the most important thing in a YT video in my opinion.

I think your speech tempo is just right, not too slow and and not too fast. It could be slightly faster and it would still be great, but I prefer a slightly slower tempo because English is not my native tongue. Giving the most important info as text was a very good idea, too.

I like your voice and how you pronounce words clearly so even non-natives have no trouble understanding.

The music added a really nice touch.

I can only think of one thing to improve and it's a very minor detail: not wearing sunglasses (unless of course you really need to/ it's an essential part of your outfit or personal style/ other such reason).

Good luck! Keep up the good work! Looking forward to more vids!

Matt: You might consider signing up for a booth at your local farmer's market. Take some veggies. Talk with the people there about your methods and ideas. The best resume and marketing for a grower, is a table full of healthy, beautiful vegetables.

You write: "The problem is I can't seem to get anyone to take interest in anything I do."
Wow!!! That is pretty absolutist language. Is it always true?

From a purely pragmatic standpoint. I can offer encouragement in the form of virtual apples -- for making great posts to permies. My daily supply of apples is limited, but I often give apples for posts that contain photos showing:

Someone's garden or freshly harvested vegetables.
A meal cooked from homegrown veggies.
Seed saving.
Swale or checkdam construction.

I rarely (perhaps never) give apples for videos, because it's such a slow and plodding way of exchanging information that I get bored with videos. I'm unlikely to read posts regarding hugelculture, so that's not a good topic to post on to try to get an apple from me.  

Joseph Lofthouse wrote:
Matt: You might consider signing up for a booth at your local farmer's market. Take some veggies. Talk with the people there about your methods and ideas. The best resume and marketing for a grower, is a table full of healthy, beautiful vegetables.

That's a very good idea. We have done that too. It's not so much for the money we make (though we do make some) but for the chance to talk to interested people about what we do. Another thing we have done to get customers/ friends from our neighborhood is to just put samples (6 eggs) and a brochure in their post box. People love getting free samples.

Joseph Lofthouse wrote:
You write: "The problem is I can't seem to get anyone to take interest in anything I do." Wow!!! That is pretty absolutist language. Is it always true?

I'm guilty of this absolutist language too so I think I know where Matt is coming from. If I say something like that, what I really mean is that I feel frustrated that the people nearest and dearest to me are not supportive of what I do, even though I feel I have gone out of my way to be supportive of what they do.  I do realize it's not the whole truth, it's just a feeling and it will pass. But I need to get it out of my system and say it out loud. I think that that's what Matt was trying to do. Sorry if I misinterpreted and please correct me if I did.

However, I think Joseph has a point in that sense that it does matter what we say to ourselves, our internal dialogue makes a difference to how we feel. Repeating to myself "nobody's interested in anything I do" will make me depressed, so it is a good idea to challenge these thoughts and ask "Is it true?".

Nina Jay wrote:a very minor detail: not wearing sunglasses

Thanks again for sharing your awesome feedback, Nina! The day I recorded all these raw videos, I had a bad migraine so I wore the sunglasses pretty much all day, even indoors. Bright lights and loud noises make it a lot worse for me. But, I still agree with you. I would make a better connection with the audience by not wearing sunglasses during the videos. After all, the eyes are the windows to the soul, as they say. ;) I'm glad my voice and pace was good for you. That's very good to know and it's something I try to think about a lot since I do virtual training work as my main gig.

By the way, if any of you guys are ever looking for someone to do voice-over work, narration or webinar productions, I'm your guy! And there's my shameless plug of the day! Haha! :)

Joseph Lofthouse wrote:Wow!!! That is pretty absolutist language. Is it always true?

You're absolutely right, Joseph and Nina. That language is a bit extreme. I shouldn't say NO ONE takes interest, but there is only one individual I know personally who really backs me up on what I do and that's only because he's in to many of the same things. He was the one to turn me on to permaculture in the first place. However, my family and friends are only interested in what I do when their supply of maple syrup gets low :) or when I invite them to join me in the sugar shack a couple times a year. They like the novelty of what I do but that's where it ends. I don't get any real support from any of them, in any capacity. That's why it has been so refreshing to me to read such encouraging and thoughtful responses here on the forums. Those who have been saying "Find like-minded people" are exactly right and I seem to have found a goldmine of those here on permies.com!

Regarding getting a booth at a farmer's market, I was hesitant to do that before because of social anxiety issues but I think I'm just gonna suck it up and go next season. Maybe not necessarily to make money, although that would be nice, but more to make those contacts in the local community, as you guys mentioned.

