I agree with you. To each his own. We all learn in different ways and although we may have the same common goals, our paths vary. I’m drawn by personality and like a previous commenter said, if I feel like we’d be friends in real life.
As for the business side, kudos to those who have made a name for themselves and are making money if that’s their goal. I’m the one that makes the decision to watch them or not based on whether I think the information they are giving will benefit me. No one should be getting extra over how someone else chooses to get their information/opinions across. Just makes that person seem petty.
Alexis M. says:
Right or wrong is up the the content provider; if I am not attracted to content/person I move along; doesn’t mean their way is right/wrong, just means it doesn’t work for me. Now, here’s the rub – as a society, we’ve become a people so hell bent on “keeping it real” that many folks believe their arm-chair quarterbacking commentary is warranted/expected by virtue of the “investment” they’ve made watching videos/reading a blog. With this “investment” comes a sense of “ownership” – “Without us watching/reading, she wouldn’t have subscribers/likes/page hits/etc”; unfortunately, because of the anonymity on these here interwebs, folks check their manners at the door and spew forth crap they wouldn’t dare verbalize in person.
What I care about when watching videos? The person’s voice and music. Yep, sounds shallow, but if your voice is annoying, I absolutely cannot listen to you drone on and on for 5 minutes – can. not. do. it. And if you’re playing an opening theme song, followed by blaring background music then an outro. O_o. If I can get past the voice/music issues, then I’m drawn to personalities. Are you someone who sounds like you make sense, present logical information and aren’t just trying to push any and everything. Because I try so few products, people who have a new product review daily are off-putting for me (I just wonder how they can ever know what works and what doesn’t when they have only tried a product once ::that’s a whole other issue::). After I’ve established your voice is cool, you don’t have orchestral overtures, you appear to be someone I would hang out with in “real life”, then I look at how your videos are structured.
Sadly, many, not all, simply want “lemming” instructions – step by step, with pictures, a tour guide and a laminated map! – on how to achieve someone else’s hair and refuse to invest the time it takes to know/learn their own head. I feel into this trap at the onset, but then realized, these ladies of YT, or hell, even my own mama, couldn’t tell me how something would/wouldn’t work on my head so I needed to get to work figuring this shyt out – otherwise, I was going to be walking around looking crazy. Again, at the onset, I read hair blogs and watched videos daily. Now; the only person I watch consistently is you because I know you are giving it to me straight with no chaser – “Here are my results; here’s what I think; now go forth an investigate to determine if in fact it might work for you; or do none of the above, totally up to you”. Love it!
sevenaka7 says:
Good question. I’ve been following natural hair blogs for a few years now and can honestly answer this question. I like the diversity of the bloggers and the ranges in which all of you provide information. I like just about everything except: in the shower videos and random crap. Stick to hair. If you want to discuss alot of other things like daily vlogs, makeup and advice on a consistent basis- start new channels like Naptural85. I like your blog because your hair is similar to mine and you test a lot of products that are or were on my list. Also, you seem to give honest opinions about products. I also like your overall personality and carefree attitude-although I know some have had challenges with that- You are you and you own it! Rock on! Anywho, about the “for clicks”…I don’t knock anyone’s hustle, however I don’t generally watch bloggers who have a video everyday about a haul, makeup or outfit of the day…oh I hate the outfit of the day mess…girl bye…put your clothes on an go, then make a hair video after you get dressed. I have unsubscribed from some channels because they moved from hair to daily motivation…what? I think you should just keep doing what you’re doing with your blog and don’t worry about what others say. The numbers (subscribers and/or paychecks) will tell you what you need to know.
First off, I definitely lol’ed at and love this comment. I totally feel you and we probably watch a lot of the same types of videos. I can’t deny though, some people LOOOOOVE outfit of the day, shower vids, etc. so by my logic in the video I cannot call them wrong! And I’ve seen soooo many people throw shade (and not just natural hair peeps either) — unless someone is doing a video in the pitch dark (I mean b/c, come on son.) I’m going to let them do them because I am certainly doing me! I don’t even care if 1,000 or even less people watch my videos (when I had 1,000 subs I was EXCITED), as long as someone got something valuable from my vids, then I feel like I’m doing alright.
