A Few Facts + FAQs + Figures
Newsletter + On This Day
While talking shop with a friend the other day, I quipped, “Even though my YouTube channel has 10 times the subscribers, it has way more than 10 times the headaches than my Shop and Substack combined.”
We both laughed. But is it true?
After some reflection and running the numbers, I can confirm it definitely is.
FACTS
YOUTUBE = THE HEADACHES + THE HUSTLE
Running a YouTube channel as an independent creator can feel like navigating a minefield. From ad suitability restrictions and community guidelines strikes to constant trolls and copyright claims, it’s easy to lose momentum and motivation. Add to that YouTube’s sudden algorithm changes—which hide videos—and bot-driven flags—which demonetize videos—and it becomes a full-time job just to stay afloat. Even with a larger audience on YouTube, the platform often feels less like a supportive community of brothers (and other siblings) and more like a bad season of Big Brother.SHOP = SANE + STEADY GROWTH
By contrast, my Shop feels like a passion project, not a job. I curate art and design I genuinely love, and the feedback I receive comes from people who appreciate the work. Growth is slower, yes—but it’s real and tangible. I’ve built meaningful connections with some patrons. Plus, there’s no algorithm to fight against, no pressure for constant uploads, and no arbitrary guidelines.SUBSTACK = THE CREATIVE “SWEET SPOT”
In the past few months, Substack has quickly become my creative home base and refuge. It’s where I can connect with readers and subscribers on my terms, without the stress of demonetization or algorithms. I write and post whatever I want, whenever I want, and that freedom has led to some of my most rewarding work of my life. The platform fosters a real sense of community—a safe space where (even NSFW) content and creativity can thrive without the constant noise of YouTube’s bots, bullies, and bullshit.
FAQS
Q: WHICH PLATFORM MAKES THE MOST MONEY?
A: Without getting into the exact dollars and AdSense, YouTube currently brings in the biggest percentage of my income. But it also demands significantly more time (and art therapy) than the Shop and Substack combined.Q: WHY NOT JUST QUIT YOUTUBE?
A: Good question. Despite its many (many) headaches, YouTube currently offers more visibility and reach than any other platform. That said, I’m not sure how the full-time YouTubers do it. For me, diversifying helps keep things manageable.Q: WHICH PLATFORM DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST?
A: Substack, by far. It’s where I can be my most authentic self without constantly worrying about metrics, strikes, or content policing. Team Substack works hard to make their stellar product even better. Despite a few bugs, I appreciate all they do to make the best platorm I’ve found for content creators big and small.
FIGURES
TRAFFIC
YOUTUBE = 4.1M VIEWS (93%)
SHOP = 170K VIEWS (4%)
SUBSTACK = 127K VIEWS (3%)WATCH TIME
YOUTUBE = 187K HOURS
SHOP = N/A
SUBSTACK = N/ASUBSCRIBERS
YOUTUBE = 11,806 (92%)
SHOP = N/A
SUBSTACK = 1073 (8%)PERCENT OF REVENUE
YOUTUBE = 47%
SHOP = 25%
SUBSTACK = 28%
In the end, the laughs—at both my andYouTube’s expense—are well-founded. Any way you cut it, YouTube takes up more time and energy than the rest. And while the platform might bring in the numbers, my Shop and Substack definitely support me more consistently…and gently.
On that note, it looks like my YouTube growth has leveled off—and possibly even declined—in recent months, while the Shop and Substack continue to grow.
So, guess who's taking the day off from YouTube? Me, myself, and I.
Thanks for reading and subscribing!
Clint
ON THIS DAY = OCTOBER 4
BIRTHDAYS
1862 – Johanna van Gogh-Bonger = Sister-in-law of Vincent van Gogh, credited with promoting his posthumous fame
1895 = Buster Keaton = American film actor, director, and producer
1896 = Dorothy Lawrence = English reporter who secretly posed as a man to become a soldier during World War I
1923 = Charlton Heston = American actor, director and gun-rights activist
1946 = Susan Sarandon = American actor and activist
1956 = Christoph Waltz = Austrian-German actor
1957 = Bill Fagerbakke = American actor
1957 = Russell Simmons = American businessman, founded Def Jam Recordings
1959 = Chris Lowe = English singer-songwriter, co-founded Pet Shop Boys
1967 = Liev Schreiber = American actor and director
1976 = Alicia Silverstone = American actor, producer, and author
EVENTS
1582 = The Gregorian Calendar is introduced by Pope Gregory XIII.
1883 = The Orient Express.departs on its first journey from Paris to Istanbul.
1941 = Norman Rockwell's Willie Gillis character debuts on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post.
1957 = Leave It To Beaver premieres on CBS.
1957 = Sputnik 1 becomes the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth.
1970 = Janis Joplin dies in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 27.
1971 = W.W. Norton publishes E.M. Forster’s Maurice, written in 1913, posthumously. It is dedicated by Forster “to a happier year.”
1972 = ABC Afterschool Special premieres.
1974 = John Water’s Female Trouble opens, which not only gives us Divine complaining about not getting cha-cha heels for Christmas, it also contains the following piece of advice from “Aunt Ida”:
“OH, HONEY, I’D BE SO HAPPY IF YOU TURNED NELLY. QUEERS ARE JUST BETTER. I’D BE SO PROUD IF YOU WAS A FAG AND HAD A NICE BEAUTICIAN BOYFRIEND. I’D NEVER HAVE TO WORRY. I WORRY YOU’LL WORK IN AN OFFICE, HAVE CHILDREN, CELEBRATE WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES. THE WORLD OF A HETEROSEXUAL IS A SICK AND BORING LIFE!”
EDITH MASSEY = IDA NELSON
FEMALE TROUBLE = WRITTEN + DIRECTED BY JOHN WATERS
1985 = The Free Software Foundation is founded.
1985 = West Germany elects Herbert Ruche, the first openly-gay member of German Parliament.
1987 = The Last Emperor premieres at the Tokyo Film Festival.
1990 = Beverly Hills, 90210 premieres on Fox.
2006 = WikiLeaks is launched.
2022 = Loretta Lynn. dies in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, at the age of 90.
FOUND PHOTOS
NEW + FEATURED
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Ko-Fi + Linktree + Shop + Storefront + YouTube
What I don't understand is why substack is obscuring your posts from view in notes because they "may contain explicit content." Now I do understand how I have my settings, and I know I can open that up a bit, but it feels like the algo is trying to suppress queer content with that warning.