I'm not exactly sure how the apple thing works but I see I have earned 6 of them so far. Woohoo! :) Thank you for those! And thank you also for those post topic suggestions, Joseph. I will make it a point to cover all those at one point either this season or the next. I have no shortage of ideas now and for that I'm very grateful! It's hard to please everyone but if I diversify my content enough (as permaculture teaches us to do with our plants), I stand a better chance at reaching a wider audience.

Man oh man, I need to start off my days on the permies forums more often. I'm in a very good mood now and ready to start my day with a renewed sense of vigor and motivation.

Have a wonderful day, my friends!!

Regarding sunglasses: I don't wear sunglasses at the farmer's market. No matter how bright the sunlight. My first priority at market is to connect with people, eye-to-eye.

Regarding the language we use to describe ourselves and those around us: Language is strong medicine. It can shape us, and shape them, and have strong influences on future interactions. Especially when it veers into "any", "always", "never", "nobody". I highly recommend the messy middle.

Joseph Lofthouse wrote:No matter how bright the sunlight. My first priority at market is to connect with people, eye-to-eye.

Makes sense. Plus when you add all the findings of research that's been done on brain health and sunlight, we shouldn't be wearing sunglasses at all. Probably worth the extra brain pain, haha! Nothing's gonna fix a migraine when it sets in anyway.

Joseph Lofthouse wrote:when it veers into "any", "always", "never", "nobody"

You know, I've caught myself doing that a few times since I first read your reply. I'm trying to be mindful of the language I use now, not only because of the influence factor but also in an effort to be more fluent and descriptive in my written/verbal communication.

Thanks, Joseph! :)

Ouch, migraine... I know that one... Perhaps a compromise would be to wear sunglasses in the market place but take them off when somebody stops at your stand? Or wear a hat with a wide brim?

On the topic of being an introvert at the market place: it can feel scary at first. Me and my husband are both introverts, but we manage :-) We manage it about once a month, that is. To do it every day is a job for an extrovert, I think.

For me it has helped to visit the market place multiple times and finding out all the details well in advance. Details like where the market master can be found, how and when I pay for my stand, what kind of stands there are and how do I set them up. Then I don't have to go and ask so many questions and "bother" people (I have an unusually strong fear of "bothering" people) on the day of the market and I can use all of my energy serving the customers, and that is after all  why I came to the market place :-)

After a day at the market place we need to rest (a sure sign you're an introvert, if you're an extrovert you will probably feel energized after spending the day with lots of lovely people). My husband especially, he is probably more introverted than I am, because he needs to sleep at least 2 hours after an 8 hour day at the market place. For me 45 minutes alone with a book will do the trick, most of the time ;-) It's a curious mix of feeling both energized and exhausted at the same time, for me.

Nina Jay said:  "On the topic of being an introvert at the market place: it can feel scary at first. Me and my husband are both introverts, but we manage We manage it about once a month, that is. To do it every day is a job for an extrovert, I think."

I definitely like the advice to know the details well in advance!  Starting the day well-organized and feeling on top of things can only help.

I know that if I have a canned speech and/or set of responses to FAQs, I can fake extroversion really well.  First, because I can start with them, and then move on to more individualized outreach.  Second, I can put myself into kind of a role - in your case, of "farmer", or "educator", etc.  Then I'm less worried about what the person thinks of *me* and can more objectively work on improving the role, and thus the outreach.  (Yes, there are authenticity issues that could arise - ymmv.)

So maybe having a factsheet available to give out + in your head, about your farm, about how you're growing, about specific interesting produce... could help give you a few prompts + starter confidence?

Nina Jay wrote:the market place... can feel scary at first. Me and my husband are both introverts, but we manage... It's a curious mix of feeling both energized and exhausted at the same time.

I can totally relate to that feeling, Nina! It's exciting but also very draining. I'd imagine my experience would be much the same. It would not be easy at first but I would not let anything stop me, not even anxiety. Feel the fear and do it anyway, as they say. Maybe all I will have to do is get friendly with the person running the cider station next to me and all will be well. Haha! :)

Sonja Draven wrote:In general, I want my information from someone who barely has the time to make the video or post because they are so passionate about DOING what they are doing...

