How to get the world's most sought-after job | Max Fosh | TEDxOxford

Summary

The speaker, a YouTuber, shares his experience of creating a large-scale welcome sign visible from airplanes, highlighting the low barriers to entry and opportunities for virality in the digital age. He emphasizes the importance of understanding algorithms and data to engage audiences and improve content creation, ultimately encouraging individuals to pursue their creative passions, as the internet provides a platform for anyone to succeed.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The speaker created a large welcome sign visible from the air near Gatwick Airport, which was seen by millions.
• 🚀 The internet and social media have made this the best time for creative individuals, allowing them to monetize their passions.
• 🎶 The barrier to entry for creative professions has significantly lowered, contrasting with the past where gatekeepers controlled opportunities.
• 🤣 The speaker humorously highlights their own unconventional career, including a failed London mayoral bid and a prank on food critics.
• 🌐 Virality is now possible for anyone, not just those with established audiences, due to the way online platforms function and their algorithms.
• 🔄 The algorithm is key to going viral; understanding it can help content reach a wider audience through a chain reaction of recommendations.
• 👀 The importance of a strong 'hook' is emphasized, as the first 30 seconds are crucial to retaining viewers' attention.
• 📊 Data analytics, such as watch time and viewer retention graphs, provide creators with insights to improve their content.
• 💰 Content creators are being paid more than ever before, with YouTube alone paying out $30 billion to creators in the last three years.
• 🌐 The algorithm favors content that resonates with viewers, suggesting that it's not too late to start a creative journey and find success.

Q & A

What activity did the speaker engage in at the field in West Sussex?

The speaker, along with three colleagues, installed 600 square meters of Tarin at a field in West Sussex for work purposes.

How many people were exposed to the speaker's handiwork at Gatwick Airport?

The speaker's handiwork, a massive welcome sign, was seen by over 400 million people from various countries, including New Zealand and Israel.

How did the speaker verify the placement of the welcome sign at Gatwick Airport?

The speaker took a flight from London Heathrow to London Gatwick via Amsterdam to view the sign from the air, without leaving the plane.

What was the speaker's profession and how does it relate to his activities?

The speaker is a YouTuber, which involves creating content and engaging with an audience online. His activities, including the welcome sign and running for London mayor, reflect his creative and humorous approach to his work.

What was the speaker's ranking in the London mayoral race in 2020?

The speaker came in 19th place out of 20 candidates in the 2020 London mayoral race.

How did the speaker describe the current state of the creative industry?

The speaker described the creative industry as being in the best time due to low barriers to entry, the ability for anyone to go viral, the availability of data to improve content, and increased monetization opportunities for creators.

What is the significance of the algorithm in the context of the speaker's YouTube experience?

The algorithm is significant because it determines which videos are recommended to viewers, allowing creators to reach a wider audience. Understanding the algorithm helps creators optimize their content for better visibility and engagement.

How does the retention graph help content creators?

The retention graph shows how many viewers are still watching at various points throughout a video, providing insights into viewer engagement and areas for improvement within the content.

What is the impact of YouTube's recommendation feature on content discovery?

The recommendation feature allows viewers to discover new content from different creators, increasing the chances for creators to go viral even without a large audience, as the platform suggests their content to viewers interested in similar topics.

How much has YouTube paid out to content creators in the last three years, according to the speaker?

According to the speaker, YouTube has paid out $30 billion to content creators in the last three years.

What advice does the speaker give to potential creatives who feel it might be too late to start?

The speaker encourages potential creatives to go ahead and create content, as the algorithm favors content that people like, and there is room for more creativity and unique voices in the world.