A few weeks ago, a storm of manufactured controversy caused some major advertisers to pull out of YouTube.
My gardening videos are ad-supported, so this is not good for us. I’ve seen a drop in revenue since the trouble began and it seems to still be falling, even though my subscribers keep going up.
That’s not as bad as what just happened with Amazon Associates, though. If you read that article by Peter Grant, you’ll see that it may be getting even worse for writers in the near future.
As you may know, the main way I make money on this site is through Amazon links to books and tools I have found useful. I get a small percentage of the sale of any items that get linked through this blog, giving me about enough money to cover my electric and water bills each month. Amazon just cut its rates almost in half on books and some other items, so my commissions have fallen as well.
At the same time, book sales are down across the board. I’m not sure why, but it seems less people are reading and less books are selling.
I’m in the midst of writing another book right now and hope that will take up the slack. We’re definitely not going to starve (hey, I live on a farm!) but it’s not good to see multiple income streams decreasing at the same time. Sometimes I really miss my plant nursery business. That was a solid revenue stream that I could increase by attending more plant shows and farmers’ markets.
In our new location, I don’t have a work permit so I am tied to what I can make online.
Since multiple people have asked over the last few years if they could leave a tip, I finally set up a tip jar via paypal.
I suppose if you looked at this site as a daily magazine of gardening inspiration, the content is valuable. Instead of writing for magazines all the time, I post free info here. Maybe I need to rethink my life.
If you do shop on Amazon, you can use this link when you do and a few bucks will come our way.
I also have downloadable films and booklets for sale over on gumroad.
Some interesting new source of income is bound to come up soon. I’m just feeling the smackdown from YouTube and Amazon right now.
Stay tuned. I’m sure I’ll be doing something different and exciting soon. I’ve got some ideas, I just need to make them happen. T-shirts, for instance. They are coming!
You can have greener thumbs by this weekend!
24 comments
Donation for $50.00 sent. I’m hoping someone will match? I’ve easily garnered more info than $50 off of this site. Please keep up the good writing. (Long-time reader, Youtube watcher, book buyer and Survival Gardener groupie.)
Thank you, Jesse. I will not stop.
Any word on the paper version of push the zone? I haven’t purchased the ebook as I’m waiting for the paperback.
Yes – we are hoping to see it finished in May.
David the Good The Survival Gardener brand gardening tools
Safety machetes!
Keep in mind that it’s tax season here in the USA, so if the bulk of your audience is American you’ll see the flow of funds slow down until tax refunds start coming back.
At least, that’s what I find in my biz.
True – good observation.
My husband is the sole income earner too, and he always feels the pressure when something hits the paycheck. It’s an enormous responsibility to know your entire family depends on what you do for a living! Having said that, I do think the way people make ends meet, is destined to change. You would do well to see how you can change your work permit situation, and get that plant nursery started anyway. Does “trading” come under the same regulations as requiring a work permit? As in, bartering with other locals?
Because I think when all unnecessary things, are too expensive to buy – people will turn to the basics of life again. Which is plants for food, medicine and material. If you’ve got a nursery set up, and a means to trade which meets the laws of the country, then you don’t have to worry so much what happens online. On our land, I’ve realised the one Achilles heel – the main one, is outsourcing the means to income. A lot of things can go wrong – getting to work, maintaining work or hoping the costs to go anywhere, doesn’t outgrow the budget.
Because of this, I didn’t believe online income was the sole answer either. A part of the kit, but not the whole caboodle. So many things can change on the way to garnering income, from that outlet as well. I said goodbye to $90 recently, that I won on a virtual platform, which comes up with new names for new businesses. My entry was selected by the new business. Because they changed their policy from when I joined though, they suddenly wanted me to supply govt ID, in order to receive my payment. It’s a US based platform, so they had no way of verifying my documentation. But it does get stored on their database, which if compromised, I have my identity stolen.
