Watchfinder: What content do you want to see moving forward?
Hey y’all!
So, in the latest “two blokes making joke after joke and throwing shade on watches that in their other videos they typically wax eloquent about” video from Watchfinder, Mr. Talking Hands went to great lengths asking what kind of videos we all wanted to see from them moving forward, and then asked viewers to post suggestions and thoughts “in the comments below.”
I started typing out a comment on YouTube, and was about to hit “post," and then I came to my f*cking senses. Ain’t no way I’m gonna doxx myself on that cesspool known as the Internet, because...
Then, I thought, “Hey, why not call out @watchfinderofficial here on WC, and maybe we - the world’s biggest watch dorks - will post comments here for them to read, and this way we don’t have to interact with filthy normal people on the Internet?”
So, @watchfinderofficial, if you do actually see this thread, here are my thoughts, and hopefully lots of other WIS will give you their thoughts too:
- The algorithm is the algorithm, and per @benswatchclub's awesome insights in @Aurelian's post [https://www.watchcrunch.com/Aurelian/posts/why-the-face-9213], YT is currently prioritizing click-through-rate (CTR) above all else. Ruth Porat became CFO at Google in 2015, and as a former bigwig at Morgan Stanley, she don’t give two sh*ts about anything other than profits - which is precisely how a good CFO should behave. YT is probably prioritizing CTR because it’s what drives profitability, and we all suspect that at some point Porat is going to force each business unit within Google to have separate financials (today, other than the Google Cloud business unit, it’s all consolidated, so unprofitable business units get to hide their sh*tty performance) and YT is working hard to prove profitability before all the dirty laundry is aired. That being the case, in order for your channel to thrive, you gotta play the game
- You’d mentioned that others have successfully hacked the algorithm. You need to do precisely the same. Start making videos using the “O-face” thumbnail
- In your videos, film yourselves jumping off buildings, holding pink-spray-painted Chihuahuas, while farting into jars, talking exclusively about rappers, Taylor Swift, and the Kardashians. Do whatever it takes. Sell your souls. If you think that you couldn’t get any more crass, any more demeaning, any less dignified? You haven’t gone far enough
- Now, you may be afraid that you’ll lose loyal subscribers like yours-truly who come to you for long-form, insightful, beautiful videos. But, you’d be wrong. People who come to you for that content will continue to be loyal… so long as you continue to make great long-form content as well. And, most of all, keep making your “podcast-style” videos. Those are by far and away the greatest content ever to be produced anywhere ever. Tolstoy? Faulkner? Nabokov? Gimme a break! Those hacks reveal themselves to be utter clowns when we put their work up against your podcast-style videos
- So, for simplicity’s sake, let’s say that you do one-third / one-third / one-third. Sell your souls to make idiotic viral clickbait to grow the subscriber base, then do your typical 10-minute video that convinces people like me that to not buy a $100k Lange would be the biggest mistake of their lives, and then do your podcast video. Lather, rinse, repeat
- Who knows? Maybe by selling your souls, you get enough new folks to subscribe that they then actually learn something about watches, and go out and get a Lange too?
The Artist formerly known as @HotWatchChick69 and formerly-formerly @Omeganut
More from Mr.Dee.Bater
Wow! You have really given this some thought, and have provided well reasoned suggestions for @watchfinderofficial. I think producing content in different styles and lengths is a great model for a YouTuber wishing to both retain and grow subscribers. I have only additional suggestions stemming from personal favorites from @watchfinderofficial. I would like to see more of the reviews done on affordable watches, like Affordable Alternatives To Expensive Luxury Watches and other videos like these. I also like the videos highlighting unusual watches like 5 Insane Watches You Won't Believe Exist. 😀
One of the reasons I prefer channels like @MWC2020 and @benswatchclub is that they talk about watches I may actually buy. I do enjoy videos that discuss ultra-luxury brands like PP, but having a nice mix of luxury and affordable is what keeps me interested in a channel even when they’re talking about watches I don’t care about because I’ll never be able to afford them. Teddy Bubblesour does a nice job of that, to the point where I can actually resist pouring bleach on my phone whenever a video with him and that Shark Tank turd burglar pops up in my feed.
One of the reasons I prefer channels like @MWC2020 and @benswatchclub is that they talk about watches I may actually buy. I do enjoy videos that discuss ultra-luxury brands like PP, but having a nice mix of luxury and affordable is what keeps me interested in a channel even when they’re talking about watches I don’t care about because I’ll never be able to afford them. Teddy Bubblesour does a nice job of that, to the point where I can actually resist pouring bleach on my phone whenever a video with him and that Shark Tank turd burglar pops up in my feed.
