Over it. Thanks for your help to those who provided useful info. Stay lifted!

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Dear Overgrow,

My name is Bill and I have been a grower/patient advocate for over 20 years. And 20 years ago, it was Overgrow that helped me learn how to do it right. Now I want to give back!

I have recently decided to share my experience and tricks that I have learned over the years by starting a website and Youtube Channel to freely help those looking for simple and straight information.

I DO NOT sell the products that I review, nor do I receive any payment or sponsorship for doing these videos.

It’s truly for the sheer love of the plant and desire to be the change in the world I would like to see.

I recently posted a review I did on some grow bags that I felt were really great. Being someone who suffers from back problems, finding new technology that can help me reduce the amount of lifting I do was great. I couldn’t find any issue with the product and only shared what I researched and observed (I won’t share the link here but if you search my name under YT, you can find them. )

I really could use some guidance as to how I should move forward. I love weed and I love playing with video editing. It’s one of the few things that I think I could get good at and really enjoy.

I have made sure not to post any links or anything that may seem “Salesy”.

How should I provide the help to knew growers here? Should I just stick to helping by giving advice? It seems that there are some here that are not interested in the greater good of helping each other. I won’t slander, but I really feel hurt as I put a lot of time and energy in creating content that I thought would be educational and entertaining…and all at my own expense.

What should I do?

I look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Bill

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You are all good by me… I think it’s the thumbnails make it seem salesy but you talk about a lot of good topics.

Doing reviews? Continue.

I seriously considered just doing video updates instead of pics and have done a couple.

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While it is enriching to share one’s experience, perception is in the mind of the reader.

If your every post appears to review products, it becomes harder to differentiate.

I have not followed along with your posts, and wouldn’t care to comment on that matter if I had.

Peace to you and keep pushing this plant along.

99%

BTW, I like to learn about products I know nothing of, from those with meaningful experience. Thanks.

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I would love to check out your YouTube channel but when I search your name a whole bunch of different users come up… if you don’t mind inbox me the channel name.

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Sent and thank you.,

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Thanks for your reply Toastyjakes. I agree that the thumbnails are a bit over the top, but to get views, I thought it would be necessary to ad some “pro” looking thumbnails to attract them.

Do you think I should not use them, or make some special videos just for this community? (if I can find timeXD)

So did you ever post your videos here?

My posts have been removed from OG because some people reported it as sales…so I am not sure how to move forward. Hmmm…(Feeling underappreciated :wink: )

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Hi @thegrowtentguy

I also have no problems with objective hands on reviews.
Until the EZ Swap Pots review all of your videos were fine.
However, the EZ Swap Pots video did not show you actually using the grow bags, it appeared as if the
footage was supplied by the manufacturer…and the different voice and accent amplified this perception.

I am to blame for not immediately shooting you a PM regarding my concerns as to how some of our members may well consider this to be “shilling” for a product, which is simply not acceptable here at OG without becoming a sponsor.
I apologize for not communicating this concern right away.

I will post the video for the OG community to comment on here.

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Understood. With all the new LED technology out there, I thought by doing product reviews, I could give some insight to those looking to purchase them.

My DE HPS died on me not to long ago and I decided it was time to make the switch to LED, but I couldn’t afford those expensive ones like California Light Works, Bulldog or Kind LED.

I tried to find informative reviews, but most of them were either too little information or made by a sponsored reviewers who were obviously providing biased reviews.

Since I have been running a vape business, creating my own website, and find real joy in creating video content, I thought that I could meld all of these experiences and provide some value to the community.

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Hi Calyxander,

Thanks for the reply. And no apologies needed. I received the pots from EZ Swap Pots at a time that I had nothing to put into it, but felt that it was a pot that many could find use from.

In the beginning of the video and throughout, you can find me handling the bag and showing it on my table in the office.

As for the audio, I am really at a loss as I don’t have enough money to buy a good audio MIDI setup yet, and when I tried to read my review through the mic I do have, it sounded terrible. That’s when I decided to use the Text to Speech option which I thought would be funny as they guy has an English accent…woops. XD

I also state clearly at the end of the video that the product was not sponsored and I didn’t receive any money for the video.

And you are correct, that I asked permission from the manufacturer to use some of their clips as I felt, “Why recreate the wheel when there’s already good content out there!” (plus it would have taken me a lot more time to create those clips with my phone, and since I am not getting anything, I figured, why not? I guess that was a mistake as well and I will try not to do that in the future.

