How @tanmaybhat makes content - A Masterclass

Summary

In this engaging discussion, the speaker explores the challenges of innovation in content creation, emphasizing the importance of balancing freshness with audience expectations. They introduce the 'spikes and waves' concept, suggesting that creators should periodically introduce new, exciting content while maintaining a core audience base. The conversation delves into various examples, from YouTube trends to topical reactions, illustrating how creators can stay relevant and monetize their work. The speaker also shares insights on building a strong brand and leveraging networks for success, highlighting the value of consistency and the power of community engagement.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker emphasizes the importance of innovation in content creation, balancing freshness with audience expectations.
• 📈 They introduce the 'spikes and waves' analogy, suggesting that creators should occasionally introduce new, exciting content (spikes) amidst regular, expected content (waves).
• 🎬 The speaker recounts their experience with creating content around 'pity reviews' and 'Uber chats', illustrating how they found and capitalized on trending topics.
• 🤔 They discuss the importance of audience engagement, suggesting that if content resonates with those around the creator, it's likely to resonate with the broader audience.
• 👀 The speaker highlights the value of topicality in content, noting that reacting to current events or trending subjects can boost relevance and viewership.
• 🏆 They mention the success of a T20 World Cup review video, underscoring the power of timely content in attracting viewers.
• 📊 The speaker experimented with different content types, such as horror videos and finance memes, to see how their audience responds and to keep the content fresh.
• 💡 They stress that content creation is about building a strong brand and community, with monetization opportunities emerging as a natural consequence.
• 💸 The speaker points out that direct income from the main content (like a video) is not always the primary source of revenue; instead, it's about attracting an audience that can be monetized in other ways.
• 🏠 The speaker is in the process of setting up a 'Terrace' as a creative space for brainstorming and content creation, indicating a shift towards a more collaborative approach.

Q & A

What is the 'spikes and waves' analogy mentioned in the script?

The 'spikes and waves' analogy refers to the strategy of balancing innovation with audience expectations. 'Spikes' are the innovative, unexpected content that keeps the audience engaged and excited, while 'waves' represent the consistent, familiar content that meets the audience's expectations.

What is a 'pity review' as mentioned in the script?

A 'pity review' is a genre on YouTube where children play pranks on their parents, and then record the parents' reactions when they discover the prank. The term is used to describe the content where there's a guaranteed payoff, which is the child's reaction to the prank being revealed.

How does the speaker discover new content ideas for their YouTube channel?

The speaker discovers new content ideas by observing what naturally interests them and resonates with their audience. They look for 'the next show' or 'the next thing' that they find engaging, and if it also interests others in the room, they consider it as a potential content idea.

Why did the speaker decide to react to horror videos?

The speaker decided to react to horror videos because they were looking for new content ideas and thought the combination of horror and comedy would provide constant stimulation to the audience's brain, offering a non-stop engaging experience.

What is the importance of topicality in content creation as per the script?

Topicality is crucial in content creation because it makes the content relevant and timely, which in turn increases audience engagement. The speaker mentions that reacting to current events or trending topics, like the T20 World Cup or popular cricket players, can significantly boost the video's performance.

How does the speaker's approach to creating content around memes reflect their understanding of audience learning habits?

The speaker's approach to creating content around memes reflects an understanding that memes are a popular and accessible way for people to learn and engage with content. By creating content that reacts to or is inspired by memes, the speaker is catering to the audience's preference for learning through relatable and shareable formats.

What is the significance of creating a strong brand according to the speaker?

Creating a strong brand is significant because it allows the audience to resonate with the creator's content and personality. A strong brand can attract a loyal audience, which in turn opens up various monetization opportunities around the content, rather than solely from the content itself.

Why did the speaker mention Joe Rogan and Lex Friedman as examples in the script?

The speaker mentioned Joe Rogan and Lex Friedman as examples to illustrate the power of consistency and the long-term value of building a strong brand. Both have created successful content platforms that have attracted significant audiences and lucrative deals, demonstrating the potential for monetization beyond immediate content revenue.

What does the speaker mean by 'zero to one' and 'one to ten' in the context of content creation?

In the context of content creation, 'zero to one' refers to the process of creating something new and unique, often involving innovation and risk-taking. 'One to ten' refers to scaling up and refining the content, making it more consistent and repeatable. The speaker finds the 'zero to one' process more exciting as it involves creating something from scratch.

Why does the speaker believe that watching someone lose weight would be boring content?

