Author Topic: Premium Content  (Read 33716 times)

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Offline itdontgoTopic starter

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Premium Content
« on: September 18, 2012, 05:47:21 am »
Dave was asking on Twitter whether people would pay for premium content.  Initially I thought I would be then I thought about it and realised I would probably never bother as there are lots of free, easy things to entertain me for a few minutes without having to log in and pay...  Also a two tier channel my go against what appeals to people about the blog.  I like the presenter's honesty and the blog being presented as things happen.  To keep some content away from me, a viewer, would almost feel exclusive.

But, there are some videos which could do with extra explanation and I would pay for a physical paper (or kindle although I haven't got one!) magazine with detailed information which on video would be boring.  I would happily pay for an expensive magazine if it was a follow-up on what had already taken my fancy.  Excellent toilet library material.

As your mail bag demonstrates the blog is an excellent potential sales channel and advertising medium as the main content is free resulting in over 500,000 views so far.  If you want to maximise revenue sell EEVblog products and keep the thing drawing people in free... and keep it all in the open which is why I personally like the blog so much.
« Last Edit: September 18, 2012, 06:11:12 am by itdontgo »
 

Offline firewalker

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2012, 08:29:48 am »
And someone will upload it to youtube eventually.  :P

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2012, 11:36:35 am »
Dave was asking on Twitter whether people would pay for premium content.  Initially I thought I would be then I thought about it and realised I would probably never bother as there are lots of free, easy things to entertain me for a few minutes without having to log in and pay...  Also a two tier channel my go against what appeals to people about the blog.  I like the presenter's honesty and the blog being presented as things happen.  To keep some content away from me, a viewer, would almost feel exclusive.

So by my having taken this "free information" route, you are saying that I am now forever locked in to having to give away every piece of video content I ever create? And am doomed to having to make a living from other spin-off aspects?

What is the difference between say me writing a book and selling it, or producing say a DVD tutorial series and selling that?

BTW, I'm not really talking about a "premium content" or "two tier" subscription only channel etc. I'm talking about occasional one-off extra in-depth videos that I would never do otherwise on the blog. I'd be spending extra time and effort on this over and above my usual blog content, something I would not normally do unless there was a financial return in it for me. This is time I'd ordinarily spend enjoying life and my family, and I'd be a fool to do this extra work and simply give it away. Just like I would spend a year writing a book and giving that away. Or designing and making kits and selling them at cost.
What if I decided to spend 6 months compiling a 20 part in-depth PCB design or some other video tutorial, over and above my regular blog content. I'm expected to just give that away?

Dave.
 

Offline robrenz

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2012, 11:45:52 am »
I would gladly pay for the PCB design DVDs or others like it that are a in depth tutorial style. I would not be so enthusiastic about a general "premium content" channel that is deemed exclusive for some unknown reason.

Offline cwalex

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #4 on: September 18, 2012, 11:56:47 am »
I would gladly pay for the PCB design DVDs or others like it that are a in depth tutorial style. I would not be so enthusiastic about a general "premium content" channel that is deemed exclusive for some unknown reason.

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Online Ed.Kloonk

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #5 on: September 18, 2012, 11:57:54 am »

What if I decided to spend 6 months compiling a 20 part in-depth PCB design or some other video tutorial, over and above my regular blog content. I'm expected to just give that away?

Dave.

Of course not. No one would expect you to give it away for free if there is a substantial investment of your time and effort. The worry is that you'll fall into the trap of spamming your paid stuff too much in the free content part.

There is a podcast called Coverville. The guy explains pop songs and their history and then goes plays another version of the song that chances are you havent heard. What happened a few years ago is he, just out of the blue, sold out to a radio station or something and started I think it was 1 in 4 episode ending up on paid i-tunes.

But what pissed me off was the regular rss reader would inform me of a new episode and it's title and then I'd hit a road block because it linked to the paid version and I can't run i-tunes on any of my gear. So I stopped listening completely.

It is good to see that you are gauging your audience, Dave. Just promise me you won't make me jump though too many bloody pay wall hoops just to see a video. Sorry, it's just the way I feel.

