1070 – Getting Over 10,000 YouTube Views From 467 Subscribers

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Zac Mason

James’s recent journey back into YouTube has benefited hugely from the help of his friend Zac Mason. James initially enlisted Zac’s expertise in health and fitness, before learning he had a knack for YouTube video production. That discovery led to Zac expanding his services to help clients with YouTube through vidsurface.com.

Despite not having a massive channel yet, Zac’s recent work with James has yielded impressive results, with videos on James’s channel gaining thousands of views and boosting James’s subscriber count from 70 to nearly 500.

In this appearance of Zac’s, he and James will discuss his strategies and expertise in optimizing content for engagement and visibility on YouTube.

They’ll talk about how to plan a video to prime it for success.

They’ll look at trend jacking and how to handle bad comments.

And they’ll unpack the video production process that helped James hit his 10,000-views-from-one-video milestone.

Table of contents

1. Don’t ask them to watch
2. Paying attention to what people like
3. What to do when haters hate
4. Can you use other people’s B-roll?
5. Leveraging someone else’s fame
6. I want to make this kind of video…
7. What sticking to a topic does
8. James’s current video creation process
9. How thumbnail testing works
10. Workflow, equipment, content
11. Let Zac work his magic

Don’t ask them to watch

It sounds counterintuitive, but James and Zac recommend not actively promoting one’s YouTube channel to everyone. Instead, they suggest targeting viewers who are genuinely interested in the content.

By focusing on attracting engaged viewers who are likely to watch the entire video, leave comments, and interact with the content positively, they aim to improve a video’s performance metrics, such as watch time and audience retention, which are key factors in YouTube’s algorithm for recommending videos.

This strategy aligns with YouTube’s increasing ability to discern viewer preferences and engagement levels, ultimately contributing to a channel’s growth and success.

Paying attention to what people like

James and Zac discuss further the importance of paying attention to what topics resonate with viewers on YouTube. There’s a need to strike a balance between personal interests and audience preferences, with emphasis on content that aligns with existing demand. This approach aims to maintain viewer engagement and improve video performance metrics.

In one instance for example, Zac and James identified interest in a product within the broader topic of surfing. They then tailored their content to cater to that interest, with great success.

At that point they could have then created videos about something else. Instead, they capitalized on consistency in theme to leverage the “binge effect,” much like Netflix keeps viewers engaged with a continuous flow of related content.

This strategy helps build trust with the audience and fosters a sense of community around the channel’s content.

What to do when haters hate

Our experts touch on the inevitability of facing negative comments and criticism as a content creator.

Zac frames negative feedback as an opportunity for engagement and insight rather than something to take personally. Negative comments, he says, are a sign that content has sparked attention and engagement, which can provide valuable feedback for future videos.

Zac initially struggled himself with negative comments, but grew a thick skin and learned to see them as a chance for improvement and market understanding. He suggests creators use negative comments as inspiration for future content ideas and perspective on what their audience responds to. By embracing both positive and negative feedback, creators can refine their content and better understand what their audience likes.

Can you use other people’s B-roll?

James has questions around using B-roll footage in YouTube videos.

Zac acknowledges a gray area in terms of copyright and fair use. While he cautions against directly copying content, he believes repurposing short clips is generally accepted within certain limits. He suggests creators research and understand the boundaries of fair use, and exercise discretion when using external content.

There are popular YouTubers, says Zac, who repurpose others’ content with commentary, suggesting that appropriateness and transformation affect the acceptability of using B-roll footage. James emphasizes the need for caution, particularly with music usage. Different industries, though, appear to have have different standards, as he’s observed from surfing videos.

Leveraging someone else’s fame

What about leveraging famous figures or trending topics to capture attention in YouTube videos?

Using authoritative figures or hot topics in thumbnails and titles is in fact effective. It’s called trendjacking or famejacking, says Zac – tapping into existing sources of attention to provide desired content that may not have previously existed.

Zac underscores the importance of relevancy and trendiness in video ideation, and mixing in trending topics, people, or products can enhance a video’s performance.

He stresses that not every video needs to feature a famous person or trend, but suggests creators consider incorporating them when relevant to their channel’s content, even if just briefly.

James has seen the effectiveness of this approach while guided by Zac – ideas that align with existing demand do tend to perform better and receive greater engagement.

Reflecting on their collaboration, James likes how Zac quickly shoots down less viable ideas during their brainstorming sessions. They’ve had great success with a particular topic that resonates strongly with viewers, even prompting discussions in the comments section. Mining the topic for content and using a famous surfer’s image in thumbnails has led to more engagement and interest in the subject matter.

