TLDR;
This video outlines nine key lessons for achieving rapid growth on YouTube, specifically from 0 to 100,000 subscribers in a short period. It challenges conventional wisdom and introduces new tactics for audience matching, cross-platform posting, and content differentiation. The video emphasizes the importance of understanding audience psychology, creating compelling content packages, and maintaining a resilient mindset.
- Focus on audience matching to align content with specific viewer profiles.
- Avoid cross-platform promotion to prevent algorithm confusion.
- Engineer viral hits through quality and strategic content creation.
Intro [0:00]
The creator shares his experience of reaching 100,000 YouTube subscribers in just five months, highlighting that he achieved this by implementing new strategies that go against conventional advice. He promises to share nine non-obvious lessons that significantly sped up his growth process. The video aims to guide viewers on how to grow faster on YouTube by sharing these insights.
Lesson 1: Audience Matching [0:25]
The most critical factor for success on YouTube is audience matching, which involves creating content for a specific audience profile consistently. The YouTube algorithm needs to confidently identify the target audience for your videos to promote them effectively. When you jump between different video types, the algorithm gets confused, leading to lower click-through rates and slower growth. People watch videos for their own needs, not just for the creator, so it's important to focus on providing value to a specific audience profile. To implement this, start with identifying your ideal viewer and create content tailored to their interests and problems.
Lesson 2: Cross Platform Posting [5:57]
Avoid sharing your YouTube videos on other social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn because it can negatively impact your YouTube growth. Each platform operates at different speeds, and forcing viewers to switch from a fast-paced platform to YouTube's slower pace can lead to low average view duration. The YouTube algorithm evaluates videos based on click-through rate and average view duration, both of which are negatively affected by cross-platform promotion. Instead, allow YouTube to find its audience organically. If you must share, use a screenshot of the thumbnail and encourage people to search for your video on YouTube. Email is an exception, as its slower pace aligns better with YouTube's consumption pattern.
Lesson 3: Social Proof & Outliers [9:46]
Viewers are more likely to click and stay on your profile once you pass a certain social credibility line, which is around 10,000 subscribers on YouTube. Initially, it's harder to gain traction because fewer people are willing to give you a chance when you have a small following. There are two ways to reach this credibility line: consistently uploading videos to gradually increase subscribers or experiencing a viral outlier that brings in a large number of subscribers quickly. Viral hits can be engineered through a "quality shock," where the video's overall package is surprisingly good for a small channel.
Lesson 4: Ideas & Packaging [12:47]
YouTube is more about packaging than just creating the best videos; it's about getting people to click on the right title and thumbnail and validating that click in the intro. Best-in-class click-through rates are only around 10-12%, so packaging is crucial. Don't start making the video until you have a well-defined title and thumbnail. Titles should complement the thumbnail and entice clicks by describing a dream outcome or solving a pain point. Thumbnails should follow the three-item rule: you, a few words of text, and a graphic. The emotion on your face in the thumbnail should match the tone of the title.
Lesson 5: Hooks [15:24]
Click confirmation is critical in the first 10 to 20 seconds of the intro to ensure viewers that they are getting what they clicked on. If they don't see that, they might feel baited and switch and leave. To create a hook that holds viewers, create contrast against a common belief. Frame this contrast explicitly in the hook, aiming it at a pain point they have.
Lesson 6: Differentiation [16:40]
To stand out on YouTube, aim to make the best video ever made on a particular topic, focusing on the highest value density. You need to have something valuable and different to say, which means being an expert in the topic. Differentiate through uniqueness (what you say), distillation (how you say it), and explanation (examples and metaphors). Don't start on YouTube unless you have a clear hypothesis for how you're going to be different and more valuable.
Lesson 7: Professional YouTube Team [18:40]
YouTube is a 40-hour per week game, and hiring a professional team from day one can significantly your success. YouTube involves five main roles: ideas and packaging, thumbnail design, script writing, recording, and editing. Identify your weaknesses and build a team to fill those gaps. Hire specialists for each role rather than a one-stop-shop agency.
Lesson 8: Perception of Quality [20:48]
The perception of quality matters in driving subscribers. Invest in high-quality audio and video, as it can hold a viewer's attention longer and increase the chance of them liking you. High-quality edits and motion graphics also help. While you can win without it, it adds tailwinds and increases your surface area for luck.
Lesson 9: Mindset [21:33]
Set your expectations low to make it easier to keep going with YouTube. Most people quit because they think they should be further along than they are. Expect to spend at least 12 months trying to get it off the ground with almost no traction, income, or success. Your videos will likely suck for a long time. The distance between your current skills and where you need to be will be huge in the beginning.
Summary for Entrepreneurs [23:44]
For entrepreneurs looking to replicate the creator's success, the key steps include: picking an audience avatar aligned with your offer, planning for 50 videos with a focus on incremental improvement, posting weekly without fail, focusing on packaging and ideas, having something valuable and differentiated to say, hiring a professional team if you have the cash flow, planning for zero outliers, and tricking yourself into loving the process.