 :)
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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #6 on: September 18, 2012, 11:58:03 am »
I would not be so enthusiastic about a general "premium content" channel that is deemed exclusive for some unknown reason.

I would not want such a channel either, especially one that was subscription based and I was forced into having to produce regular content for it.
I like the idea of producing extra non-blog content "whenever I get around to it" as a one-off, and then perhaps selling that though.

Dave.
 

Offline firewalker

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #7 on: September 18, 2012, 12:02:27 pm »
I would gladly pay for the PCB design DVDs or others like it that are a in depth tutorial style. I would not be so enthusiastic about a general "premium content" channel that is deemed exclusive for some unknown reason.

Yes, it will be a tool tbh. And you pay for your tools.

Or some extensive lessons (not tutorials) "OpAmps for A to Z". It couldn't be free of charge. Like you would pay a teacher...

@Dave. I don't know about the pricing though. Have you estimated the price per hour of video? To produce an hour of video you need x man hours (filming, editing, e.t.c.) + the price of the actual content + the losses of pirates ( :P ).

Alexander.
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Offline iloveelectronics

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #8 on: September 18, 2012, 12:17:57 pm »
I would not be so enthusiastic about a general "premium content" channel that is deemed exclusive for some unknown reason.

I would not want such a channel either, especially one that was subscription based and I was forced into having to produce regular content for it.
I like the idea of producing extra non-blog content "whenever I get around to it" as a one-off, and then perhaps selling that though.

Dave.

As a hobbyist with no formal training in electronics I'd gladly pay for any extensive content that will help me understand the basics better and solve some mysteries!
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Offline mariush

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #9 on: September 18, 2012, 12:19:26 pm »
IMHO a premium channel would only dilute the quality of the free one, because it's in the human psychic to want more and hold on to what it won, so the moment that premium channel would make money, you'd tent to want to increase the profit from that by moving more stuff from the free version to that and so on.

I'd have no problems with seeing some detailed videos, packed full of info, sold separately for a low fee... or for example you limiting the Youtube videos to 720p and offering 1080p videos as paid downloads (or free to donating members) or  merchadising a set of DVDs with the more relevant youtube videos.
I'd also have no problem with doing let's say weekly live broadcast of 4 hours or something like that for donating members... as long as the fee is small enough it would work.

 

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #10 on: September 18, 2012, 12:40:55 pm »
Of course not. No one would expect you to give it away for free if there is a substantial investment of your time and effort. The worry is that you'll fall into the trap of spamming your paid stuff too much in the free content part.

Well yeah. It would depend on what it is though.
Lets say for example I have this USB PCB design tutorial video I've shot and did the usual say 30min blog content version, and then perhaps produce a much more in-depth 2 hour version of it as well that I might say promote at the start of the video as being available. e.g. "if you like this, try the extra extended 2 hour version for $2" or whatever??

Quote
But what pissed me off was the regular rss reader would inform me of a new episode and it's title and then I'd hit a road block because it linked to the paid version and I can't run i-tunes on any of my gear. So I stopped listening completely.

Having it on the RSS feed would be pretty dumb I think.

Quote
It is good to see that you are gauging your audience, Dave. Just promise me you won't make me jump though too many bloody pay wall hoops just to see a video. Sorry, it's just the way I feel.

I have no idea what the best way to sell video content is, or what platform to use.
Youtube has a content "shop" option that can handle Amazon or Google Playstore content.

Dave.
 

jucole

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #11 on: September 18, 2012, 01:37:05 pm »
Lets say for example I have this USB PCB design tutorial video I've shot and did the usual say 30min blog content version, and then perhaps produce a much more in-depth 2 hour version of it as well that I might say promote at the start of the video as being available. e.g. "if you like this, try the extra extended 2 hour version for $2" or whatever??

