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Yes, it has come to this.
People have already brought up how much my website costs to host. $4500 is what Godaddy chargers for a dedicated server for one year. We need our own server because of the traffic this site gets, but I’ll agree that the site is still slow, especially on mobile.
As for bringing back repair videos, I’ve been doing that since the beginning of the year with at least one ‘repair’ video a month. It’s done nothing to help the views. Partly because YouTube is not notifying my subscribers, and partly because all people expect at this point is Fairmont videos which they may not be interested in.
Lastly, if you think I’ll be be going back to repair videos after the #FairmontProject is finished, think again. I still have at least a years worth of Fairmont videos before the series concludes. If I can’t bring the views up by then, I really won’t be able to continue the channel as I have in the past and will likely move onto something else.
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There are always lots of things you can do to your website, but if youtube is your meal ticket, so to speak, that’s where you need to start. I watch pretty much all the videos as they pop up on your site, and while I certainly prefer repair vids, that doesn’t keep me from watching all of them. I like to see how folks do things – it helps me come up with options when I am in a bind.
I think to address the Youtube views decline, you need to look at what the typical gearhead youtuber is looking for – and those are going to be repair vids and modification vids on Honda Civics, Acura Integras, Subaru WRX, etc. – basically, the fast little cars most younger folks can get their hands on, and want to make better. Older imports that folks pick up that are in need of basic repair, etc. – those are what the younger folks are probably really going for. The folks whom are into restoring an old muscle car (or transforming an older car into one) are few and far between, unfortunately.
So maybe it comes down to whether you want to focus on the things you love, or de-emphasize your favorite thing a little bit, and do what folks are looking for – the sort of things that got you to the position you are in today! I hear you say that you have a year of fairmont vids in the queue and I just cringe – I fear that’s going to really hurt your Youtube stuff. I would recommend mixing it up a bit – maybe do a fairmont vid mid-week and a traditional repair vid on Friday or something like that.
Either way, I’ll watch all of them, but on youtube, I think the plan of doing primarily Fairmont vids for a year is going to hurt, though.
Eric, this video hurt to watch for me as it did others. I’ve been watching for over 6 years now, and your channel has been everything in getting me interested in and confident in DIY auto repair. Having met you and spent a lot of great times together at the meetup, I love your passion, your honesty, and the care you have for your fans. I have felt very privileged to have met you and learned what I have from you, and been inspired by you and how you took nothing and made it into something just by working really hard.
I would have to echo what others have said, like Nick. I honestly do think the Fairmont project is cool and I enjoy it, but I find myself not rushing to watch new videos of the project because “build” videos aren’t quite as interesting to me personally. I don’t get as excited about the Fairmont as I did with the repair videos. I enjoy the Fairmont and learn a lot but I think I am with many others here in that the good old fashioned repair videos are what we really like to see. I hate to see you have to pick between running a profitable business and pursuing your dreams. But I really think that the standard repair videos are where the interest is. Take a look at South Main Auto. His channel has grown exponentially due to the type of videos he puts out. His production value isn’t nearly as good as yours, but the variety and the “everyday-ness” of the work is what gets views, because it is info that people can take and use in their driveway. People look at Eric O. as a regular guy mechanic that does great work and cares for his customers. That resonates with people, and is what resonated with people when they started watching ETCG.
I do not begrudge you at all for taking advantage of your success and expanding your equipment, taking sponsorship money, all of that. I would have done the same thing. I don’t think you ever betrayed us or sold out. I think you may have just grown too much too fast.
I really don’t want to see ETCG go away. I’ve met some incredible people through it, and got into something that I never even knew I was interested in. Know that your fans are here to support you, and we want to make sure you’re successful. It may be hard but ETCG probably just has to hit the reset button and try to return to its roots. I hope you don’t take what we have to say as harsh criticism but just being honest and wanting you to succeed.
So, my vote would be to do repair videos first and foremost and sprinkle in Fairmont videos as they go, or summarize them into some kind of video package or more of an overview kind of video series.
Us long term fans aren’t going to leave you Eric, and we are more than happy to help you, give advice, whatever it takes. If I have to take an 8 hour drive to Cincinnati then so be it. I probably owe you a few drinks and some help for all you’ve done for me.
Ryan
Thanks again for the input everyone.
First, I see quite a bit in the latest responses that the #FairmontProject is the problem with the views. While I agree with this in part, it’s not entirely true. Many have suggested going back to Fixing it Forward and that would bring the views back. I don’t agree with this because the facts simply don’t support it. If you look, you’ll see that the views on the Fixing it Forward series are no better than the views on the #Fairmont Project. If you read the comments to some of the Fixing it Forward videos, you’ll see the same complaints. “This project is taking too long”. “That person doesn’t deserve all that work”, and other BS to that effect. I’m not saying any of you made those comments, I’m just trying to illustrate the reality of Fixing it Forward and the views it generated.
I love the Fixing it Forward project, but it just doesn’t generate the views that those of you are suggesting. That said I’m not giving up on it.
Some have suggested posting more than one video a week, problem solved right? This could not be farther from the truth for 2 reasons. Editing more video is not an option for me. I’m already producing content for 3 channels if you include the Premium Content. Editing more just keeps me at my desk longer and not working in the shop. It’s also not going to solve the problem of views. On more than one occasion where I’ve posted more than one video during the week it’s actually hurt views. Not to mention the additional effort required to finish the #FairmontProject while also doing more repairs. There just aren’t enough hours in a day for this, sorry. Posting more videos is not an option.
