How to get SO good at YouTube you can't stop going viral

Summary

This video script offers a step-by-step guide to boosting YouTube channel success by understanding the platform's algorithm, crafting compelling video ideas, creating effective thumbnails and titles, planning scripts, recording engaging content, and editing with pacing and sound design in mind. It emphasizes the importance of viewer retention and creating a binge-worthy channel experience.

Takeaways

• 🔍 **Breaking the Algorithm**: Success on YouTube is about creating content that people click on and watch, which the algorithm then promotes.
• 🎯 **Crafting Ideas**: Focus on what your audience wants, cares about, and is interested in, and create video titles that address their needs.
• 📝 **Idea Expansion**: Study trends and popular videos in your niche, then take ideas a step further or add a twist to make them more appealing.
• 🎨 **Thumbnails and Titles**: A compelling title and thumbnail are crucial for attracting viewers; they should give a clear reason to click on the video.
• 📚 **Script Planning**: Plan your script to maximize viewer retention, considering what footage you have and creating a storyboard to keep viewers engaged.
• 💧 **Viewer Retention Strategy**: Think of your video as a water tank that needs to be refilled with value to keep viewers from leaving.
• 📝 **Script Writing**: Write scripts that are concise yet natural, using analogies, examples, and stories to keep the content engaging.
• 🕒 **Video Duration**: Use valuable content to extend video length, but avoid making it feel stretched or chaotic.
• 🎬 **Intro Importance**: The intro must meet the expectations set by the title and thumbnail to keep viewers from clicking away.
• 🎥 **Recording Tips**: Record a variety of clips to maintain viewer interest and switch them frequently to keep the content dynamic.
• ✂️ **Editing for Pacing**: Edit videos with a brisk pace to maintain viewer attention and avoid long pauses or lingering on the same clip.
• 🔊 **Sound Design**: Use sound effects and music to create an immersive audio experience that keeps viewers engaged.

Q & A

What is the key to making a YouTube channel successful according to the transcript?

The key to success on YouTube is making videos that people click on and watch. The algorithm promotes videos that are engaging and have high viewership.

What is the first step in creating a successful video according to the speaker?

The first step is 'Breaking the algorithm', which involves understanding that YouTube's algorithm promotes videos that people click on and watch.

Why is the idea stage considered the most important in video creation?

The idea stage is crucial because it sets the foundation for the entire video. A compelling idea attracts viewers and keeps them engaged.

What should a video title and thumbnail convey to the audience?

A video title and thumbnail should convey a compelling reason for the viewer to click on the video. They should be clear, attractive, and immediately understandable.

How does the speaker describe the process of finding video ideas?

The speaker suggests studying trends and popular videos in your niche, then taking those ideas a step further or adding a twist to make them unique.

What is the purpose of planning the script in the video creation process?

Planning the script is crucial for maximizing viewer retention. It helps in structuring the video in a way that keeps viewers engaged and watching for as long as possible.

Why is it important to have a variety of clips in a video?

Having a variety of clips is important for maintaining viewer attention. It prevents the video from becoming monotonous and keeps the viewer engaged.

What role does pacing play in video editing?

Pacing is critical in video editing as it affects how quickly the video progresses and how much information is presented. Fast pacing can help maintain viewer interest and prevent boredom.

How can sound design enhance the viewer's experience in a video?

Sound design, including background music, ambient sounds, and transition sounds, creates an immersive audio experience that can help keep viewers watching for longer.

What is the speaker's advice on using AI in script writing?

The speaker advises using AI as a tool for finding better vocabulary, shortening sentences, and improving flow, but warns against relying on AI to write the entire script, as it lacks the natural conversational tone of human writing.

Why is it important to plan for viewers to binge-watch your videos?

Planning for binge-watching encourages viewers to watch multiple videos in a session, which can signal to YouTube that the channel is engaging and should be promoted.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Mastering YouTube Algorithm for Success

This paragraph introduces the YouTube algorithm, emphasizing its simplicity and focus on user engagement. The speaker shares their experience with two successful channels and outlines a step-by-step process to boost video visibility. The key takeaway is creating compelling content that people click on and watch, which is the core of YouTube's algorithm. The speaker also highlights the importance of crafting video titles that resonate with the audience's needs and interests, and suggests studying trends and popular videos within the niche to refine ideas.