TJ says:
There is no one way to blog. I think bloggers should pay attention to how many/who follows them. If no one is following your blog or if a lot of people are following you (your definition of “a lot”) then that should tell you if you are blogging in a way that honors and reflects who you are as a person. Other than that maybe it’s a good idea as a blogger to have a blog “role” model or mentor. However, I’m not a blogger, but as an intellectual I understand the consequences of originality, thus this is my “motto.”
Keisa says:
The short answer is no, there is no wrong way to blog. As you stated it trully does depend on your goals as a blogger. And then it depends on my goals as a viewer. I am so with you Elle, I so do not need to see you or anyone else demo the product every time. Some of the Tutorials are soooo damn long, not anyone’s fault I simply have a short attention span seriously LOL! I personally love to watch product review and appriciate thourough information about how the product worked, did it have slip, did you get the desired result, does it get HG status and the list goes on….. The only “right thing I think you can do as a blogger/vlogger is listen to your your subbies, provide info that is actually informative, I say that with agrain of salt, cause I do relize there are some trolls, and just abso lute crazy folks who will request sH&t that you just ain’t interested in doing, or think they have the right to demand things of you as a blogger and have a whole list of you shoulds…! I remember reading the coments from one of Charjays videos after she had a done the nanao smoothing treatment a couple of times. Some folks were harping on her texture changes and dang near demanding that she address them!!!
I say do you as a blogger, the people that want what you have to offer will seek you out. If you mad that someone didn’t go in depth about how something smelled ect( I personally don’t care, but understand that is a big one for a lot of naturals!) there are plenty of folks on YT that do that.
I’ve been subscribed to you for a while, thank you so much for your extremely informative vidoes, wisdom, and laughter. I have learned a ton from you, and respect what you do 🙂
questfortheperfectcurl.com 
I agree with you. To each his own. We all learn in different ways and although we may have the same common goals, our paths vary. I’m drawn by personality and like a previous commenter said, if I feel like we’d be friends in real life.
As for the business side, kudos to those who have made a name for themselves and are making money if that’s their goal. I’m the one that makes the decision to watch them or not based on whether I think the information they are giving will benefit me. No one should be getting extra over how someone else chooses to get their information/opinions across. Just makes that person seem petty.
Right or wrong is up the the content provider; if I am not attracted to content/person I move along; doesn’t mean their way is right/wrong, just means it doesn’t work for me. Now, here’s the rub – as a society, we’ve become a people so hell bent on “keeping it real” that many folks believe their arm-chair quarterbacking commentary is warranted/expected by virtue of the “investment” they’ve made watching videos/reading a blog. With this “investment” comes a sense of “ownership” – “Without us watching/reading, she wouldn’t have subscribers/likes/page hits/etc”; unfortunately, because of the anonymity on these here interwebs, folks check their manners at the door and spew forth crap they wouldn’t dare verbalize in person.
What I care about when watching videos? The person’s voice and music. Yep, sounds shallow, but if your voice is annoying, I absolutely cannot listen to you drone on and on for 5 minutes – can. not. do. it. And if you’re playing an opening theme song, followed by blaring background music then an outro. O_o. If I can get past the voice/music issues, then I’m drawn to personalities. Are you someone who sounds like you make sense, present logical information and aren’t just trying to push any and everything. Because I try so few products, people who have a new product review daily are off-putting for me (I just wonder how they can ever know what works and what doesn’t when they have only tried a product once ::that’s a whole other issue::). After I’ve established your voice is cool, you don’t have orchestral overtures, you appear to be someone I would hang out with in “real life”, then I look at how your videos are structured.
