Why you're not growing on youtube (and what to try next…)

Summary

The video offers strategies for reviving a stagnant YouTube channel, emphasizing the shift from search-based to storytelling content for building a loyal audience. It suggests creating catchy titles, using engaging background music, sound effects, and b-roll to enhance viewer interest and retention. The creator also stresses the importance of communicating a clear value proposition in titles and thumbnails and considering a content pivot if passion is lost, to reignite creativity and audience engagement.

Takeaways

• 🎯 Consistency in posting is crucial but not enough for growth; the content strategy must evolve.
• 🔍 Initially, optimize videos for search engines to build a content library, but later shift to focus on audience engagement.
• 💬 Pivot from search-based to storytelling videos to foster a relational audience and increase subscriber loyalty.
• 📝 Create catchy titles and reverse engineer content to fit them for better homepage optimization.
• 🎥 Use a variety of background music and sound effects to make videos more engaging and to increase view duration.
• 🎞 Incorporate b-roll to visually represent the topic being discussed, enhancing viewer interest and engagement.
• 🌟 Offer clear value in each video, ensuring viewers understand the takeaways to encourage clicks and viewing.
• 💡 Experiment with video styles and formats to reignite passion and creativity if feeling uninspired.
• 🔄 Don't fear change in niche or content direction; it can bring fresh ideas and energy to your channel.
• 🛠️ Use a YouTube scripting template to optimize videos for retention and viewer engagement.

Q & A

What is the main challenge the speaker is addressing in the video?

The main challenge the speaker is addressing is the frustration of consistently posting YouTube videos without seeing the desired growth in views and subscribers.

Why does the speaker suggest that optimizing videos for search engines may not be enough for growth?

Optimizing videos for search engines can help build a foundation for a channel, but it tends to foster a transactional audience. To build a loyal audience that cares about the creator, it's important to pivot to a strategy that focuses more on storytelling and sharing personal experiences.

How does the speaker recommend creating catchy titles for YouTube videos?

The speaker recommends creating a list of catchy title ideas and then reverse-engineering the video content to fit those titles. This helps in coming up with engaging and interesting titles that can attract a wider audience.

What is the purpose of using different background music for different segments of a video?

Using different background music for different segments helps to switch up the vibe or feeling for each section of the video, making it feel more fast-paced and engaging, thus preventing the audience from getting bored.

How can sound effects enhance the viewer's experience of a video?

Sound effects can be used to introduce different visuals, emphasize points, or add emotional depth to a video. They can keep the viewer more engaged and make the video more interesting, but should be used in moderation to avoid annoyance.

What is the role of b-roll in making a video more engaging?

B-roll serves as a visual representation of what is being discussed on camera. It can be literal or emotional, and alternating between these two approaches helps to keep the videos interesting and visually appealing.

Why is it important for a YouTube creator to feel passionate about their content?

Passion is crucial for a YouTube creator because it leads to better ideas and a more energetic on-camera presence. If a creator is not excited about their content, it may be time to pivot and try something new to reignite that passion.

What advice does the speaker give to creators who are in a growth rut and feeling uninspired?

The speaker advises such creators to consider changing their video style, format, or even niche to bring a fresh perspective and reignite their passion for creating content.

How can a creator ensure their videos are optimized for retention?

A creator can use a YouTube scripting template to help optimize their videos for retention, ensuring that the content is engaging and keeps viewers watching until the end.

What is the significance of a clear value proposition in a YouTube video?

A clear value proposition helps viewers understand what they will gain from watching the video. It serves as a compelling reason for them to click on the video and engage with the content.

How can a creator communicate the value they offer through their title and thumbnail?

A creator can communicate the value by clearly stating in the title and thumbnail what the viewer can expect to learn or gain from the video, whether it's entertainment, inspiration, companionship, or good vibes.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Overcoming YouTube Growth Ruts

The paragraph discusses the challenges of growing a YouTube channel and the frustration of not seeing desired results despite consistent posting. The speaker shares personal experience of over 10 years on YouTube and provides tips for reviving a stagnant channel. The importance of pivoting from search-based content to storytelling and creating a relational audience is emphasized. A method of ideation is introduced, where catchy titles are paired with relevant content concepts to optimize for homepage visibility and engagement.