The speaker believes that watching someone lose weight would be boring content because it involves repetitive and routine activities that do not offer the same level of excitement or entertainment value as other types of content. The process of weight loss is not cinematic and lacks the dynamic engagement that audiences typically seek.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 Innovating Content for Audience Engagement

The speaker discusses the challenge of innovating in content creation while still meeting audience expectations. They introduce the 'spikes and waves' analogy, emphasizing the importance of creating content that is both fresh and appealing. The speaker shares personal experiences, such as watching 'pity reviews' on YouTube during the pandemic and the subsequent discovery of 'Uber chats' as new content avenues. They stress the importance of identifying and creating content around topics that naturally interest them and resonate with the audience, using the example of reacting to horror videos and the polarizing response it received. The speaker also highlights the value of topicality in content, citing the success of a T20 World Cup review video and the strategy of capitalizing on trending topics and memes for viewer engagement.

05:06

📺 Monetization Beyond Main Content

The conversation shifts to the topic of monetization in content creation, where the speaker clarifies that income is not necessarily derived from the main content itself but from the audience engagement it generates. They use examples such as Virat Kohli's net worth, where match fees and BCCI earnings are overshadowed by brand endorsements, and compare it to the entertainment industry where actors and singers earn more from endorsements and live performances than their primary work. The speaker advocates for building a strong brand and community, suggesting that monetization opportunities will naturally follow. They reference Joe Rogan's podcast as an example of a content creator who built a significant audience before securing a lucrative deal with Spotify, highlighting the importance of consistency and the power of networking in the industry.

10:08

🏡 Creating a Collaborative Workspace for Content Generation

The speaker talks about setting up a physical space, their terrace, to facilitate content creation and collaboration. They express a preference for working in an environment with other creative individuals, suggesting the idea of a 'writer's room' for brainstorming and developing ideas. The speaker is in the process of making this space conducive to both recording and brainstorming sessions, indicating a shift towards a more collaborative approach to content creation. They emphasize the importance of being in a dynamic environment where multiple projects can be worked on simultaneously, drawing a comparison to the excitement of going from zero to one in various projects rather than focusing solely on scaling existing ones.

Keywords

💡Innovation

Innovation refers to the process of introducing new ideas, devices, or methods. In the context of the video, the speaker discusses the challenge of innovating in content creation, ensuring that while the content remains fresh and engaging, it also meets the expectations and desires of the audience. The speaker uses the example of their YouTube channel, where they explore new formats like 'Uber chats' and 'horror video reactions' to keep the content innovative.

💡Spikes and Waves

The 'spikes and waves' analogy is used to describe a strategy in content creation where 'spikes' represent occasional, high-impact content that stands out, while 'waves' are the consistent, ongoing content that maintains audience engagement. The speaker uses this concept to explain how they balance surprising their audience with new content (spikes) while also providing regular, expected content (waves).

💡Pitai Reviews

Pitai Reviews are a specific genre of YouTube videos where children play pranks on their parents, and the parents' reactions are recorded. The speaker mentions watching these during the pandemic and finding them entertaining, highlighting the 'guarantee payoff' of the parents' reactions. This serves as an example of content that consistently delivers on audience expectations.

💡Topicality

Topicality refers to the relevance or timeliness of a subject. The speaker discusses the importance of creating content that is topical, as it naturally attracts viewers. For instance, reacting to current events or trending topics can make a video more appealing because it aligns with what the audience is currently interested in, as exemplified by the speaker's successful T20 World Cup review video.

💡MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

In the video, MVP is used to describe the minimum viable product in a content creation context, which is the simplest version of content that can be released to gauge audience interest. The speaker suggests that if an idea resonates with everyone in the room, it's likely to be a successful MVP, indicating that it has potential to engage the broader audience.

💡Monetization

Monetization in the video refers to the process of generating revenue from content. The speaker explains that while the primary content may not directly generate income, it serves to attract and engage an audience, which can then be monetized through various means such as sponsorships, branded content, or live shows. The speaker uses examples like Virat Kohli's net worth and Joe Rogan's podcast to illustrate different monetization strategies.

💡Branding

Branding is the practice of creating a unique name and image for a product in the consumer's mind, mainly through advertising campaigns. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of creating a strong brand that resonates with the audience, which can then lead to various monetization opportunities. The speaker's own YouTube channel is an example of building a brand through consistent and engaging content.

💡Consistency

Consistency in the video is discussed as a key factor in content creation, especially when scaling up. The speaker mentions that while the initial creation (zero to one) is exciting, the scaling process involves repetition and consistency, which is essential for building a loyal audience and maintaining their interest over time.

💡Networking

Networking is the process of building relationships with others in one's industry or area of interest. The speaker talks about the power of networking, using the example of having access to influential people like Lex Friedman, and how it can open up opportunities for collaboration and growth. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of not abusing such access and respecting others' time.

💡Zero to One

The concept of 'zero to one' in the video refers to the initial creation or innovation process, where something new is brought into existence. The speaker finds this phase exciting as it involves exploring new ideas and formats. The speaker contrasts this with 'scaling,' which is about expanding and repeating the successful initial creation.

