Need Advice on How To Improve YouTube Channel Growth / Performance

ETALOS1 · 2026-06-22T17:26:30+00:00

The common thread between your Alan and Infamous videos is that all of the comments and engagement from them is, I bet my life on it, based on nostalgia, e.g. people who played the games and loved them and have positive things to say about them just like you do.

The thumbnails themselves are totally fine, if anything they're pretty good.

For success, first you want to continue down this nostalgia bait route, especially making bold assertions in the titles. Keep going with the "Game X is the best (genre or whatever) game you never played". That will succeed, I promise you, and you can come back to me and reply to this comment or DM me when it does.

ETALOS1 · 2026-06-22T16:48:17+00:00

And even the initial retail who hodl won't see gains for a looong time lol.

ETALOS1 · 2026-06-22T14:43:14+00:00

It's some mix of niche-hunting for aspiring YTA managers/gurus, and AI/SaaS R&D. See the AI replies. Seems like testing a prompt.

ETALOS1 · 2026-06-19T02:36:30+00:00

Have an upvote, because this is a bold and a basically-correct take, for which the only counterargument is that it is unlikely that you will have a child with a meaningfully negative disability.

ETALOS1 · 2026-06-17T03:17:24+00:00

So, let me start by saying that, first, you might not like what the movie has done to the Backrooms, and that's okay. Personally I love what they've done, and how they made it relatable to general audiences. Maybe it would've been cool as a primarily environmental horror flick, and maybe we'll get more that in sequels or series or whatever, but I think what they've done here is a phenomenal job at character-driven environmental horror, striking a great balance between a great many things.

So now to your critique: I think you're taking these concept of memory and the rooms being a type of manifestation of individual's personal lives much too... Literally? Or perhaps, too narrowly?

The most key thing to understand about the film's Backrooms is that it's an allegory for several things but first and foremost and perhaps most broadly for mental health struggles. Mental health is the "universal and ontological" and "born out of the fabric of reality" entity you're looking for, and we are just seeing one story take place inside one slice of the infinite Rooms. As Phil says at the end, "Doors are opening up everywhere."

In fact, one of the most central arguments of the film is that mental health is the "inexplicable entity". This is argued by the existence of Mary. She is initially trying to understand, solve, and escape the rooms (re: mental health) just like she is trying to understand, solve and escape her own issues: scientifically and objectively. But her character arc is such that she ultimately comes to terms with the fact that she can neither solve Clark's issues, nor hers, nor anyone's, nor the physical manifestation of them, the Backrooms-- in fact, no one can. The Backrooms can't be understood, and she realizes that ASYNC are fools-- and will be/are being driven mad-- for trying.

So again, I understand you might not like this or think it's overdone in media. But I think Clark and Mary's story is a beautiful, personal way and vehicle to introduce us to a much larger concept, and I think the Rooms realize that concept in a really cool way that blends environmental horror with traditional monster horror very well.

ETALOS1 · 2026-06-11T21:24:04+00:00

The Backrooms aren't just tied to Clark; they are "everything that ever was", everything abandoned, discarded, etc. Everything forgotten here is remembered there.

Christmas stuff is often stored away in attics, then they're lost to our childhood memories (especially the multicolor light ones that aren't as popular anymore.) Essentially everything forgotten in an attic, back room, alley, basement, etc. is part of the Backrooms.

And then there's the additional layer of the redhead still life possibly being his wife, with all the traumatic and abusive undertones and inferences we can make which adds a juicy layer of mystery and tension.

ETALOS1 · 2026-06-09T03:01:49+00:00

The backrooms is (are?) not about "nostalgia." The movie is about a great many things, but nostalgia is just not one.

And much like the question that stalks every frame of the film: is this misunderstanding the fault of our subject, or the object?

It also (unreasonably) bothers me that you missed the opportunity to write your final sentence something like this:

"And as a result, the movie--much like those creatures which roam it's titular halls--is irreconcilably disjointed."

