Yesterday, over on my YouTube channel, I tried something new-ish:
I posted a shorter-than-usual video. On purpose. As an experiment.
Even though engagement and overall watch time are actually up, the channel’s views have been flat for months. Which is confusing, annoying, and very on-brand for how the YouTube algorithm treats smaller channels.
Lately, I’ve been doing what most successful creators do in moments like these: throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks.
January, as an independent creative, has always been a bit of a financial rollercoaster. It’s that awkward stretch after the holidays when budgets tighten, projects slow down, and everyone seems to collectively decide to “circle back” in February.
So yesterday’s small experiment was my version of a digital rain dance, an attempt to coax YouTube’s algorithm into making it rain again. Or at least drizzle. I didn’t expect a thunderstorm. I was just hoping for a drizzle to remind me I’m still on the right track, still making progress, and still moving forward.
The results? Not so great. It was my lowest-performing video in months.
The results are what they are. I’m not mad or even sad about them.
“Playing YouTube” can often feel like playing a slot machine in Vegas. While there are best practices, strategies, and theories, there’s also plenty of chance and luck at play. Which is both comforting and frustrating. Comforting because failure isn’t personal. Frustrating because success isn’t guaranteed.
Yesterday, I felt a little like Thomas Edison in his lab (or Martha Stewart in her test kitchen if you prefer), tinkering, testing, and discovering not just what works, but, equally importantly in my book, what doesn’t.
Every “failed” experiment teaches me something, even if it’s simply “not that!” It may not always feel helpful in the moment, but experimentation and failure come with the territory. Whether I like it or not….
And in case I haven’t said it loudly and proudly lately, I’m so grateful to everyone who sticks around through my little creative science fair projects. Those who are patient, playful, and willing to let me try things out in public. Warts and all.
The internet makes it easy to feel like every post has to be optimized, perfected, and immediately successful. But sometimes I’m just throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks, and what splats to the floor.
Not every experiment is going to succeed, and that’s okay. Some things you just have to try, see what happens, and learn along the way.
For better or worse, that’s part of the creative process.
Keep calm and experiment on!
Clint 🌈✌️
P.S. All this talk about spaghetti has me craving Italian! Whatchu craving, boo?
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BORN THIS WAY ON THIS DAY
01-27 = Alan Cumming (1965- ) = Scottish actor 🌈
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MAN CRUSH OF THE DAY
“My feeling about work is it’s much more about the experience of doing it than the end product. Sometimes things that are really great and make lots of money are miserable to make, and vice versa.”
Alan Cumming
In the slightly longer video, so many memorable images. Like the two Davids. Sheesh. Keep on experimenting, there's a lot of "noise" in the channels, sometimes it takes a minute for your signal to come through...
Clint, I did appreciate your shorter content, especially the 3 Bromance type clips. I didn't have the trauma of the age verification shenanigans. Now I know it's not you or SS fault the UK government knee jerked to rush through legislation to folks to have to prove they are not a minor to watch your content gggrrrr I have sent you the SS explanation that they have to observe legal requirements in countries etc. So Cheers DougT🏴 🇬🇧