Question for Youtube Reviewers

[shakeman0]

Hello,

Within the last few months I've started reviewing all of the iPhone cases I own. I have been trying to get as many subscribers as I can, but just can't seem to get any. I would love to get to a point were I could actually request review samples from case companies. I emailed Otterbox today and one of the requirements was 500 subscribers! I know there are a lot of very successful reviewers on this forum and was looking for any advice you may be able to give me. Thanks in advance for your help.

Cheers,

 

[leepetersonuk]

Hello,

Within the last few months I've started reviewing all of the iPhone cases I own. I have been trying to get as many subscribers as I can, but just can't seem to get any. I would love to get to a point were I could actually request review samples from case companies. I emailed Otterbox today and one of the requirements was 500 subscribers! I know there are a lot of very successful reviewers on this forum and was looking for any advice you may be able to give me. Thanks in advance for your help.

Cheers,

I'm in a similar boat, just started a tech site and channel and looking for tips. I have a successful music channel which I gained subs from giveaways and exclusives.

 

[mstrze]

Offer a compelling product and do something that no one else is doing so that people NEED to seek out your 'product'.

Honestly, YouTube videos of product reviews are a dime a dozen.

You need to produce reviews that scream out to people as something they absolutely cannot miss.

It's all marketing. Target your audience with a product they need and they will come. Cross-platform promotion helps too with Tweeting and FaceBook posts about your newest videos.

That being said, I think you will have an uphill battle to gain enough subscribers where case companies start sending you free things to review. Make YOUR case-review videos compelling and make your channel THE SOURCE for case reviews and you might get there.

 

[h1r0ll3r]

Honestly, YouTube videos of product reviews are a dime a dozen.

That being said, I think you will have an uphill battle to gain enough subscribers where case companies start sending you free things to review. make YOUR case-review videos compelling and make your channel THE SOURCE for case reviews and you might get there.

^ This. Honestly, it's you and 10 million other people that are trying to do the same thing. From OB's point of view, you're just another reviewer looking to possibly get some freebies from them. Unless you have a rather large following, i.e. like that fat guy who does his reviews of Call of Duty, then it's almost to the point of being pointless. If you had your own website or something then maybe it'll be easier but simply using YouTube, FB, Twitter to pull this off probably won't work.

 

[leepetersonuk]

good points on here, good to have a site too. From my point of view I use the site to do some writing and the YouTube channel for visuals.

 

[mstrze]

My wife is in that enviable position right now of running a specialized website that offers information that people cannot find elsewhere AND she'll be asked to review things from time to time. After 3 years of hard work, it's finally bringing in an income...albeit a tiny one.

Just wanted to share that so you just didn't think I was speaking like a know-it-all without having at least some background in what might work and what doesn't.

ANYONE can do a YouTube review...your job is the make your review something people cannot live without. How you do that is the question...and honestly I am at a loss for making case review videos fit into that category, but perhaps it can be done.

(If anyone is interested in dance and dance education...students, parents or teachers, please check out my wife's site at www.danceadvantage.net )

 

[Infraggable Kru]

Honestly, YouTube videos of product reviews are a dime a dozen.

Bingo

Many of these reviews are nothing more than "Personal Preference" from amateurs and combined with OCD/anal rententive issues many of these reviewers have along with being overly long, and you have a recipe for only being able to attract a niche audience.

I trust a single Engadget/Cnet Review over 20+ 12 minute Amateur Youtube reviews

 

[1rottenapple]

Ok semi off topic but I have to say I really do appreciate those youtube gadget reviews. I know it helps me find info on the product, fit and finish, etc...

 

[SchneiderMan]

First of all don't constantly ask for subscribers. There is no need for that. Get yourself a good quality camera if you haven't already.

 

[techdude6693]

Woah, Otterbox must have increased their requirements. When I started, you needed 200 Subs for free stuff. However the easiest way to gain subs is by doing giveaways. It gives people sort of an incentive to check out the channel and sub. Plus most of them end up sticking around, I've done a couple giveaways and lost like 1 or 2 subs when I ended it.

Don't do a giveaway immediately though, wait till you have 100-150 subs. I've done 2 in the past and it really helped me out. Doing a 3rd one right now too as a collab with another reviewer.