It happened to me on a completely different online platform, and I was temporarily locked out of my personal bank accounts. So I wasn’t going to take the risk, with providing my photo ID. I was looking at making that avenue a secondary form of income for our family, but it’s now closed due to policy changes. It will become harder to make money online, but we will always have a community which could use our goods or services, we garner from our land. We just have to make that happen. :)
Very good thoughts. I am planning a local business. Thinking of building a little cottage with fruit trees as a rental.
Will that be on the land your renting now, or the land you will buy? You make a good point that as costs get higher, those with land can make a little money with providing someone else, accommodation. As long as there are no govt regulations to prevent a second dwelling being built, that is.
We can build a second dwelling, so long as it’s attached to the main dwelling, with a verandah. But we can’t have one, separate to the main house. But I’m sure you wouldn’t have such regulations where you are. :)
I hope to buy a little piece and give it a try.
Awesome. :)
I have learned a lot from Grow or Die & Compost Everything. I am looking foward to your new book with Steve Solomon. I guess I am “old school”. I prefer paper books to ebooks. And there are no dead batteries for a paper book.
Same here – I like paper books too. Thank you, Boyd.
That sounds like a big loss of income. I will continue to purchase your books & videos. Have you considered moving back to the states and writing? Maybe find sponsorship with a garden or seed company? David, I will definitely be praying for you & family.
It was a smackdown, but I think I’d have to really be at the end of my rope to move back to the US. I really enjoy the freedom here. We still have savings and I have more books coming. Thank you for the prayers. Strange to see everything dropping at once.
I have purchased every one of your books- multiple paper copies of the food forest book! and will continue to do so for as long as you are writing and don’t completely suck. Do you think something like a suggestion subscription price for your videos would work better than just asking for random tips?
Heh. I will try not to completely suck.
I was approached by a site interested in having me produce some instructional videos – I think I’m going to go for it and see what happens. I like free content, and I also think the random tip model isn’t good. A little helps get things done, but I would rather produce and sell good things that help people garden.
If I use the amazon link you provided in this article you will benefit, no matter what I buy?
Yep – it’s a great setup. And thank you.
If that is the case, I will use the link for every amazon purchase.
David, I noticed that you have been getting bullied by those annoying people. The ones that were kids in high school (and act the same stupid way). Trying to draw attention to others, pretending others are stupid, just to compensate for something that is missing inside their closed hearts.
You know… the kids that find someone opening their heart and sharing the excitement of something genuinely cool and unique that they enjoy… and the bully thinks of something asinine (and false) to close up that open heart.
All that means is that you stood out. And to stand out on youtube is quite an accomplishment. All the kind and good hearted people get bullied at some point (Dan @ PlantAbundance and Bobby @ MPHGardner have also been bullied this way). Bobby stopped posting and we are all the less for it.
I wish you knew how often my permie and gardening friends smile when your name is brought up, it is a simple enjoyment smile, like kids have when their friend opens up his heart to share something new about something they have common interest.
We enjoy YOU and your wife (who seems to have such a lovely heart – you chose well).
You remind me a close friend named Frank who used to be a middle school Principal for the Wisconsin Synod Lutheran Church. He has a Bachelors in in Journalism and a Masters in Agriculture. Same wonderfully bizarre and good (kindness) sense of humor as you. He married a woman who is just as praiseworthy as your wife seems to be.
Anyway, love you in the Lord, love you for your earth care, and enjoy watching you both.
Thank you for keeping your hearts open and sharing stuff so your friends out here can enjoy it with you.
You are doing what I want to do… disconnect and live a rich life with my family somewhere… Yes, it may be a bit vicarious, but I would I’d love a link so I can help you out, without a corporation taking part of it.
Until then, compost your bullies.
Thank you, Glen – much appreciated. I actually attend a WELS church now. Your friend sounds like my kind of guy. I won’t give up. Even if I tire of YouTube completely, I’ll keep posting here.
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