In this conversation, Augie Johnston and Grant Ball discuss the changes happening on YouTube and what actually matters in 2024. They cover topics such as the diminishing importance of subscribers, the role of click-through rate and watch time, the relevance of tags, the impact of shorts on channel growth, and the rise of ultra-long-form content like video podcasts. They emphasize the need for creators to focus on viewer satisfaction and the importance of building an engaged audience through consistent content creation.

Takeaways

• Subscribers are no longer as important as they used to be in terms of the YouTube algorithm. Click-through rate and watch time are more crucial metrics for video performance.
• Tags have become less important in recent years, with YouTube relying more on computer vision and AI to understand video content.
• Shorts can be beneficial for channel growth, but their impact on long-form content viewership is uncertain. It's important to consider the alignment between short and long-form content.
• Ultra-long-form content, such as video podcasts, can be successful in accumulating watch time, but it's a high-risk, high-reward strategy. Building a loyal audience through consistent content creation is key.
• YouTube is placing more emphasis on viewer satisfaction, using surveys to gauge how satisfied viewers are with the content they watch.
• Creators should focus on delivering value and meeting viewer expectations in their videos, avoiding clickbait and ensuring that the content matches the title and thumbnail.
• While subscribers can be a fun metric and provide social proof, the number of monthly views is a more accurate measure of a channel's success and impact.
• Creators should consider starting a video podcast as it can attract a dedicated audience and contribute to channel growth.

YouTube has introduced a new feature called A-B thumbnail testing, which allows creators to upload up to three thumbnails and test which one performs better. This feature helps creators determine the visual direction that works best for their brand. YouTube is also rolling out the For You shelf, which recommends videos from a channel that the algorithm thinks the viewer would be interested in. This feature enhances discoverability and improves user experience. Additionally, three tools for creators were discussed: ViewStats.com, a competitor to Social Blade for tracking channel views; Claude.ai, a tool for generating titles and descriptions; and Chat GPT, a tool for brainstorming ideas.

Takeaways

• YouTube has introduced A-B thumbnail testing, allowing creators to test multiple thumbnails and determine which one performs better.
• The For You shelf on YouTube recommends videos from a channel that the algorithm thinks the viewer would be interested in, enhancing discoverability and improving user experience.
• Three useful tools for creators are ViewStats.com, Claude.ai, and Chat GPT.
• ViewStats.com is a competitor to Social Blade for tracking channel views.
• Claude.ai is a tool for generating titles and descriptions.
• Chat GPT is a tool for brainstorming ideas.

YouTube is undergoing changes that benefit small channels and promote authenticity. The platform is now recommending videos from channels with low subscriber numbers, allowing them to gain traction and views. YouTube is trying to level the playing field and give new creators a chance to succeed. The evolution of YouTube has seen different eras, from the experimental era to the viral era, skit era, personality era, connection era, and now the sensational era. YouTube is also being viewed more on TV, surpassing Netflix in hours watched. The algorithm may need to adapt to the TV viewing experience. YouTube is unlikely to compete with Netflix by creating paid exclusive shows, as the platform's strength lies in its free, user-generated content. Shorts may become less prominent as YouTube focuses more on long-form content. Creators should be cautious about shorts, as they can disrupt the subscriber-to-view ratio. Overall, YouTube continues to support and benefit creators.

Takeaways

• YouTube is promoting small channels and giving them a chance to gain traction and views.
• The evolution of YouTube has seen different eras, from the experimental era to the sensational era.
• YouTube is being viewed more on TV, surpassing Netflix in hours watched.
• The algorithm may need to adapt to the TV viewing experience.
• YouTube is unlikely to compete with Netflix by creating paid exclusive shows.
• Creators should be cautious about shorts, as they can disrupt the subscriber-to-view ratio.

The conversation covers the process of starting a successful YouTube channel in 2024, including topics such as channel setup, content creation, consistency, community engagement, and the future of YouTube thumbnails. The discussion delves into the importance of personal space, motivation, and the why behind starting a YouTube channel. It also explores the significance of branding, community interaction, and the role of thumbnails in attracting viewers.