Sounds like a great idea!  Have you thought about creating a physical DVD?  If you held back some tear-downs and perhaps some extended-scene blog bits, you could add those onto the USB PCB Feature DVD as a bonus treat!   Also why don't you do a Forrest Mims style engineers notebook; but in your unique Dave-CAD style?



hehe, anyway shouldn't all this be in the "The snake oil thread..."? :->


(edit: and you have to add a few outtakes too! ;-)
« Last Edit: September 18, 2012, 01:43:52 pm by jucole »
 

Offline saturation

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #12 on: September 18, 2012, 02:15:41 pm »
Premium content?  Doesn't hurt to try, very little setup costs so you can begin right away.

I think for income a continuous pitch towards donations will be better than make another tier.  PBS and other public TV in the US have proven this model can work, and some forums pay for their ISP fees this way.

There are 5000 listed members right now, if everyone paid $1/mo that would net $60,000 a year as extra income.  What can users get for $12?  Some ideas, have too much gear left over after a review?  You can raffled them off to donors.  It needn't be full T&M gear, even parts: op amps, test leads, PICs, Atmels, eval. boards, etc. 
« Last Edit: September 18, 2012, 02:25:22 pm by saturation »
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Offline meanpc

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #13 on: September 18, 2012, 02:31:34 pm »
Dave,
I don't understand how you can say you wouldn't be compensated for the extra material.  Wouldn't you be able to monetize the extra views you would get with additional premium content in the same fashion that you currently monetize your views?  More views = more $$, right?  Or am I missing something? 

Offline 8086

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #14 on: September 18, 2012, 02:50:30 pm »
My worry is this.

Dave is a motivated man.

I would quickly run out of money if he offered paid content, because he would produce content, and no doubt lots of it, and I would have no option but to purchase it due to the fact that he's awesome.

 :(
 

Offline Alana

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #15 on: September 18, 2012, 03:35:11 pm »
Personally I'd go more into physical domain - open source hardware, tutorials as books/booklets you can use without computer [in bathtube for example :D], selling stuff Dave no longer needs... This is what I would pay for.
On-line premium stuff, in my opinion would have to be very in depth, or on subjects that were not filmed by other blogers. There is allot of tutorials on simple stuff like op amps, 555 timer, eagle PCB and every one of those is for free.
 

Offline AntiProtonBoy

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #16 on: September 18, 2012, 03:40:27 pm »
If it's got 80% more explosions, you can have my money.
 

Offline Aldobrandi

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #17 on: September 18, 2012, 04:10:34 pm »
As a hobbyist with no formal training in electronics I'd gladly pay for any extensive content that will help me understand the basics better and solve some mysteries!

Ditto. I really enjoy your engaging communication style and I get a lot more out of some of your videos than I do from most books. I'd really like to pay for some in-depths DVDs or online seminars (not necessarily "live") that explore both basics and intermediate concepts. I really like the idea of the PCB design series too.
 

Offline thb

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #18 on: September 18, 2012, 04:55:20 pm »
I would pay for it if I "need" the content and if there wasn't another free alternative on Youtube. E.g. if I was to start working with a new microcontroller and there was a pay-video on exactly that topic. Probably I would not pay for watching e.g. an oscilloscope shootout even though it would certainly be a very interesting and entertaining video.
I think the dilemma is that it needs to be a niche topic such that there isn't a good alternative already on Youtube, but then you also get fewer users who are interested in the topic.
 

Offline free_electron

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #19 on: September 18, 2012, 06:00:21 pm »
As someone that has written multiple books : here is some info.

- writing a technical book is NOT something you do in 1 year unless you are a full time writer, and even then. The biggest obstacle are the graphics. 1/2 of the time is spent making the images, making the schematics, doing the boards etc. Screenshots are of course easy. It's the other stuff that gets time consuming.

Most of the books out there are 're-washes' of software revisions: 'Mastering Autocad 2013' is a re-wash of 'Mastering Autocad 2012'. there is 10% new content ( the new features ) and a few new screenshots and that's it. So yeah, they can crank those out. Not so when writing a totally new book on hardware. ( the original 'Mastering' book took long , the re-washes are short ). Don't fall in the trap of thinking : well these guys can keep up with every new version ... how hard can it be ?