The #FairmontProject. I love doing this work. I’ve said it on more than one occasion. I have on intentions of giving up this kind of work. I love building more than I love fixing. I’m not saying I won’t do repairs again, I’m saying that videos like the #FairmontProject are not going away anytime soon. I still have the truck, the GSR, the old Mustang, and my blue Vigor. Not to mention the 99 RL sitting out in front of my shop that could be a fun ‘project’.
However I don’t think I’ll ever structure the videos in the same way I have with the #FairmontProject. I think that series has a lot of value and there’s a lot of good information in there. I just haven’t packaged it correctly. I’m working on that now. In fact, next weeks #FairmontProject video is a departure from the type of videos I’ve been posting about the project in the past, and more like what I’m hoping to do in the future. In other words, I have too many #FairmontProject videos just to throw it away. Instead I’m going to take a different approach with editing to make the videos more interesting and more educational.
I’ve also started on a rebranding campaign. Just look at the top of this webpage, or on any of my social networks and you’ll see that in action. You’ll also begin to see some changes directly in the videos starting this week. Some cosmetic, some to help make it easier for viewers to view multiple ETCG videos. In short, I am making changes that I feel will help the views. If nothing else, it won’t be for lack of trying.
As for the forum. The more I think about it, the more I want to keep it. In fact, a viewer has already reached out and offered hosting services on a dedicated server that may be a lot more affordable that what I’m paying now. That could help a lot with the bottom line and keep things going here on the forum and possibly make the website better. We have a dedicated Godaddy server now, but I’ve never been truly happy with it.
One of the main reasons I thought about doing away with the forum was because I don’t spend as much time here anymore. Once I started responding to YouTube comments again, it ate up all the time I used to spend here. My regret is that those coming here looking for help from me aren’t getting it, and they haven’t been getting it from me for some time. I don’t like making promises that I’m not keeping. My thinking was that if I didn’t have this forum, I wasn’t making a promise I wasn’t keeping.
This in no way negates all of the efforts that all of you have made here on the forum. I appreciate each and every person that has given their time to help others here on this forum. If you weren’t around, this forum would have been gone long ago. I owe you big time.
You’ll begin to see changes starting next week. In fact, I’ve uploaded a new ETCG1 video that will air on Monday going over the direction I’m going to take going forward. Wednesday will be a new channel promo for ETCG declaring the direction of the channel. I’m hoping these changes will have a positive effect.
In the mean time I’m going to finish the #FairmontProject. I’m going to be shooting videos of my progress, and there will be future videos of the project, and I will fire it up and burn the tires as all of you watch. I’m also going to be mixing in repair videos as I have since the beginning of the year. However when the project is done, I’m going to take a good long look at everything ETCG and then decide how I’m going to move forward. By then I should have a pretty good idea of the effectiveness of the changes I just mentioned.
Thanks to everyone that commented and made suggestions. I’m going to continue to take your feedback and I welcome it. I really appreciate all of your input and willingness to help. It means a great deal to me. Thanks again.
Hey Eric I have a question.Sorry if I missed printed info already. Im still learning computers.If you have to shut down your website Would your repair videos still be availabe?Could I download them for instance?For a charge maybe?How could I access them in the future?Once again sorry for my ignorance if that is a simple known issue.Thanks Eric
This is the follow up video I had mentioned before. It states my position and how I’d like to move forward with the ETCG channel. Thanks to everyone for all their input. I really appreciate your willingness to help.
I like the videos. Have no problem with the Fairmont project videos. I understand it was going to be a long video run. My complaint with the normal videos produced by Hot Rod and Motor Trend are they are too short. I like to see that the struggles you have Eric, is true to life. I don’t feel like a complete idiot when things go wrong with my projects seeing you undergo the same struggles. I’ve not watch as much as I’ve had more in life prevent me from my regular does of Eric the Car Guy. I’ll still support and watch if the format changes. Change makes it different and isn’t always bad.
Thanks for all the great videos!
Eric,
I have always said that you are the best when it comes to showing us things about cars because you always talk about the proper ways of doing things. I watch you, engineering explained, and chris fix the most because of that. I relied on you guys to show me the right way of doing things without cutting corners and getting the right information that is not misguided or understudied. You took a turn into the modding world when you did the fairmount and it is very educational. It really teaches us a lot about modifications and the work involved. I think that the reason people do not watch that though is because it is not relatable. You mentioned it yourself, the newer generation is not as interested in automotive work as they used to be. This type of thing in my honest opinion, is something for the die hard mechanic/gearhead people. I like them I think they teach me a lot when it comes to cars and seeing you do it and tackle it and learn as you go has taught me a lot. I am one of the few that is going to use this knowledge for my own as my career is not going to be in the automotive world but I still find it interesting. Please bring back tool reviews. Please bring back some of the fixing that people relied on you to be able to go at their projects with confidence because I feel like people (majority of them) go to you for instruction on how to do things themselves. They will go to autozone and not really know how to work on things themselves but will have a good idea because your video showed them how to. They own the civics and they own the camry. The fairmount is a beautiful car but not many people would have it event to follow on some of your mods. Great information but it is not something many people can relate to. I feel people watch things like grease monkey because of the drama and glamorization of their work summed up in 45 minutes. I love the information that you have put into the videos and it is a shame that not many people are into that. It really is because I see the hard work that you have put on there and you should be getting something out of it. I would hate to see you leave brother but hey bad times happen and I just hope that you can get back up there. Keep up the good work
Chris
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