Social Media
Technology
Entrepreneurship
Personal Development
Content Creation
YouTube
Personal Journey
My YouTube channel took off
As of today, I have:
✅ 3,759 subscribers
👀 187K views
⌚ 14.5K watch hours
💸 $100/day recurring revenue
🤝 Countless sponsorship offers
Here's the story of my YouTube journey 👇
As of today, I have:
✅ 3,759 subscribers
👀 187K views
⌚ 14.5K watch hours
💸 $100/day recurring revenue
🤝 Countless sponsorship offers
Here's the story of my YouTube journey 👇
GETTING STARTED
I first discovered "the whole YouTube thing" after listening to @AliAbdaal on the @IndieHackers podcast
He was doing YouTube and he was making a killing from it
I first discovered "the whole YouTube thing" after listening to @AliAbdaal on the @IndieHackers podcast
He was doing YouTube and he was making a killing from it
But I decided to give it a shot anyway
I figure I would upload one video per week for 6 months, adding YouTube to my "portfolio of small bets" (ht: @dvassallo) and increasing my surface area for luck
We're all about bias to action here in this corner of Twitter
I figure I would upload one video per week for 6 months, adding YouTube to my "portfolio of small bets" (ht: @dvassallo) and increasing my surface area for luck
We're all about bias to action here in this corner of Twitter
FIRST VIDEOS
In late July, I started creating YouTube videos about how to grow a Twitter audience
That's what I knew. I already had an audience who loved that content here on Twitter
So it would work, right?
Wrong
In late July, I started creating YouTube videos about how to grow a Twitter audience
That's what I knew. I already had an audience who loved that content here on Twitter
So it would work, right?
Wrong
My Twitter content worked so well because I put it on *Twitter*
There weren't people on *YouTube* looking for advice about Twitter
I had a couple hundred subscribers I could convert from my Twitter audience to support me on YouTube, but I wasn't being discovered by anyone new
There weren't people on *YouTube* looking for advice about Twitter
I had a couple hundred subscribers I could convert from my Twitter audience to support me on YouTube, but I wasn't being discovered by anyone new
I wasn't growing, and it was disheartening
But I stuck with it for 2 months, posting diligently once per week, until I got sick
I missed an upload. And then another. And then I started making excuses
And before I knew it, I hadn't uploaded on YouTube for a month
But I stuck with it for 2 months, posting diligently once per week, until I got sick
I missed an upload. And then another. And then I started making excuses
And before I knew it, I hadn't uploaded on YouTube for a month
PART-TIME YOUTUBER ACADEMY
During this slump, I was reminded of a course I was interested in: Part-Time YouTuber Academy, or #ptya
It was a 6-week-long, cohort-based-course designed to help people become better YouTubers
And it was not cheap - the basic version cost $1500
During this slump, I was reminded of a course I was interested in: Part-Time YouTuber Academy, or #ptya
It was a 6-week-long, cohort-based-course designed to help people become better YouTubers
And it was not cheap - the basic version cost $1500
I decided to go for it
It was pricey, but I figured I was "investing in myself." Plus, the lead instructor @AliAbdaal was cool, and I trusted him moderately enough to provide some value
And that was one of the best decisions I've made this year
It was pricey, but I figured I was "investing in myself." Plus, the lead instructor @AliAbdaal was cool, and I trusted him moderately enough to provide some value
And that was one of the best decisions I've made this year
Even that first week was life-changing
I remember thinking I would have paid the full course price for just that one week - that's how groundbreaking it was
I remember thinking I would have paid the full course price for just that one week - that's how groundbreaking it was
Part of what's included in the course is a Skillshare class about editing videos
I discovered that little things like icons, sound effects, transitions, animations, and background music could do WONDERS to boost your video production without even changing the filming style
I discovered that little things like icons, sound effects, transitions, animations, and background music could do WONDERS to boost your video production without even changing the filming style
There was also an incredible guest session with Charlie Houpert from @CharismaOn
This was a deep-dive on the topics, tactics, thumbnails, and titles (why do all of the important things all start with the letter "T"?) that worked for YouTube
This was a deep-dive on the topics, tactics, thumbnails, and titles (why do all of the important things all start with the letter "T"?) that worked for YouTube
And it wasn't just the content
Yes, the content was incredible. But it was also just knowing that there were 400 people out there all doing the same thing as me, all trying out this "YouTube thing," all having the same struggles as me
I wasn't alone
Yes, the content was incredible. But it was also just knowing that there were 400 people out there all doing the same thing as me, all trying out this "YouTube thing," all having the same struggles as me
I wasn't alone
So I made my first video for PTYA