05:00

🎶 Enhancing Video Engagement with Creative Editing

This section focuses on strategies to make videos more interesting and engaging to increase view duration and algorithm recommendations. Techniques such as using different background music for various segments, incorporating sound effects, and utilizing b-roll to visually represent the content are discussed. The speaker also mentions the use of Storyblocks, a media library, to enhance video production and offers a special discount for their audience.

10:01

🎯 Defining Your Content's Value Proposition

The paragraph addresses the issue of a lack of clear value in content, which can lead to a growth rut. It emphasizes the need for a compelling takeaway or reason for viewers to watch the videos, especially for beginner lifestyle creators. The importance of communicating the value add through titles and thumbnails is highlighted. The speaker also touches on the challenge of passion and excitement in content creation and suggests the possibility of pivoting to new styles or topics to reignite creativity and engagement.

Keywords

💡YouTube rut

The term 'YouTube rut' refers to a period where a content creator on YouTube feels stuck and is not experiencing growth in views or subscribers despite consistent posting. In the context of the video, the creator shares tips to overcome this stagnation and revive the channel's growth.

💡Consistent posting

Consistent posting is the practice of regularly uploading content to a YouTube channel. It is considered a foundational aspect of growing a channel, as it helps establish a reliable presence and can improve the chances of being discovered by the YouTube algorithm. However, the video suggests that mere consistency is not enough and other strategies are needed for significant growth.

💡Search engine optimization (SEO)

Search engine optimization, or SEO, refers to the process of improving the visibility and ranking of a video on search engines like YouTube. This involves using relevant keywords, creating compelling titles and descriptions, and structuring the content in a way that aligns with what the audience is searching for. The video explains that while SEO is important, it should be balanced with creating content that resonates with viewers on a personal level.

💡Transactional audience

A 'transactional audience' refers to viewers who engage with content for a specific purpose, such as finding an answer to a question or a solution to a problem, and then disengage once their need is met. This type of audience may not necessarily subscribe or become regular viewers. The video suggests that focusing on storytelling and personal experiences can help build a more loyal and engaged audience.

💡Storytelling

Storytelling is the art of using narratives to share information, experiences, or advice in a way that is engaging and relatable. In the context of the video, the creator emphasizes the importance of sharing personal stories and experiences to connect with the audience on a deeper level and foster a relational audience.

💡Homepage optimization

Homepage optimization refers to the process of creating and promoting content that is more likely to appear on the YouTube homepage, thereby reaching a wider audience beyond those specifically searching for certain topics. This involves using catchy titles and creating content that appeals to a broader range of viewers.

💡B-roll

B-roll refers to supplementary footage or visuals that are edited into a video to support the main narrative or content. It can include clips, images, or animations that help illustrate or emphasize the points being made by the speaker. In the video, B-roll is highlighted as a key element in making videos more interesting and engaging, which can improve viewer retention and recommendations by the algorithm.

💡Value proposition

A value proposition is a clear statement that communicates the unique benefits and reasons for a viewer to engage with a video. It answers the question of what the viewer will gain from watching the content. The video emphasizes the importance of having a clear value proposition to attract and retain viewers.

💡Passion

Passion refers to a strong interest or enthusiasm for a particular topic or activity. In the context of the video, the creator discusses the importance of feeling excited and passionate about the content being created, as this energy translates to more engaging and authentic videos that resonate with the audience.

💡Pivoting

Pivoting, in the context of content creation, refers to the process of changing or adjusting the direction, style, or focus of one's content to reignite interest and growth. This can involve experimenting with new formats, topics, or angles to breathe fresh life into a channel and re-engage the audience.

Highlights

The video discusses strategies for reviving a stagnant YouTube channel.

The speaker has been creating content on YouTube for over 10 years.

Initially, creating search-based videos can help build a content library and signal to the YouTube algorithm.

To build a loyal audience, it's important to pivot from search-based to more storytelling and personal experience sharing videos.

The speaker uses a creative process of coming up with catchy titles and then engineering topics to fit those titles.

Optimizing videos for the homepage can lead to more views and audience engagement.

The speaker shares a YouTube scripting template for optimizing video retention.

