The latest trend on YouTube is building online communities, with creators leaning towards creating paid or free communities for their audience. Platforms like School, Facebook Groups, Discord, and Patreon are popular for building communities. However, starting a community from scratch can be challenging, and it requires engagement and moderation. YouTube's algorithm favors videos with high audience retention, which can make it difficult for niche or unconventional content to gain traction. YouTube has become more cutthroat, and it's harder to get noticed unless you have broad appeal. Despite the challenges, smaller channels are still being promoted on the platform. In this conversation, Augie and Grant discuss three main topics related to YouTube: the rise of small channels, the prevalence of polarizing content, and the basics of creating a good video. They express their excitement about small channels getting recommended on the home page, but also note that these channels often cover broad topics to appeal to a wider audience. They then discuss their concerns about the trend of polarizing content and the need for creators to be controversial to gain recognition. They mention a specific example of a controversial sales teacher who uses polarizing tactics to grow his following. Finally, they provide tips for creating a good video, including using a recent smartphone with good audio and video quality, ensuring proper lighting, and considering a DSLR or mirrorless camera for better quality. They also mention the importance of scripting and having a strong hook at the beginning of the video.

Takeaways

• The latest trend on YouTube is building online communities, with creators leaning towards creating paid or free communities for their audience.
• Platforms like School, Facebook Groups, Discord, and Patreon are popular for building communities.
• Starting a community from scratch can be challenging and requires engagement and moderation.
• YouTube's algorithm favors videos with high audience retention, making it difficult for niche or unconventional content to gain traction.
• YouTube has become more cutthroat, and it's harder to get noticed unless you have broad appeal.
• Despite the challenges, smaller channels are still being promoted on the platform. Small channels on YouTube are starting to get recommended on the home page, but they often cover broad topics to appeal to a wider audience.
• Controversial and polarizing content tends to gain more recognition on YouTube, leading some creators to feel the need to be controversial to grow their following.
• The basics of creating a good video on YouTube include using a recent smartphone with good audio and video quality, ensuring proper lighting, and considering a DSLR or mirrorless camera for better quality. Scripting and having a strong hook at the beginning of the video are also important.
• Starting a YouTube channel requires continuous learning and improvement, as there is always something new to learn in the ever-evolving platform.