OMG
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=turd+burglar
Celebrities sell. Just bash or fawn over their watches while making school yard jokes. Or do Colab interviews with other content creators. At least they don't have to borrow the watches they review. Just grab one from their display.
Celebrities sell. Just bash or fawn over their watches while making school yard jokes. Or do Colab interviews with other content creators. At least they don't have to borrow the watches they review. Just grab one from their display.
Yes!!!
Brilliant!
Ha, I am glad you guys said that because he struck me as talking out of his a**. He speaks a lot but doesn't say much. Teddy is too polite to call him out and it would defeat the purpose of the video.
As for Watchfinder, they could:
1) have modest people showing their collection and talking through it.
2) have a "make your watch" project like Boulanger did with Dufour, and show every step of the process. Or, just deconstruct one and rebuild it entirely, from brands like Hamilton to H. Moser.
I liked the part about not intracting with filthy normals..or "muggles " one might say.
I support this message.
jokes aside I just want to see like the people here talk about watches / watch history including the social and fashion side, along with a realistic purchasing journey.
Unfortunately when people start to make some $$ on the tube there taste and collection goes bias towards prices and content becomes disjointed from the majority, then it becomes more of a lifestyle channel /borderline flex.
People should compare there passion and not bank accounts.
I fricken love this channel!!!
I would absolutely think if would be fantastic if they'd devote an occasional segment to what they'd likely term "bollocks" garbage watches - highly-advertised quartz cheapies, home shopping network Chinese slapped-together 60mm atrocities, full-page tabloid ad "this is just as good as a zillion dollar watch" trifles - and explain to newbies what to avoid at all costs.
Jejune, perhaps, but I hate it when consumers get fleeced. And coming from them, it would likely be a laugh riot in the process.
Mr. O-nut, you are king of waxing eloquent here at the ‘cruch.
Good call not posting thoughts on YT. Made that mistake before and the scam floodgates opened promptly on me. 🤬 I’m not into helping Russian troll farms.
Two easy steps to be popular on youtube.
Ha, I am glad you guys said that because he struck me as talking out of his a**. He speaks a lot but doesn't say much. Teddy is too polite to call him out and it would defeat the purpose of the video.
As for Watchfinder, they could:
1) have modest people showing their collection and talking through it.
2) have a "make your watch" project like Boulanger did with Dufour, and show every step of the process. Or, just deconstruct one and rebuild it entirely, from brands like Hamilton to H. Moser.
Ever since shark tank guy has been showing up in Teddy’s videos, Teddy started a watch business. I like watching Teddy before he started selling watches. Now, when it’s one of his brands he sells, my sales person alarm goes off.
This is one of those times where ignorance is bliss.
Ha, I am glad you guys said that because he struck me as talking out of his a**. He speaks a lot but doesn't say much. Teddy is too polite to call him out and it would defeat the purpose of the video.
As for Watchfinder, they could:
1) have modest people showing their collection and talking through it.
2) have a "make your watch" project like Boulanger did with Dufour, and show every step of the process. Or, just deconstruct one and rebuild it entirely, from brands like Hamilton to H. Moser.
You know what's absolutely amazing to me? The "turd burglar" as @OlDirtyBezel calls him, is a complete clown in the corporate world. I mean, I remember seeing some YT video about him talking watches, so I looked him up on Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_O%27Leary
Effectively, he was a flim-flam artist. He was able to pump up "The Learning Company" and successfully sell it for a bunch of money, and then it was quickly discovered that everything about the company sucked and had no ability to generate profits.
Have, unfortunately, come across a number of folks like this throughout my business career. It's absolutely astounding. They're really good at three things: self-promotion, lying, and spectacle. Would explain perfectly why he's one of the clown hosts on Shark Tank.
Actually, now that I reflect on it, I can see how he might have been significantly offended. I mean, ultimately, my recommendation to Mr. Talking Hands was "sell your soul" and to do whatever it takes to hack the algorithm, and don't bother with any sense of propriety.
I'm given to understand that in our society, to normal human beings, the term "selling out" is pejorative. This is EFF'ing nuts to me. In my mind, there is no greater thing you can do for the good of the universe than to "sell out." You are creating something of value, that others value, and when you do that, you significantly increase utility in the universe. And, reasoning from first principles, what other definition can there possibly be for "moral good" than the increasing of utility in the universe???
In a previous post, I went out of my way to tell that gentleman that I greatly admired his work, and that it's not easy to produce content that others like, and to build a following as he has, given all the competition!
I'm genuinely sorry that he was offended by this post. Not my intention in the least!
