Heskimo wrote:Green Gecko wrote:It's not easier though when asking Google is literally easier lol. But some people I think want to engage with a person in that way and so they value that more, even if it's a colossal waste of time for content creators etc.
Not 100% sure what you're saying with the first line as I was as saying that punching the question into Google is easier. The manual bit was a bit of a tangent but it still falls under "the information is right there for you".
As for engaging with people - I understand that some people would rather do that than search for things themselves but I feel like a level of respect for people's time should come into it - search first, then if you can't find it, fair enough - ask away. I'll still always help people out when they ask, but it doesn't stop it being frustrating when people ask you where you found all your useful information and your answer is "...the manual..." or "I Googled it."
Drumstick wrote:Have you considered that people want your opinion in particular?
Like if I want to know whether or not Exeter is a fun place I'm not going to ask strawberry floating Google, I'm gonna ask Jenuall.
The kind of thing I was referring to was about simple factual information rather than opinion. Of course, I'd be flattered that anyone cares about my opinion when it comes to that side of things and am happy to weigh in on that as and when people ask.
So, yes - I have considered that. And I imagine most people complaining about the same thing would also have considered it.
edit - lol at the example though
First thing I was referring to your suspicion users want things to be
even easier than conducting research (Ie search engine). I say "it's not easier to ask on YouTube comments", by which I'm agreeing with you that this is probably a waste of both parties time.
From a business logic standpoint though, I wouldn't spend forever answering questions this way but it does build brand trust and someone might follow or subscribe your channel if you answer their questions however briefly. In enough time followers will start answering each other's questions on your behalf, also just to get approval/attention in parasocial relationships, or because they're genuinely helpful individuals. The community starts to self serve, for example, I don't answer all the questions posted on this website but everyone posting here probably approves of the GRcade brand/ethic in some way or another. Way back before I was admin or whatever it is now I did however answer loads of questions in "Ask the Forum" and I suppose that kind of contributed to a culture of "quick to GRcade" to ask questions.
Part of the reason YouTube is so successful is also because it's a weird mashup of forums/Q&A dialogue and video content, a lot of the attraction and also the fallout and controversies surrounding YouTube aren't about its video comment but the comment "below the fold" ie the comments that have always been a part of it.
I know successful youtubers have said, for a time they would respond to every Tom dick and Harry so to speak and then they just gave up and stopped reading the comments completely, they use other platforms for that or they just run podcasts with people they respect.
It's also interesting this scenario, people "Google" something like the name of an instrument or song or how to play etc, Google will very likely return a video result on the first page because that's how they've optimised their engine in recent years but also to monetise YouTube ever since they purchased it. So the original query possibly did come from Google and is then misdirected to you.
By and large agreeing with what you say however objectively there might be a small opportunity there too. I'd answer their question and then not bother following up on it.