So how are they doing it?

[Hippo-Drones]

I'm tempted to lock this thread, but actually it has lots of really useful information in it, that will help others. So it is staying open. All I ask is that people focus on the topic, rather than if the OP chooses to, or not to follow any tips offered, ty.

 

[mymotorrad]

Yeah exactly. She can upload a vid for a buck while she rides. Things are going to change for her once she gets into the States and Canada. Mind you, she can easily afford it now, but Europeans don't like to spend money.

I think she can afford it. Based on her viewership and her content, not to mention where she goes, she's doing ok.

 

[Guest]

I think she can afford it. Based on her viewership and her content, not to mention where she goes, she's doing ok.

Not to mention... Assuming you've got the next week or two week's video done and uploaded before you even leave... There are 7 nights in a week. That's 7 different hotels. It only takes 1 in 7 to have good internet.

Noraly is always way ahead of where her videos are, which is a good thing for her safety, but she does a good thing of keeping her social media timeline in line with the timeline of her channel.

I'm sure many of us do a similar thing when we go away on vacations but don't post resort pics until we get back so our houses don't get robbed while we're gone lol

 

[mymotorrad]

Not to mention... Assuming you've got the next week or two week's video done and uploaded before you even leave... There are 7 nights in a week. That's 7 different hotels. It only takes 1 in 7 to have good internet.

Noraly is always way ahead of where her videos are, which is a good thing for her safety, but she does a good thing of keeping her social media timeline in line with the timeline of her channel.

I'm sure many of us do a similar thing when we go away on vacations but don't post resort pics until we get back so our houses don't get robbed while we're gone lol

IDK. I don't do things that far in advance and sort of don't get why some do it so far in advance. Safety? I guess, but then the popularity thing comes with it. It's like wanting one's cake and eat it. It's not like for a lot of channels that it can't be figured out where one is, specifically. I just accept it. If someone is an idiot, they'll only get it wrong once.

 

[Guest]

DK. I don't do things that far in advance and sort of don't get why some do it so far in advance. Safety? I guess, but then the popularity thing comes with it. It's like wanting one's cake and eat it. It's not like for a lot of channels that it can't be figured out where one is, specifically. I just accept it. If someone is an idiot, they'll only get it wrong once.

A lot to unpack here...

"I don't do things that far in advance and sort of don't get why some do it so far in advance."

Unless you're a celebrity, a model, or a rocket scientist, people probably don't want to hear from you more than once or twice a week. There is such thing as too much you.

There's also such thing as too much me. Which means whether I make 7 videos this week, or 2, I'll only publish two of them because my audience doesn't want to see me more than once or twice a week. So the remaining videos get scheduled into the future.

Ultimately the goal is to create value for your community, and part of that means having an honest understanding of how much of you they do or don't want to see and scheduling your content accordingly.

"Safety?"

Yes safety. When I first spoke to Noraly several years ago she had already been proposed to a bunch of times by creepy guys and gotten hundreds of perverted messages sent to her.
Even when she first started out and had less than 1,000 subscribers she already had to have her parents moderating her comments because of the threads of violence and assault she was getting.

Last time I talked to her was a couple years ago, she had several hundred thousand subscribers but was still well under a million subscribers. Of course, it had only gotten worse.

So yes, safety. Safety is important. Especially when you're a blonde haired blue eyed woman traveling through some lonely places on your own.

 

[YBGuy]

I think a lot of them use high speed mobile data, you can get some really fast upload speeds from some networks. When the larger channels can earn so much from their content, it is more viable for them to spend on the technology to allow them to do so. Some travel vlogs are often posted after the trips too rather than during, although Itchy Boots seems to upload as she goes

I agree with Hippo. They are probably using a high speed local mobile hotspot provider. Or if they just let their costs run wild they may just be using their regular phone provider and paying all the roaming charges. I know Taiwan is not a desolate place. But it is much, much cheaper for me to buy a 1 month data sim card and pop that into my phone than pay ATT roaming charges for a month. Using ATT in Taiwan would rack up astronomical roaming charges that I don't feel like paying for and can't really write off since I don't do business in Taiwan (yet).