05:01

🎨 Crafting Ideas and Captivating Thumbnails

The speaker discusses the importance of generating ideas that are both broad and specific enough to appeal to a wide audience within the niche. They share a personal experience with a video that was more successful than anticipated due to its broader appeal. The paragraph also delves into the creation of thumbnails and titles that compel viewers to click. The speaker advises against using a single frame from the video for the thumbnail and suggests creating a new image that better represents the video's concept. Additionally, they stress the need for a clear reason to watch the video, which should be evident from the thumbnail and title.

10:01

📝 Scriptwriting and Viewer Retention Strategies

This section focuses on the scriptwriting process and the importance of viewer retention. The speaker likens the process to refilling a water tank, suggesting that value must be consistently given to the audience to keep them engaged. They recommend breaking the video into sections with clear takeaways and incorporating 'pockets of dopamine' such as edits, montages, or jokes to provide breaks and maintain interest. The speaker also emphasizes the need for a concise and natural conversational tone in the script, using analogies, examples, and stories to keep the content engaging.

🎥 Recording and Editing Techniques for Viewer Engagement

The speaker shares insights on recording and editing, starting with their personal experience of using basic equipment for successful videos. They stress the importance of variety in recording to maintain viewer interest and suggest spending significant time on capturing diverse footage. In terms of editing, the paragraph emphasizes the importance of pacing, advocating for a brisk pace to keep viewers engaged. The speaker also discusses the role of sound design in creating an immersive audio experience, recommending the use of various audio elements like risers, transitions, ambient sounds, and a diverse music selection to complement the video's mood and pacing.

Keywords

💡Algorithm

The term 'algorithm' in the context of the video refers to YouTube's recommendation system, which promotes videos based on user engagement such as clicks and watch time. It is central to the video's theme as it explains how to make content that the algorithm favors, thus increasing visibility and viewership. The script mentions that the algorithm 'reflects what the people want' and 'promotes videos that people click on and watch.'

💡Viewer Retention

Viewer retention is a key metric that YouTube uses to evaluate how engaging a video is. In the script, it is described as a 'water tank' that needs to be refilled by providing value to the audience to keep them watching. The concept is integral to the video's message on creating compelling content that holds viewers' attention throughout the video's duration.

💡Niching

Niching refers to focusing on a specific, narrow interest area or market segment. The script emphasizes the importance of understanding and catering to the needs, fears, and insecurities of the audience within a particular niche. It is used to illustrate the strategy of creating content that resonates with a specific audience, thereby increasing the likelihood of engagement and algorithmic promotion.

💡Thumbnail

A thumbnail is the small preview image that represents a video on YouTube. The script discusses the importance of creating an effective thumbnail that immediately communicates the video's content to potential viewers. It is a critical component in enticing users to click on the video, as 'most often viewers look at the thumbnail before they look at the title.'

💡Scripting

Scripting in the video script refers to the process of writing the content for a video. It is highlighted as a crucial step in planning how to keep viewers engaged throughout the video. The script mentions that scripting should consider pacing, the distribution of key points, and the inclusion of 'pockets of dopamine' such as jokes or interesting edits to maintain viewer interest.

💡Engagement

Engagement in this video script pertains to the interaction and interest that viewers have with the content, which is a key factor in the success of a YouTube video. The video emphasizes creating engaging scripts that provoke thought, questions, and a sense of connection with the viewer, as opposed to monotonous or overly repetitive content.

💡Pacing

Pacing in the context of the video refers to the speed at which content is presented and the tempo of the video editing. The script stresses the importance of maintaining a brisk pace to keep viewers from losing interest, using the analogy of a 'water tank' that drains quickly without regular refills of engaging content.

💡Sound Design

Sound design in the video script involves the use of audio elements such as background music, sound effects, and ambient sounds to enhance the viewer's experience. The script mentions that sound design can make a video more immersive and help keep viewers watching for longer periods, contributing to higher viewer retention.

💡Intro

The intro of a video, as discussed in the script, is the initial segment that sets the expectation for the viewer. It is crucial for aligning with the viewer's expectations based on the video's title and thumbnail and for immediately delivering on the promises made to capture their interest from the start.

💡Editing

Editing in the video script refers to the process of assembling video clips and audio to create a cohesive final product. The script emphasizes the importance of editing for pacing and style, ensuring that the video maintains a fast pace and matches the genre and audience expectations to keep viewers engaged.

