Why every Cleo Abram video goes viral

Summary

In this insightful interview, Cleo Abram, the creative mind behind the rapidly growing YouTube channel 'Huge If True,' shares her strategic approach to content creation. From her start at Vox to becoming an independent creator, Cleo discusses her meticulous process, which includes crafting pitches, outlining scripts, and utilizing key visuals to simplify complex ideas. She emphasizes the importance of storytelling in video journalism, offers tips on securing interviews with experts, and reveals her vision for the future of YouTube as a platform for creators to own their distribution and showcase diverse talents.

Takeaways

• 📈 Cleo Abram's YouTube channel 'Huge If True' focuses on exploring optimistic technology and its potential impact on the future, filling a niche she was passionate about.
• 🎯 The channel's growth is attributed to Cleo's unique approach to storytelling, combining simple language with complex ideas to make technology accessible and engaging.
• 📝 Cleo's content creation process involves a detailed four-step method: pitching the idea, gathering information and visuals (info doc), creating a visual outline, and scripting.
• 🔍 The 'info doc' is a crucial step where all explanatory visuals are collected, organized, and hyperlinked for easy reference during scriptwriting.
• 🎨 Cleo emphasizes the importance of visuals in storytelling, stating that they should be the guiding element that helps explain the concept, not just an afterthought.
• 💡 The 'Huge If True' show is designed to be journalistically rigorous and genuinely optimistic, exploring new technologies and their potential benefits for millions.
• 🚀 Cleo prepared for her channel launch by having one episode ready before releasing the trailer, ensuring she could deliver on the promise of her show's concept.
• 💼 Before leaving her job at Vox, Cleo had a TikTok audience and sponsorships that helped cover the cost of early 'Huge If True' episodes, reducing financial risk.
• 🔗 Cleo's approach to gaining expert interviews involves showing respect for their time, demonstrating understanding of their work, and being clear about her objectives.
• 🌐 The rise of creator-owned distribution platforms like YouTube allows for more creative freedom and opportunities for various professionals, including journalists and actors.
• 🔑 Cleo's success on YouTube is a testament to the power of creator-driven content and the potential for individuals to build a significant audience by addressing specific interests and passions.

Q & A

What is Cleo's process for picking ideas and creating viral videos on YouTube?

Cleo's process involves pitching ideas, creating an outline, scripting, and focusing on key visuals that help explain complex ideas in a simple language. She emphasizes the importance of a clear pitch, a well-structured script, and visually compelling content.

How did Cleo prepare to leave her full-time job and become a content creator?

Cleo prepared by learning video journalism skills at Vox, building an audience on TikTok, and securing a sponsorship that covered the cost of her early 'Huge If True' episodes. She also worked with a designer to establish the visual brand of her show.

What is 'Huge If True' and how did Cleo think about launching her channel with this show?

'Huge If True' is Cleo's YouTube show that explores promising or exciting areas of technology. She launched her channel with this show in a format, aiming to start with a strong, well-planned content strategy.

What was Cleo's first video about and how did she approach covering technology?

Cleo's first video was about crypto kitties. She approached technology coverage with curiosity, focusing on forms of technology that sparked her interest and made her want to dig deeper.

How did Cleo ensure she was ready to launch her channel with 'Huge If True'?

Cleo prepared a trailer and one fully produced episode before launching her channel. She also tested the format by producing an episode to ensure she could deliver on the promises made in the trailer.

What is Cleo's approach to finding great key visuals for her videos?

Cleo finds great key visuals by thinking about how she would explain a story to someone else, identifying what she would need to draw or show. She emphasizes that the visual needs to help the explanation and not just be a decorative element.

How does Cleo's process of creating a YouTube video involve a four-step process?

Cleo's four-step process includes pitching the idea, gathering information and visuals (info do), creating a visual outline, and scripting. Each step builds on the previous one, culminating in a well-structured and visually compelling video.

What is the 'info do' step in Cleo's video creation process and why is it important?

The 'info do' step involves collecting all the visuals that will help explain the content. It's important because it ensures that the visuals are the most important element in the video, guiding the storytelling and helping the audience understand complex ideas.

How does Cleo approach writing scripts for her videos?

Cleo writes scripts with three columns: the middle column for visuals, the left column for the words she will say, and the right column for sources and notes. This structured approach helps her integrate visuals and narration seamlessly.

What advice does Cleo give to creators who want to leave their jobs and become full-time YouTubers?

Cleo advises creators to prepare by building an audience on other platforms, securing sponsorships, and having a clear vision for their content. She also emphasizes the importance of making a bet on what kind of content they want to create and iterating on that bet.

How does Cleo approach getting interviews for her videos?

Cleo sends well-researched and respectful emails to potential interviewees, explaining her show, its reach, and why she believes the person would be a good fit for her content. She also shows flexibility and openness to their suggestions.