I noticed my diary is now gone, some of my other posts as well. Please Calyxander, do you think I should just provide some basic photos and written reviews here at OG from now on?

I am not trying to rock the boat. And I know that when people are glad to have seen something, they don’t always speak up, but when others see something that makes them feel a certain way, they will scream from the mountaintops.

It’s not only an issue here on OG, but in our society as a whole.

Sorry for the rant. Please Calyxander, any guidance would be really helpful.

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Hi @thegrowtentguy. I don’t know if you saw it, but I commented when you posted that video. I proposed you become a sponsor and post in the Sponsored category, if you want to do commercial content, as that would be fair to OG staff and community and it is what others do.

The reason I regard the video in question as commercial content is that you mostly recite company information regarding the product, and you even use footage from the company’s video. The actual review part (that people here would likely be interested in) is missing.

There is no distance between you and the product and/or the company, the product is hardly seen in action besides basic function and we do not get any of your experiences using it. Which is not that surprising, because you have just unboxed it.

Unfortunately for us, that leaves your video without additional value compared to the company sales video. Besides you explaining us to likesubscribewhatever your channel. It’s a commercial for that pot and your channel.

If you want to build up a successful channel, I would encourage you to take time to really use the stuff you want to talk about, test it, explain your expectations, show how they are met (or not, and why), compare it to the promises the company makes. Show critical distance. And actually go at it, instead of reciting the company history I could read myself on the company website if I were interested.

I don’t know if you consider what you are doing journalism, or that is something you would like to work on. If so, you should really emancipate from the products and companies you are talking about.

As I stated in my comment to the previous post, I am not a moderator, I don’t have anything to say. It’s just my opinion.

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Hello Allotment,
and thank you for you time to provide me with some insight of your point of view. I wasn’t able to read your reply on the original post as it was removed before I could see it.

May I ask what it means to be “Sponsored” in your opinion? I thought having a sponsorship meant that the company involved payed the content creator to provide the video?

I am not sure how to provide reviews for products that I find no fault with now, as people will only see it as being a “Sponsored” ad. I personally handled the product in the video, showing and sharing my true thoughts about it.

I guess I just feel that there are always going to be a portion of the community that won’t like what I create, but I really try hard to provide a complete overview of the products as well as my opinions based on what I see.

I guess what I am really trying to find out from all of you is, if the information that I am providing and the way I am providing it is desirable or not?

It’s really hard to not be defensive when I try so hard to make content that is fluid and interesting. I don’t get paid for what I do, and the only reason I am doing this is for a little fun and to pay it forward.

Allotment, could you possibly share some positive reviews of a product that you felt wasn’t too “salesy” that I might be able to learn from?

Also, my state only allows us to grow a maximum of 12 plants, which I am at. Could you give me some recommendations on how I might incorporate this type of product, mid grow, into a video which the community would find useful?

I will also try to incorporate some of your recommendations into my future videos as much as I can.

Thanks again for your response,

Stay Lifted~

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@thegrowtentguy
About the Sponsored category

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Thanks DiggySoze,

So since I am not an advertiser, nor a promoter, nor am I sponsored by these companies as the information that I provide are all my own opinions, I should be good right?

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If you enjoy creating videos, continue to do so. This community is not very large and will not help to increase your subscribers. Personally I prefer reading about garden updates than product reviews.

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I was trying to send a PM LOL WTF

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After watching the video calyxander reposted and knowing about the previous video posted in I believe palindrome’s thread, I would say you need a few major changes to make it look less like shilling or posting content to get paid by YouTube.

1: Dont do review/comparison videos of products you dont have or haven’t used yet/ dont use stock footage except to show what the claims vs what you observed

In the case of the grow bags, you would have been much better off doing a simple unboxing and a “stay tuned for more” until you put them in use and had more of your own personal experience, video, and photos to put into the video

2: until you are well known, give a brief background of why people should value your advice/ show more of your background. If you have previous grow logs, link them in your videos. If you dont have any, start some up here.
This will also help to grow OGs respect and trust in you, which would be a tremendous help in spreading the word on your channel. I personally would prefer to link videos of an OG’er than a random when pointing something out to someone, but I also expect more from an OG’er and wont promote something that may be detrimental to this community.

3: your disclaimer needs to be both spoken and in text at the BEGINNING of the video. I personally would do a brief intro then the disclaimer.

