In this blog post and video, I want to talk about when I stopped posting on YouTube – here’s what happened. If you’ve ever taken a break from YouTube (whether you meant to or not), this post is for you.
I run three YouTube channels, which is probably too many if I’m honest, because time and attention get spread thin. One of those channels is A Countryman’s View — a Christian news and commentary channel where I often cover stories that go against the mainstream narrative.
And that’s important context, because news-style content usually isn’t evergreen. It often has a short shelf life — sometimes 24 to 48 hours — and then people move on to the next story. That means consistency matters even more, because if you stop uploading you lose momentum quickly.
Why this channel was hit so hard when I stopped
When I first started A Countryman’s View, I was posting regularly — not perfectly every day, but very frequently. The channel is around three years old now, and in the early days I built momentum through regular publishing.
Then around October last year I got busy with other commitments and stopped uploading for longer than I expected. When I later looked at my analytics, the effect was obvious.
- Views dropped sharply after the break.
- Subscriber growth was dramatically lower compared to the previous year.
- Watch time fell as a natural result of fewer uploads and lower visibility.
What surprised me most was how quickly things fell away once the uploading stopped. It wasn’t gradual. It was a noticeable decline.
What happened when I started uploading again
I changed my analytics view to the last 90 days and the difference was immediate. After I started posting again, the graph began to lift again almost straight away.
Now, this doesn’t mean every video suddenly goes viral. But it does show something very important:
YouTube responds to activity.
When you publish consistently, you give YouTube more chances to test your content, show it to viewers, and build session time. When you stop, you reduce the opportunities for YouTube to put your content in front of people.
Evergreen vs news content: why consistency is “non-negotiable” for commentary channels
If your channel is mainly evergreen (tutorials, how-to content, product reviews), you can sometimes get away with a slower schedule because old videos can still bring in views months or even years later.
But with news and commentary:
- Interest is time-sensitive.
- People watch because the story is current.
- If you disappear for months, viewers move on.
That’s why consistency isn’t just “nice to have” for channels like this. It’s part of the strategy.
My biggest lesson: consistency beats motivation
I’ve known this for years. Consistency is key in internet marketing whether it’s blogging, YouTube, or anything else.
But knowing something and living it are two different things.
I’ve seen the same principle in other parts of my online work too — and I’ve written about YouTube growth and momentum in more detail here:
Those posts are proof that growth can happen quickly — but it tends to happen when you’re showing up consistently and giving YouTube something to work with.
The simple tool that helps: scheduling (and batching)
One feature I need to use more is YouTube scheduling.
Scheduling is incredibly useful because it allows you to:
- Create a few videos in one session.
- Upload them as drafts.
- Schedule them to go live at specific times.
- Keep your channel active even when life gets busy.
For a news channel, scheduling far ahead is harder (because stories change quickly). But for most YouTube channels, batching and scheduling is one of the easiest ways to stay consistent without burning out.
What content performed best on my channel (and what it taught me)
When I looked back over the lifetime stats, I could see that certain topics did particularly well — especially videos involving the Church of England and some seasonal content (such as carols).
This is another lesson worth remembering: you don’t always know which video will take off until you publish it. That’s another reason consistency matters. The more you publish, the more chances you create for the “breakout” video.
I’ve also shared thoughts on different video styles and what works best for creators here:
A quick word on tools and workflow (keep it simple)
One reason people struggle to stay consistent is that they overcomplicate the process.
The goal isn’t to be perfect. The goal is to publish.
If you’re recording and editing your own videos, keeping your workflow straightforward makes consistency far easier. I’ve shared a few practical Camtasia tips that help keep editing fast and manageable:
And if you’re building content around training and steady action, this review might be relevant too:
Final encouragement
If you’ve had a break from YouTube, don’t beat yourself up. But do take it seriously.
The solution isn’t a complicated strategy.
The solution is to start posting again — and this time build a schedule you can actually maintain.
If you’d like, you can leave a comment on the blog (or on the video) and tell me:
- Have you ever taken a break from YouTube?
- Did you notice a drop in views or subscribers?
- What helps you stay consistent?
Thanks for reading, and I hope this encourages you to keep going.
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