Possible sponsorship deal

I watched the video and have no objection. If it was for something unrelated, e.g., Squarespace, Lootboxes, et al., then it would be annoying. But videos about history? Relevant!

If it helps you out, sure, go ahead, it's not like skipping the ad would take more than a second anyway.

I wouldn't be bothered, and I'm actually kind of curious about the website. If the website offers a free trial period, even better :)

I agree with Andreas, I'll watch your videos even with advertisements.

I wouldn't have a problem with it. Ads aren't inherently evil, just annoying and purposed towards convincing you of something. If you think their argument is worth hearing, there's nothing wrong with including an unobtrusive ad.

Wouldn't irk me one bit. It's relevant to history and that dovetails into your own channel and videos nicely. Seeing and Educational(!) advertisement would be pretty nice, too.

I wont mind, especially if you give a subtle hint that your about to talk about sponsors. if its exactly 30 sec and i'm not patient I would just bring the slider past the speil. I have a big TGC collection and find them relevant to your channel. I would not skip if its about the TGC courses that deal with your current post. Like Kenneth Harl's, Dorsey Armstrong's, and the other history profs.

Thirty seconds is rather substantial for regular advertisement. Consider the average length of a commercial, and consider the weight it would add to your videos? Now, I'm not completely against the idea, so long as no content changes, but I would highlight that there is something to be said about repetitive slogans being thrust upon people. I think it's a choice left up to your expertise in handling. I would definitely advise caution in entering deals such as these, and I would also recommend partaking of the service that you plan on advertising before entering the deal.

as long as you make more videos....

just make sure you include a disclosure in the video description alot of people do hidden adds and that is actually illegal in alot of countries. disclosure aside long as its related and you are ok with it pleas do as they are basically helping you make more videos by paying you to.

I say go for it! As you say, it is related to your content so it makes sense (and would make the sponsor part of your videos seem like something of a continuation rather than the forced and fairly cringy message you see in a lot of other channels. Also, I listen to The Great Courses from Audible and they make good stuff, definitely deserving of some more youtube attention.

The Great Courses is a company that produces good quality learning content, I have several of their history courses. You are right that as a sponsor they are very relevant to your channel, so an ad for them would not be too out of place . I would say that as long the part that is an ad is clear, and they are not influencing your content in a limiting fashion then go ahead.

Just don't let the advertisers influence the content. Either directly or by you self censoring because you are afraid of what the advertisers will say.

Consider the weight of the Subscribers and donors input. If a much larger chunk of your funding comes from Advertising then would scenarios where you ask them for said input still persist? If yes then the funding should be accepted, at least on the presumption that the communication exists, not because funding comes from patreon users but also that its a principle to involve users and promote greater participation. If that's a principle you indeed hold. It is of course your content.

Putting it at the end of the video? And its relevant to the material? Works for me.

Hmm, at the end of the day I trust in your judgement Lloyd but due to my own bias I can't say that I like it as I am already kind of a, <a href="http://m.lynda.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://m.lynda.com/</a> fan and several of the other channels I support are sponsored by them. I know this is not really relevant to you as they probably haven't made you an offer but if you could compere the two and suss them out before accepting money from a competing company I would be grateful, at the end of the day though I will still be here whether you choose to accept the sponsorship deal or not.

Go for it! We won't mind it at all, specially if you are honest about it.

I think honesty is important here. Make it clear that a promotion is a sponsorship, promote products that you can get behind, and voice your honest opinion about the product. Especially since you've asked this question here to start with, and have thought about which products you want to endorse, and which you don't, I'd say go for it! Almost all youtube content creators I support do this in one way or the other, and I can't say that it has negatively effected the quality of content they put out in any way. Of course, I hope an increase in funding will somehow be reflected in the videos ;-)

Go for it!

We all have to live! And I know you will have thought about this carefully already - so go for it!

For my part, if this makes it easier for you to make videos, to make more videos, to make better videos, and/or to be a happier person while making the same number and quality of videos as ever, go for it.

Go for it Lloyd!

Just put it in there! We're all fine with it!! :D

I personally have no problem with paid endorsements, as long as you, the content creator, actually think the product is good.

I would rather see this than YouTube ads. However, I am going to dissent from what seems to be the consensus. If you are taking money from advertisers, you will be in the business of selling your viewers to your advertisers, rather than selling great content to your viewers. In other words, your viewers become the product, and not the customer. The distinction is subtle. If this becomes a recurring practice (and let's be honest about how income works — one is never happy to let it return to a prior, lower state) then when preparing a new video, at the back of your mind, you will always be wondering how this video will affect your sponsorships. It may not by an immediate or critical change, but it will be a perceptible and slowly growing one. Somehow, bringing enlightenment and joy to your audience will no longer take up 100% of your mental space. I support you and your channel because I want your content to be freely available to everyone, and free of advertising. I will implicitly trust your final choice as a sober and well-measured one, and will stay subscribed and continue promoting your channel regardless, but I hope that you will continue to consider the long-term impact of what must be an incredibly tempting and difficult decision, and I thank you for soliciting our input. I will also be as good as my word and double my Patreon subscription should you decline this offer, and I encourage anyone who wishes the channel to remain ad-free to make a similar gesture.