“Hey everyone, Bill with The Grow Tent Guys here with a new product I’m really excited about! I have a bad back, and it’s hard to transplant… found these cool new bags, EZ Swap Pots! This product was purchased by me personally, I have no affiliation to corporate shitheads, I am not being paid, this is my opinion.” Follow it with you talking about the features while showing it and give your first impressions.

After using the product for a round and documenting it (more legit in a grow log… just sayin :wink:) you can go back and do a follow up review. It would be even better to do your unboxing, then post it here in a grow log following along with your use of them and end out the grow log with a review. You can use the log to document your feelings along the way that can be used in your review video, and you can link to your grow log on the review video giving more legitimacy to your opinion.

These are the most glaring issues I have with your videos and/or posting them here. I personally think unboxing/review videos should be more conversational, like telling your buddy bout the cool new toy you picked up.

I will add that I am the person that reported your first video in palindrome’s thread. At that time I had no idea who you were, you had only a few posts, 2 of which were review videos, and the video linked didnt have anything to do with the topics being discussed in my opinion. I honestly didnt realize that it would remove your post due to my member level, so it was a bit more extreme than I intended. I’m sorry for that. I know a lot more about you and what you’re trying to accomplish now and applaud your effort. At the time though, you were a nobody, engaging in an act that most do for monetary gain, and your video was a little over polished and too much like a promo video from the manufacturer for a new reviewer.

Hope this helps! Keep on doing what you love Bill!

EDIT: Forgot to say lose the robo-voice over. For me personally, I spent 7 years in the vape industry. It sounds too much like a joyetech or kanger promo video…

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I have very little tolerance for bullshit.

The sole purpose of your website is Amazon affiliate click farming. All text is copy & paste from the company websites, “enhanced” with your Amazon link.

And the same goes for your videos. They are just to put your affiliate links there, maybe also Youtube ads, I block those so I wouldn’t know. You did not even take the time to write an actual posting for OG, you copy & paste the Youtube text, which does not make any sense here.

That is commercial content.

You get the products for free. You actually offer “reviews” as a service to companies.

You are supposed to sponsor OG, which in turn entitles you to post commercial stuff in the “Sponsored” category for sponsors. Instead of throwing it in other people’s threads (I missed that but lol wtf)

I only speak for myself. For me, no, it’s not. Because there is hardly any information besides company sales blabber. And your whole presentation (website, youtube, OG) to me is just clickfarming.

You have not used it. You unbox a pot, read a company text and have not used it, but call it a review. It’s not. Sorry. It’s you throwing company logos at people and telling them how to use the channel they are watching you on, as if you expect them to be complete idiots.

I know Youtube is full of unboxing videos and similar things with the informational content of a dead frog. Maybe most people watching it are actually idiots. I don’t know.

Way too many affiliate links on your website for me to believe that.

I’m not going to do the research for your business, sorry.

Then use it in your next grow and safe the review for after that. Or, well, this is OG, the community you love, so you could, like, do a grow log and people could see them in action. That is what a lot of people here do and enjoy reading.

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Now this is what I am looking for ChronicMcBudz. Actionable suggestions with logical reasoning behind it.

Thank you for the well thought out advice and information. I will definitely try to implement most if not all.

I especially like #3. if I had the disclaimer in the beginning, perhaps I could have avoided this issue all together.

“These are the most glaring issues I have with your videos and/or posting them here. I personally think unboxing/review videos should be more conversational, like telling your buddy bout the cool new toy you picked up.”
(GREAT IDEA!)

I Take that as a compliment as I watched lots of youtube content to get an idea of what I wanted my content to look like. I figured people were tired of looking at “Talking Heads” on YT and were watching more well produced content from growers around the globe.

Thanks again and I will try my best to incorporate your suggestions on my future posts.

Respect and thank you for your time.

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Couldn’t watch more than a minute because of the voice.

It reminded me of far too many clickbait ‘top ten’ type youtube videos.

I would rather watch a video with sound that echoes, badly cut, that sometimes goes out of focus but actually looked like just some guy talking about a product they actually bought with their own money, used for a couple of cycles to actually see how good it is, and liked so much they couldn’t stop themselves telling people about it and show it in use over a period of months.

One good example of someone who has done that is the LED hack shack thread. Multiple LED lights, side by side in a test grow, over a few months to see the relative differences between different types of chip.

I also don’t prefer videos that urge me to ‘like and subscribe’ because those feel like commercial enterprises, not someone doing it because they love it. Don’t be a ‘like and subscribe’ monkey…

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