Taking Back Control of Your Content

Hey there, beautiful people!

After fighting off what I'm pretty sure was the norovirus from hell (that swept through my entire household!), I'm back and ready to dive into all things Fediverse with you. This newsletter is packed with practical tips for escaping the YouTube algorithm trap, setting up your own independent platforms, and joining our growing community of creators who value freedom over follower counts.

🌐 The Great PeerTube Migration: Why Simpler is Better

Just completed my PeerTube migration from the mouthful that was PeerTube.2TonWaffle.com to the much cleaner 2TonWaffle.tv. If you've been hesitating about setting up your own PeerTube instance, here's a quick step-by-step that might change your mind:

1. Choose a simpler domain name: Something memorable and easy to type goes a long way
2. Use Cloudron for easy setup: Believe it or not, it's just three lines of code to get started and then a one click installer for getting a PeerTube instance running on your server
3. Organize your content deliberately: I've consolidated everything into just two channels - gaming content under "2TonWaffle" and creator tools under "Independent Creator Space"
4. Create playlists for series content: Makes it easier for viewers to follow ongoing content (like my "First Two Hours" gaming series)

Remember, with PeerTube you're not fighting an algorithm - you can focus on making content you love instead of what some AI thinks will "perform well."

🎬 Why I'm Prioritizing PeerTube Over YouTube (And Why You Might Want To)

YouTube's becoming a bit of a dumpster fire floating to the landfill (which has also caught fire). Here's what's pushing me toward PeerTube first, YouTube second:

• No more algorithm gymnastics: I was spending more time optimizing for the algorithm than creating content - not fun!
• Ad placement absurdity: Watching with my daughter a Eurovision song compilation video get interrupted MID-SONG by ads that could've been placed during natural breaks
• AI music promotion: YouTube pushing AI-generated music when we should be supporting human creators
• Comment spam bots: Which YouTube seems unwilling or unable to address despite their massive resources

For my fellow creators feeling the YouTube burnout, I recommend a hybrid approach: post to PeerTube first, then YouTube. You'll reach new audiences while maintaining your creative independence.

💬 NodeBB + ActivityPub: The Forum Revolution You Need to Try

One of my favorite discoveries has been NodeBB with ActivityPub integration. It's transforming how forums connect with the Fediverse:

Setting up category following:

1. Create categories in your NodeBB forum
2. Follow any ActivityPub-enabled account or PeerTube channel
3. Posts from followed accounts appear directly in your forum
4. Forum members can reply to Fediverse content without leaving your site

This creates a seamless experience between your forum and the wider Fediverse. For example, I've followed Ozone's "Fireside Fedi” series, so new episodes should automatically appear in our forums.

Quick tutorial: To add ActivityPub integration to your NodeBB forum, go to your admin panel → settings → Federation(ActivityPub) → enable federation.

🎙️ Own Your Streaming with Owncast

Tired of Twitch's ad overload and arbitrary rules? Owncast offers a refreshingly simple alternative:

• Viewer-friendly: No accounts required to watch streams
• No pre-roll ads: Your viewers see your content immediately
• Easy setup: Much simpler than you might expect
• ActivityPub-enabled: Connects with the wider Fediverse

While Twitch has built an impressive monetization system, they're constantly pushing more ads to make up for years of operating at a loss. Why not give your viewers a clean, ad-free alternative?

🔮 What's Coming Next

I'm working on a tutorial series covering different community forum software options (Invision Community, NodeBB) and have some independent creator podcast episodes in the pipeline. The next episode is recording tomorrow (!), so stay tuned.

💌 Join Our Independent Creator Community

If you're tired of dancing for the algorithm and want to take back control of your content, come join us:

• Forums: 2TonWaffle.forum
• PeerTube: 2TonWaffle.tv
• Blog: 2TonWaffle.com

Drop by, say hi, and let's build something better together. After all, why let some corporation decide who sees your content when you can build your own platforms?

Until next time, keep creating on your own terms!

• Josh

P.S. If you found this helpful, forward it to a creator friend who's feeling the YouTube burnout. We're stronger together!

P.P.S. Seriously though, norovirus is no joke. Hope you're all staying healthy out there, beautiful people!