Don't build your castle in other people's kingdoms • Hacker News Board

Re: Don't build your castle in other people's kingdoms

#121

Post by zukalous » Fri, Nov 05, 2021, 2:29 PM UTC

Author here. Hey whoever linked to my article thank you for post. I just got notified of this.

To answer the most common questions, I am not advocating "build your own youtube."

Instead I advocate what @notTheAuth said below. Basically treat youtube and twitter as my commercials. I don't care who follows me on those two platforms, they are just the entry point. The following that I truly care about is my mailing list and my own personal site. Those are my owned platforms and that is what I care about.

Think of it like the old days of TV. If I am advertising on TV channels and it goes out of business that isn't that bad. Oh shoot I can't advertise on there anymore. It would be worse if my TV show was hosted by that channel because then my TV show isn't there any more.

Re: Don't build your castle in other people's kingdoms

#122

Post by zukalous » Fri, Nov 05, 2021, 2:34 PM UTC

There was another question about it being vague advice and wishful thinking.

This is actually how I run my business. So I post threads on Twitter to get attention https://twitter.com/AdventureMtn/status/1450141976976781312

But I don't care who follows me there.

You will notice the last post I link back to a site that I own and make money from.

I am not advocating building your own Twitter or building your own youtube. Instead I just sell premium versions of what most people would most likely post on Youtube. For example I created a whole video series on a site that I created called gamemarketingideas.com. I charge for that in real dollars not ad revenue or fractions of a cent with affiliate money. I own it. That content could have gone up on youtube but I don't trust a business hosted on the back of Google.

So instead I am basing my revenue on selling it off of a site that I own.

None of this is a perfect libertarian utopia of total self-sustainability. I am 100% not a libertarian. And there is no risk free business.

You just need to reduce risk.

My advice is basically a friendly reminder to be careful with these big tech sharks. Don't put your whole head in the sharks mouth. Instead just put a hand in the sharks mouth. It is less risky that way.

Don't ask me where the shark metaphor is going it is early and I haven't had my coffee yet

Re: Don't build your castle in other people's kingdoms

#123

Post by zukalous » Fri, Nov 05, 2021, 2:38 PM UTC

colinmhayes wrote: post #107

zild3d wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

thats why the article has > Rule #2: SHAMELESSLY USE THE OTHER KINGDOMS JUST LIKE THEY ARE USING YOU!

Ok but trying to lure people to your own site they've never heard of is much more difficult than luring them to your twitter or discord. Creating a community that spans multiple widely used platforms is much more effective than just shouting into the abyss for people to come to your bespoke solution.

Hey great comment. Author here. I just responded to this with a new thread at the top.

Re: Don't build your castle in other people's kingdoms

#124

Post by zukalous » Fri, Nov 05, 2021, 2:41 PM UTC

adventured wrote: post #82

colinmhayes wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well it's easy to say "don't build your castle in other people's kingdom", but when 95% of people live in someone else's kingdom and like it there it's much harder to actually pull that off. The author laments content creators trying to bring viewers into their discord or twitter instead of personal website but conveniently ignores the fact that people are much more willing to go to and likely to return to sites they…

> when 95% of people live in someone else's kingdom Everyone lives in someone else's kingdom, except those people who own kingdoms. Articles like these, repeated on HN year after year because they represent popular fantasies (and are thus always voted to the front page), are universally misleading and wrong. Challenge someone to list how they plan to build a successful business, starting from scratch, outside of exis…

Hi "represent popular fantasies (and are thus always voted to the front page), are universally misleading and wrong."

I am the author of the article. Great, critique. I responded to how I actually make it work in another comment. Basically treat all the other platforms as advertising and pull people to your own site that you charge access for.

It works and I am able to make a living at it.

Re: Don't build your castle in other people's kingdoms

#125

Post by zukalous » Fri, Nov 05, 2021, 4:22 PM UTC

999900000999 wrote: post #54

My counter argument is it can be nearly impossible to build an audience outside of a kingdom. Many popular YouTubers will try and splinter off and create websites where they can monetize better. I'm even subscribed to one of these websites because I really do want to support the Creator, but I still consume almost all of their content on YouTube. YouTube makes it very easy to upload something and for people to consum…

"I'm even subscribed to one of these websites because I really do want to support the Creator"

This is exactly what my article is recommending. You build a funnel. You put a lot of cool loud stuff on Youtube. But you also build a loyal customer base who will support you on a personal site.

Whoever this creator is that you are supporting is doing exactly what I am recommending.