I want to make this kind of video…

Zac addresses the impulse to create videos just because one wants to. It’s a mistake, he says, to think authenticity alone guarantees success. Creators must respect the audience’s time and attention. Successful film directors, says Zac, understand the need to deliver value without wasting viewers’ time.

While acknowledging the desire to explore diverse content, Zac advises creators to align their video topics with their audience’s interests and their channel’s goals. He highlights, too, the need for realistic expectations – success on YouTube calls for strategic content planning and consideration of the channel’s growth objectives.

Based on his own experience, Zac suggests making separate channels for different topics to maintain audience alignment and avoid diluting the main channel’s focus. There’s a real risk of attracting viewers that may not contribute to achieving business goals, hence the importance of content alignment with target audience interests to drive engagement and channel growth.

What sticking to a topic does

Zac revisits the role of content topic consistency in creating a cohesive viewing experience for the audience. He likens it again to watching episodes on a Netflix channel. Keeping to a core theme ensures that viewers are more likely to watch subsequent videos and engage with the channel over time, leading to channel growth and success.

James reflects on niche specialization. He cites examples like Alex Hormozi and Sam Sulek, who gained traction in specific micro-niches before expanding into broader topics. Zac stresses the importance of not trying to cover too wide a range of subjects, which can lead to confusion and disengagement among viewers, as seen in channels that lack a clear focus.

One must consider, too, the strategic implications of content selection, highlighting the need to cultivate an audience with buying intent rather than simply chasing views. Aligning content with audience interests and channel goals lays the groundwork for future monetization, emphasizing the value of long-term planning and audience cultivation in channel success.

James’s current video creation process

James outlines his present video creation process, which involves thorough research and scripting with Zac’s assistance. He and his wife, he says, film the videos in his garage, ensuring basic lighting and sound quality, before handing the footage over to his team for editing.

Zac helps refine the draft edits, focusing on removing any elements that might cause viewer disengagement, and rearranging the content for maximum impact.

Zac highlights the importance of scripting and structuring videos to maintain viewer interest from the start. One needs to grab attention quickly, he says, and avoid lengthy introductions. He reworks the draft edits, focusing on enhancing intrigue and excitement of the video’s introduction, while trimming any extraneous content.

James highly values Zac’s input, which improves video flow and effectiveness, especially in incorporating action shots seamlessly with the narrative.

James appreciates the efficiency gained through scripting and planning. It streamlines both the filming process, he says, and the subsequent editing phase. Zac’s guidance is priceless, too, in prioritizing the right content and ensuring a focused, goal-oriented approach to video creation.

Good project management maintains momentum and clarity throughout the video production process, from conception to publication.

How thumbnail testing works

Zac and James have adopted a revised thumbnail testing process, which now leaves successful thumbnails unchanged until their performance declines. Rapid changes in audience composition during video expansion, they explain, can distort split testing results, calling for a more cautious approach to thumbnail adjustments. They also highlight YouTube’s fluctuating audience dynamics, which can lead to sudden spikes in views followed by periods of stagnation.

The conversation delves into the need for patience in evaluating video performance, especially for new channels in competitive niches. Each video, says Zac, should be treated as part of a broader portfolio – not every video will become a viral hit but can still serve niche audience interests effectively.

Workflow, equipment, content

James and Zac talk about their streamlined video creation workflow, stressing the effectiveness of focusing on one video at a time. It’s beneficial to break down the process into manageable steps, from ideation and scripting to recording, editing, and publishing.

This approach prevents overload and ensures accountability, leading to higher-quality content production.

On equipment and production levels, Zac cautions against overinvestment in fancy tech. Content quality is more important than flashy equipment. Successful videos can be created with basic setups and good scripting. James cites for example the hugely popular videos of a grocery store lobster that became someone’s pet.

Content creation is challenging, Zac and James acknowledge, especially in niches like surfing where product testing and real-world usage are necessary. Despite difficulties, however, they recognize the value of simplicity and perseverance in creating content.

James is grateful for the growth of his channel, crediting Zac’s guidance and YouTube’s promotion. They celebrate the addition of 400 subscribers and reflect on the journey of improving content quality and attracting a wider audience.

Let Zac work his magic

Interested individuals can look up Zac at vidsurface.com and work with him to improve their YouTube channel. Zac emphasizes his one-on-one approach, preferring personalized assistance over selling courses or running a YouTube channel about YouTube channels. He also stresses the importance of frontloading effort by starting with a good idea, which leads to a strong thumbnail, title, and script, which makes for a smoother filming and editing processes.

James expresses gratitude for Zac’s guidance and the success they’ve achieved together, including a 10,000-view video despite a small subscriber base. Listeners are welcome to send questions for Zac, to be addressed in future episodes with updates on James’s channel’s progress. The next milestone in sight: 1000 subscribers.

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