Make or Break Advice for Small Youtubers: Tips From The Pros
This article is a summary of a Think Media video featuring insights from successful YouTubers like MrBeast, Ali Abdaal, and Casey Neistat. These tips will help you focus on the right strategies to grow your YouTube channel and stay motivated.
We've attached timestamps for easy reference.
1. Start Posting Now - MrBeast
Your first few videos won't get many views, and that's normal. Don't overthink it, stop sitting there and thinkings months on end — just start posting. Your goal should be to create 100 videos, and with each one, focus on improving something, whether it's the thumbnail, editing, or script.
It's important to keep in mind perfection doesn't exist. Every video has something that can be improved, so analyze every video and find one thing to make better. Over time, you'll develop better content, but the key is to keep going, and the more you post, the more you'll learn.
2. Nobody Cares About Your Videos - Ali Abdaal
There are two types of people that do not care about your videos:
1. Your Friends and Family
Don't worry about what your friends or family think—they're busy with their own lives. YouTube is about providing value to strangers, not impressing people you know. Your first videos won't be great, and that's okay.
2. Your Audience
Videos on youtube aren't free. Your audience pays with their time and attention. They will not watch your first 10 videos, because they don't know you, and they don't care about you. Think about the last time you went through someone's youtube channel, and watched their first 10 videos. You probably don't remember or you probably never did that.
You have to start off bad, and continue to make bad videos, overtime by being bad repeatedly, you will start to get better. Focus on making content that provides value, whether that is through entertainment or education or anything else, and over time, you'll get better at it.
3. Have a Strong 'Why' - Casey Neistat & Logan Paul
Why are you making videos? If your only reason is to get famous, it won't keep you motivated long-term. You need a deeper purpose to stay committed when things get tough. Ask yourself if you can commit to 10 years of creating content.
Success on YouTube takes patience. Be ready for years of hard work, criticism, and slow growth. But if your "why" is strong enough, you'll push through those challenges.
4. Quantity Breeds Quality - Jenny Hoyos
Focus on producing a lot of content. The more videos you make, the more you'll understand what works. Analyze your metrics to see what resonates with your audience, and it's important to keep in mind that what works for others may not necessarily work for you, so it's important to analyze and find what resonates with your audience. This will help you improve faster.
If you're looking for tools to help you analyze your metrics, check out our list of YouTube Analytics Tools.
Consistency is key. The more you upload, the better your chances of discovering what your audience loves. Quantity leads to quality through practice and analysis.
5. Don't Neglect The Packaging - Think Media
Your video idea, title, and thumbnail are just as important as the content itself. Before you shoot a video, research similar content to see if it performs well. Great packaging makes people want to click.
How do you come up with great video ideas?
You have to first brainstorm more ideas than you need, and then test them to see which ones perform well. For example, if you came up with 40 ideas, and 10 of them are decent, then the next step is to validate those 10 ideas.
You can validate your video ideas by searching for them on YouTube, and if the views on those videos are more than the subscriber count of the channel, then that means that the algorithm is pushing that video to a wider audience.
The idea could be oversaturated, but often times people are okay with watching similar videos on the same topic.
The title and thumbnail of your video are the first impression people will have of your video. If they don't catch attention, people won't watch your video.
6. Prioritize the Audience, Not the Algorithm - Creator Insider
Don't obsess over the algorithm. Focus on your audience.
The algorithm is designed to serve viewers what they want. If your content satisfies the audience, the algorithm will promote it naturally.
Think like a viewer. Ask yourself, would you click on your own video? Tailor your content to what you believe your audience wants, and the algorithm will follow.
7. Start Messy - Think Media Podcast
Don't wait for everything to be perfect. Start messy. You'll never know what works until you put something out there. Fear of judgment or failure is normal, but don't let it stop you from taking action.
Every YouTuber starts with mistakes. The only way to improve is by doing. Just post your first videos, and you'll refine your skills over time.
8. Don't Get Discouraged - Think Media
It's easy to feel frustrated when you don't get views right away. But don't give up. Some videos take years to gain traction, so patience is essential. Keep uploading, even if it feels like no one is watching.
If you're feeling bored or discouraged, try collaborating with others. Building a community can keep you motivated and help you grow faster. Remember, success takes time.
9. Quality Over Quantity - MrBeast
Consistency is important, but don't sacrifice quality. If you're putting out a lot of videos, make sure they're worth watching. Focus on creating fewer, high-quality videos that stand out, rather than just hitting a weekly quota.
Good content will naturally attract views. If you invest time in making something great, the algorithm will promote it, and you'll see more growth in the long run.
I hope you found this article helpful. If you did, please share it with your friends and colleagues!
If you're looking for tools to help improve your videos, then click on the button below to view our list of YouTube Tools.