 

[calvy]

I agree with the dime a dozen comment. I often see people post their reviews here and I think to myself "why did we need yet another review of this case?". And for the love of god clean your finger nails before zooming in on them to show a case.

And I've not subscribed to a single channel on youtube for any reviewers. You'd have to do something pretty special to get that from me.

 

[rapaleeman]

For the TC, most people don't subscribe to channels for reviews.

You have the greedy people who, as already stated, get on board specifically for giveaways and free crap. That is a good way to get a "partnership" with a company for giveaways and also to get subscribers. Incipio has been known to do partner with little channels for that.

I will say, the reason I subscribe to channels and the real reason you should even think about doing reviews is to get information out there that isn't already available. Really, youtube doesn't need another review of the same Otterbox case so get that idea out of your head.

Pick a bunch of cases that people haven't reviewed as much and literally buy them for reviews. A good suggestion would be the Trident cases. Not many reviews for those for instance. If you invest some money, speak clearly, and have an actual personality people will watch, you'll get subs, and eventually get to the point you can request cases.

Honestly I don't watch say Larry Greenberg's videos for an actual review since he doesn't really review cases at all. He does do really good overviews with generic "I really like this case" at the end to not piss off his "sponsors". You can honestly tell which cases he buys without him saying so (look at the Element review for instance). No one in their right mind would or should recommend any of the new Agent18 slider cases at all due to them just sucking, yet he does.

That is what you need to do. Personally, I get my cases from an ad company contact, hence the reason I get a ton for free without doing reviews at all. I do also have and do buy a lot of cases on my own. It is a really bad hobby to be honest.

 

[Plooney]

For the TC, most people don't subscribe to channels for reviews.

You have the greedy people who, as already stated, get on board specifically for giveaways and free crap. That is a good way to get a "partnership" with a company for giveaways and also to get subscribers. Incipio has been known to do partner with little channels for that.

I will say, the reason I subscribe to channels and the real reason you should even think about doing reviews is to get information out there that isn't already available. Really, youtube doesn't need another review of the same Otterbox case so get that idea out of your head.

Pick a bunch of cases that people haven't reviewed as much and literally buy them for reviews. A good suggestion would be the Trident cases. Not many reviews for those for instance. If you invest some money, speak clearly, and have an actual personality people will watch, you'll get subs, and eventually get to the point you can request cases.

Honestly I don't watch say Larry Greenberg's videos for an actual review since he doesn't really review cases at all. He does do really good overviews with generic "I really like this case" at the end to not piss off his "sponsors". You can honestly tell which cases he buys without him saying so (look at the Element review for instance). No one in their right mind would or should recommend any of the new Agent18 slider cases at all due to them just sucking, yet he does.

That is what you need to do. Personally, I get my cases from an ad company contact, hence the reason I get a ton for free without doing reviews at all. I do also have and do buy a lot of cases on my own. It is a really bad hobby to be honest.

I agree, I've made partner on my channel but I still have a small following, about 900 subscribers. I prefer to skip through a case that's been over-reviewed, such as the Speck CandyShell, Otterbox Defender or Incase Slider. If I find myself in a position where I can be the first to review these, I will, but I won't review them just to put something out there.

Most reviews on my channel are the first of their kind, meaning that when somebody searches for that specific case, my video will be the only one to show up, which helps greatly.

You won't help yourself if you post videos of well-known cases unless you are the first to do so.

Hope I helped.

Cheers,
Gianpy

 

[barachus]

My wife is in that enviable position right now of running a specialized website that offers information that people cannot find elsewhere AND she'll be asked to review things from time to time. After 3 years of hard work, it's finally bringing in an income...albeit a tiny one.

Just wanted to share that so you just didn't think I was speaking like a know-it-all without having at least some background in what might work and what doesn't.

ANYONE can do a YouTube review...your job is the make your review something people cannot live without. How you do that is the question...and honestly I am at a loss for making case review videos fit into that category, but perhaps it can be done.

(If anyone is interested in dance and dance education...students, parents or teachers, please check out my wife's site at www.dancedavantage.net )

it would really help your wifes site stats if you could try and spell it correctly next time you reccommend it

 

[mstrze]

it would really help your wifes site stats if you could try and spell it correctly next time you reccommend it

Nice...fixed it.

She doesn't need my help here...but if anyone is into dance check out my original post with the link above and click on the fixed link. I won't repost it here cause I don't want to seem like I am spamming.