This is a conversation I had with the Pave Network. I feel it applies to most YouTube Networks

Geraldine, While I'm sure this is an exercise of futility, I am going to explain why I have not replied to your e-mail and how maybe you can improve your industry's reputation, which would lead to more YouTube channels like my own, joining your network. (By industry, I specifically mean YouTube networks) Firstly, what is the current reputation of YouTube networks? Well, it's subjective of course, based on individual experience, so I can only provide my own perception of them. However, I know others share my some of my views, from speaking with other small channels like myself. Overall, there are 2 predominant perceptions of YouTube networks like yours from a small channels perspective. One is based in ignorance, and the other is based on experience and research. The perspective based on ignorance is most likely the majority of your small clients. They believe that having a network is a necessary part of the YouTube process, and being part of one is the only way for them to grow and be successful. The perspective based on experience and research knows that, as a small client, they most likely will not be helped in any meaningful way due to the lack of care or interest from your company, and that they would literally be giving away a portion of their revenue for next to nothing in return. To them, most YouTube Networks are a pointless middle man, looking to skim off some the money being earned by other people. Personally, I include your company amongst these Networks, based on your interactions so far with me. So why do I hold your company in such low regard? Let's take your first e-mail to me.

Hey there! I just wanted to reach out and say your YouTube channel is awesome! I wanted to run a few questions by you, if you don't mind sparing a few minutes to respond. What inspires you to create your videos? What are your goals for your channel? Do you strive to become a successful YouTuber? Based on your responses, I believe we can share some ideas that can help you grow your channel. Looking forward to your response. Create Smarter! Geraldine Bates Senior Talent Manager [email protected] PAVE Network 8383 Wilshire Blvd Suite 1032 Beverly Hills, CA 90211 Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram This is personal email. If you wish to not receive any followups, please let me know.

The whole e-mail is clearly a pre-written template. It's not even a template, it's a carbon copy you send to every single e-mail address. There's no personalisation, or any reference to my channel anywhere within it. This isn't an issue in itself, as companies do it all the time, but honest companies don't try and hide the fact it's a legitimate mass marketing approach. The issue is the dishonesty within it. At no point have you watched any of my videos on the channel, so don't say it's awesome. You don't know! If you had, you would know my name, and address me by it somewhere within the e-mail. The fact you haven't is either rudeness or ignorance to it. You can decide which is worse. The questions themselves are made hollow by the lack of knowledge about me or my channel. If you don't know who I am, why would you have any interest in my inspirations or goals? What you're actually asking is: "Generic interest in creator"? Is money a goal? Alternate version of No.2? From a marketing perspective, I'm sure you would have some ideas that would help my channel grow. Not original ideas, just marketing strategies that have worked in the past for other channels of the same genre. Of course, you wouldn't implement these for my channel because at the moment my channel is too small to any money from, so you won't be spending any money on my channel. That sort of investment goes to cash cows you can milk for even more money, not to help small channels grow. Now I'm not saying you're bad for wanting to make money. That's an objective of nearly every business, and while the approach of "make money now, not later", is short-minded and eventually leads to the bankruptcy of both businesses and governments, the goal of profit itself is the basis of today's economies. My issue, is the dishonest and parasitic tactics you use to trick small channels like my own, into thinking they need you, and then leaving them to fend for themselves while you take a substantial cut from their revenue. I am fully aware i am coming across as presumptuous and arrogant. How do i know that your company operates in this manner? In truth, I don't. But from the little interaction i've received from you (and your website and the YouTube video you linked), your company has all the hallmarks of every other network that has approached me and after a little research has shown to conduct their business in the manner described above. My perception of your dishonest tactics is only reinforced further by your second e-mail.

Hey there! I recently sent you an email a few days ago, and haven't heard back from you yet. I'm sure you're super busy, like most are when balancing your personal like AND creating videos for YouTube. I get it! I sure hope I'm not wasting your time, but I'm very interested in your style from watching some of your videos. I think you could grow from working from us and learning how some of the biggest YouTubers got where they are. You can check out the series here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNvLlqxmf3w I would appreciate hearing your story of why you are making great videos on YouTube! Looking forward to hearing from you soon! Geraldine Bates Senior Talent Manager [email protected] PAVE Network 8383 Wilshire Blvd Suite 1032 Beverly Hills, CA 90211 Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram This is a personal email. If you wish to not hear from me, reply back and let me know.

Still no mention of my channel name or my own personal name, even though this time, you explicitly say you have watched some of my videos. I'm no expert in marketing, but my channel branding is obvious enough that you should know it by now. I'm not going to discuss this e-mail at length, as you've pretty much employed the same dishonest tactics as the first. I did watch your video however and while it's most probably my own lack of knowledge on the variety of YouTube channels out there, I have never heard of any of the YouTube channels featured. Not to say they aren't excellent and successful channels, but I can't help but feel that those were the few channels you actually do promote and support because they are your biggest clients, and they still weren't that big and successful. Not great promotion for your company's ability there. Just to further reiterate some of my points, I google searched you're e-mail. An exact copy of it (sent by a "Maverick Higgins" this time) appeared in this Reddit Post. https://www.reddit.com/r/PartneredYoutube/comments/42p4zf/has_anyone_heard_of_the_pave_network/ Perhaps you'd like to read some of the comments, pointing out the suspicious nature of your company. If your company is actually honest, and legitimately has other business objectives other than profit, such as, oh i don't know, creating a support network for content creators of all sizes, in order to promote growth, creativity and original content on YouTube, then ditch these spammy, parasitic, dishonest tactics and business practices you currently use, and try actually engaging with YouTube channels, being honest, investing in smaller channels as well as big ones and being a useful tool in the YouTube production and promotion process, rather than another parasite, scraping profit from anywhere it can. While I'm sure you'll disregard this E-mail, I hope that someone actually does read this, and reconsiders there goals in life and tries to achieve something greater than making money dishonestly for someone else.

Yours Sincerely, Daniel, Creator and Host of Obsolete Gaming (The YouTube channel you tried to take money from) P.S Incidentally, we don't actually monetise our YouTube videos yet.