I appreciate your kindness and contriteness. If a watch reviewer can say that they don’t like a clown watch or some other such design that a talented designer worked hard on for months or years, I really have no problem saying I don’t care for clownish click-bait elements in watch reviews that talented YouTubers put a lot of effort into. That’s not a comment on their effort, talent, or business model. It’s a comment on personal taste.
Here’s the problem: if you build your brand around over the top clownishness or sensationalism, it’s hard to change that without burning the ships on the beach. If you build your brand around good content, you can occasionally be sensational or clownish without it hurting your brand.
The Enquirer will never be a paper of record. But a paper of record can occasionally have a sensational or humorous click-bait story without losing its status for that alone.
So if your brand is defined by being the crazy appliance ad guy of watches, ouch.
(Note: This look covers excitement, surprise, shock, horror, and that unfortunate incident at a movie theater involving police.)
But if you have good, thoughtful content and tone with a dash of humor or sensationalism, it’s probably a more agile content model and you will likely find it less ”offensive” to call an obvious clown watch a 🤡⏱.
For better or worse I will never prioritize YouTube algorithm, that is something I will let the producer worry about.
For me I just want to make something that is informative and hopefully gives watch nerds something to learn or think about.
Probably why someone putting down a brand or giving a fake behind the door look of a mostly fake business do better on the view count, but I am here for the love of watches not the love of views.
There are some that do a good job though and I think we can all agree the hands at Watchfinder are worth watching. (But come to crown and caliber or Hodinkee to buy, I still have to earn a paycheck to buy the next watch)
Seriously, we need another Hidden Gems.
Wow, what a huge topic and extremely complex
I hate complex, I hate algorithms, but I do love watches.
I always try to say it as I "feel it". If I try and chase an algorithm I am no longer doing what I love but pursuing clicks, that doesn't make me happy or relevant.
Self examination is a good thing, it begs us to ask the question, what is the purpose of the videos we are producing?
For me I keep it simple,
Being very passionate I try to share this passion and enthusiasm with like minded watch geeks...if the channel grows it grows, if it entertains only a small handful of the watch community, so be it.
At the end of the day, I just keep it simple and enjoy this hobby immensely
Peter
Put so much better than I could ever put;)
O'Leary bullshit really is some of the worst in watch collecting. He a core part of the popularization of the idea of "watches as investments" that really is ruining this hobby for many.
i cant stand with kevin orange / red rubber strap. its ugly 😂
what a nice thread you started @Omeganut , i didnt know @watchfinderofficial is on watchcrunch forum. first of all i appreciate your channel, been watching it since the first time i enjoy this hobby. also your video is unique and enjoyable. just a few suggestion from me regarding to your channel:
again im not a youtuber, its just a suggestion from a fan. hope all the best for your channel, and for other youtuber as well. thx for the contribution to this community. cheers 🍺
I would absolutely think if would be fantastic if they'd devote an occasional segment to what they'd likely term "bollocks" garbage watches - highly-advertised quartz cheapies, home shopping network Chinese slapped-together 60mm atrocities, full-page tabloid ad "this is just as good as a zillion dollar watch" trifles - and explain to newbies what to avoid at all costs.
Jejune, perhaps, but I hate it when consumers get fleeced. And coming from them, it would likely be a laugh riot in the process.
There are places for that on the internet, but it's a separate world. A world where Shenzhen is a place in Switzerland, a watch with a movement "just like ETA", is also "just like Tudor", and where pigs fly.
There are sales shows with formats straight from the 1960s, with luxury cars in the background, and a scantily clad model holding onto the presenter she cannot understand, because he praises the Miami lifestyle in a language she has never heard before.
These watches are already discussed online, but despite all their shortcomings people love them.
I would absolutely think if would be fantastic if they'd devote an occasional segment to what they'd likely term "bollocks" garbage watches - highly-advertised quartz cheapies, home shopping network Chinese slapped-together 60mm atrocities, full-page tabloid ad "this is just as good as a zillion dollar watch" trifles - and explain to newbies what to avoid at all costs.
Jejune, perhaps, but I hate it when consumers get fleeced. And coming from them, it would likely be a laugh riot in the process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9582mrCXsiA&t=1s
Yes!!!
Brilliant!
Maybe you could try Todd Chrisley??! 😂
Maybe you could try Todd Chrisley??! 😂
That would be AMAZING!
Totally random, but many, many years ago, I met and became friends with a gal who had been on MTV's Road Rules. This was back when reality TV was just getting off the ground, so nobody understood how to best maximize drama and how to "fake" reality TV. But, even then, she would talk about how the editors would just take random footage, splice it all together, set music to it, in order to make the audience think / feel a certain way, that had NOTHING to do with what actually happened. It's like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6QgNuZcxTw
I have no idea what in the world would possess someone to want to be on a reality TV show. Makes sense that this dude got convicted of fraud - wanting to be on reality TV has got to be a very powerful selection mechanism for identifying people with mental issues and / or low executive function. Craziness.