Takeaways

• The importance of personal space and motivation in starting a YouTube channel
• The significance of branding and community interaction for channel success
• The role of thumbnails in attracting viewers and the potential future changes in YouTube thumbnails

In this conversation, Augie Johnston and Grant Ball discuss the 11 steps to succeed on YouTube and grow a channel. They cover topics such as coming up with a video topic, creating a clickable title, designing an eye-catching thumbnail, writing a hook, scripting the video, filming best practices, editing techniques, optimizing for search, promoting the video, engaging with the audience, and analyzing the performance of the video. In this conversation, Grant and Augie discuss various tips and strategies for creating and optimizing YouTube videos. They cover topics such as scripting, filming, editing, designing thumbnails, and optimizing videos for YouTube. They emphasize the importance of keeping the audience engaged through visual and audio changes, maintaining a good pacing in the editing process, and using effective thumbnails and titles to earn clicks. They also discuss the importance of organic growth and caution against running ads or promoting videos in irrelevant communities. Overall, they provide a comprehensive guide for creating successful YouTube videos.

Takeaways

• Coming up with a video topic requires understanding the industry, staying updated on trends, and finding ways to spin popular topics in a unique way.
• Creating a clickable title involves placing keywords at the beginning, asking intriguing questions, and using big numbers or interesting phrases.
• Designing an eye-catching thumbnail includes featuring a human face, using big text, and incorporating descriptive images.
• Writing a hook involves telling viewers what the video is about, why they should care, and what to expect, while also being entertaining and incorporating humor if possible.
• Scripting the video can be done by writing word-for-word scripts or creating outlines, depending on the style and content of the video.
• Filming best practices include prioritizing audio quality, ensuring good lighting, and considering different sets or locations to keep the video visually engaging.
• Editing techniques can enhance the pacing and flow of the video, and it's important to maintain a balance between informative and entertaining content.
• Optimizing for search involves using relevant keywords in the video description, tags, and title, as well as creating engaging and informative content that encourages viewers to watch and engage with the video.
• Promoting the video can be done through social media, collaborations, and engaging with the audience to encourage sharing and word-of-mouth promotion.
• Engaging with the audience includes responding to comments, asking for feedback, and creating a sense of community and connection with viewers.
• Analyzing the performance of the video involves tracking metrics such as click-through rate, watch time, and average view duration to understand what is resonating with viewers and make improvements for future videos. Change up the visuals and audio in your videos to keep the audience engaged
• Edit your videos to maintain a good pacing and remove redundant content
• Design eye-catching thumbnails and titles to earn clicks
• Optimize your videos by using relevant keywords, tags, and descriptions
• Focus on organic growth and avoid running ads or promoting videos in irrelevant communities

In this conversation, Augie Johnston and Grant Ball discuss the need for a YouTube strategy for businesses, using AlphaPaw as a case study. They analyze AlphaPaw's YouTube channel and identify mistakes in their videos. They then develop a comprehensive YouTube strategy for AlphaPaw, including an upload schedule and content strategy. They discuss the importance of utilizing YouTube Shorts and creating practical and useful videos. They also debate the use of calls to action in shorts and differentiate between search and browse content. Finally, they provide insights on improving video topics and audience retention. The conversation focuses on improving the organization, quality, and production of videos, including the use of B-roll and vlog-style content. It also suggests creating product review videos and exploring different video formats. The importance of improving thumbnails and titles is highlighted, along with the need for engaging and entertaining content. The conversation concludes with strategies for driving traffic to the website and emphasizing the importance of content quality and entertainment value.

Takeaways

• Having a YouTube strategy is crucial for businesses to drive revenue and growth.
• Analyzing and identifying mistakes in existing YouTube channels can help improve content and engagement.
• A comprehensive YouTube strategy includes an upload schedule, content strategy, and utilization of YouTube Shorts.
• Creating practical and useful videos can attract and retain viewers, leading to higher engagement and conversions.

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.

The conversation explores the strategies of creating YouTube drama and collaborating with other creators. It discusses the benefits and drawbacks of both approaches, highlighting the potential for growth and engagement. The importance of being justified and authentic in calling out others is emphasized. The conversation also touches on the power of controversy and polarity in attracting viewers. It concludes by suggesting that collaboration can be a more wholesome and steady approach to growing a YouTube channel.

Takeaways

• Creating YouTube drama can be a strategy to gain attention and views, but it comes with risks and potential negative consequences.
• Calling out others in a justified and authentic way can generate engagement and interest in your content.
• Controversy and polarity can attract viewers and create a loyal following.
• Collaborating with other creators can be a more wholesome and steady approach to growing a YouTube channel.
• Authenticity and genuine opinions can be more effective in engaging viewers than focusing solely on facts and research.