SSMN Meeting - May 2025 - Session 2

Summary
David Moffat met with Jon Childs and Lisa Kufs to discuss their respective content creation projects, focusing on Childs's "100 Off the Left Eyes" initiative and Kufs's work with Deborah's Tree. Key discussion points included project prioritization, creator scoring systems, video production challenges, and community engagement strategies. Next steps include Childs developing a reporting tool with her son, Matthew, and the group exploring monthly meetings and strategies to improve their engagement pod's effectiveness.

Details
Meeting Purpose and Check-in: David Moffat initiated the meeting to check in with Jon Childs and Lisa Kufs on their channel developments, current promotions, needed and offered help from other content creators (00:00:00).
Jon Childs's Activities: Jon Childs, recently retired, volunteers for Off the Left Eye, responding to comments on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, utilizing AI tools like the newchristianbiblestudy.org chat box for assistance and improved understanding and positivity in responses (00:01:04).
"100 Off the Left Eyes" Project: Childs also works on the "100 Off the Left Eyes" project, aiming to nurture and grow Swedenborg-based content creators globally (00:03:49) (00:07:07). They leverage Off the Left Eye's best practices and provide mutual support, reinforcing Swedenborg's reputation and fostering a consistent brand (00:08:11).
Project Prioritization and Metrics: The project gained significance due to new funding, necessitating quarterly reporting and prioritized actions (00:05:58). Childs is researching and analyzing potential creators, using a list provided by David Moffat, and plans to score them based on factors like Swedenborg promotion, demonstrated drive, and viewership numbers (00:09:34).
Creator Scoring System: Childs proposed a scoring system to prioritize creators, considering their promotion of Swedenborg, drive for success, and content performance metrics (00:11:42). They plan to meet with creators, provide feedback, and build a supportive community (00:12:37).
Feedback Mechanisms and Tools: Childs uses a PowerPoint presentation to organize their thoughts and research, including creator profiles, target audiences, content analysis, and potential support areas (00:17:49). They also plan internal meetings to review videos and provide expert feedback (00:18:50).
Tool Development for Ongoing Reporting: Childs intends to collaborate with their son, Matthew, to create an easily updatable tool for ongoing reporting on the project (00:20:07).
Lisa Kufs's Activities: Lisa Kufs discussed their work with Deborah's Tree and home church, producing videos of brunch events and other content, including nature meditation videos (00:22:33) (00:27:47). They are collaborating with Roy for video editing (00:25:21).
Challenges in Video Production: Kufs highlighted the challenges of editing long-form videos and the need for additional editing support (00:25:21). They also mentioned the need for improved equipment and potentially a more permanent studio space (00:35:56).
Community Engagement and Feedback: Kufs emphasizes the importance of community engagement and providing honest feedback to other creators (00:28:56) (00:31:30). They utilize multiple camera angles to capture events and maintain high-quality videos for YouTube (00:40:36).
Preservation of Video Content: Kufs prioritizes preserving video content for posterity, including controversial videos to learn from past mistakes and improve future efforts (00:42:53).
Importance of Community: Kufs and Childs both emphasized the crucial role of community in engaging viewers and promoting Swedenborgianism (00:45:35). The positive interactions within the community are seen as a significant asset (00:47:43).
YouTube Algorithm and Bot Accounts: David Moffat and Lisa Kufs discussed the issue of bot accounts inflating subscriber numbers and the challenges YouTube faces in maintaining relevance amidst competition from other platforms (00:48:40).
Meeting Frequency and Engagement Pod: The group discussed the frequency of future meetings, considering monthly meetings to maintain momentum and plan activities. They also explored strategies to enhance the effectiveness of their engagement efforts (00:52:58).
Engagement Pod and Future Goals: They discussed strategies to make the engagement pod more effective, potentially through gamification and incentivizing participation (00:55:09). Kufs suggested engaging young people and exploring existing groups like the Young People's Committee (YPC) in the UK to expand the network (00:56:15).

Suggested next steps
Jon Childs will develop a tool, in collaboration with Matthew, to easily update creator rankings and analysis as views and other metrics change, allowing for ongoing reporting and prioritization.
Jon Childs will research and add the Young People's Committee (UK) to her list of creators.