Good morning from the cold and rainy Hamburg!
Despite the shitty weather I am very excited
this morning, because I am going to meet someone
who I hardly knew anything about until
I came across her YouTube channel
and now I somehow feel like I DO know her...
I might be completely wrong with that assumption
but we will see... I would like to take you with me
to our meeting
so I hope you are as excited about that as I am!
Hello! Come in...!
Interview with Carina Stöwe
(About The Future of Youtube)
Alright, we are now here in Carina's flat
-Thank you Carina for having uns!
And the two of us already had some time
to chat and to get to know each other...
but because you might not know her yet,
I will link her channel up there.
But for now, stay with us because
I would like to talk to her about the one topic
that even connected us before we knew each other
and I actually love that about YouTube
that you find or meet new people,
people who you might have vaguely heard of
but who you had never met in person
and that while watching that person's videos
you feel like you are getting to know that person.
And sometimes that is not actually the case
but sometimes it is.
Which is why I would like to ask you a few questions
about YouTube! If that's ok with you...?
Of course! That's why we are here, isn't it?!
Okay, let's start with maybe your channel...
how long have you been on YouTube?
And what was the main motivation
to start your channel, to upload videos?
Alright, I'm not 100% sure when exactly I uploaded
my very first video
but it must have been 5 or 6 years ago.
And the main motivation was to have something like
a personal playground
because originally I studied Motion Design
Motion Graphics, Animated Text & Titles
usually used as Intro for a video or video series,
short films...something in that direction.
I did that for quite a long time but it was
challenging to say the least, working for clients
can be tedious and boring, no creativity involved
because your client might know exactly
what he/she is looking for and that's totally fine
but for me personally it was difficult
because it felt like my creative side was
being left out, so I had to do something for myself
- and that's how I started my channel.
I had already started my travel blog then
and remember thinking that I was working
with animated pictures all the time anyway
so why not use YouTube as my own platform
or playground to do what I wanted
to try different things and to support the stories
on my blog by adding video to them.
So yeah, I would say it's been 5 years.
...But you wouldn't call yourself a YouTuber?
Very interesting question...
because yes, some people would call me that
and from my personality I would say that
I kind of feel like a YouTuber, more than like
a blogger for example.
Yeah these terms are also quite vague in my mind...
'Blogger' is often used as overall term
-exactly. YouTubers are also called bloggers...
or Influencer. - Influencer, another one of those
vague terms...!
Maybe a few more words about your channel.
Do you think it has evolved much over the last years?
I mean of course it evolved, but
in terms of the focus, the topic
do you think that has changed at all...?
Ummm....I think there is always change
because we as people change...
and I would definitely say I have changed
over the past few years, so my channel as well...
Might be for the better too, don't you think?
Haha, definitely!
So yeah, my channel has changed with me...
the 'main claim' has always been travel run play,
meaning active travel and fun travel
away from the seriousness...
Especially when I was travelling
the Panamericana a few years back
of course the main focus of my channel was travel.
So that has always been the MAIN topic
and 'being active' was added here and there...
and regarding the content I have always
tried different things, formats to find out
what it is that the viewers want to see
and actually somewhat frustrating was
- but I changed it anyway -
the fact that most people didn't really seem to
want to see all the epic, beautiful travel videos,
all harmonic and with slow music...
and I really love creating these videos!!
But my audience wanted more of me,
me explaining something, talking to the camera
and yes, that was a bit difficult to accept
broke my heart ;) but funny because thes videos
are the easier ones, just to do it 'sit-down' style.
But of course I did listen to my audience
and I believe that in this business it is
especially important to be less egoistic
and to say okay, this channel is not only for me
but for the people watching it,
the ones looking for answers
so adding some feel-good b-roll is great and important
but apart from maybe inspiration...
it doesn't really give that much value to the viewer.
So in that regard I definitely adapted my content.
It is being said that YouTube Videos should have
at least one of the three components,
either information...or
entertainment... and there was one more!?
I think it was information, entertainment, inspiration.
Yes, exactly!
That one of these requirements should be full filled...
And of course, I also think it is super important
what YOU find valuable, what YOU want to see!
so if you have any questions
to Carina or to me, please comment them
below this video anytime.
