How to Win the Game of Youtube - Video Notes

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KNtxkKzb8Y

My notes from watching How to Win the Game of Youtube by MagnatesMedia

• Youtube is like a video game; you need to level up in different skills: storytelling, camera work, editing, etc
• there are strategies that can help you win
• Everyone starts at 0 skills, 0 subs, 0 strategy
• There are level unlocks like becoming a YT partner
• Most people post without any strategy
• Like losing weight (eat fewer calories and exercise), growing on Youtube is simple (make better videos that people want to watch) but hard
• "You have to learn the rules of the game then play better than anyone else." - Albert Einstein
• How to grow on YT in one sentence: "Get people to click on your video, then watch your video, then come back for more of your videos."
• Replace the word 'algorithm' with 'audience'
• Every Youtube video can be scored on 10 areas:
  • Video topic and concept
    • If you want a viral video, it needs to be a broadly interesting topic
  • Title
    • Advertise your video in the most interesting way possible
    • Shorter titles do better
    • Optimize for PEOPLE not search results
  • Thumbnail
    • Use thumbsup.tv to test out how your thumbnail looks
    • Make multiple thumbnails for each video and test what works best
  • Video hook
    • The opening needs to keep the audience interested in watching the whole thing
    • Don't play long intros or ask for subscription or ramble
    • A good hook gets straight into the value or entertainment or gives a preview of what's to come
    • Fast pacing, lots of cuts, and text on screen helps
  • Script/plot
    • How well you can tell a story
    • Cut out unnecessary parts
  • Presentation and Assets Used
    • If it's you, you have to present wel
    • If not you, your b-roll is crucial
    • Music is massively overlooked by creators - pick the right music
  • Editing
    • Not only quality of editing but how it aids to the story
    • Pro tip: hire an editor
  • Production Quality
    • How good is your microphone, camera, background, etc
    • Pro tip: if you don't have the budget for tons of equipment, focus on good audio equipment
  • Optimization
    • This is optimizing the description, playlists, and end screens
    • End Screen Rabbit hole: don't say anything that indicates the video is ending. Say "now you know about this, next you need to learn about this"
  • Community & Connection
    • This is having in-jokes, names for people
    • Only give one CTA - don't try to say it all "like, subscribe, buy, etc..." Just pick one
    • Give the ask after a particularly interesting part of the video
• Every one of the above points can be scored out of 10 for a max score of 100.
• What's the right balance between quality and quantity?
  • Most people suck at Youtube because their videos are mediocre with a score of 40-60
  • Most people would be better off posting one banger (>70) then 3 average videos
  • It's easier to make one video that gets 10M views than 100 videos that get 10,000 views
  • Purple Cow from Seth Godin: a purple cow would spike your attention amongst a field of regular cows
• Passive income: real but means upfront work for perpetual income
• Build an evergreen library - topics that people will watch over time
• Ways to monetize:
  • Youtube ad revenue
  • Fan funding
  • Merch
  • Affiliate links
  • Brand deals
  • Digital products
  • Selling Services
  • Physical products
• New metric: baseline revenue - how much your channel makes just from old videos
• To start working with freelancers, start by hiring someone to make thumbnails - sometimes this can be just $5
• No one is 10/10 at every category so hire specialists

- Make a post in the community tab looking for freelancers from your own audience