💡Habit Stacking

Habit stacking is a technique where new habits are added to existing routines to increase the likelihood of sticking to them. The speaker mentions this in the context of creating content around their personal weight loss journey, suggesting that while the process of habit stacking might be boring to execute, it can be an interesting concept to discuss and share with the audience.

Highlights

The importance of innovation in maintaining freshness while meeting audience expectations.

The 'spikes and waves' analogy for content creation, balancing unexpected hits with consistent themes.

The discovery of 'pity reviews' as a new content genre and its impact on the creator's channel.

The strategy of creating content around natural interests that resonate with the audience.

The concept of an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) in content creation and its role in audience engagement.

Experimenting with horror video reactions and the polarizing audience response.

The significance of topicality in content relevance and its impact on video retention.

The success of reacting to the T20 World Cup and the power of current events in content creation.

The role of memes in modern learning and their integration into content strategy.

The creator's experience with reacting to finance memes and its surprising popularity.

The idea of creating a strong brand as a foundation for various monetization opportunities.

The comparison between content creation and traditional entertainment industries like Bollywood.

The importance of live shows and events in monetization strategies for content creators.

The value of consistency in content creation and its role in building an audience.

The potential of having a writer's room for brainstorming and developing new content ideas.

The challenge of creating engaging content from routine activities like weight loss.

The creator's vision for a collaborative space on their terrace for content creation.

