Should I focus on subscriber count and revenue goals for my YouTube channel?

It's more beneficial to focus on an 'infinite game' – enjoying the process of creation and sharing content you're passionate about. While numbers are important as a guiding force, tying your self-worth or success solely to metrics like subscriber counts, which are outside your direct control, can be detrimental.

What is the best way to stay consistent on YouTube?

Consistency comes from making the process fun and engaging. If making videos feels like a constant struggle, it's unsustainable. Framing YouTube as something you'd continue doing for its own sake, regardless of external rewards, helps maintain motivation.

How can I improve the quality of my YouTube videos over time?

Video improvement is an 'aggregation of micro-refinements.' Instead of expecting perfection immediately, focus on making small improvements with each video. This could involve enhancing music choices, visual elements, or narrative flow, and learning from experiments and data.

When should I start thinking about building a team and outsourcing tasks on YouTube?

Consider outsourcing when tasks consume your time and energy that could be better spent on core creative work, or when others on your team are demonstrably better and more passionate about those tasks. Even earning a couple thousand dollars a month can be a trigger to start hiring.

How should beginners approach audience targeting for their YouTube videos?

For beginners, it's often more effective to speak to a single, well-defined viewer avatar rather than trying to appeal to everyone. Understanding their demographics, psychographics, hopes, and dreams allows for a more targeted and resonant message.

How much attention should I pay to YouTube analytics?

Analytics should serve as guidance, like bumpers on a bowling lane, rather than dictating your every move. For beginners, it's often best to avoid analytics until videos gain a few hundred to a few thousand views, and even then, focus on broad patterns rather than getting lost in micro-details.

Key Moments

I Asked MKBHD and Mrwhosetheboss How to Grow on YouTube

Ali Abdaal

Education3 min read26 min video

Jul 1, 2023|364,097 views|14,476|344

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Key Moments

TL;DR

YouTube growth insights from MKBHD and Mrwhosetheboss: focus on passion, consistency, and micro-refinements.

Key Insights

Prioritize making content you're genuinely interested in, as this leads to sustainable growth and enjoyment.

Consistency is key; aim to upload regularly, even if videos aren't perfect initially. Focus on incremental improvements over time.

View YouTube analytics as 'bumpers' on a bowling lane, guiding rather than dictating your content strategy.

Invest revenue back into your channel to improve production quality, research, or build a team.

For beginners, focus on creating content for a specific target audience rather than trying to appeal to everyone.

Outsource tasks you're not skilled at or don't enjoy to free up your time for core content creation and strategic growth.

FINDING YOUR PASSION AND AUDIENCE

The most sustainable way to grow on YouTube is by creating content that genuinely interests you. While understanding audience demand is important, obsessing over what might perform well can turn YouTube into a chore. Both MKBHD and Ali Abdaal emphasize that personal interest fuels passion, making the creative process enjoyable and long-lasting. This approach also applies to beginners, who should identify what they're passionate about and who their target audience is, rather than trying to please everyone.

THE INFINITE GAME OF YOUTUBE

Successful YouTubers like MKBHD and Mrwhosetheboss view YouTube as an 'infinite game' rather than a 'finite game' with a win condition. They focus on enjoying the process of creating and sharing content consistently, rather than solely chasing subscriber counts or revenue. This mindset shifts the goal from 'winning' at a certain subscriber number to continuously playing the game by making content they are passionate about and building a sustainable business around it.

CONSISTENCY AND MICRO-REFINEMENTS

Consistency is a common challenge for aspiring YouTubers. The key, as highlighted by MKBHD, is to make the process fun and engaging by focusing on enjoyable aspects like learning new tech or the craft of video making. Over time, creators should aim for 'micro-refinements'—making small, incremental improvements to videos, such as enhancing editing, audio, or visual elements. This approach, rather than expecting immediate viral success, builds skill and quality gradually.

LEVERAGING ANALYTICS AS A GUIDE

YouTube analytics should be treated as 'bumpers' on a bowling lane, providing direction without controlling the entire game. While data can inform decisions, over-indexing on metrics like retention can stifle creativity and the 'heart and soul' of content. For beginners, it's often best to avoid analytics until their channel has significant traction. The focus should remain on creating valuable content from the heart, recognizing that viewers are real people, not just data points.

INVESTING IN CONTENT AND TEAM BUILDING

A crucial strategy for growth is reinvesting revenue back into the channel to enhance production value, research, or build a team. Many successful YouTubers transition from one-person operations to building teams to handle various aspects of content creation and management. This allows creators to focus on their core strengths, such as scripting or on-camera presence, while experts manage other areas like editing, graphics, or administration. This investment is key to avoiding burnout and scaling the operation.

THE EVOLUTION OF A YOUTUBER'S JOURNEY

The journey of a YouTuber often begins with insecurity and a desire for self-improvement. Many creators start as 'misfits' but find confidence, develop skills, and build communities through the process. The advice given by MKBHD and Mrwhosetheboss emphasizes perseverance through the initial challenges. By maintaining passion, consistency, and focusing on improvement, creators can build a fulfilling career and potentially achieve significant success, even financial rewards.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Software & Apps

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●People Referenced

YouTube Growth Strategies Cheat Sheet

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Make content you are genuinely interested in.

Focus on playing the 'infinite game' – enjoy the process of creation.

Prioritize making videos that are fun and feel good.

Embrace patience; understand that success takes time and many videos.

Continuously strive to make each video slightly better than the last (micro-refinements).

Invest money earned back into improving production value, writing, or hiring a team.

Identify your target audience avatar(s) and tailor your message to them.

Follow a structured process for planning, scripting, shooting, and editing.

Use analytics as a guiding force (bumpers on a bowling lane), not the sole focus.

Remember that analytics represent real people; focus on providing value.

Outsource tasks you dislike or that others are better at.

Keep going with consistency and motivation, even through difficult times.

Avoid This

Don't chase numbers (subscribers, views, revenue) at the expense of enjoyment.

Don't fall into the trap of making videos you don't enjoy just for the algorithm.

Don't expect your first videos to go viral; skills take time to develop.

Don't over-index on micro-refinements from analytics and lose sight of your passion.

Don't obsess over analytics to the point of forgetting the real people behind the data.

Don't be afraid to start outsourcing, even editing, to improve efficiency and well-being.

Common Questions

Making content you're genuinely interested in is crucial for long-term success and sustainability on YouTube. Trying to constantly appease an audience or chase numbers can lead to burnout and turn YouTube into a second job, undermining the freedom and fun it's meant to provide.