Sterling729
Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
77%
- Oct 28, 2023
- 31
- 24
Right when the pandemic started, I decided to start a youtube channel about soccer. It's 90% about Messi since that's what seemed to draw viewers the most. It's mostly about technique analytics and trying to provide insights and using me as a sort of experimenter and sharing with the viewers: https://www.youtube.com/@IndieFootballer/videos
Admittingly, at the time, I was kind of drawn to Gary V who told his audience to do what you love and be able to grow a niche following and the money/contract/etc will come later. If I were to teleport myself, I'd just focus on making money first. But anyway, I worked on the channel (as well as my soccer skills) for about 3 years. I even managed to go from being a rec footballer to getting onto a high amatuer/semi-pro team. I recently stopped and put all my findings in an ebook: IndieFootballer
To promote the content, across my youtube as well as my TikTok and Instagram, I posted reels/shorts that I found to do well (diagrams showing Messi's technique):
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Vn7LI_q2WAs
The first week I got 5 sales. I was estatic since I'd never made money as an entrepeneur before. As I posted more and more of these reels, I got maybe another 5 sales (with a 50% coupon code at 10 dollars). So in total 50 dollars in sales minues fees on the platform. The conudrum I have is that I've stopped getting sales. I'm pretty sure my initial sales were entirely warm traffic (ie. subscribers who've followed along and were trusting of my eBook). Also, I'm not sure how much this can realistcally scale. I can maybe do a video course series if there's a demand but that's about it. Seeing what lot's of footballing channels do, they hold ID camps where scouts are watching in hopes of promising a pro career for young hopeful players. I absolutely don't want to do this. I knew being a pro athlete was difficult, but after playing low division semi-pro for half a season I've seen how feirce the competition is and how many things have to go right for a player to make it as a pro. Kids have repeatedly messaged me asking what drills they can do so they can go pro (even though I told them I wouldn't know, I can only help with one aspect of their game). So, these ID camps are marketed to very impressionable, desperate kids and I don't want to do that.
Having said that, I think increasing sales may be a good lesson for me on how to plan for my next business that I start or even purchase following the CENTS model
Currently
-most of my Youtube videos aren't the highest quality, though the subscribers tend to be more loyal since I'm providing straight tips on soccer analytics
-Reels/Shorts seem to do well (but can't seem to generate more revenue after the initial sale)
-Tried FB, Google, TikTok ads. Didn't get any sales. Got 1500 clicks apparenlty via TikTok. The ad was based on one of my existing shorts.
-Can maybe gear the ad towards the eBook being the centerpeice (i was an average footballer, this eBook is based on years of research, look at these testimonials, etc.)
Again, most important thing isn't the increased revenue generation. But, I'd like to use this as a case study for myself and seing how I can scale a business and where success may lay for me.
Currently, trying Shopify/dropshipping. I think the overall consensus here is that it's a waste of time in a saturated space. Again, wanted to use that to learn, but I think the soccer ebook may be a better way to get knowledge.
Any tips or comments on how to scale, or business ideas appreciated. I'm a software dev if that helps.
Admittingly, at the time, I was kind of drawn to Gary V who told his audience to do what you love and be able to grow a niche following and the money/contract/etc will come later. If I were to teleport myself, I'd just focus on making money first. But anyway, I worked on the channel (as well as my soccer skills) for about 3 years. I even managed to go from being a rec footballer to getting onto a high amatuer/semi-pro team. I recently stopped and put all my findings in an ebook: IndieFootballer
To promote the content, across my youtube as well as my TikTok and Instagram, I posted reels/shorts that I found to do well (diagrams showing Messi's technique):
The first week I got 5 sales. I was estatic since I'd never made money as an entrepeneur before. As I posted more and more of these reels, I got maybe another 5 sales (with a 50% coupon code at 10 dollars). So in total 50 dollars in sales minues fees on the platform. The conudrum I have is that I've stopped getting sales. I'm pretty sure my initial sales were entirely warm traffic (ie. subscribers who've followed along and were trusting of my eBook). Also, I'm not sure how much this can realistcally scale. I can maybe do a video course series if there's a demand but that's about it. Seeing what lot's of footballing channels do, they hold ID camps where scouts are watching in hopes of promising a pro career for young hopeful players. I absolutely don't want to do this. I knew being a pro athlete was difficult, but after playing low division semi-pro for half a season I've seen how feirce the competition is and how many things have to go right for a player to make it as a pro. Kids have repeatedly messaged me asking what drills they can do so they can go pro (even though I told them I wouldn't know, I can only help with one aspect of their game). So, these ID camps are marketed to very impressionable, desperate kids and I don't want to do that.
Having said that, I think increasing sales may be a good lesson for me on how to plan for my next business that I start or even purchase following the CENTS model
Currently
-most of my Youtube videos aren't the highest quality, though the subscribers tend to be more loyal since I'm providing straight tips on soccer analytics
-Reels/Shorts seem to do well (but can't seem to generate more revenue after the initial sale)
-Tried FB, Google, TikTok ads. Didn't get any sales. Got 1500 clicks apparenlty via TikTok. The ad was based on one of my existing shorts.
-Can maybe gear the ad towards the eBook being the centerpeice (i was an average footballer, this eBook is based on years of research, look at these testimonials, etc.)
Again, most important thing isn't the increased revenue generation. But, I'd like to use this as a case study for myself and seing how I can scale a business and where success may lay for me.
Currently, trying Shopify/dropshipping. I think the overall consensus here is that it's a waste of time in a saturated space. Again, wanted to use that to learn, but I think the soccer ebook may be a better way to get knowledge.
Any tips or comments on how to scale, or business ideas appreciated. I'm a software dev if that helps.
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