Short sponsored talks at the end of videos haven't annoyed me before in other peoples videos and I doubt your videos would be any different (unless they're about soap).

Not a problem for me, go for it Lloyd!

There's nothing wrong with having consistent and enthusiastic support and money from commercial sponsors. Go for it!

Get that $. Anything that means more videos is good for us.

Do you eat air - then skip this opportunity. But if you prefer food, then take it.

I don't like ads but if it's skippable I don't see any problems.

I don't see it as a problem. Many of the patreon projects I support look to additional sponsorship.

Do it! I love what you do. It would be selfish for me to say don't make a little money as you do it.

It wouldn't bother me. Many of my favorite podcasts advertise The Great Courses. And an advert at the end isn't obtrusive. My only worry is some people might look at these ads and say "well, if he's getting revenue from here, then I don't need to be supporting on Patreon." Hard to know how many they are. I doubt anyone would quit *watching* the videos because you suggested they buy a recorded lecture about Thermopylae.

If tenured professors can work with them, why not you? No question - go for it

Absolutely, go for it.

I'm cool with Lloyd making more money from his videos.

All in!

The main thing as I see it is that you are associating with a quality site. One of your other patrons has used the courses and been positive and the site looks good... So why not.

Sounds reasonable. Go for it.

I have no issue with it either.

Go for it. The subject of the advert isn't clashing with your video subjects so I don't see why not. As long as you agree with what you are saying, there isn't an issue with getting paid to say it.

Sounds like a great opportunity! Congrats and keep doing what you are doing...

As long as the topic is somewhat relevant to the channel, and theven ad placement is at the beginning or end, I'd say work away

Provided the spots are short (as you've said they would be), early/late in the video so as to not break the narrative flow (as you've said they would be), and for a decent product with a good chance of actually being of interest to your audience (which this seems like it would be), I see little wrong with it. Hawking something like Squarespace, on the other hand (which I see a LOT, especially in non-technical videos where it stands out as a total red herring), would admittedly make me lose some respect.

"sponsorship" is a part of "the game" -- I say do it. As long as you're only hawking the wares of products you "stand behind" I think you'll never "lose your audience"

I don't have a problem with it, so go for it.

I'd have no complaints about this, and it would not annoy me at all. I trust you to be tasteful and considerate in your choice of sponsor and presentation. I'm glad to hear you've got a good opportunity like this from a company you're comfortable promoting. I hope it works out well!

sounds fine, Lloyd. i trust your judgement (and love your videos!)

Oh yeah, definitely. I like when people get the chance to do sponsorship deals. Personally, I prefer if the sponsored bit is worked into the video and made entertaining like a few of the things Rhett and Link do from time to time, but it's understandable that you want to take the usual "And now for a word from our sponsors..." approach at the end of a video out of respect for the fans who may not be as accepting of sponsorships as folks such as myself.

The first time you include it with a video, just explain it like you did here (perhaps in a shortened format). Just explain how you feel its something you think your viewers would enjoy.

I support your idea. Anything better for you will be better for the channel as a whole.

This sounds like an opportunity too good to pass up. I say go for it Lloyd :)

Do it. But do it artfully and with taste.

Do it.

Would it be at the end of your video?

Feel free! It's hard to get by today with just ads (though you also have Patreon to help out), so I think most people will be at least somewhat understanding of it. It also sounds like you're going to be as transparent as possible about the ads, so that's fine in my book.

Go for it Lloyd, sounds like appropriate advertising, I don't think anyone would have an issue with it.

I've never been all that bothered by sponsored ads at the beginning or end of a video. Video makers have to make money, and they're much less obnoxious than commercials at the start of a video or pop-up ads overlaying the video itself. At least it's for a hand picked product being presented by the person you're already hear to watch.

I wouldn't mind at all. I've purchased quite a few of The Great Courses through Audible and they have all been very good, so I really should check out their video offerings. If you do accept the sponsorship will there be a link we can follow inside the video?

Ah, gotcha. A tad more annoying, but still no problem :)

Do you mean one of the little overlay ads at/near the bottom, while the rest of the video is going on normally? Personally, that seems fine to me, especially since it's fairly relevant.

Hah, no, I definitely won't mind. Be honest that it's sponsored content (as you are), and it's fine. Seems like a win-win situation.