All fair points, Sonja. I've really been trying to make an effort lately to do exactly that: ramble less and provide quick and easy info to the viewers. Before and after videos, like the ones Geoff Lawton does, are also great ideas! Once I have a basis for comparison, I will most definitely be making those types of videos. I've already committed to a few members here that I will try a "hands on" vs. "hands off" approach next year with my trees and I intend to stick to that commitment. I'll be sure to provide updates on that as the years pass. It will be really interesting to see what a row of fruit trees that have been pampered looks like compared to one that has been left alone for the most part and only gets tended to out of necessity. Our hugel mounds should be in full swing by then too so all that together will really be something to behold.

I've also been working more on my blog lately so if you have any feedback on that specifically (what you like or don't like compared to other blogs) that would be really helpful! Here's the URL if you're interested and have time to check it out at some point: www.maplegrove.productions

Many thanks to you both!! :)

Morfydd St. Clair wrote:Nina Jay said:  "On the topic of being an introvert at the market place: it can feel scary at first. Me and my husband are both introverts, but we manage We manage it about once a month, that is. To do it every day is a job for an extrovert, I think."

I definitely like the advice to know the details well in advance!  Starting the day well-organized and feeling on top of things can only help.

I know that if I have a canned speech and/or set of responses to FAQs, I can fake extroversion really well.  First, because I can start with them, and then move on to more individualized outreach.  Second, I can put myself into kind of a role - in your case, of "farmer", or "educator", etc.  Then I'm less worried about what the person thinks of *me* and can more objectively work on improving the role, and thus the outreach.  (Yes, there are authenticity issues that could arise - ymmv.)

So maybe having a factsheet available to give out + in your head, about your farm, about how you're growing, about specific interesting produce... could help give you a few prompts + starter confidence?

I like so much about what you wrote here, Mofydd. That whole "fake it till you make it thing" has served me well in life and I continue to use it in my daily life and with with my career. For example, when I do narration or voice-over work or even in just every day meetings, I script EVERYTING! I'm a bit of a control freak like that. Surprisingly though, with my video, I rarely ever script anything. I suppose it's because this is my time to relax and just be myself. I don't feel like I have to impress anyone when I'm working on the farm. It's just me sharing my examples with others who are into the same things. It's easy and light, which is what makes it fun for me! I'm afraid that if I focus too much on regimented scripts that my show will lose some of it's magic. I want to keep it "real". (As I type that, I'm reminded of the Matrix. What IS real? lol)

But anyway, perhaps the key here is balanced, yet again. Some of the more complex topics will absolutely need a script or a basic outline, as you said. And other the other hand, some of the simpler topics, could be easy and breezy and probably wouldn't need it. It will likely be a case by case basis, depending which hat I'm wearing or which role I'm playing at the time.

Thank you for your kind, response!

Please forgive the triple post here but I wanted to say that I am still hard at work shaping all your great suggestions into reality. However, it occurred to me today that I should not continue posting videos here. I want to keep this thread for what it was intended: helping people like me make better videos, or moreso, help creators reach a wider audience. The simple steps I have taken so far, while labor-intensive, have been relatively easy to implement. Now that I'm looking at things from the other side, it's easy to say things like "How did I miss that?!" and "Why didn't I think of that before?" but it has been a journey, like all things, and the journey has just begun!

That said, I would like to invite you all to continue checking in on me and my projects at Maple Grove Productions. Keep sharing your own inspirational stories here! I am dedicated to continue giving back to the community and paying it forward. Once I have a more solid understanding of some core topics of permaculture, I hope to start mentoring others. But one step at a time...

My second "How To" type video was released today at 11:00 AM ET and I'm very excited to share it with all of you! But for now, as I mentioned, I will no longer post my videos here unless it's to get some opinions and pointers on a particular subject. Instead, I will start a new thread specifically on "Homesteading for Beginners" where the videos belong. I know this is a topic that has probably been done many times before but I feel I have more to add. I'll be doing things MY WAY and in my geographical location so it will be unique and valuable, at least from my view. I'd love to hear from you guys about it!

But again, please keep posting anything here that's related to getting people excited about what you're doing, community support, YouTube videos, SEO, Facebook (not so much), etc. or really any other social media-related topic.

And as my new tag line says, don't forget to "Dream BIG and Dream Often, my friends!" :)

Hi Matt. I just happened to read this thread. Then I wanted to see your videos. I found your latest one ... your last YT video. You told the viewers you moved, because of YT's policy. I think it will be smart to tell a little (not too much) about that move here, in this thread, or wherever at Permies. The link in your posts has to be changed too. Then we can watch your new videos!