I'm pretty confident I would get to where I need to be if I keep plugging away for another six to nine months, but it's the familiar Catch-22 problem - I won't be able to keep putting in the time to keep plugging away for nine months unless I reach sustainability by...well, by yesterday basically, but probably a week from now would do at a pinch. It strikes me that my only chance of increasing the pace as dramatically as that is to devise some sort of promotional GIMMICK, and hold on to your hats, folks, because I think I might just have come up with one.
Barely a week goes past without me receiving at least one message or comment asking me to do one of two things: either a) start conventional text-based blogging again, or b) turn pre-moderation off for the comments section of the blog. The latter is often KC, and his request translates as "please allow me to totally wreck your comments section with inane Nessie content", but obviously there are also plenty of others who would much prefer to have free-flowing real-time discussion in the comments section. That would be my ideal too, if it wasn't for the fact that on a daily basis comments are submitted that are racist, homophobic, pro-genocide, defamatory about me or others, or that occasionally contain downright illegal content such as death threats.
As for conventional text blogging, some people are adamant that I would find that financially sustainable with a Patreon or Ko-Fi type funding model. I must say that wasn't my impression between 2021 and 2025 when I was still blogging regularly, but admittedly I was still relying on 'boom and bust'-style annual fundraisers at the time, so I haven't really properly put it to the test yet. In the readers' poll I ran a few weeks ago, a significant proportion of you wanted me to try a mix of YouTube videos and text blogging, and of course the only way to find out whether that will actually work is to give it a spin for a trial period.
So my gimmick to try to make a big move forward towards Ko-Fi sustainability is going to be a bonkers seven-day marathon (or should that be slog-fest) of text-blogging, very much like the good old days of Scot Goes Pop. The beauty of this idea is that text blogging isn't quite as time-consuming as video creation, and thus makes a marathon slightly more feasible. Despite the risks, I'm going to go the whole hog in trying to make this work by switching off pre-moderation for the whole provisional seven-day period. But please note this means you should NEVER assume that anything that is posted in the comments section has been actively approved by me, even if it's been up for quite a while.
False claims will undoubtedly appear for a period of time before I have a chance to delete them, so let me at least just pre-empt the far-right poster who regularly submits comments claiming I am "definitely gay and in the closet", seemingly on the basis of nothing more than the fact that the pitch of my natural voice is not all that deep (except when I say "hey Stew", obviously). The reality is that if I actually was gay, I would be embracing that and shouting it from the rooftops, because gay men tend to be exceptionally well-dressed and trendy. It should be obvious even at a cursory glance of the videos that I am in fact boringly heterosexual. Furthermore, when I was last in a relationship I once posted a photo of my then girlfriend on this blog. That led to readers giving her a nickname which became a running joke for two or three years. So, to put it mildly, you're barking up the wrong tree on that point, as on so many others.
And just a little thought for KC. For reasons that both common sense and science have so far failed to explain, this blog seems to be your entire life. In spite of the fact that I haven't published your comments for years (except for the special KC Amnesty Day), you without fail continue to submit several comments every single day as if nothing has changed. It's a tragedy in its own way. You now, if I may say so, have a golden chance to secure your heart's only true desire: the ongoing ability to actually get an audience for your thrilling "more chance of a confirmed sighting of Nessie", "give up on this independence nonsense you fools!!!", and "a de facto referendum would be good but I'd prefer a plebiscite election" comments, but *only* if I reach my challenging Ko-Fi targets over the next seven days - ie. to either get up to 60 regular monthly supporters, or to raise around £1500 in one-off donations. The latter should be an absolute doddle for you to arrange, because we all know your mates are all stinking rich Tory landowners in Surrey. If this seven-day experiment works, I'd be mad to change anything, so I would leave pre-moderation switched off if at all possible. But if the experiment fails and I fall well short of the targets, I will undoubtedly switch pre-moderation back on permanently, and you, KC, will be left for all eternity screaming into a void where no-one can hear you. Your fate is in your own hands and your rich Tory mates' hands. Is this a form of soft blackmail? Well, yes, I suppose it is, frankly. You're KC and you deserve nothing else.
