Giving Thanks to You!

Why I didn't Give Up.

Thanksgiving break is the beginning of my reflection season. As we approach the holidays and winter break I like to take the time to look back and reflect on the highs of the past year and celebrate them. I also like to look back and reflect on the lows, and consider what could have be done differently. It has been a rollercoaster type of year, with high-highs and low-lows. My econometrics professor once said, “the mean is not the problem, it’s the variance that will get you”. I think of that often.

One of the highlights of this year is YOU! I am grateful to have the outlet that I do. The pandemic taught me that I love creating and now I plan to fully lean into it. Over the next year I will be investing even more of my time on doing what I love. I can not do this without you! I have a big ask of you, so please keep reading until the end.

The Audience Engagement Curve

There is this phenomenon when it comes to content creation that I call the Audience Engagement Curve (AEC). Over the past couple of years, I have realized that the AEC is a real thing. If you are creating content, I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

The AEC measures audience engagement across time. For content creators starting out, you might think that your audience engagement is positively related to how long you have been creating content. I mean it makes sense, the more time you have been creating content, the more engagement and support you should get from your audience. Surprisingly, that is not how it works!

The way it actually works is bit more complicated. Your audience engagement is high when you first start off. Everyone watches your YouTube content, reads your newsletters, leaves comments. It is the best feeling, and it is encouragement to continue creating new content. However, that engagement fades quickly as people get used to seeing your content. It is now normal and has lost its novelty. They stop liking, commenting, and sharing. They might still consume it, but they don’t engage. That’s the dip, and every creator I have talked to has experienced the dip.

It Gets Tough

The dip is tough on creators. This is where many give up. It starts to feel like a lonely experience. During this dip, I have wondered if anyone else is reading, watching, or does anyone even care? It is easy to consider quitting. Do not give up, keep creating. You will lose some of your original audience, some will never come back. That is fine. As you continue to produce and create, your skills get better, you will find your voice, and you will start to attract the audience that truly cares for what you are creating. You will begin to build your community. Engagement will increase and will continue to grow. You have to get past the dip, and most people do not have the patience and give up too early.

Changing your Mindset

I think I am starting to get past the dip, at least I hope. My YouTube videos are starting to get more views, and retention rates are higher. It was tough for a while because I was so fixated on engagement measures from YouTube as an indication of value. I had to change my mindset and continue to produce. I focused on creating as much as I can and getting better at the craft, otherwise the lack of engagement would have caused me to give up. I am glad that I didn’t.

My Goals

As we approach the last 6 weeks of the year, I want to share with you two of my goals.

1. Reach 2,000 subscribers on YouTube by Dec 31st. If you haven't subscribed, I would love it if you did.

2. Reach 1,000 newsletter subscribers by Dec 31st. If you are reading this and haven’t subscribed yet, you can do that here.

You can help me by amplifying this work and recommending your friends and family members to join our community. If you are finding value, this should be an easy ask and I would greatly appreciate it.

How Can You Help?

Thank you for being part of the audience of Economics with Dr. A. Your support has allowed me to do what I love. If you are wondering about other ways you can help, you can like, leave comments, and share the work. Remember that a lot of time and effort went into creating the content, and any support is greatly appreciated. If you have a favorite YouTube channel, newsletter, Twitter, or Instagram account, tell them how much you appreciate their work. It matters!

As Thanksgiving approaches, I want to say thank you for reading, watching, and encouraging me to do what I love and helping me get through the dip!

Paid Subscribers

Special shoutout to the paid subscribers. Your support means the world! Starting in 2022, I plan to have more subscriber-only content. Be on the lookout.