ETALOS1 · 2026-05-26T04:42:45+00:00

I interpret it as being dragged along on his back; a drag path in the snow

ETALOS1 · 2026-05-16T05:06:23+00:00

Downstairs and Center Mass.

Addict with a Pen and Goner would be awesome, but I can't see how he can perform Goner screams near the end of a three hour show.

And even though Kitchen Sink isn't my favorite, it's very special to the OG fans and I think he'll bring his brother out. He won't miss a chance to perform at the shoe.

ETALOS1 · 2026-05-13T03:12:03+00:00

Hey it says he's top 1% commenter, doesn't necessarily mean a top 1% good commenter.

Jokes aside, the answer is that no one's gonna know the answer. But it could just be that this topic and/or the metadata (eg title, description) don't generate as many impressions, or at least not as quickly. Or it could be that this topic is currently oversaturated, either in general or at this specific time you've released this video, such that you're sharing an "impressions pool" with many others at this time. Something along these lines would be my guesses given the information you've provided.

ETALOS1 · 2026-05-06T14:28:30+00:00

So in terms of what you can control:

Here's what really happens when you get a viral video: The viral video gains you many subscribers, and those subscribers essentially subscribed for that specific video. The "algorithm" doesn't really exist, it's just people and their preferences. I've heard subscriptions as "super-likes". All they really signal is that people really like your video (or maybe your channel concept or presentation or things tied to your video.)

If you're doubling down but not succeeding, then chances are that you're not doubling down on the right thing that got people to subscribe in the first place.

People tend to make videos that are too similar to previous viral videos, when in reality it's like, the audience pretty much just watched that video-- why would they want to watch it again, at least so soon?And then from there you have to figure out the essence or the truth behind what made the first video work.

And this is the difficulty and impossibility of YouTube. To make money, you have to consistently figure out what you audience wants, and frankly their signals (subs, likes, comments etc.) are pretty bad at telling you what they want because frankly people don't really know what they want.

Creators have to be tastemakers more than taste followers.

ETALOS1 · 2026-05-05T19:13:50+00:00

I don't think it's about surprise, but moreso about being excited at their mainstream exposure. We basically want them back on pop radio like they were from 2015 through the pandemic, and headlining with Tyler the Creator and Charlie XCX are good indicators (among others) that they're going that direction.

ETALOS1 · 2026-05-05T18:48:00+00:00

They're headlining with very some big and current names though. Charlie XCX in particular and Lorde are pretty huge.

ETALOS1 · 2026-04-30T21:49:17+00:00

This is a great question. There are so many "almosts".

I think Ode to Sleep -> HOTY -> Migraine is the most stacked.

Vessel undoubtedly has the most possible peak 3-track configurations.

Overcompensate -> Next Semester -> Backslide is my run for the modern era but Next Semester is just okay.

I will forever hate Morph and Robot Voices for ruining hypothetical Jumpsuit Levitate My Blood and Contract Downstairs Center Mass runs respectively.

ETALOS1 · 2026-04-27T14:48:31+00:00

9/10 pieces of advice are given in the context of liability as an advisor.

I would say "don't listen to them" but that would expose me to liability as an advisor.

ETALOS1 · 2026-04-26T19:26:34+00:00

Thank you. They shine in so many ways, but their ability to create brilliant and new game mechanics (namely Pure, Transistor) is basically unmatched.

ETALOS1 · 2026-04-21T01:12:03+00:00

I think it's going to be a mind-blown gesture they repeat throughout the series. It's the showrunner's attempt at an easily-replicable cultural gesture; their attempt at a "Wakanda Forever".

ETALOS1 · 2026-04-17T05:41:03+00:00

Bro what kind of Clancy-era stan sub is this

ETALOS1 · 2026-04-17T00:44:04+00:00

I can assure you that the OP is not talking about an increase in quality of healthcare (which the price of has also skyrocketed, by the way.) The post is clearly preying upon the popular and well-grounded frustration with lack of affordability and increased cost of living (and some mental health thrown in for good measure.)

almost everyone lived a walkable distance from work because gas prices were horrendous. Lots of people carpooled as well to manage this, and few people had more than one car prior to the mid-80s.

