Patreon Update: January 2020 (Patreon)

Happy New Year! (a few days late but still)

Hope you all are doing well and that things are going alright for the start of 2020.  There's a lot of great music coming out this year and hopefully that has some of you excited.

As this is the beginning of the year, I wanted to set the tone for what I'm hoping to do this year as well as explain a few minor changes in what's to come (nothing major, just little things).  Below I'll break it all down by video type and explain what will change.

Album Reviews:
In the beginning of 2019 I made a point to post more reviews than I did in 2018.  I accomplished that, however when I look at stats and breakdowns in video analytics, I don't gain much in subscribers or engagement.  So for 2020, I'll be dialing back on the quantity of album reviews I post.  The plan is to do at least two a month.  On top of that, if something big releases I'll cover it.  The only other standard album reviews I'll post is if something is so amazing I want EVERYONE to know, or if it's such garbage I need to warn everyone.  I don't want to spend hours on an album review just to rack my brain thinking of things to talk about on good or OK album.  I want to put my focus and time on bigger projects.

Long Videos (Top 10's, Think-pieces, etc.):
I want to make more of these through the year.  They won't be massive videos but I want more engagement and something to contribute and get people talking.  I think that the think pieces AND top 10 videos work well for that.  These videos get the best views, watch time and engagement so I need to focus on this more.  I already have an idea or two in the near future that I want to work on.  In the comments below, feel free to suggest a topic for either.  

Regretting The Past:
I still plan on making these...but the average views on them has diminished greatly over time.  So spending a ton of time on these AND fighting copyright bots in the process takes a toll, and it hurts when people don't watch as much as they used to.  The last two years I've put out six RTP's.  I hope to put out at least two this year.  I am open to suggestions, but I want to clarify again that there are certain qualifications the album needs to meet in order for it to have an RTP made (sales being a big one, and it has to be at least five years old).

All Time Favorites:
For the last few years I've only made one per year.  The views on these videos are almost always lower than the other long videos.  However, it's nice to talk about the positive.  So If I'm going to post two RTP's in 2020, I plan on posting two ATF's as well.

The Podcast That Rocked:
Desperately trying to get this to 1K subs on the YouTube podcast channel.  Once I get that, I can monetize it on YouTube.  It is also on Spotify and iTunes/Google as well though so listen however you want.  The format of the show will be as it is though, with guests and occasional surprise people.  Expect more bad jokes from Gretchen. ;)
*Please don't tell Gretchen I said this, she knows where I live.

How Did I Miss This?! and paid for Patreon requests:
    This is where a lot of questions are going to come.  I do How Did I Miss This because so many people want the albums THEY love to be talked about.  I truly get that.  There's a big problem though.  Every HDIMT video (including the most recent six-album video) gets TERRIBLE watch time and the views are never much more than a regular album review.  So for How Did I Miss This?! I spend many more hours working on everything, for not as much in return.  The biggest problem, is that the low engagement and views actually hurts the channel overall on YouTube.  Meaning doing a How Did I Miss This?! for a very select few people ends up making things worse on analytics and overall channel growth.  I can't keep making this video in the same way when it actively hurts the channel growth and only is being made for roughly three people who request album review slots.
  The last problem with this video type is that for years I'll have patrons suggest albums and bands that just don't interest me that much.  It's not personal or directed at anyone.  It's just that I spend hours trying to write about a band or album that doesn't really do much for me, and that comes out in the video delivery as well.
    That being said, I still plan on doing this type of video where I review six albums to catch up, AND I want patrons to have a say in it.  So starting in 2020, I'll do these quarterly.  If ANY patron has an album suggestion for each quarter, you can suggest it in a pinned comment I'll make on the main Rocked Patreon page.  If you post it in the comments here, make sure to do it there too.  Once I get a big collection of albums to choose from, I'll narrow it down to a specific amount from everyone's suggestions.  Then I'll let the voting patrons decide which six get reviewed.  This way it'll help get a collection of input on what people want reviewed, while still reviewing albums that you all want covered.
    The pinned comment will be posted later tonight.

Rock Coliseum and Live Streams
Oh, these are still coming.  We will do the Superbowl Halftime Riffage again and then in March we will do another Rock Coliseum.

Patreon Tier Update:
For the $5 and up pledges, your name will be featured in EVERY video I post now.  Not just long videos.

So, that was a lot.  I know no one wanted to read a novel but I wanted to get some things across here because I want the channel to grow.  This past year was the hardest I've ever had doing Rocked as a result of YouTube de-prioritizing my entire channel last June and it took months to get things going again.  In 2020, I'm hoping for consistent growth and to get the word out about the channel.  

On top of that, I'm still getting invited and hired to work individual concerts so I'll be doing that and bringing coverage, photos, etc to everyone.  I have more festivals this year also.  The day job is 50 hours a week (not including on-call hours), so I don't get a ton of free time.  I need to spend what time I have trying to grow the channel and make it better. Improving on what I can and making better content.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the channel, past or present.  I know I'm made some enemies in the process (Kid Rock fans will never forgive me), but I also know I have great support from all of you.  That means more than you'll ever know.

Let me know if you have any questions.  This post will be open to the public so feel free to add whatever you want.