YT would probably not even exist anymore without paid influencers lol.
Its their business model (advertising )
Its their business model (advertising )
Last edited:
THE HIFI FIVE ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION STREAMING LIVE ON YOUTUBE PREMIERING IN OCTOBER!
- Thread starter Ron Resnick
- Start date
Name me an " influencer " who is NOT being paid.
Why in the hell would anybody promote something / brands on a regular basis without payments/ other benefits ??
Why in the hell would anybody promote something / brands on a regular basis without payments/ other benefits ??
Last edited:
Elliot G.
Dealer - Bending Wave
I don't think that there is an actual number however the number of followers and views does determine the amount of money an "influencer" makes from Youtube( and other platforms) and of course add rates.
I believe that obviously more followers means more impact , that's obvioius
Elliot G.
Dealer - Bending Wave
jay actually said the same thing on the show. That is the nature of Instagram , Youtube, X and other platforms. No one is deny such and it will not change as the number of followers plays a huge part in determining how much they make.
Elliot G.
Dealer - Bending Wave
IN my opinion anyone who is readable or listenable or viewable can be considered an influencer. Why ? you ask because this stuff happens on this site every single day. People quote all the youtubers, the audio press, the experienced posters, the manufacturers, the mystery posters etc. I think many people are just trying to get some kind of consensus on what they own or what they like. Survey says!!!!!
Let's face it these are all influences. Nw I am sure that the WBF old guard will poo poo this but do was they may its here every single day. The holier than though stuff just doesn't fly. There are around 24-30 people who post here all the time that some would consider influencers whether they themselves declare that or not. IMHO. Do we need to list them ?
Let's face it these are all influences. Nw I am sure that the WBF old guard will poo poo this but do was they may its here every single day. The holier than though stuff just doesn't fly. There are around 24-30 people who post here all the time that some would consider influencers whether they themselves declare that or not. IMHO. Do we need to list them ?
Quick (AI ) search .
YouTube influencers earn varying amounts, from modest side income to millions, primarily through AdSense ($0.50-$5 per 1k views), brand sponsorships (which vary wildly), merchandise, and other ventures, with top creators like MrBeast making tens of millions annually from diverse income streams, while smaller channels might see $500-$2k from a 100k-view video after YouTube's cut, highlighting that niche, engagement, and income diversification matter more than just subscriber count.
High end audio doesnt make a lot of $$$ money on YT lol , not much views / small audience
JAY sells used / ex demo gear if im not mistaken , so it makes sense he uses his YT channel for publicity
I agree with much of this, but, as I explained in the episode, I see a world of difference between a reviewer using his/her own money to purchase components at a discount versus long-term loans which cost the reviewer nothing.
Since reviewers are afforded approximately the same discount on every component the purchasing playing field is even. So what a reviewer actually buys for himself/herself -- even at a discount -- is extremely probative. What a reviewer buys with his/her own money tells me far more than any of that person's words in a written review.
Last edited:
I haven't thought about that. What criteria and definition would you propose?
My opinion a 40 or 50 percent discount is a mighty influence on what you buy and what you then post about.
Proof is a completely separate issue from the regulatory proscription.
Under intense questioning I don't think it would be that difficult for me to elicit from a payor whether he/she was truly completely agnostic as to the outcome of the review.
Thank you for your comment, Dan. Let's pursue this.
What if every one of the component candidates the person is genuinely interested in for his/her own sonic preferential reasons is available at the same discount? Where in that situation do you see the influence?
I have no idea Ron. Prior to this recent conversation, I would not have considered you to be an influencer eligible for accommodation pricing on that basis. I think of you as a dealer, an interviewer, and recently a podcaster. I’m not so sure about a reviewer. You are also the co-owner of this audio website. You also offer audio advice and set up advice to paying customers through Audio Cafe. These are the many ways in which you are involved with the industry beyond being a hobbyist.
You are the one who described yourself as an influencer so I am presuming you have some basis on which to make that claim. You must have given it some thought if you consider yourself an influencer. I asked you what is that basis?
Elliot G.
Dealer - Bending Wave
This is hokum! Almost every influencer is getting paid for every post on every product everywhere! Some get tens of thousands for just holding an item in a picture.
How do you know there aren’t any on this forum that are being paid? You don’t and neither does anyone else for sure. Just because we don’t have actual proof does not mean it doesn’t it can’t happen
If you "have no idea" yourself, then no matter what I say you will have no underlying definitional or analytical framework of your own for evaluating it.
I haven't thought about a definition. I would be delighted to learn your proposed definition.
Last edited:
Elliot G.
Dealer - Bending Wave
I question your premise Ron. I have two anecdotal stories suggesting that all component candidates the person is genuinely interested in were NOT available at the same discount. Nor do these two stories suggest the choices made were for sonic preferential reasons. It is also not clear to me that either person actually heard all of the candidates before trying to buy them.
The first guy wanted a new pair of speakers and he told me that he contacted a handful of manufacturers to negotiate the best price of their flagship speaker. He then bought the speaker for which he received the biggest discount. The second guy told me he basically did the same thing with turntable manufacturers. I got the distinct impression from talking to both guys years ago that their decision was not based on sound quality but rather on the discount they received.
If what these two guys told me is true, they were clearly influenced by the prices when making their purchases. Now, the question of "influencers" is different:
Ron, your formal declaration and disclosure of yourself as an "influencer" and admission that this results in accommodation prices, in my opinion, rises to a different (higher) level than a guy like me simply sharing details about my system on on a system thread on WBF. You admit that you are formally compensated for promoting products. You are not simply a "member of the industry" based on being a dealer, and co-owner of this audio website. You felt compelled to disclose your "influencer" status here on the forum. I commend you for the transparency. Whether or not other hobbyists influence people's thinking about the hobby is a separate matter. Ordinary members here do not receive compensation and do not claim they are "influencers".
You admitted that you receive accommodation pricing, presumably from one or more people who think you "influence" people's buying decisions about audio components that they are trying to sell. If all of that is true, then I consider that as a definition. Namely, one is considered an "influencer" if someone else agrees to pay him/her on the condition that he/she promotes a product that the payer is selling.
I answered your question. Now, you describe yourself as an "influencer". On what basis do you describe yourself as an "influencer"? It is simply because someone pays you to promote?
Now that you asked me to think about this a bit, I do see an issue. You also claim that you have no conflicts and can act as a dealer/reviewer/interviewer/podcaster/forum owner and remain neutral as a podcast moderator and interviewer, and as a posting hobbyist and member of this audio forum. How can you be an "influencer" receiving accommodation pricing and also remain neutral in those other capacities? Although skeptical, I took you at your word describing yourself as a neutral member of the industry avoiding conflicts of interest. However, now that you admit to compensation as an "influencer" I question both your claimed lack of conflicts, and your neutrality.
Last edited:
Elliot G.
Dealer - Bending Wave
One is a hobbiest the other a dealer
It’s not that hard
One can be ethical or not in either position however if you are a dealer you have a financial interest period
If you guys discussed sex no one would ever get laid!
It’s not that hard
One can be ethical or not in either position however if you are a dealer you have a financial interest period
If you guys discussed sex no one would ever get laid!
 | Steve Williams Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator |  | Ron Resnick Site Owner | Administrator |  | Julian (The Fixer) Website Build | Marketing Managersing |