Adding different background music for different segments of a video can make it more engaging.

Using sound effects and b-roll can enhance viewer engagement and make videos more interesting.

The speaker recommends using Storyblocks for enhancing videos with stock footage, sound effects, and background music.

Having a clear value proposition is crucial, especially for vloggers and lifestyle creators.

Passion for the content is essential for creators to produce their best work and engage their audience.

If creators feel uninspired, they should consider changing their video style, format, or even niche.

The speaker offers a special offer for their audience with Storyblocks, providing 3 months free with an annual plan subscription.

The video emphasizes the importance of adapting and trying new strategies when a YouTube channel is in a growth rut.

Transcripts

if it feels like lately you've been

posting your YouTube videos consistently

but you're still not seeing the views

and subscribers that you want then this

video is for you trust me I know what it

feels like to be in a YouTube rut I've

been posting on this channel for over 10

years now and I've seen all the ups and

downs of being a YouTube Creator and I

know that more than anything posting

consistently but not seeing results is

so frustrating so today I wanted to

share my best tips for Reviving your

YouTube channel when it feels like

nothing else is working so when your

YouTube channel isn't growing here's

what to try next welcome back to another

coffee chat with Katie as you can see I

am back in my condo here in Canada after

3 months in Mexico it does feel good to

be home even though I am back on that

hot lat grind because it is cold here if

you notice that my video kind of looks

different today it's because I'm facing

some lighting challenges at the moment

getting home from Mexico I was welcomed

by this lovely view of construction

right outside my window so even though

it's beautiful sunny day out there I

have no idea in here cuz it's very dark

and usually I am a natural light filming

kind of girly so I've had to invest in

some studio lights the problem is with

my Sony zv1 I actually can't film with

my regular like overhead lights in my

apartment because I get this banding

issue trust me I have tried everything

it's an issue with this camera in

particular or maybe my specific lights

but thankfully I was able to get this

new LED light panel and I think it looks

pretty good at least I hope so so anyway

bear with me as I figure out these

lighting challenges but anyway let me

know what you're drinking in the

comments and let's get into how to

revive your YouTube channel okay so the

first thing that you might be doing that

could be causing your channel to be in a

bit of a growth rut right now is that

you're optimizing your videos for the

search engine rather than for people

when you're just getting started making

search-based videos is a really helpful

Foundation to build your channel on it

can help you build up a good back

catalog of content and it also sends

signals to the YouTube algorithm them

about what your channel is about and

therefore who your videos are for so

while this is a good way to start

eventually it's really important that

you pivot to a slightly different video

strategy if you want to build a loyal

audience that cares about you because

here's the thing search-based videos

really Foster a transactional audience

people that come to your channel to

learn an answer to a question or a

solution to a problem and then once they

receive that information they leave for

example I made lots of videos like this

in the beginning you know like how to

add text to A Tik Tok how to edit a Tik

Tok Vlog that kind of thing but not a

lot of people who watch those videos

actually ended up subscribing to me

because they really just cared more

about the solution to their problem than

they did about me on the other hand

storytelling sharing advice sharing your

personal experience in your life those

types of videos really Foster a

relational audience an audience that

comes to have a relationship with you

and to care about what you're going to

post next these are the type of viewers

that actually subscribe or become

returning viewers ERS so if you've been

working away at posting consistently and

building up that library of search-based

content for your channel but you're not

really seeing the growth that you want

now might be the time to Pivot into some

of this more homepage optimized content

rather than search optimized content

okay so that's great but how do we

actually get our videos on the homepage

well let me tell you this is a creative

process that I've been using lately

which I think is like a really helpful

way to think about this that I don't

hear a lot of other creators sharing I

like to come up with catchy titles and

then reverse and engineer a topic to fit

with that title so in fact what this

looks like is I sort of have two

separate lists going one list of like

catchy title ideas and one list of

topics for videos so for example I might

come up with catchy titles like why

you're not growing on YouTube and what

to try next the secret to editing Vlogs

that actually get views or the lie

you've been told about YouTube growth

then I have a separate list of Concepts

or ideas or like struggles that I know

creators have that I want to address so

for example tips and tricks for getting

your YouTube channel out of a growth rut

how to edit Vlogs to make them more

engaging and fastpaced to increase your

view duration why growing in a niche and

