Hi Everybody!
I am Aiden Kramer with the Law Office of Aiden Kramer in Colorado.
This is All Up in Yo Business.
If you are watching this video it is probably because you are a "You Tuber".
And you have been invited by one of these multi channel networks multi network partnerships
you tube partnerships networks whatever the heck these names are they probably contacted
you and now you are of course searching You Tube to see if you should join one of these
networks.
There is all kinds of conflicting information on the interwebs about whether or not these
You Tube networks are a good thing and if you should join it or not.
I wanted to make a video giving my opinion on it from a legal perspective and a You Tuber
perspective.
I myself have been asked by a few different networks to join.
I am not a part of anyone and there are a few reasons for that.
Mostly I just didnt see the benefit in it these networks say they will help promote
your videos help you get different resources for your videos that you may not otherwise
have help connect you with collaborations for videos but they also of course want to
make a profit and so they are going to take a chunk of your revenue from You Tube in exchange
for all of the benefits they are going to give you.
I myself didn't see any significant benefit to joining.
Some of the networks I have been approached by they put restrictions on what you do with
videos, where you can post them, what you can do in the videos.
Some even actually say you forgo some of your ownership in the videos which really scares
me.
The other reason I am not in one , you guys know that old saying I wouldn't want to be
a part of a club that would have me as a member that is kind of how I feel about it as well.
My channel in You Tube world is very unpopular and I started being approached by these networks
when I had less than one thousand subscribers and so my thought was that my channel is so
tiny if this company is wanting me in their network that kind of says something about
them, that they're seeking me out and because of that I don't want to be a part of it.
I don't know if that is a warped or twisted way of thinking about it but if they want
me then I probably don't want to be a part of it.
My opinion about these networks just in general and from my lawyer brain are just that they
are not worth it.
I have seen a lot of videos and read a lot online about how they are just a complete
waste of time and they don't help at all.
I am sure there are some out there that actually do help you grow your channel, promote your
channel all of that but the majority of things that I have read have been the opposite and
to not waste your time, it is basically a scam.
I don't really know but a lot of people say that they are a scam.
But if you are considering joining one of these networks please please I beg you look
closely at the contract that they send you before you sign it.
Read it carefully with a fine tooth comb and even better have a lawyer help you with it.
You could potentially be giving up a lot by joining one of these networks and signing
this contract and if you are not completely aware of what you are agreeing to before you
agree to it, it could really end up screwing you in the end.
Just as a little insider lawyer tip we as lawyers are required, ethically required to
always act in the best interests of our clients.
So when I am writing a contract I am writing it to benefit my client.
I am writing it in their best interest.
I'm not writing it to benefit the other person or the other company that is going to be signing
the contract.
My thought and my concern is with my client.
So the lawyers for these networks, they're writing these contracts to benefit the network
not to benefit you.
And so because of that don't sign this contract in the first version that they give it to
you.
Negotiate, get better terms, try to make it more equal in benefit to you and the network.
All of these network agreements will bind you for a specific term, a few years and you
want to make sure if you are going to be bound by this contract for two, three, four years
you want to make sure it is going benefit you.
Just because their first offer is that they get seventy percent of your revenue and you
get thirty, that doesn't mean that that's what you have to agree to.
Push back and try to lower that so that they get ten percent and you get ninety.
They may not take it or they may come back with a different offer but in the end you
either don't sign with them or you end up getting better than what you would have.
And if the network is not willing to work with you on the agreement that might indicate
that they may not be willing to work with you in other decisions if they are saying
that they want you to sign with them because they feel so good about your channel and they
are excited about having you be a part of their network they should want to work with
you get you to feel comfortable joining them and if they are not willing to do that, if
they are not willing to change the terms of their agreement then they obviously do not
want you in it.
You do not mean that much to them.
So of course as a lawyer my brain goes to contracts and agreements and so my biggest
piece of advice is to be aware of what you are agreeing to and read carefully the contract
before you sign it and seek the advice of a lawyer before you enter into any sort of
binding agreement with one of these networks.
If any of you have had experiences being in one of these Multi Channel Networks please
comment them.
I would love to hear about your experiences and I am sure other You Tubers want to hear
it too.
So if you have had a great experience with one network please let me know.
If you had a horrible experience comment that as well.
I think as You Tubers it is important for us to have each others backs and to support
each other so any input and any thoughts on this subject are welcomed because I would
love to hear them.
Thank you all so much for watching.
I am Aiden Kramer and I will see you next time!