💡AI Scriptwriting

AI scriptwriting mentioned in the script refers to the use of artificial intelligence tools to assist in writing video scripts. While it can help with vocabulary, sentence shortening, and flow, the script warns against relying solely on AI, as it may lack the natural conversational tone and personal touch that viewers connect with.

Highlights

Achieving thousands of views per day within 2 weeks of starting a YouTube channel is possible without using forums, shoutouts, or secret techniques.

The YouTube algorithm promotes videos that receive clicks and watches, reflecting people's preferences.

Success on YouTube is tied to creating videos that people are compelled to click on and watch, and outperforming others in doing so.

The importance of the idea stage in video creation cannot be overstated, as it sets the foundation for the entire video.

Crafting video titles that address the needs of the audience is crucial for attracting viewers in your niche.

Ensuring video ideas are broad enough to appeal to a majority of the niche while still being specific enough to be interesting is key.

Studying trends and popular videos within your niche can provide inspiration and a basis for creating unique content.

Thumbnails and titles must compel viewers to click on the video; without a strong reason, viewers will not engage.

A clear and compelling reason to watch the video should be evident from the thumbnail and title.

Thumbnails should immediately convey the video's content to attract viewers in the niche.

Scripting is a strategic process aimed at maximizing viewer retention by providing continuous value.

Viewer retention can be visualized as a water tank that needs constant refilling with valuable content.

The pacing of a video is critical; maintaining a brisk pace prevents viewer drop-off.

Editing should match the genre and audience expectations to create an engaging video experience.

Creating a variety in the energy level of the video through editing can re-engage viewers who might zone out.

Sound design, including background music and sound effects, enhances the audio experience and keeps viewers engaged.

The intro of a video is pivotal; it must meet the expectations set by the title and thumbnail to retain viewers.

Avoiding perfectionism in scriptwriting allows for the creation process to flow and improve over time.

Recording multiple clips provides variety in the video, which can significantly impact viewer attention.

Pacing in editing is paramount; even in slower genres, maintaining a brisk pace is essential.

The use of AI can assist in scriptwriting by improving vocabulary and flow, but it should not replace the creator's unique voice.

Planning for binge-watching by ensuring consistent quality throughout the channel encourages viewers to watch multiple videos.

Transcripts

I was getting thousands of views per day

within 2 weeks of starting this Channel

I didn't post in forums get shoutouts or

use some secret technique all I did was

upload two videos and nothing else today

you'll learn how to get those results

for your own channel chapter 1 Breaking

the algorithm getting YouTube's

algorithm to blow up your channel is

actually really simple here's how it

works explained by the largest Creator

on the platform if people are clicking

and watching then it gets promoted more

and that's all that's literally all the

algorithm does is reflect what the

People Want it really is that simple

success on YouTube comes when you make

videos that people click on and watch

the hard part is doing it better than

everyone else but based on my experience

with two successful channels and my

research into the methods of the best

creators on the platform I have created

a stepbystep process to take your videos

to the Moon in fact your next video will

Mark that changing point in your channel

if you do everything I tell you to

chapter 2 a good idea messing up in the

idea stage under Minds the entire video

which makes this step the most important

to start create a list of whatever you

can think of that sounds interesting to

people in your Niche focus on what your

Niche wants what they care about what

they're scared of or even what they're

insecure about the real question here is

what video titles can you craft that

address the needs of your audience

figure out what content will live up to

the title later and that's not even all

there is to it see if you can catch the

mistake with this video

here it's about just one single feature

that wasn't super interesting most

people in my Niche didn't have a reason

to watch this however this video was

relevant to far more Terraria players

because the idea was way more broad so

your ideas can't be super specific they

must be attractive to most people in

your

niche finding ideas can be challenging

at first so a little trick that I like

to use is to just leave all that

thinking to the pros I'll study Trends

and popular videos from my Niche and

then try to take ideas a step further or

put some sort of twist on

[Music]