then expanding your subject matter

doesn't work as a YouTube growth

strategy so you can see with my second

list these are all like formulated ideas

of Concepts or advice that I want to

share in a video but those are not

really well-written titles right I'm not

going to just make that the YouTube

title it's way too long and convoluted

so what I do instead is I take a concept

and I pair it with one of the title

ideas so for example that concept about

growing in a niche and then pivoting I

could pair that with the title the lie

you've been told about YouTube growth

but you can kind of see how there's

actually a lot of different ideas I

could pair with the title the lie you've

been told about YouTube growth and so

with this ideation method you can take

your best Concepts and pair them with

your best titles here's the thing back

in the day when I was really focused on

search-based content I never would have

used some of the titles that I do now

for the same video that we were just

talking about I might have made the

title how to change niches on YouTube in

20124 tips for pivoting your brand or

something long like that to try to get

as many keywords in it as possible but

now I know that using a title like the

lie you've been told about YouTube

growth is actually going to get way more

clicks it's going to get way more people

from the homepage interested in what I'm

talking about whereas search-based

videos only really Target people that

are specifically searching for them

homepage optimized videos Target

everybody that you might be able to

convinced to be interested once I have

my title and my concept paired up then I

use my YouTube scripting template to

help me optimize the video for retention

for keeping people engaged I've actually

included this template that I use for

every single video in my content creator

starter kit I'll have it linked in the

description another reason why you might

be in a r your videos are just kind of

boring sorry so here's a few key

strategies that you can use to make your

videos more interesting which will then

increase your view duration which will

then help get your videos recommended in

the algorithm more frequently first you

can add different background music for

different segments of your video okay so

when most beginner editors get started

with incorporating background music into

their edits they'll find a great track

that like complement the vibe fits into

the background doesn't disrupt the

speaking and then they'll copy and paste

that over and over again in the timeline

to fill out the length of the video okay

or at least I did that for sure but

here's the thing about doing that when

you have the same song continuing for

the entire video people like

subconsciously at least catch on to that

and notice that it kind of feels the

same the whole time and it adds to the

vibe that like this is getting boring

this is taking a really long time

haven't I been listening to the same

song for 7 minutes which could lead to

them closing the video because it just

doesn't feel that engaging instead what

you want to do is find natural breaking

points within your videos so for example

with videos like mine it's you know each

of my numbered tips or something is kind

of the end of a seg M and I'm going to

have different background music for each

of those segments that helps me switch

up the vibe or the feeling for each

section of the video which ultimately

makes it feel a bit more fastpaced it

doesn't feel like oh my gosh I've been

watching this forever and here's a

crucial part of this tip if the music

isn't the right length for your segment

which most times it's not going to be

what I recommend doing is making sure

that you use the end section of your

track to end off that segment of the

video this way when you finish talking

about a certain point the music kind of

just naturally comes to this end and it

provides this catharsis like okay I

finished talking about this the music is

ending as well it's all very satisfying

another easy addition add sound effects

to your videos especially if you have

different visuals popping up on screen

that's a great opportunity to

incorporate it I have a few that I like

to use regularly whenever I show like a

screenshot or something recorded on my

computer I'll use a little click sound

effect to introduce it if I'm showing

old video footage I will use this kind

of camera shutter sound or even the

sound effect of a VHS tape going into a

VCR and sometimes when the mood is right

I might add in goofy ones like this

disappointing trombone sound or a little

ding to indicate something is correct or

good I feel like sound effects like this

need to be used in moderation like it

can be great to use sound design to keep

your viewer more engaged but I think we

all know those channels that just

constantly have the horns going off

like and that is just like really

annoying so you want to make sure that

you're doing this in a balanced way but

it can be a perfect little sprinkle on

top of your already engaging edit to

make it just even more interesting and

finally you're going to want to include

lots of b-roll b-roll is truly the key

to making any video more interesting and

engaging to watch and it doesn't have to

be complicated all Boll is is just the

visual representation of what you're

talking about on camera and it can

either be literal or emotional for

example if I was talking to you about

how sometimes I find it really difficult

working from the the road because living

in a van can kind of get lonely I could

show you literal actual clips of me