Maybe let's talk some more about YouTube.
I'm under the impression that more and more
people are starting YouTube channels
and to become YouTuber.
- here's the term again -
My aunt told me that in her class (she is a teacher)
quite a few students want to become YouTuber
when they grow up!
And i would love to hear what you think about that,
how you think YouTube is going to evolve...
Is it going to be the new...Facebook,
Instagram or maybe entirely different
or if it is going down, dying out...?
Uhm, so like future scenario...
good question!
Me as a Social Media Expert, I'm saying that...
I'm kidding.
I think nowadays
a friend of mine is a teacher as well
and she said the same...
Students who want to become YouTuber is interesting
because it is a profession that shouldn't be
underestimated, but I beliebe it is relatively
difficult - not impossible - but more difficult
to be successful on YouTube these days.
Starting now I mean.
I know because I started 5 years ago and my
reach is not really overwhelming, but
I believe that even with a small reach
it is definitely possible to collaborate with brands,
you have to have a good niche, that's key
so you can't say, okay I'm now...
-Youtuber and I vlog about everything!
Yes, or let's say Beauty Youtuber...
it's important to narrow it down, like
focusing on sustainable products for example...
...the more niche the better.
I think the future of Micro-Influencers
it's definitely possible to be successful as a
Micro-Influencer.
Same for the future of YouTube....
As for video as a format
no matter if on YouTube or different platform
will definitely remain important.
A few years ago everybody started saying 'video is king'
and that hasn't really changed,
throughout all social media channels, e.g. Facebook,
video is still the content with the most engagement.
Of course these are not
long episodes, rather short clips
- of course, the attention span nowadays is 0 -
Exactly.
And that will be interesting for us YouTubers:
How do we react on this development
and how can we use other channels to
create interest and drive traffic to the main content
like many 'small pieces lead to big piece'...
So yeah, YouTube as a platform will remain,
will keep evolving
with new (paid) formats like YouTube Brat
and all of that...
AndI think it's going to be very interesting
-I agree.
...quality and the level of professionalism
has increased unbelievably and I'm sure
that will be even more expected
from future creators.
For those it will be important to create quality content
- I agree, having a good camera won't be enough...
And people don't want to watch 10 minute-long
monologues, but content that is to the point
and of exceptional quality.
I have one more question, maybe not about YouTube
but a personal one, that interests me
Why Hamburg??
Haha, yes of course...
that's a very reasonable question especially
to a TRAVEL Blogger, YouTuber, Influencer...
Why Hamburg... uhm...
Ever since I was a teenager
the city has always somehow attracted me
- meanwhile looking into the grey, sad sky -
Yeah I don't think people love it for the weather...
Mind you, the weather belongs to this city too...
It wouldn't be Hamburg if it was sunny all the time!
Exactly. Hamburg is not Bali, right?
Yeah I'm not sure, there has always been something
about it, like I lost my heart here.
I feel really homely, really comfortable here,
my dad originally came from Hamburg...
so I have a special connection to this city.
And every time I arrive by train
passing that last section between Damtor and
Central Station - people from Hamburg know -
there is this bridge across the Alster river...
-it's the way every long distance train takes-
when I pass that and see the inner Alster opening
with the fountain...I love that!
I almost have to cry every time...
because it makes me so so happy.
That feeling, I don't know if that is familiar to you
the feeling of arriving, wanting to set an anchor...
literally, when in Hamburg! ;)
...but yeah, that to me is Hamburg.
Yes of course I know that feeling, not so much
that I want to set my anchor but the feeling of home
that can happen anywhere in the world and
not only in one place.
That's a beautiful feeling.
As a kid I remember that was Hamburg to me as well
- the harbour especially - after long drives
coming back home and seeing the harbour
was the iconic picture of home.
Alright! I think that's it for today!
Thanks again to Carina to join and have us here!
You're welcome!
If you have any further question to her
or to me, don't forget to check out her channel!
...or if you have anything to say about
the future of Youtube
definitely write those into the comment section below
- I'm excited to hear them!
WE are excited to hear them! - Very much so!
Thank you so much for watching
Tschüss from Hamburg!
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