it wait stop you cannot make the video

just yet you'll see why in just a second

chapter 3 thumbnails and titles you

still need to make the title and

thumbnail so you can actually calculate

the quality of that idea you see for it

to be a good idea there must be at least

one very compelling reason to click on

the video if you can't figure out a way

to do that then maybe you should watch

this video here or maybe your idea just

sucks if that's the case do not use that

idea here's a video where it's very

obvious what the reasons to watch are

for starters you want to see what liquid

sand looks like when it's moving around

in a recording but you'd also like to

know how it works and what it looks like

to swim in in and for this video the

reason to watch is that Terraria players

love to know about new features and

therefore this video will be interesting

because it covers a new feature to the

game so the reason to watch is to learn

about the Oasis in Teraria that is some

[ __ ] the reason to watch can't

require a bunch of rationalization

otherwise it's a really weak reason

nobody cares about your video until you

give a solid reason to watch it like

this find for yourself the difference in

how enticing these two videos

are when it comes to designing the

thumbnail it's essential to make a

thumbnail that lets anyone in your Niche

immediately understand what's going on

you can't rely too much on the title

here because most often viewers look at

the thumbnail before they look at the

title so don't use a poorly shot photo

or an uncropped screenshot otherwise

your thumbnail is just too bland and

confusing next to all the others most

YouTubers don't even use a single frame

from their video to make the thumbnail

instead they take new photos often

piecing multiple together to create an

image that most effectively represents

the idea of that video now for the title

it's the best opportunity for giving a

reason to watch my reason typically

comes from titling the video as a

question but it's also a great strategy

to instead give extra context about your

video just make sure that the reason to

watch is still clear chapter 4 plan the

script remember earlier how Mr Beast

described the algorithm well think of

your entire scripting process as your

plan for this part making people watch

your video for as long as possible even

something like a vlog where you've

recorded everything first requires you

to consider what footage you have and

then create a storyboard because without

a strong strategy to maximize viewer

retention you will lose viewers

incredibly quickly a great way to think

about all this is a big water tank with

a leak in the bottom at the start of

your video you're at a full tank but it

drains quickly and once it's out viewers

start looking for something better to

watch the only way to keep viewers is to

do a little refill by giving value to

your audience say or do something

interesting something important or

helpful even just make them smile

something like that also be aware that

the tank drains at different speeds

depending on your audience some niches

and age groups have an attention span of

around 20 seconds While others can last

maybe 2 or 3 minutes knowing that you

should spread out your key points of

information evenly throughout the video

to consistently refill the tank start by

separating the video into different

sections each with a couple bullet

points to list the takeaways Next plan

out some pockets of dopamine little

edits montages or jokes to give the vi a

quick break without these your video

flies by way too quickly which

overwhelms the viewer and prevents them

from absorbing anything chapter 5 script

writing do you remember a minute ago

when I talked about that water tank well

here is where it really comes into play

once you start allow viting on the

takeaways you just listed explain them

as simply as you can a 10-minute video

that could have been 3 minutes will be

so boring that the average view duration

will likely be just a minute but'll flip

this around a 3 minute video which is so

compact that it feels like 10 minutes

will be so entertaining that the average

view duration is likely closer to 2 and

1/2 minutes but that being said trimming

down your video too far actually hurts

engagement it makes it feel really

chaotic and kind of soulless so while

your wording should get to the point

quickly it should still resemble the

spirit of a natural conversation so make

it feel like you're actually talking to

the viewer they should be an Engaged

listener thinking about what you've said

and asking questions if you constantly

tell things the exact same way it gets

monotonous but if you switch it up

sometimes use an analogy or an example

tell a story or ask a question it makes

the video much more engaging but as you

may have noticed there's now an even

bigger problem you see with you you

shortening your videos so much you

struggle to reach that 8 Minute Mark

where this sweet sweet cash comes

rolling in so here's where the really

highle stuff comes in I like to call it

valuable [ __ ] I first discovered

this when watching a Ryan Trahan video

about a soundproof room I was surprised

at first that the video lasted exactly 8

minutes but while watching I couldn't

help but admire what Ryan was doing and

by the end of the video I had learned

one of the most crucial YouTube

strategies you see the duration of that

video was not a coincidence his video

could have lasted 5 minutes but he

extended it using valuable [ __ ]