 

[Guest]

I agree with Hippo. They are probably using a high speed local mobile hotspot provider. Or if they just let their costs run wild they may just be using their regular phone provider and paying all the roaming charges. I know Taiwan is not a desolate place. But it is much, much cheaper for me to buy a 1 month data sim card and pop that into my phone than pay ATT roaming charges for a month. Using ATT in Taiwan would rack up astronomical roaming charges that I don't feel like paying for and can't really write off since I don't do business in Taiwan (yet).

Hey YBGuy, where are you located?! I strongly recommend talking to a local account. They will know better than me, but I think you can save a lot of money over the next several years.

You get paid (or will get paid) to make motorcycle content right?
You declare income (or will declare income) made from that content right?
When you need something in order to make that income, that's an expense against your income on your taxes.
Where the money was spent doesn't matter.

Not saying it's a good idea to roam your domestic plan in Taiwan... just saying cameras, lenses, audio equipment, memory cards, gas, hotels, sim cards, etc. whatever you need to conduct your business and make your income, is a tax write-off.

Where you spend the money doesn't matter. The fact you're spending it in order to make money that you will claim is what matters.

One of my closest and longest friends is an accountant, but he's up here in Canada. Things might be different where you are. A quick phone call with a local accountant could save you thousands over the years.

 

[YBGuy]

Hey YBGuy, where are you located?! I strongly recommend talking to a local account. They will know better than me, but I think you can save a lot of money over the next several years.

You get paid (or will get paid) to make motorcycle content right?
You declare income (or will declare income) made from that content right?
When you need something in order to make that income, that's an expense against your income on your taxes.
Where the money was spent doesn't matter.

Not saying it's a good idea to roam your domestic plan in Taiwan... just saying cameras, lenses, audio equipment, memory cards, gas, hotels, sim cards, etc. whatever you need to conduct your business and make your income, is a tax write-off.

Where you spend the money doesn't matter. The fact you're spending it in order to make money that you will claim is what matters.

One of my closest and longest friends is an accountant, but he's up here in Canada. Things might be different where you are. A quick phone call with a local accountant could save you thousands over the years.

Hello Adrian,

I am in California, but I travel to Taiwan sometimes for Family. : ) I have an IT job, and a couple supplemental income streams. If my channel ever got big enough to get a 1099 Royalty form from Google, I would start writing off motorcycle vlog gear and equipment against that 1099. Thanks for your long reply. I have some knowledge of the USA tax code and a CPA. But always nice to get other peoples viewpoints on the matter. : )

YBG

 

[Guest]

Are you guys not allowed to report $0 income and still report expenses over there?
Here it's allowed. I don't think you could get away with it for too long... but it's allowed.
If not, make a patreon, I'll throw you a dollar to support your channel, there's your income for the year

 

[YBGuy]

Are you guys not allowed to report $0 income and still report expenses over there?
Here it's allowed. I don't think you could get away with it for too long... but it's allowed.
If not, make a patreon, I'll throw you a dollar to support your channel, there's your income for the year

LOL, you're funny Adrian. I'm okay with no income from my youtube channel, it is a hobby to help build my video editing skills for work projects.

Also, you are correct on that you can report low to zero income (for a while). But it runs into a problem when you report not making money too many years in a row. The IRS will think you are just playing games with them, and are trying to skate taxes by running fake businesses. Because no one wants to be in business in the long run to lose money.

 

[R-Rated]

But it runs into a problem when you report not making money too many years in a row. The IRS will think you are just playing games with them, and are trying to skate taxes by running fake businesses. Because no one wants to be in business in the long run to lose money.

@YBGuy this reminds me of when I got my business license for my motorcycling interests back in 2003. What made me do it was I had to have one in order to access and participate in trade shows. Plus when I was customizing and working on bikes for people, getting the business to business pricing was good.

