Starting Over
- Emily
- Sep 15, 2024
- 4 min read
I've made the incredibly difficult decision to sunset the EmSArcade YouTube channel.
This idea is one that's been floating around in my head for years and years, resurfacing anytime I would re-emerge into the world of YouTube with new videos to share. But I never had the guts to do it until now.
The truth is, I've always known I had dead subs, ever since that first song cover was uploaded. Yet I remained optimistic. I thought, "Surely they'll give my other content a chance and I'll win them over with my personality!" It was an incredibly naïve thought at the beginning, but it eventually became the only idea that brought me a bit of hope every time I uploaded, even when deep down in my heart I knew better.
It's funny... the one thing that got me any sort of traction was also the thing that would stunt all future growth on my channel.
As you know, YouTube is a hobby for me. And growth isn't necessary for a hobby to be enjoyed. But stagnation in a medium where the whole purpose is to entertain - effectively rendering one unable to do so - kills the enjoyment in its own way. I created a whole series that was meant to encourage discussion and community, yet I can't reach people to make that happen. I've created so many videos that I was excited to share to make viewers smile or laugh, but were ultimately only seen by a handful of people. And I know I can do more.
I'll be totally transparent with you. Here's the situation as it plays out on the EmSArcade channel right now:
I upload a new video. One of two things happens -
Scenario One:
People who subbed for music or because I'm an editor for a big YouTuber see it in their subscription box or homepage. They don't click on it because it has nothing to do with either of the two things they subbed for.
My click-through rate tanks, YouTube sees that people are viewing the thumbnail but not clicking, it immediately activates the kill switch. Video is DOA.
Scenario Two:
People who subbed for music or because I'm an editor for a big YouTuber see it in their subscription box or homepage. They click on it, watch for ~30 seconds, then click off because it has nothing to do with either of the two things they subbed for. Sometimes they unsubscribe on their way out.
My watch time tanks, YouTube sees that people are clicking but not watching (the video even pushes some of them to unsub!), it immediately activates the kill switch. Video is DOA.
See what I'm getting at here? In both scenarios my content isn't given a chance and YouTube pulls the plug, effectively destroying all potential for growth. And there's no way to fix it without removing dead subscribers, something that's entirely beyond my control. (As my boyfriend so succinctly put it: "your channel is cursed.")
So I've decided to do something that IS within my control. I'm saying goodbye to the channel for good.
Will I stop uploading YouTube videos? No, of course not!! YouTube can't keep me away that easily. Making videos has always been a hobby since I was a young kid and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.
The Life Through Gaming series has been given its own channel to continue discussions and foster community there.
The clips channel called Arcadia will be repurposed and renamed to EmSArcadia (see what I did there?) for any future silly uploads more on par with the kind of content I used to make. I wanted the new channel name to be close enough that it felt familiar and recognizable at a glance!
To give even more options, I'm also finally revealing a channel that I created ages ago but never uploaded to - Simmily. This is where all my Sims content past and future will live. I have lots of ideas for Sims videos written down that never came to fruition!
Seems like a lot of channels? Sure! But now you can subscribe to see the content you want, and avoid the content you don't. I'm hoping by maximizing the diversity across channels that I'll avoid dead subs altogether by allowing people to see exactly what they subscribed for.
TL;DR -
Life Through Gaming - chill discussions exploring topics through games without facecam
EmSArcadia - goofy gaming videos, let's plays, etc. with facecam
Simmily - Sims challenges & funny videos (probably 50/50 on the facecam)
Click here to subscribe:
►► EmSArcadia channel ◄◄
►► Simmily channel ◄◄
I want to make one thing clear - if you're thinking about subscribing to these channels as a way to support me BUT don't think you'll enjoy the videos - please don't subscribe!! I just want my content to reach the people who will actually watch it. I don't know if I could emotionally handle another dead channel (never mind 3!). I appreciate you showing your support in other ways.
The EmSArcade channel will remain up as an archive of past uploads, and I'll be moving a few more recent videos that I feel deserve a second chance to the new channel (with a little trimming to make them even better). I hope you'll continue to revisit old videos on the channel whenever you want to reminisce, whether it be my gaming content or music or even just a silly 10 second skit (anyone remember the 3 part Studying for Finals video series?)
I'm so incredibly grateful to all of the people who gave the original EmSArcade channel a chance. I'll never forget meeting viewers at cons, receiving hugs and gifts and praise I felt I didn't deserve, spending quality time behind the scenes with YouTubers and making friends along the way. Don't think of this as an ending, but as a new beginning. I hope you'll join me on this next chapter.
I said at the very beginning of the Life Through Gaming series that I was starting over. This time I'm putting my money where my mouth is. Maybe my new content will gain the same amount of traction, or less, or more. But no matter what, I can finally say I gave starting over a try.
See you on the other side of the screen.
♥
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