The real reason YouTubers are quitting...

We're only a couple of weeks into 2024 and already a slew of prominent YouTubers like Tom Scott, Matt Pat and Hannah Witton have announced they're quitting YouTube or significantly stepping back.

With help from the famous Scroll Deep 'wheel of retirement', Benedict looks into the real reason why there is suddenly a mass exodus from the platform.

#MattPat #TomScott #YouTube

Welcome to Scroll Deep, the show that keeps up with all the latest goings on so you don't have to, because who has time to keep up with all this internet? Me, apparently. Formerly YouTuber News (RIP).

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[selmalarsson]

My favourite youtuber, youtuber news, quit YouTube, it was really sad. Luckily I found this channel to fill that void

[DrBeauHightower]

YouTube doesn't show our videos to our subscribers. Most of us don't make enough money compared to the production costs anymore. Some are wealthy enough to actually retire. Some of us have to go back to regular jobs. We always knew that this would happen but it's sad that it is finally here

[Bellafroebel]

I agree it’s so frustrating that 1) this channel doesn’t get the views it deserves and 2) my recommended feed often doesn’t show me the videos from this channel I have to get them from the notifications drop down, even though I watch pretty much every video from this channel. It’s annoying, it’s weird, I hope they change their priorities

[Grace-erep]

You can really tell that graphic design is their passion here at Scroll Deep

[Spitfirethedragon]

Youtube is actually killing themselves with all these changes. You get recommendations to videos you do not want, and videos that you are interested in are not showing up.

[AltoonaYourPiano]

I noticed the ones who have been quitting during the late 2023/early 2024 mass exodus were ones who stuck to a strict uploaded schedule, made videos in a very specific niche, and found they were putting tons of effort into their content and getting less views, while also no longer making what they really wanted to make. It's understandable how that leads to burnout. The smaller ones who make what they want to make, post whenever, put the effort in they want to, continue posting for years and years even if they never break into the mid-sized range, and a lot of it is that it still remains fun for them. There's another reason so many have been leaving, one that isn't talked often about, it's that we make friends on here but those friendships often have a short shelf life since YouTubers often leave the site behind entirely when they stop making content. You reminisce about your old friends and the fact that nobody's around anymore from when you started really gets to you sometimes. The longer you've been on here, the more friends on here you've seen come and go.

[weirdbuginthenighttime]

Subscribed before the rebrand and had some criticisms, but this new format is exactly what I wanted from this channel. Informative, quick uploads on relevant topics, focused and funny analysis without getting too into the weeds or requiring a ton of background knowledge, and Benedict is a great presenter as always. Its great! Great job guys!

[JFK]

I've also noticed that within the last couple of weeks, YouTube channels have been terminated left, right, front, and center without warning or strikes to content creators. I feel terrible for those channels. They're left in the dark and when you try to appeal, it automatically comes back as a rejected appeal. Contacting them on X(Twitter) is also a waste of time, and they eventually come back with the same response. I also think a complete ban from YouTube(not allowing creators to make another channel) is also a harsh sentence. Sometimes people make mistakes and you can only learn from them. To ban them from ever creating another channel is ridiculous.

[sarahjane]

Everyone leaving is crazy, but on the minor flip side, 2023 saw the return if two iconic YT duos (Ian and Anthony buying back Smosh, and DanandPhilgames returning) so thats kinda neat?

[JonLeung]

As a small creator (only 1, 673 subscribers after doing this for seven years), it's very discouraging that despite the increasing quality of my content, I am still not monetized, and burning myself out. These big creators show that it's hard to keep doing this sustainably, so I wonder how much longer I should even try.

[Dhemize]

Really wish I found this channel years ago. Big fan of the editing style and jokes

[InVisibleD-kjpe]

YouTube is going down faster than we think.

[CoalitionGaming]

Us smaller youtubers that have been at it consistently for nearly the last 10 years are seemingly doomed to never succeed

[thesequelvintage]

The middle class in every industry is getting squeezed out. It's by design.

[ThoughtfulAl]

This is the first time I watched you, it's quite nice and easy to digest how your report on the current exodus, instead of delving into the heavy emotions that have been displayed by other creators reporting about it. I think it's a subject that needs to be covered and maybe it can become a niche for the next little while. I'm very new but already trying to figure out how to avoid the treadmill.

[Shark]

I’m not going to quit YouTube because I started my own YouTube channel last summer so I’m going to be the best YouTuber

[camillastacey]

I'm always amazed how low the viewer count is on these.

[Anne_Onymous]

ThemTube keeps chasing creators and users away almost like they're doing it on purpose.

[BreeAngel]

I'm here on YouTube for the medium-short form content (5-10min) bc I'm a young millennial (some may say a zillenial) and I don't use the other short form video apps. Please please please don't stop uploading your content here for me!!!

[dyskelia]

It’s actually annoying to see hour long videos on minute topics on youtube. Sometimes I will be kind of interested but not click on the video because it’s too long.