For those of you who like the YouTube videos, rest assured that whichever way this experiment goes, the plan would be to continue making videos. But the next seven days will help me make a final decision about whether it's sustainable to continue with a mixture of both videos and blogging, or whether I should concentrate on the videos only.
These are incredibly difficult targets I'm setting in such a short timeframe, but I've got to the point where I need to start hitting those targets if I'm going to continue making content of any type. If you'd like to become a Ko-Fi supporter, please click HERE. On the right-hand side of the page, you can choose either "one time" or "monthly" depending on whether you want the donation to be recurring or not. You can either select one of the three suggested amounts, or manually input any amount of your choice (above the minimum of £3). I'll keep you posted over the course of the seven-day Retro Scot Goes Pop marathon on any progress made towards the dual targets of 60 regular monthly supporters or £1500 in one-off donations. Only one of the two targets needs to be met for the time being (or a midway blend between the two would also do the trick).
And again, a million thanks to all of you who have already contributed.
Well I for one can say I'm delighted. I'm as delighted as a Turkish sultan. Obviously not Abdul Hamid II. That goes without saying. I'm as delighted as a Turkish sultan at a Moura Anderson concert I 1973. That's how delighted I am.
ReplyDeleteHate to say it, but Bali boy here.
ReplyDeleteWe are not going to agree on much. But I do think your decision to stop moderation is the right thing to do. You'll have to keep a close eye on things so you don't get a visit from the police!
I know you and say Craig Houston are polls apart, but look at when he got arrested, I think when taking his grand kids to school.
Take some advice, but your protection may lie in stating on you website that you only monitor post every 24 hours, maybe some protection. I hope you are a member of the Free Speech Union? I am.
As I've said before, your talents lie in you ability for stats analysis. For along while you were holding your own against Curtice, almost pointing out he was, as some say a media mouthpiece.
I was going to mention Prof Ardey, but have learnt he has committed suicide. He was a crook, but just as guilty are the folk that facilitated his fraud.
I used to run a building business in Scotland, quite big actually. I worked a lot for Farmers. One day I mentioned that one of my competitors was undercutting me. He said, son do a good job, we see you being under cut, but it's quality we are after, STOP WORRYING ABOUT YOUR COMPETITORS and just do a good job, the rest will take care of itself. ! that is why our farm has run for generations. The Capitals are the key. I still work in Scotland as a professional consultant in Engineering, my day job.
Now James, if you concentrate on what you are good at, the stats, stop picking battles with the Rev etc. If you want to have a barney then pick the battles you are likely to win.
If you need to generate a steady income. Go back to the bread and butter stuff and rebuild from there. If you think about it you were holding your own with Curtice, but you went all pali shite, your spat with Alba. You can recover from this! The reality is that few of you supporters have any money!
Yes I don't agree with you political views, but I wish you all the best. If you maintain unmoderated comments I'll respect that, if I post it will be considered.
I used to talk to Paul McManus from time to time as we were both in the construction industry. When he says he is going to court, he is not joking! it's going to be brutal!
If you go back and rekindle you bread and butter, you could do well, you'll attract donations.
I wish you all the best, take care of your self.
James, Bali here!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you would stand by your commitment.. and you have!
It's going to hard work, but I do think you'll reap the reward. I do hope that others respect what you are doing.
Seriously you were right up there with Curtice, it got to the point where you were pointing out flaws in his argument, you should be proud of that!
Even as a "yoon", a supporter of Israel ( use this term loosely for flavour only to avoid the pali stuff)) I could see you were making evidenced based
points.
If you think about it a few years ago, you were at the point where folk would listen to Curtice, others and then check go to you blog for a fact check! Yes even us yoon's to get a balanced view.
In life it's ok to make a wrong turn at times.
Again all the best James. I really hope by not pre moderating it works out ok , I suspect it will, but it's going to be demanding, but the rewards are there personally and financially for you.
Just a quick point. Your blog is accessible to AI as it's essentially open source. For a wide audience out with say blue sky, (they are all skint, or liberal to actually cough up any serious dough) look yourself up on AI, then figure out how you make can give your blog more exposure going forward.
To conclude, well done sticking to your word!