Sadly, many, not all, simply want “lemming” instructions – step by step, with pictures, a tour guide and a laminated map! – on how to achieve someone else’s hair and refuse to invest the time it takes to know/learn their own head. I feel into this trap at the onset, but then realized, these ladies of YT, or hell, even my own mama, couldn’t tell me how something would/wouldn’t work on my head so I needed to get to work figuring this shyt out – otherwise, I was going to be walking around looking crazy. Again, at the onset, I read hair blogs and watched videos daily. Now; the only person I watch consistently is you because I know you are giving it to me straight with no chaser – “Here are my results; here’s what I think; now go forth an investigate to determine if in fact it might work for you; or do none of the above, totally up to you”. Love it!
Good question. I’ve been following natural hair blogs for a few years now and can honestly answer this question. I like the diversity of the bloggers and the ranges in which all of you provide information. I like just about everything except: in the shower videos and random crap. Stick to hair. If you want to discuss alot of other things like daily vlogs, makeup and advice on a consistent basis- start new channels like Naptural85. I like your blog because your hair is similar to mine and you test a lot of products that are or were on my list. Also, you seem to give honest opinions about products. I also like your overall personality and carefree attitude-although I know some have had challenges with that- You are you and you own it! Rock on! Anywho, about the “for clicks”…I don’t knock anyone’s hustle, however I don’t generally watch bloggers who have a video everyday about a haul, makeup or outfit of the day…oh I hate the outfit of the day mess…girl bye…put your clothes on an go, then make a hair video after you get dressed. I have unsubscribed from some channels because they moved from hair to daily motivation…what? I think you should just keep doing what you’re doing with your blog and don’t worry about what others say. The numbers (subscribers and/or paychecks) will tell you what you need to know.
First off, I definitely lol’ed at and love this comment. I totally feel you and we probably watch a lot of the same types of videos. I can’t deny though, some people LOOOOOVE outfit of the day, shower vids, etc. so by my logic in the video I cannot call them wrong! And I’ve seen soooo many people throw shade (and not just natural hair peeps either) — unless someone is doing a video in the pitch dark (I mean b/c, come on son.) I’m going to let them do them because I am certainly doing me! I don’t even care if 1,000 or even less people watch my videos (when I had 1,000 subs I was EXCITED), as long as someone got something valuable from my vids, then I feel like I’m doing alright.
There is no one way to blog. I think bloggers should pay attention to how many/who follows them. If no one is following your blog or if a lot of people are following you (your definition of “a lot”) then that should tell you if you are blogging in a way that honors and reflects who you are as a person. Other than that maybe it’s a good idea as a blogger to have a blog “role” model or mentor. However, I’m not a blogger, but as an intellectual I understand the consequences of originality, thus this is my “motto.”
The short answer is no, there is no wrong way to blog. As you stated it trully does depend on your goals as a blogger. And then it depends on my goals as a viewer. I am so with you Elle, I so do not need to see you or anyone else demo the product every time. Some of the Tutorials are soooo damn long, not anyone’s fault I simply have a short attention span seriously LOL! I personally love to watch product review and appriciate thourough information about how the product worked, did it have slip, did you get the desired result, does it get HG status and the list goes on….. The only “right thing I think you can do as a blogger/vlogger is listen to your your subbies, provide info that is actually informative, I say that with agrain of salt, cause I do relize there are some trolls, and just abso lute crazy folks who will request sH&t that you just ain’t interested in doing, or think they have the right to demand things of you as a blogger and have a whole list of you shoulds…! I remember reading the coments from one of Charjays videos after she had a done the nanao smoothing treatment a couple of times. Some folks were harping on her texture changes and dang near demanding that she address them!!!
I say do you as a blogger, the people that want what you have to offer will seek you out. If you mad that someone didn’t go in depth about how something smelled ect( I personally don’t care, but understand that is a big one for a lot of naturals!) there are plenty of folks on YT that do that.
I’ve been subscribed to you for a while, thank you so much for your extremely informative vidoes, wisdom, and laughter. I have learned a ton from you, and respect what you do 🙂