This page is a work in progress. Please feel free to make suggestions if you think of additional topics I should touch upon here. I will continue adding to this page as more FAQ’s pop up!
What kind of cameras do you use?
I use a Sony Handycam HDR-CX150 to film the majority of my videos. I use a Canon Powershot Elph 300HS to film my vlog style videos. Both cameras are easy to use & have stood up to the test of my clumsiness! I drop my Canon Elph multiple times a day & it’s still all in one piece & functioning fine! I use a Canon G11 to take the majority of Winnie’s posed photos for her blog. I also use my iPhone 4S camera quite a bit for Winnie’s photos as well as Instagram pics.
What program do you use to edit your videos?
I use iMovie, which comes standard on Macs to edit. It is a very simple and straightforward program, which I found relatively easy to learn how to use.
What apps do you use to edit your Instagram photos?
There are so many wonderful apps out there that can help you customize your photos. I use PicFrame (for picture framing) & A+ Signature (to apply a watermark) the most frequently, as well as Instagram‘s built in features. Sometimes for special effects I’ll turn to Lumie, Bokehful, & PicFX.
Who designed your blog?
Designer Blogs is the place to go for all of your web design needs! I can’t say enough great things about these ladies. Not only do they create beautiful graphic design content & web/blog layouts, they’re competitively priced and quite reasonable compared to other design services out there. I recommend checking out their website even if you’re not in the market for design work to simply peruse their portfolios.
Another shout out is to Miss Pickle’s Design Studio, who designed Winnie’s cutie-patootie logo on her blog. This is another must stop website to simply peruse or to commission custom graphic likenesses for your blog or business, also very reasonably priced. Miss Pickle is currently working on a custom logo for my newest online pursuit, Positively Polished, a tumblr blog dedicated to my great love of (and slight obsession with) nail polish, coming soon!
What does your husband do for a living?
Don recently changed careers. For over 10 years he was a trader and then manager for an electronic trading firm, but in 2012 he left that job for a new adventure. He is currently working on building a financial software services startup company with his father and brother-in-law.
Do you work outside of the home?
I work from home. I have been a housewife since graduating from college & getting married in 2005. I did hold part time jobs during my high school & college years and volunteered for awhile after graduating. I started posting videos on my original channel, OrganizedLikeJen, in the summer of 2010. In 2012 I began earning a salary from my online efforts. I now consider being on YouTube and all of the related social media I produce to be my work. I think of myself as an Original Content Creator (if you’re looking for an official title of sorts to assign to what I do).
How do you make money from posting videos on YouTube?
Anyone can now become a YouTube Partner! Whereas you used to have to apply, now all you have to do is start posting content on your channel & monetize your videos. By doing so, you are granting YouTube permission to advertise on or next to your videos. Once you do both of these things, you are technically a partner! YouTube pays ad revenue through Google Adsense. You will need to set up an Adsense account before you can earn revenue through YouTube ads. It’s as simple as that!
How do you get subscribers on YouTube?
I honestly don’t think there’s a guarantee for this one. My best advice would be to pick topics that are interesting to you, let your true personality show in your videos, and post as consistently as possible. For me, YouTube has never been about the numbers and I think that’s a healthy way to go about building a community. If your number one motive for being on YouTube is to share some of your passions and ideas with others, your genuine interest will shine through and people will want to subscribe and follow your channel regularly. Do what you like & like what you do!
How often do you look at/reply to comments on your videos?
I make every effort I can to read your comments. Your input is important to me! You can imagine, however, that due to the sheer volume of them based on how often I post videos, that it can be difficult to get to each and every comment. My general practice is to visit the comments for any particular video a day or two after posting.
How can I contact you?
The best place to reach out to me for a quick reply is on Twitter. I try to reply to my Facebook wall posts a couple of times a week. I’m a bit slower to reply to email (link to the right) & YouTube messages due to the sheer volume of them, but I do try! I love receiving your snail mail & make an effort to reply to everyone. Just be warned it may take me months to do so!
To send mail, write to:
Jennifer Ross
2516 Waukegan Road, #384
Glenview, Illinois 60025