My county clerk asked why I just did not claim the small income after expense as a hobby vs. paying the license fees and taxes on the income. I explained the need for the license. The kindly old man laughed and said he called that a "legalized hobby" because he ran with some car nuts that did the same.

I too have regular income streams besides motorcycling and there have been years where the shop or channel were just money pits after all the expenses. They just were not like that several years in a row because of what you said - IRS does take an interest when they think they don't get theirs.

Having a business license does help hold me accountable at times and makes things more legitimate.

 

[YBGuy]

@YBGuy this reminds me of when I got my business license for my motorcycling interests back in 2003. What made me do it was I had to have one in order to access and participate in trade shows. Plus when I was customizing and working on bikes for people, getting the business to business pricing was good.

My county clerk asked why I just did not claim the small income after expense as a hobby vs. paying the license fees and taxes on the income. I explained the need for the license. The kindly old man laughed and said he called that a "legalized hobby" because he ran with some car nuts that did the same.

I too have regular income streams besides motorcycling and there have been years where the shop or channel were just money pits after all the expenses. They just were not like that several years in a row because of what you said - IRS does take an interest when they think they don't get theirs.

Having a business license does help hold me accountable at times and makes things more legitimate.

Awesome story R-Rated. Thanks for sharing. The "Legalized Hobby" part was funny!

 

[R-Rated]

Awesome story R-Rated. Thanks for sharing. The "Legalized Hobby" part was funny!

I am glad you enjoyed it. He was a character indeed!

Seriously though, at some point the government is going to get their "fair share" either on the front end or the back end...

 

[YBGuy]

I am glad you enjoyed it. He was a character indeed!

Seriously though, at some point the government is going to get their "fair share" either on the front end or the back end...

View attachment 6331

In the USA, I absolutely agree.

 

[YBGuy]

I am glad you enjoyed it. He was a character indeed!

Seriously though, at some point the government is going to get their "fair share" either on the front end or the back end...

View attachment 6331

Also, I love Office Space, that movie is a cult classic.

 

[mymotorrad]

A lot to unpack here...

"I don't do things that far in advance and sort of don't get why some do it so far in advance."

Unless you're a celebrity, a model, or a rocket scientist, people probably don't want to hear from you more than once or twice a week. There is such thing as too much you.

There's also such thing as too much me. Which means whether I make 7 videos this week, or 2, I'll only publish two of them because my audience doesn't want to see me more than once or twice a week. So the remaining videos get scheduled into the future.

Ultimately the goal is to create value for your community, and part of that means having an honest understanding of how much of you they do or don't want to see and scheduling your content accordingly.

"Safety?"

Yes safety. When I first spoke to Noraly several years ago she had already been proposed to a bunch of times by creepy guys and gotten hundreds of perverted messages sent to her.
Even when she first started out and had less than 1,000 subscribers she already had to have her parents moderating her comments because of the threads of violence and assault she was getting.

Last time I talked to her was a couple years ago, she had several hundred thousand subscribers but was still well under a million subscribers. Of course, it had only gotten worse.

So yes, safety. Safety is important. Especially when you're a blonde haired blue eyed woman traveling through some lonely places on your own.

I agree on the threats, but then it isn't a surprise. A milder version is Neil Peart (as exemplified in Limelight). He didn't like hobnobbing. The thing is in either case, it's expected. That's my point. I don't see the point in complaining about it in either case. BTW, she has 1.08 million subscribers, so she's doing pretty well.

As far as value goes, americans are a strange bunch, that's for sure. I am at the other end of the spectrum. Getting ready to be done with other people's problems. This is just sort of like mindful goofing off. I realize isn't like that for some or most, but time and experience have given me a different perspective.

 

[AlanSmith7]

You are right the vloggers are insane in how they upload videos where are zero signals. I think they used hotel wifi. They record all the videos and edit and upload them when they reached the hotel because sometimes it's impossible to catch the network of dangerous and desolate places.