German with Linus
My most recent attempt at content creation while working full-time as a teacher.
This was my most recent attempt at being a short-form content creator. By this point, I was working on italki again as a German teacher, so I wasn't burning through my savings anymore. I thought maybe I could do some extra creative work after my regular workday ended.
The approach was more sustainable financially, but it came with its own set of challenges—primarily the difficulty of balancing content creation with a full-time teaching schedule.
Primary Language: German
Created German content designed to be approachable for anyone learning the language, regardless of their current proficiency level.
Secondary Language: English
The algorithm's preference for consistency meant that attempts at English content were rarely shown to viewers, forcing a more German-focused approach than originally intended.
Instagram Challenges
Never became quite as successful as Alemán Progresivo, possibly due to algorithm limitations. Since I was living in South America, the videos may not have reached the right audience, especially on Instagram where geographic proximity affects content distribution.
TikTok Success
On TikTok, however, I did manage to reach a lot more people, and one of the videos surpassed 1 million views. The platform seemed more effective at reaching international audiences regardless of geographic location.
40-Hour Work Week Impact
The overall impact wasn't as strong as my previous experience—perhaps because this time I had a 40-hour workweek and could only work on the videos in my free time. That made everything harder compared to before, when I was living off my savings and could fully focus on content creation.
Creating quality content while maintaining a full-time teaching schedule proved to be significantly more challenging than anticipated, limiting both the quantity and quality of content I could produce.
Targeting International Markets
I had realized that my German course hadn't sold well previously because I was charging European prices to a largely South American audience, where incomes are often significantly lower.
So this time, I thought that by making content in German or English, I might be able to develop a product that would actually sell to a broader, more international audience with higher purchasing power.
Video Production
Creating engaging short-form content after work hours with limited energy and time.
Product Development
Building and maintaining the Progressive German website and course materials.
Full-Time Teaching
Balancing a demanding teaching schedule while trying to create content, with each role requiring full attention and energy.
Overwhelming Stress
In the end, it was too difficult to juggle video production, product development, and a full-time job all at once. It became very stressful, affecting both my work quality and personal well-being.
The realization that sustainable content creation requires either full-time dedication or a much more streamlined approach led to the eventual decision to discontinue this project.
Geographic Algorithm Impact
Location significantly affects content reach on platforms like Instagram, making it harder to target specific linguistic or cultural audiences from abroad.
Platform Differences
TikTok proved more effective for international reach compared to Instagram, suggesting platform choice matters significantly for global content strategies.
Focus vs. Diversification
Attempting to balance multiple major commitments simultaneously can lead to suboptimal results in all areas rather than excellence in one.
Still Available Online
The website continues to be available (though no longer on its original domain), and the video content remains accessible on social media platforms for those interested in exploring this approach to German language education.