9 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started YouTube

Ali Abdaal・2 minutes read

Viewers, friends, and family do not inherently care about your YouTube videos; to grow a successful channel, focus on providing value through engaging content and prioritizing titles and thumbnails. Explore various video topics, niche down for success, develop systematic content creation processes, and leverage unique advantages to stand out in oversaturated niches.

Insights

  • Family and friends are generally not interested in your YouTube videos, focusing on their own lives. Viewers seek value in entertainment, education, or inspiration, emphasizing the importance of creating content that resonates with their needs.
  • Success on YouTube involves niching down in oversaturated markets, developing systems for content creation, and prioritizing engaging titles and thumbnails. Additionally, finding a unique advantage and outsourcing tasks like video editing can significantly impact channel growth and efficiency.

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Recent questions

  • How can I make my YouTube channel stand out?

    Focus on exploring various video topics to find what resonates with viewers and consider niching down for success.

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Summary

00:00

YouTube Success: Focus on Titles and Thumbnails

  • Friends and family do not care about your YouTube videos; they are preoccupied with their own lives and activities.
  • The audience also does not care about your videos; they pay with their time and attention, seeking value in entertainment, education, or inspiration.
  • Starting YouTube, focus on being an archaeologist, exploring various video topics until you find what resonates with viewers.
  • Supply and demand on YouTube dictate that standing out in oversaturated niches is challenging; consider niching down for success.
  • Transition from thinking about videos individually to developing systems for content creation to streamline the process.
  • Leverage systems to grow your YouTube channel efficiently, especially if you have a demanding job or are a student.
  • Take the free YouTube growth scorecard quiz to assess your channel's potential for sustainable growth and profitability.
  • Titles and thumbnails are crucial on YouTube; prioritize creating intriguing titles and thumbnails before crafting video content.
  • Successful YouTubers stress the importance of titles and thumbnails as the key to attracting viewers to your videos.
  • Plan your title and thumbnail before creating video content to ensure they are engaging and draw in your target audience.

10:29

YouTube Success: Tips for Growth and Engagement

  • The video is targeted at individuals interested in starting or growing a YouTube channel, particularly those who are sophisticated, attractive, and intelligent.
  • Thumbnails and titles are crucial, tailored to resonate with the target audience, rather than following a generic formula like that of Mr. Beast.
  • The first 30 seconds of a video are vital, as many viewers decide to stay or leave during this time, emphasizing the need to frontload effort into this segment.
  • Gear is not essential at the start of a YouTube journey, with many successful channels initially filming with basic tools like an iPhone.
  • Finding an unfair advantage, something unique that sets you apart and is difficult for others to replicate, can significantly boost a channel's success.
  • Outsourcing video editing can free up time for content creators to focus on writing and filming, leading to channel growth and strategic development.
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