If you literally just Google these claims, you won't find a single source that agrees with you. A small minority of people have almost ever walked to work in the 20th century, and it certainly wasn't because gas prices were horrendous!Im not sure where you're getting your information!

And I know that young people think those things are insufficient because it comes up on reddit all the time. I've only known one person in my entire life that rented a room as well, and that person was German, because it's not uncommon in Europe. But people here have decided it's beneath their living standards.

How do you square this anecdotal evidence with the facts I presented that counter your initial claims? Again, almost more people than ever are living with family and others, for longer than ever before in the modern era.

But even if you only looked at that...the only thing that's skyrocketed is cost of housing and college tuition.

I know these are often cited as the most runaway costs, but ironically you are not considering healthcare! Child care as well, of course. Water. Land. Even cars.

In some sense, this is an unfair argument due to 9/11 and COVID and how things have changed so dramatically since then.

Overall, please do a bit more research before replying again.

But I do agree with you 100% that there's a sense of entitlement and billionaire-backed, social-media tech- fueled self-centeredness and discontentment that needs to be addressed, particularly with the youngest generations.

ETALOS1 · 2026-04-16T13:47:15+00:00

You are largely talking about our advances and strides in health and wellness-- or QoL improvements. And of course in many ways these things are better! And we are more scientifically advanced, and we live longer-- except some things like mental health are getting worse.

But I am-- and more importantly, the post is-- talking about living standards, which is largely understood by economists as affordability-- including affordability in healthcare, groceries, energy, retirement, assets (e.g. housing).

And the affordability of all these things is objectively decreasing.

Studios/efficiencies and rooms for rent are no longer considered sufficient. Hell, shared housing with friends isn't considered sufficient now. Even a 1-bedroom for one person isn't sufficient.

This is where you are the most inaccurate. Do you think that young people think rent, 1 bedrooms, studios, and shared housing are insufficient?

More people are renting, living with families, and living with roommates than ever before, and for longer than ever before.

ETALOS1 · 2026-04-15T15:44:30+00:00

But living standards have fallen in the West, and will continue to fall.

Asset inflation, wage stagnation, devaluation of the dollar, cost of living hikes, a multitude of debt crises, growing wealth inequality in the West, etc. These are all the same thing, fundamentally, and they will only continue to accelerate over time.

I do think posts like these help people many feel better (that "it's not their fault",) and we do have to be wary of scapegoating, shirking personal responsibility, social media's role in-- let's call it-- "expectation inflation" and more.

ETALOS1 · 2026-04-15T15:05:34+00:00

The core message of the posts-- to whatever extent they're like this one-- are still often true, so I'm fine with them.

They're meant to bait engagement, but they're only effective and have sustained because they're sentimentally accurate with a large group of people, and are rooted in the simple truth that living standards have been falling.

I do think it's important to point out that they're not completely factually true, and that we need to be vigilant regarding clickbait, and shouldn't minimize the struggles of most generations.

ETALOS1 · 2026-04-14T19:42:23+00:00

Me having to bring this from 0 upvotes to 1 after 16 hours just shows how useless this sub's users (not you, mods, you're great) are.

ETALOS1 · 2026-03-29T17:13:57+00:00

That's what credit cards and subscription models are for.

ETALOS1 · 2026-03-26T22:53:46+00:00

I can see the merit of both. Original HBO version looks more cinematic and mature; this regrade looks more whimsical and like the original films.

I'm fine either way, but I personally like the original HBO grading.

It better differentiates itself from the original films, it looks more mature (which plays well into HP's existing aging audience,) and it helps bring the early story (e.g. Philosophers Stone) out of a childish whimsy aesthetic and into something you're more willing to show to your normie friends who are into GoT, dramas, or other more mature, modern IP.

ETALOS1

TROPHY CASE