As for paying for premium content. i'll do that , but the content will have to be 'premium', in the sense it takes me from zero to wizard without leaving out details.

Here is a sample of what i mean: i am learngin to use Inventor. I bought the 'mastering' book , spent 2 days reading the first few chapters and trying out some things with the software. After two days of frustration i managed drawing a rectangle. I still had not foun out how to move it , resize it or anything. Why ? because the book skips fundamental things. They show a screenshot before and after with some text in between. 'From the constraint menu select the parallel constraint item and place it on the rectangles top edge, then click on  blabla. it takes 5 minutes to find out what the hell they are talking about. The software is a mash of icons. you have no cluse what the 3d menu icon looks like or even what the parallel constraint icon looks like. you sit there for 5 minutes mousing over all icons waiting for the balloonhelp to tell you if you got the right one or not... all becasue the book writers were too laze to place a screenshot while the menu tree is open so you can see where to go. Or simply place the two icons. find this picture (3d menu) then in the list that fly's out find that picture.

I took an inventor class yesterday . 3 hours , given by someone that knows the tool in and out and showed where the things are that you need. i'm up and running. As for the book ( it's a thick one, at least 3 inches ) . That's been put in the vertical filing system with the 'recycle' logo on it. Useless.

Now, driving a piece of software is one thing. Actually learnign the desing process is another. while you can learning to drive the software from a book, you need 'more' to actually learn the process. A book that simply describes all the buttons teaches you the program. A book that talks about how to do certain things and alternative methods is another story. That is 'premium' content. At least half of the course yesterday was showing how to do things ( not just software related ) and alternate ways. What technique to use in what circumstance. how do you center a rectangle ( place the center of the rectangle in the origin point ) . There is tons of ways to do that. But , when you cange the aspect of the rectangle ( widht/size) in many cases you will have to re-center. Here is the fail-proof technique : you draw a guide line from one corner to an opposite corner. so , no matter how this rectangle is resized later , that line is always diagonal. And then you click on the centerpoint of that line and link that centrpoint to the origin. I can now reshape that rechtagnel any which way i want. it will remain centered.
that is the stuff that is 'premium'. the book will show you how to select the rectangle and apply a numerical shift to it. if you were taught that you would simple repeat that operation over and over. you change the rectangle dimensions , select-all - calculate the shift and apply. Using the tools provided and some 'cleverness' you let the software do it for you. and that is what i am willing to pay for: learning the tricks to let the software do the work. I am inherently lazy. I use a computer because i can't be bothered fliping out a calculator and do the math. Computers are built to compute. Repetitive crap should be done by machine.

I have an idea , and want to visualize what it looks like and plug that into the machine. i'll drag and twist it a bit on screen until it looks like what i want and the machine should give me all the numbers i need. Actualy i don't even need to know the 'numbers' , all i want is to click a button so the cad program sends what is needed to a 5 axis cnc machine or waterjet and i can pick up the part a few hours later.

There is a lot of powerful software out there. just learning to click buttons is one thing , but it doesn't get you very far. everything will be hard and time consuming. Learning how to use the functions in the program to do something practical , that is the key. It's one thing to know that this icon means 'parallel constraint'. it's another thing learning when to use a parallel constraint and when not to use becasue there is an easier way.

3 cases:

- A book on PCB design that shows you what all the buttons are for in Eagle teaches you Eagle.. it doesn't teach you pcb design.... it only teaches clicking buttons. is someone tells you 'differential routing' you stare blank....

- A book that teaches you pcb design , does exactly that. Here is how you do differential traces. and then you go off and try to do this by hand in eagle... pretty useless. you are not making use of the tool. You have the knowledge , but don't know how to apply it. you go off and draw traces by hand that run parallel and you calculated by hand. when you find out the traces need moving or the layerstack changes , you heave a deep sigh and recalcualte everything by hand ... eventually you get pissed off at these diff traces becasue they are 'too cumbersome' and time consuming.

