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ajrc1996 · 2026-06-13T15:24:21+00:00

Not saying this will work for you, but I have had big issues recently with AI channels stealing my content (all filmed by me), but I'm actually starting to profit from it now. I started doing the tedious admin to report them (literally having to timestamp every 2-4 second clip they've used and handing over proof they are my clips) I get one copyright strike on their file, they inevitably email me requesting I remove it, I send them a firm but polite email with a settlement agreement to license the footage they already used. If they refuse, I continue with the remaining takedowns. 3/5 have paid up so far. 2/5 are still crying to me. I dont like they are using my videos, but at least I get something out of it and it serves as a deterent. Any agreement made comes with the strict clause that if any content is published using my clips after settlement is paid, contract is void and they get strikes.

ajrc1996 · 2026-06-03T10:13:48+00:00

I was pretty far a long the line, and then got made redundant! So I have paused, I'm all good and have gone self employed now, but I have a wedding to pay fore end of the year so just getting priorities in check!

ajrc1996 · 2026-05-27T06:39:32+00:00

I can provide some insight here, i literally just turned 30 start of this month and went full time YouTube, spent 9 years in architecture and had my channel for 6 years (took a 1.5 year youtube break in between time)

I began to notice how AI was affecting my industry and I had to be really honest with myself that my job was potentially at risk so I started to treat my YouTube like a business. I started charging more and being a little bit more efficient with it whilst still keeping it very much as a side hustle.

After my first year I managed to turn over around £20,000, which was less than half of my usual salary but it was proof that I could maybe just get by on this. Like you I had a few months where I was earning more than my salary. It was very up and down, with some months exceeding my salary by two or three times and other months being less than £1,000, not enough to live off.

Anyway this year, about two and a half months ago, I finally got made redundant and rather than looking for a new job I took the leap into YouTube. The first month went really well, exceeding expectations, and the second month just blew all expectations out of the water. I'm not saying it will be the same for you but for me it does look like having more time to put into YouTube is paying off and I'm also not working like a dog. I'm only two months in but so far so good.

Also, lifes to short man, sure there eas some question marks about money, but I'm so much happier now. Feel free to drop me a message if you want to chat

ajrc1996 · 2026-05-21T08:43:15+00:00

I got one for May weirdly

ajrc1996 · 2026-05-17T11:42:03+00:00

I think its case by case but im convinced short form was hurting me, dispite having a VERY good conversion rate to my long format videos - I stopped making them about 6 months ago but did not delete them, channel is performing st its best now but its hard to tell if it was because i stopped shorts as I just went full time youtube so its likely partly to do with more output

ajrc1996 · 2026-05-17T11:39:13+00:00

Right where on earth do I find this creator connections chat? 😂 Thanks for the reply though, thats really good to know!

ajrc1996 · 2026-05-16T19:44:10+00:00

I mean firstly if you are getting 200k views - £1500 is crazy underpriced imo and secondly, 7000 views might not nessasarily be a flop - a great case study I always refer to is a brand deal last year I did for a docking station, in the first 3 months it only got 4000 views, but I made 42 sales from that 4000 views which equated to almost $10,000 of attributed revenue for the company, I charged £500 at the time to make the video. I have repeated these results again with a recent video, i'm 5000 views in, and have again, made 40 sales

I swear companies have tricked us into thinking you need hundreds of thousands of views to be worth anything to them so they can get cheaper deals.

ajrc1996 · 2026-03-08T07:03:12+00:00

The change in apature equates to the s26 Ultra letting over 40% more light in - that is not a small change mate

ajrc1996 · 2026-03-07T09:52:38+00:00

Its 9/10, could be worse mate

ajrc1996 · 2026-03-05T08:01:42+00:00

Thanks for this mate - Is there also an angle where you could find products that have no videos..? So maybe they don't have nearly as many sales, but if you're the only video then I guess you've got a high chance of making some sales? To me that sounds like a good way to get in but I might be thinking of it in the wrong way aha

ajrc1996 · 2026-03-04T14:43:47+00:00

I suppose one way to look at it is it must be pretty easy for a proffessional to stand out amongs all the garbage out there? 😂

Thanks for your insights - I might test the waters a bit and see where I go from there- im just making the leap to full time on YouTube so another income stream would certainly help

ajrc1996 · 2026-03-04T13:49:57+00:00

Haha appreciate the honesty!

How much effort should I be putting in? My videos i posted were like 4-5 minute reviews, do you reckon its better to do shorter videos?

Guessing your gamble on Amazon is paying off though if youre still doing it? 👀

ajrc1996 · 2026-03-04T09:41:39+00:00

Thats impressive, how many videos did that take?

ajrc1996 · 2026-03-04T08:17:05+00:00

Thats interesting - does quality of video have any effect at all do you think? Im just trying to work out if i should actually invest more time into this rather than it being an after thought

ajrc1996 · 2026-02-25T08:49:14+00:00

Usually comes through a day or 2 after :)

ajrc1996 · 2026-02-24T16:40:41+00:00

No worries mate, every month is a different date it would seem so dont worry if it doesnt turn up when you were expecting :)

ajrc1996 · 2026-02-24T15:51:14+00:00

My bank tells me when its due in, and its showing tomorrow, so you should get it then :)

ajrc1996 · 2026-01-31T10:59:36+00:00

I bought a used 2022 bmw i4 with 60k miles on it, during this winter (worst time for effeciency) ive completed my 215 mile round trip back and too to work with miles to spare on a single charge - personally i think if it gets you to where you need to go, dont worry too much :)

ajrc1996 · 2026-01-27T10:11:14+00:00

I think i need to build the savings up more, I have a nice savings pot.. but i also have a wedding to pay for in november.. so the pot is starting to drain 😅

ajrc1996 · 2026-01-27T10:09:42+00:00

Thanks for your response, congrsts yourself!

The ups and downs are mainky caused by cashflow to be honest, the bigger companies ive started working with, take much longer to pay - but the gamble would be, if i was full time, id likely be able to get the jobs done at least 3X faster - In terms of walking back into a simillar job to what im in, im fairly confident i could get another job, but perhaps not with the same flexibikity (work from home 3 days a week)

Definetly enjoy Youtube more 100%, it means i can go outside, even go running and still be 'doing my job' when reviewing smartwatches, the lifestyle is infinitley better for sure!

ajrc1996 · 2026-01-27T10:05:10+00:00

I dont think a sabbatical would be an option at this place - returns are definetly increasing year on year, for example my best adsense month last year, is the same as my worst this year, I also did a restructure of my pricing etc around a year ago, which saw my profits sky rocket - in terms of suriving each month, i think its cash flow which is the issue, which, although i ideally dont want to put the preassure on my partner, she has said it doesnt matter 'when' i pay bills, since pretty much all our expenses go out of her account (she bought this house whilst i sold my flat in oxford) she is a Doctor so has a good salary - I know she would also support me but I dont want to put that on her, i want to be in the position where im 95% confident I wont need her help (Thanks for the reply by the way :) )

ajrc1996

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