That would be AMAZING!
Totally random, but many, many years ago, I met and became friends with a gal who had been on MTV's Road Rules. This was back when reality TV was just getting off the ground, so nobody understood how to best maximize drama and how to "fake" reality TV. But, even then, she would talk about how the editors would just take random footage, splice it all together, set music to it, in order to make the audience think / feel a certain way, that had NOTHING to do with what actually happened. It's like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6QgNuZcxTw
I have no idea what in the world would possess someone to want to be on a reality TV show. Makes sense that this dude got convicted of fraud - wanting to be on reality TV has got to be a very powerful selection mechanism for identifying people with mental issues and / or low executive function. Craziness.
It was Trish wasn’t it?????!
It was Trish wasn’t it?????!
Ha! No. But, I will say that what was truly eye-opening was that on the show, she looked really cute. In real life, she was like the most attractive female I'd ever met! So, that must mean that everyone on television is like 100x better looking than us real-life troglodytes!
Ha! No. But, I will say that what was truly eye-opening was that on the show, she looked really cute. In real life, she was like the most attractive female I'd ever met! So, that must mean that everyone on television is like 100x better looking than us real-life troglodytes!
troglodyte>TV Show>DYNO-MITE!!!
We figured it out 😀! Salvation!!!
As a watch person/fanatic, and as someone who's worked in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for 10+ years, I'd recommend breaking down video production into distinct groupings for playlists. 1) Events, 2) Watch Launches/Reviews, 3) Watch Reviews-Long Term, 4) Best Divers/Chronos/Dress Watches Under $500, $1000, etc., 5) Brand Deep Dive/Histories, 6) WatchA vs. WatchB (quasi argument, pros, cons), 7) Industry/YouTube/Designer Interviews, 8) This Week in Watch News. There's probably more...
Make these videos around 10+ min. lengths, at least one video for the channel each week, but aim for 2/week. I'd also do YouTube Short/Instagram Reels to highlight snippets/design stuff from the other videos, and aim for once daily for these.
As a watch person/fanatic, and as someone who's worked in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for 10+ years, I'd recommend breaking down video production into distinct groupings for playlists. 1) Events, 2) Watch Launches/Reviews, 3) Watch Reviews-Long Term, 4) Best Divers/Chronos/Dress Watches Under $500, $1000, etc., 5) Brand Deep Dive/Histories, 6) WatchA vs. WatchB (quasi argument, pros, cons), 7) Industry/YouTube/Designer Interviews, 8) This Week in Watch News. There's probably more...
Make these videos around 10+ min. lengths, at least one video for the channel each week, but aim for 2/week. I'd also do YouTube Short/Instagram Reels to highlight snippets/design stuff from the other videos, and aim for once daily for these.
Wow! Amazing!
@watchfinderofficial @watchfinder, please see @WatchDOG2112's comment. I suspect you all do not have the budget to bring in Search Engine Optimization expertise, so this advice is absolute gold, and he has offered it to you for free!
I, myself, work in Big Tech - you know, one of the companies that have a very direct impact on your business and content, wink, wink - and will say that this gentleman's comments are pure gold and actionable. If you want to "hack" the Google / YouTube algorithm, this is precisely the way to go about it. And per your recent interview of Nico Leonard, it's clear that he has a team of people who are exclusively focused on promoting his YT business, and almost certainly he must have brought in some SEO experts / consultants to help him.
Note just how many YT Shorts videos he's posted.
YT does and absolutely will continue to prioritize channels that produce a lot of YT Shorts - the thing everyone inside of YT is deathly afraid of at the moment is TikTok. YT views TikTok as an existential threat. Anything that you do that leverages YT Shorts and ties your YT Shorts videos to your long-form videos will help to elevate you within YT's algorithms.
Good luck!
Thanks - advice gladly given! I've worked in tech/marketing a long time, for myself and others, and have always enjoyed passing things along-even for free at times! I can't stress enough the importance of Shorts/Reels as part of any channel/streamer's strategy. I have a number of friends who are Twitch/FB/YT game streamers, and they've found the Regularly Weekly/Frequent Shorts Strat to be very effective. Definitely plays to the vertical video world that we're all migrating to.
Another point, it can't be stressed enough, the ASMR potential for many watch-related videos. Witness the popularity of so many of the repair/rebuild channels. Another business I'm involved in- it's amazing how many people like to just watch wood being turned on a lathe...