Researching my way through YouTube

Before starting, you should know ... "IT'S ALL ABOUT TITLE AND THUMBNAIL"

Networking is over-rated. Go do something great and your netwrok will instantly emerge.

How YouTube works

• Browse and suggested is how users find most of their content.
• Hooks are the most important part of the video, it is what makes or breaks the video.
  • The first 7-15 seconds of the video, the less the better.
  • Validate the video and open up new unanswered questions.
• Create a good script, if the script is good, it doesn't matter how you have filmed the video, an iPhone would do (it is the lowest common denominator).
• Shorts are a good way to get discovered, and are a good way to get people to your channel.
• YouTube rewards longer watchtime, so if you can get people to watch longer videos, it is better.
  • Believe in your content and don't be afraid to put in longer videos, if the thumbnail, title, content are good, people will watch it. The top creators are making longer videos, 15-30 minutes long.
  • The content is even being consumed on TV nowadays, so people are more commited to watching longer videos.
  • Mostly podcast centeric viewers will consume content for even longer duration, if you're catering to that audience, you can make even longer videos.

What to do

• Performe a niche analysis and choose a value prop i.e. what is the unique value you are providing to your audience, that they can't get anywhere else.

• IEA (Identity, Emotion, Action)
  

  Identity - Who is the audience?
  Emotion - What do you want them to feel?
  Action - What do you want them to do?
  

  Identity	Emotion	Action
  Casual Chef	Entertained	Subscribe
  College Student	Educated	Cook a meal

• Create idea bank (AI can be used to generate ideas) - ideas are titles that can be explored (write 5-10 ideas a day if possible).

• Find a testing ground (a place to test your ideas) - talk to people, communities, etc. and see how they react and respond to your ideas, some more ways -

  • Create shorts to test, then create long form content.

  • Tests can be done on other platforms like X, Subreddits, Discord communities, etc.
    

    e.g. there was this question in subreddit recently, "What happened to all the big YouTube cooking channels? Why is there a massive decline in quality content or content in general?"
    

    Via this, ideas like why not interview someone from such a channel and ask them about it.

• Start with 5 minutes videos and move towards 15-30 minutes videos. 85% perfection is good enough, don't be stuck for extra 15% perfection and not publish the video.

• 52 videos a year, 1 video a week, is a good starting point. It is a commitment to yourself and your audience. Don't expect to get a lot of views in the beginning, it is a long term game.

• A call to action is important, ask people to subscribe, like, comment, etc. if you don't ask, they won't do it.

What to track

• The CTR (How many people saw this thumbnail and how many of them clicked on it), 10% is a good CTR, more than 10% is a certified banger (and similar content could work too in future).

• First 30 seconds of the viewership and average view duration. More than 75% and 50% is what you should aim for.

• Observe 7 day marker and 30 day marker of the videos. Improve packaging i.e. thumbnail, title, etc. on older videos if they are not performing well.

• Are the views consistent and rising? What about the new and returning viewers? Are they coming back to watch more videos?

• What devices are people watching on? Are they watching on TV, mobile, desktop, tablet? This can help you understand your audience better.

Example by Colin and Samir

TITLE: 13 Years of YouTube Knowledge in X Minutes

HOOK:

50% of adults in the US would quit their job to become a creator

So if we were starting today - how would we do it?

We've written out a 7 step framework based on 13 years of experience as well as interviewing 100's of the top creators

Clip Clip Clip

In this video we'll walk through our 7 step process for launching a new YouTube channel

We're gonna get in the weeds and touch on everything from filming styles, video lengths, data, shorts vs longform, thumbnails - and give you all of our takes

GIVEAWAY:

WE STARTED WITH A MACBOOK LAPTOP FOR BOTH VIDEO, AUDIO AND EVERYTHING ELSE SO WE ARE GIVING AWAY A MACBOOK AIR LAPTOP TO ONE OF YOU GUYS

Result: 13 Years of YouTube Knowledge in 46 Minutes