Transcripts

so this is the game right which is how

do you innovate such that you still

continue to be fresh

while also giving people what they want

right so it has to be so I this is the

spikes and waves analogy that I have

which is that every now and then you

want to do something that's like

because like

um like I remember when I was doing uh

pitai reviews okay I don't know you

won't know what a pit I review is I'll

explain why will I not know what

appetite reviews I don't know because

you are not my demographic okay

uh pretty review is where there are

there's a genre on YouTube where all

these kids they pull pranks from their

parents okay parents find out

so I would just watch these videos with

comedians no and the kids are taping

this the kids are taping this WOW there

is a guarantee payoff which is pity

right okay so that's the whole thing yes

I started watching these during my

pandemic and they're so funny they start

doing really well then I was like okay

what is the next thing that I can I can

find so if my YouTube channel was a TV

channel yeah this is one show yeah

and then something something happened I

discovered these Uber chats that

happened and then I did one episode on

that poofadia and I was like okay now

this is this is the second show second

show that I can keep running so I'm

always gonna look out for what's the

next show

what are the next things basically what

you're interested in right it's always

around this like this Center of yours

like I like this I'm going to create

something around it and if it's

naturally I find it naturally

interesting the key is interesting if

everybody in the room responds to it

it's most likely the audience will reach

that's your MVP and then that's right

yeah if if the room responds to it

like you just know like you can't lie to

yourself

so I recently tried reacting to horror

horror videos right horror videos yeah

like really scary scary videos jump

scares okay okay five comedians who are

all for twos

and we're watching and

polarizing response okay can you guess

what would have happened to this video

so there's a section of audience who

loves it okay because horror comedy is

like constant stimulation to your brain

right

like it's non-stop that's great

but I didn't foresee that the retention

on this average attention on this video

plummeted foreign

Channel Industries relevant search

results people searching for it

reacting to New Zealand news channel oh

interesting

panelists

except the reaction is not funny it's

dramatic yeah

um so topicality always works so for

example if in one week okay is

must yeah so the videos automatically

become relevant because I'm reacting to

stuff that's topical

it's perfect

Twitter I see Elon

um

so the last couple of videos there's one

video that I put up with T20 World Cup

review number one in my last 10 videos

it's debuted number one really well

um Virat Virat is super hot right now

I'm gonna upload a video today with

Surya Kumar yadav in the title uh just

crushed it so I just know now only oh

this is gonna crash because there's like

five memes about Surya Kumar yadav so

I'm like this is going to crush today

this is just you this is a bunch of

friends also reacting questions yeah

this is same format the OG gang we call

it dude Jordan Star Sports I want Star

Sports I can't believe this hold on hold

on hold on you and your bunch of friends

I can't believe it right how many people

watch this do you know must be Millions

so no big deal no biggie I don't know

I just think it's cool that it's on it's

on it's damn cool yeah and it's uh it's

very fun yeah because Cricket is like

there's like it keeps the conversation

going yeah

and so why won't they watch it on on TV

as well because it's really fun content

that makes sense this is good this

transition is happening you see this is

beautiful bro I did react reacting to

finance memes also on honestly how did

that go really well crash one of the

best bits of my videos honestly crashed

way more people saw it than a trading

series oh dude please it's at a million

views reacting to finance content then I

did an episode where I reacted to

philosophy content if you have

philosophy memes that I can react to

Fitness memes that would be interesting

have you done that I have I already did

one episode did really well it's 150k

views

thing is memes are just how people learn

now it's just constantly on your phone

you're constantly seeing but you know

what's interesting so I've always seen

this right you told we were talking

about this last last year when we were

in the hotel right when you're recording

and I think you said people think I'll

make a video and I'll get a sponsor and

that's how I make money that's not true

that's not how acting works that's not

how singing works you don't make money

from the main content not necessarily I

mean around it right uh what talk about

that a little bit right you may not make

money from a video that you upload

you're not even doing it for that right

but um no no no correct your attracting

audiences you're engaging them yeah yeah

so for example like this is what I was

going for here was that if you look at

Virat Kohli net worth yeah uh match fee

and BCCI fee is way lower than exactly

than branded fee exactly right uh so

it's like similar for Bollywood as well

What actors make for a movie is do often

comparison to what they would make from

the roster of

did so I can't comment I haven't kept up

with the box office but yeah you make

money from from around even singers

right like you listen to streams all the

time the Publishers make the money but

sing live shows live shows where the

games at exactly right

um so the game is the same which is

create a very strong brand that's that's

your main Community that's your main gig

which is create a strong brand have

people have people resonate with your

brand then ways to monetize will come

around you so the game is like for me

um like I like to think of it as I think

just having a distribution is the

superpower ways to monetize it they'll

always be around Joe Rogan is a great

example right 10 years same podcast and

then

um and he actually didn't even monetize

it with Brands right Joe was completely

clean yeah he never did a sponsorship

and then boom one day Spotify deal right

and super super long super deep like I

mean if you say podcast like I mean it's

joke yeah it's insane like he does four

hour podcasts and and he had weed with

some interesting people live yeah that

did really well Lex Friedman is a great

example I remember seeing the first few

episodes of Lex and be like dude who's

going to be interested in Ai and stuff

but oh my goodness he was so consistent

right so consistent then you and Lex ask

what everyone's yeah it's very simple

energy is really nice truly a like Lex

will if if I was a massive conference I

would pay Lex like 200 000 dollars

if you had to reach out to a guy clicks

I have this question right I'm like look

that my nose everyone or you can talk to

anyone if you have to reach out to Lex

like would you DM him or would you ask

someone like how do you do that

next is an example I have access to Lex

like if I wanted to

um that's the power of network right

your one degree separation away Max yeah

yeah I have uh I have I have friends who

know him Barack Obama is not that far

away is very far away very very far away

um but I've I've been around for a long

time right like I've no people in the

industry for the last

whatever decade or more more than that

now so you'll know I know if if I had to

get access to him but I will never abuse

that access like I'm never going to send

an email to like saying sir big fan can

I come on podcast

never never gonna do that his time is

valuable like would I do something do

unto others what you would have them do

to you yeah

like subscribe

nice this is fun I feel you've had this

conversation last year you tell about

all these things but now it's have you

ever spoken about this in a podcast a

lot of this stuff is all new

uh I don't do only that many podcasts

and like I don't

I don't unless it's like that's why I

already told you this I don't do that

many podcasts you know because this is

like

another podcast

I'm setting up my Terrace now um

is it your Terrace it is the like

there's a portion of the Terrace that's

that's for for this house so I'm Now

setting it up and I'm gonna make um a

recordable thing there and I'm also in

the space where I can't work alone okay

I hate working which is why like anyone

everyone edits from here like always

have folks who I can like could lose

dropping by for 10 days now there's a

guest room here so people can keep

coming so I'm now in the process of

maybe it's time to have a writer's room

for all the different different ideas

that I have uh that's going up in the

Terrace that will probably be on the

Terrace along with the shooting space

there only if there's a good idea you

can come down oop I just want to be in a

room where there are other data people

and we're all always doing something or

the other zero to one is the most fun

and if you can be zero to one in like

ten things yeah right then you then you

cannot be bored you're just like I'm

always doing yeah one two ten because

you're like scaling scaling is about

repetition consistency Sops yeah but

it's so useful huh

it's like scaling is if you can if you

can go zero to one and scale yeah

answer your King right like I've been

wanting to do a show about like I'm

losing weight now can I can I do can I

can I make some content out of it but I

was like look if I truly want to lose

weight yeah it is the most boring

content because you're doing the same

thing every day and you don't rather

around with the routine right you

like habit stacking is a good tweet but

it's very boring to actually do yeah

because it's not interesting it's not

interesting it's it's like uh like Sati

used to say like imagine watching a

movie about a painter would you want to

watch 10 minutes of someone painting

like crazy you don't watch people write

you don't want to watch people paint

like that's awful but that's where like

all Geniuses not Geniuses but like

that's where genius comes from right

like just beating at your craft over a

really long period of time yeah

and then we see Rahul satin pondered I'm

like this is not cinematic it's not it's

watching someone Ponder is like watching

someone Ponder is not fun to watch