It was a 14-minute video that took me 26 HOURS to edit (I was implementing the Skillshare editing advice, and everything took me ages)
Diverting from my Twitter content, this video covered my journey creating & launching my first NFT collection
It was a 14-minute video that took me 26 HOURS to edit (I was implementing the Skillshare editing advice, and everything took me ages)
Diverting from my Twitter content, this video covered my journey creating & launching my first NFT collection
I changed a lot for this video:
- New lighting
- New sound effects
- New music
- New font
- An actual "hook"
- New title structure
- New thumbnail style
I poured my heart and soul into this video
- New lighting
- New sound effects
- New music
- New font
- An actual "hook"
- New title structure
- New thumbnail style
I poured my heart and soul into this video
BLOWING UP
And it performed reasonably well... Until day 9
That's when things first started taking off. I received 100 views in one day for that video - the most I had ever received in one day before
And then I received 200 views the day after, and 400 views the day after that
And it performed reasonably well... Until day 9
That's when things first started taking off. I received 100 views in one day for that video - the most I had ever received in one day before
And then I received 200 views the day after, and 400 views the day after that
On day 14, I received my first 1000 views in one day
Zooming in on around day 13, we can see that this was the day views from Browse overtook views from Search
That's when things really took off
Zooming in on around day 13, we can see that this was the day views from Browse overtook views from Search
That's when things really took off
For reference, this is what the graph looks like today
I'm receiving over 9000 views a day from that video alone
And for the time being, it shows no sign of stopping
I'm receiving over 9000 views a day from that video alone
And for the time being, it shows no sign of stopping
If you're curious, this is a link to the video
youtu.be
youtu.be
So at this point, I was obviously ecstatic
I had a video blowing up! I had heard of this type of thing happening to others! It was actually happening to me! Incredible
Except for one problem
I had a video blowing up! I had heard of this type of thing happening to others! It was actually happening to me! Incredible
Except for one problem
The video was about NFTs
I had hoards of people coming in saying they loved the video, this was the best NFT video they had seen on the internet, etc., etc.
But my niche wasn't NFTs
My niche was growing an online audience on Twitter... right?
I had hoards of people coming in saying they loved the video, this was the best NFT video they had seen on the internet, etc., etc.
But my niche wasn't NFTs
My niche was growing an online audience on Twitter... right?
CRISIS #1
This is when I had my first crisis
I didn't want to become the "NFT girl"
I had only launched one NFT collection, and it wasn't even successful. Sure, I knew more about NFTs than the average person, but I wasn't an expert!
I didn't want to be an NFT channel
This is when I had my first crisis
I didn't want to become the "NFT girl"
I had only launched one NFT collection, and it wasn't even successful. Sure, I knew more about NFTs than the average person, but I wasn't an expert!
I didn't want to be an NFT channel
I struggled with this for quite a bit. I saw 2 paths ahead of me:
1) Delist this video and focus on online audience-building content
2) Lean into NFTs
After much thought & pain put into this decision, I decided to lean into NFTs
But I wanted to approach NFTs in a different way
1) Delist this video and focus on online audience-building content
2) Lean into NFTs
After much thought & pain put into this decision, I decided to lean into NFTs
But I wanted to approach NFTs in a different way
After some audience analysis, I figured I had 2 types of people watching this video:
1) Digital artists who had heard of NFTs and are wondering if NFTs may be right for them
2) Tech-savvy people who know how to code a generative NFT project, but have no idea about marketing
1) Digital artists who had heard of NFTs and are wondering if NFTs may be right for them
2) Tech-savvy people who know how to code a generative NFT project, but have no idea about marketing
These were people who:
- Wanted to make money online
- Needed to build an online audience
And I realized - I can make content for them!
I can help demystify NFTs, and then maybe eventually broaden my content to encompass audience-building and other ways to make money online
- Wanted to make money online
- Needed to build an online audience
And I realized - I can make content for them!
I can help demystify NFTs, and then maybe eventually broaden my content to encompass audience-building and other ways to make money online
So I leaned into NFTs, and the videos have performed quite well
My second NFT video started "taking off" as well, and it occurred it me that it had happened:
I had struck gold! I had found my audience-creator fit!
My second NFT video started "taking off" as well, and it occurred it me that it had happened:
I had struck gold! I had found my audience-creator fit!
MONETIZATION
And then I got monetized
I was absolutely over the moon
I had previously made a goal to be monetized by JULY 2022. This was DECEMBER 2021. That's huge!