- A book that explanis differential routing and then shows you to use this in a real program by showing how to write a design rule for it by defining the layer stack , dielectric constants , the wanted impedance , the routing topology (source/target) so this diff pair appear automatically with correct width and gap and adapts itself if you move part around, the computer does the computing. Now THAT is -PREMIUM- content.

Why ?

Becasue it teaches you the theory , and then shows you how to use this , with the least effort possible , and highest return , in the software.
It shortens your learning curve and gets you consistent results in a faster way. Leaving the grunt work to the machine.

but that's just my 2 cents worth ...
« Last Edit: September 18, 2012, 06:05:37 pm by free_electron »
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Offline robrenz

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #20 on: September 18, 2012, 06:30:37 pm »
WARNING OFF TOPIC

@ free_electron  Its not you, its the software.  There are many converts to Solidworks from inventor at the users group I attend.  The consensus is SW is infinitely more intuitive and more powerful. They would rather die than go back.  I realize there are other reasons you may choose to stick with inventor but If you can, jump ship now.

Before I bought SW I had only 2D experience (many years ago) I asked for a test drive at the Var's facility.  Studied the manual about 6 hours.  Went to the Var and in 7 hours (no coaching) I had a fully functioning Rezeppa cv joint modeled and funtioning with all the mates to make it behave when dynamicaly moved.  Yes it is that intuitive.

Autodesk is the top of the heap on desktop architectural related stuff but they will never catch up to SW on mechanical design. SW has too large of a head start, paying user base, and momentum for inventor to ever catch up.
« Last Edit: September 18, 2012, 06:38:11 pm by robrenz »
 

Online EEVblog

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #21 on: September 18, 2012, 11:49:12 pm »
Also why don't you do a Forrest Mims style engineers notebook; but in your unique Dave-CAD style?

Because it's a massive amount of work.

Dave.
 

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #22 on: September 18, 2012, 11:56:31 pm »
I don't understand how you can say you wouldn't be compensated for the extra material.  Wouldn't you be able to monetize the extra views you would get with additional premium content in the same fashion that you currently monetize your views?  More views = more $$, right?  Or am I missing something?

Yes, but the majority of my income comes from the direct advertising and sponsorship, which is the same regardless of how many views I get or how many videos I produce. That is why I am able to do this full time with only 7,000,000 views and 27,000 youtube subscribers. There are video bloggers with 10 times the audience and views I have that are not able to make it a full time living, because the youtube/adsense revenue is the only income stream they have.
I can't say how much I earn on for the direct videos views, but for example, if a video takes a day to produce, I'd only get paid for maybe an hours work at the view levels I currently have.

Dave.
 

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #23 on: September 18, 2012, 11:59:20 pm »
Personally I'd go more into physical domain - open source hardware, tutorials as books/booklets you can use without computer [in bathtube for example :D], selling stuff Dave no longer needs... This is what I would pay for.
On-line premium stuff, in my opinion would have to be very in depth, or on subjects that were not filmed by other blogers. There is allot of tutorials on simple stuff like op amps, 555 timer, eagle PCB and every one of those is for free.

Yes, I agree, that is a dilemma.
It may very well end up that I stick to hardware or something.
Books are not easy though, it can easily take >1year to produce a book.

Dave.
 

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Re: Premium Content
« Reply #24 on: September 19, 2012, 12:16:10 am »
The idea I'm essentially floating at the moment is to try out what I guess you could call "micro" premium content.
i.e just cheap ($2?) one-off extra extended videos (related or un-related to a normal blog video) that I can maybe spend a week producing for example, instead of my usual 1 day.
Unlike the huge time and risk commitment in writing a book or doing a hardware product.
It's something I can spend a week on, and if no one buys it, well ok, it's not much time wasted.
As opposed to spending a year or two writing a book and hoping people pay $50 for it at the end, or $100 for a hardware widget or whatever.

Let's say I produced one of these premium videos a month, and maybe a thousand people buy it for say $2, then that's quite a significant regular income stream without a huge time risk/lag and impact on my usual blog video production schedule.

Dave.
 


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