check this out the creator of the

world's quietest room is a man named

Steve Steve orfield of orfield

Laboratories I'm scared of this man for

a number of reasons not only does he

send two-word response emails but also

orfield Laboratories literally sounds

like the place a demagorgon would be

hiding in the next season of stranger

things it's quick and subtle but it's

funny and that gives value to the viewer

also it builds a more personal

connection to who's watching which makes

him stick around with you for for longer

all of the ways that Ryan fluffed up his

video added something to it rather than

stretched out what was already there

before we talk about just forgetting all

of this and letting AI write everything

we need to talk about the most important

part of the script the intro if you do

not take those first few seconds to meet

the expectations people had going in

they will stop watching so take a good

look at your title and thumbnail what

made someone click that what information

what pacing and what mood are they

expecting your entire video but

especially the intro needs to align with

those three principles as for

specifically what you say there is no

single answer you just confirm to them

that your video will be what they

expected and then immediately start

delivering but please I am begging you

do not ask for likes for subscribers or

for money that is not what they came

here

for now about AI it is a great tool to

help with your script writing I use it

to find better vocabulary to shorten

sentences and to improve my flow but I

would never use it to write a script

that's because AI is just stupid it's

trained using books and websites and

therefore writes kind of the same way

but YouTube videos aren't written the

same as books all right sure using AI is

lazy and it messes up the video but what

I'm about to say is even worse and guess

what you probably do it too I sure did

back in my Terraria Channel I would draw

out the second half of my script and

just kind of half ass it well it's true

that people are more likely to keep

watching the second half if they made it

through the first half they're only more

likely to keep watching but I counted on

people staying once they got around to

that halfway mark the writing editing

and everything else would get way worse

then I put in an outro that gave credits

and stuff like that it took me a while

to learn that there is no such thing as

an outro on YouTube talk about why I

hadn't blown up yet is because I was

thinking of my channel one video at a

time and therefore viewers looked at my

channel the same way one video at a at a

time but what if they looked at my

channel five videos at a time 10 videos

at a time you know there is no better

way to tell YouTube to blow up your

channel than to have people binge your

videos so plan for that don't let

viewers get bored of you keep the second

half just as good and then they're far

more likely to watch another of your

videos next okay with all of that being

said the most important thing for you to

do is to avoid not writing anything

because you're just trying to get it all

perfect writing is a process it's never

going to be perfect the first time

chapter 6

recording so about recording I actually

uh recorded my first two videos on my

iPhone and a Blue Snowball and the

videos actually did really good what's

actually important is to just get as

many Clips as possible you can't have

one continuous shot of you talking you

need a variety of things for the viewer

to look at for my Terraria Channel I

would spend on average 10 hours

recording footage just so I could switch

the clips every 5 seconds and yes it is

worth it the impact on your attention is

massive chapter 7

editing the core of editing is pacing

you see the style can be whatever you

want but pacing pacing always has to be

as fast as possible to really give you a

sense of what it should be let's look at

the bare minimum a 90-minute nature

documentary this is a very slow paced

genre yet at a random point in the film

the video cut to three different clips

in 15 seconds an average of 5 Seconds

per clip while the style was extremely

minimalist just some background footage

music and a voice over the editing

maintained a Brisk pace so if this is

just about the slowest editing you can

possibly get away with what does that

have to say about your videos which

Linger on the same clips for 10 20

seconds and that's not even to mention

the pauses that you make while you're

speaking no one wants to see you staring

around trying to figure out what you

have to say next

um or any part of your video that's just

a couple seconds long where nothing's

happening cut that out too besides that

the style of editing should match up

with the genre of your video and the

audience you have the wrong editing

style can really ruin your video so

figure out how the best creators in your

Niche edit and then learn how to make

something similar okay here's the most

underrated editing tip ever create a

variety of how much energy your video

gives off the stark contrast of a

hyperedited section abruptly turning

into a mellow a-roll segment forces the

viewer to jump back into Focus these

changes in pacing keeps the viewer from

zoning out wait do you hear that that

kind of like rumbling sound that's

called a riser oh that was a hit these

are just two examples of sounds that

make the video way more immersive just

as important are transition sounds

ambient sounds and some Folly sounds

sound design creates a really nice audio

experience which will help keep the

viewers watching for a little longer so

I definitely recommend it I used to use

freesound.org but now use in photo

elements and sound effects aren't the

only way you can spice up the audio

rather than throwing in a couple

background songs that kind of work

create a more immersive experience by

choosing a larger variety of Music a lot

of the pacing and mood of a video comes

from the music so find songs that work

really well for what you're aiming for

so yeah that is the basic process but

for someone like you I think you want

something better so click here for the

more detailed version of all of this