And then I got monetized
I was absolutely over the moon
I had previously made a goal to be monetized by JULY 2022. This was DECEMBER 2021. That's huge!
And each day, I was making more and more money
On the fourth day of being monetized, I made $110.25 in one day
Everything was going so well!
On the fourth day of being monetized, I made $110.25 in one day
Everything was going so well!
But then the messages started coming in
I couldn't keep up with my YouTube comments. My Twitter DMs were flooded. Instagram comments, too
Some people had somehow found my email address, and my inbox grew even more out of control than it normally is
I couldn't keep up with my YouTube comments. My Twitter DMs were flooded. Instagram comments, too
Some people had somehow found my email address, and my inbox grew even more out of control than it normally is
Many of these comments/messages were super sweet
People saying they loved my content, or that my video had really helped them
Lots of messages contained questions - questions I grew increasingly guilty about ignoring when I just didn't have the energy to keep up with them
People saying they loved my content, or that my video had really helped them
Lots of messages contained questions - questions I grew increasingly guilty about ignoring when I just didn't have the energy to keep up with them
Many messages were sponsorship opportunities - NFT collections that wanted to pay me to get mentioned/featured in a video
I had no idea what to do about these
Should I be accepting any of them? How did I know which ones to accept? What if I promoted one and it later crashed?
I had no idea what to do about these
Should I be accepting any of them? How did I know which ones to accept? What if I promoted one and it later crashed?
And then some of the messages were just toxic
People criticized the way I spoke (if only I had a British accent), the way I looked, the way I thought
People hyper-sexualized me and made lewd comments about me
People said they'd stop at nothing to track me down & "get" me
People criticized the way I spoke (if only I had a British accent), the way I looked, the way I thought
People hyper-sexualized me and made lewd comments about me
People said they'd stop at nothing to track me down & "get" me
CRISIS #2
And this is when I had my second crisis
I completely broke down. I didn't know how to handle it. I felt alone, isolated, and yet at the same time weirdly tapped it, trapped by incessant messages from strangers who all wanted something from me
Yeah, not fun
And this is when I had my second crisis
I completely broke down. I didn't know how to handle it. I felt alone, isolated, and yet at the same time weirdly tapped it, trapped by incessant messages from strangers who all wanted something from me
Yeah, not fun
I sought out help from some other folks I had met through #ptya
Honestly, I don't think I would have been able to get through it if not for the PTYA community
These were the only people who *got* it - my other, non-YouTuber friends just couldn't understand
Honestly, I don't think I would have been able to get through it if not for the PTYA community
These were the only people who *got* it - my other, non-YouTuber friends just couldn't understand
So, with the help of others, I devised a plan to keep myself sane
- I'd block a lot of words through YouTube's community settings
- I'd only answer messages between set hours each day
- I'd be very generous in blocking people
And now, a week later, I'm feeling much, MUCH better
- I'd block a lot of words through YouTube's community settings
- I'd only answer messages between set hours each day
- I'd be very generous in blocking people
And now, a week later, I'm feeling much, MUCH better
SO... NOW WHAT?
YouTube has completely changed my life
I'm currently at the stage of hiring an editor. It's gotten to the point that I can focus fully on developing my YouTube presence and living off of the profits
YouTube has completely changed my life
I'm currently at the stage of hiring an editor. It's gotten to the point that I can focus fully on developing my YouTube presence and living off of the profits
I'm building up my "social media stack":
- YouTube for revenue
- Twitter for connections
- Instagram for behind-the-scenes
- Twitch* for real-time conversations
*Yep, I'm starting a Twitch channel in 2022! Super exciting :)
- YouTube for revenue
- Twitter for connections
- Instagram for behind-the-scenes
- Twitch* for real-time conversations
*Yep, I'm starting a Twitch channel in 2022! Super exciting :)
I know this was a long thread with more information than you probably ever wanted, but I hope it was helpful
Helpful in seeing what contributed to a "YouTube success"
But also helpful in showing that "success" comes with its own challenges - it's not all unicorns & rainbows
Helpful in seeing what contributed to a "YouTube success"
But also helpful in showing that "success" comes with its own challenges - it's not all unicorns & rainbows
I'm here if you have any questions!
It's been quite a journey, and I can't wait to see what's in store for the future
In the end, I am the "NFT girl"
And I'm proud
It's been quite a journey, and I can't wait to see what's in store for the future
In the end, I am the "NFT girl"
And I'm proud
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