working in my van to literally represent

that but I could also just show you

clips of me looking kind of sad and

lonely so really for any particular

thing you're talking about there's sort

of two different creative ways that you

could represent it visually and

alternating between these two approaches

is a good way to keep your videos

interesting and if you don't have a lot

of your own b-roll yet then you can use

story blocks the sponsor of today's

video story blocks is an online St St

media library they've got stock footage

you can use as b-roll they've got sound

effects animation templates and even

background music I've been using story

blocks for years to enhance my YouTube

videos you might recognize this paper

texture I got that from story blocks

this film flicker effect that I use on a

lot of title cards also from story

blocks and especially when I'm editing

my travel Vlogs I love to get

establishing shots or aerial footage of

the places that I visited on story

blocks no matter your Niche story blocks

has great creative assets that will help

you make your YouTube videos more

interesting and you get access to all of

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exciting news story blocks is a special

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another common reason why you might end

up in a YouTube growth rut is because

you don't have a clear value ad this is

especially a struggle for vloggers or

lifestyle creators here's the thing

especially in the beginning even if

you're just making Vlogs you still need

to have a clear takeaway or reason for

people to click on your videos a lot of

people who are beginner lifestyle

creators are kind of modeling themselves

after their favorite creators that they

follow but especially in the lifestyle

Niche the growth trajectory and the

strategy is very different between

getting started and then kind of

continuing to nurture your audience once

you have grown because once you're an

established Creator in the lifestyle

Niche then your face becomes the hook

the reason for people to click and watch

your videos but when you're just getting

started that's not going to be the case

because people don't know who you are

yet so you need to frame your content in

a way where the viewer understands what

they're going to get out of it so

instead of creating your videos from the

standpoint of what do I want to make or

what do I want to share try to think

about what will my viewer gain from

watching this so for example instead of

just doing like a generic day in my life

Vlog maybe you could make the title

something like my productive morning

routine as a full-time content creator

then people understand they're maybe

going to get some inso about how they

can have a productive routine as a

Creator or fill in the blank for

whatever it is you do so tell us what

we're going to get out of the video in

your title and thumbnail and if what

we're going to get out of the video is

entertainment inspiration companionship

just Good Vibes that that's totally fine

but just make sure you communicate that

value ad through your title and

thumbnail the final reason I wanted to

address today around why your YouTube

channel might be in a rut is because

maybe you just don't feel passionate

about what you're creating anymore this

is kind of an annoying one to talk about

because honestly the advice Isn't So

tangible and you know I love to give you

all tips that you can like actually

apply and put into action but there is

this component to YouTube creation where

you kind of just need to be excited

about what you're doing you kind of need

to be feeling you kind of need to be

like living and breathing the topic that

you want to talk about cuz that's how

you're going to get the best ideas and

that's also how you're going to have the

best energy on camera when you like

genuinely are excited about what you're

making and unfortunately that's not

something that you can just apply like

tips or hacks or habits in order to do

you kind of just need to feel that way

but the point that I'm trying to make

here is if you really and truly don't

feel excited or passionate about the

type of videos that you have been making

that might be a sign that it's time to

Pivot and try something new it doesn't

have to be huge it doesn't have to be

like doing a complete 180 and talking

about something different but maybe you

want to try experimenting with the style

or the format of your videos if you've

always just sat down in front of a

camera like this maybe think about

delivering the same kind of information

but doing it in a vlog style or maybe

you want to talk about a similar thing

but from a slightly different angle

consider how you might be able to shake

things up a bit so that you can feel

excited about what you're creating again

and if you're feeling really uninspired

and really just like out of ideas or

energy for your current topic then it

might be time to consider changing

niches sometimes we as creators just

really need a change of pace or a fresh

way to approach things and really you

don't need to be terrified of change on

your YouTube channel I know it can be

scary because maybe you're used to

getting a certain number of views and

you're worried that if you change then

that's not going to happen anymore but I

actually made a whole video about

strategies that you can use during a

pivot or during a niche change to really

bring your audience along with you and

come through that transition with a more

successful YouTube channel than you have

now so if you want to check that out

next go ahead and watch this video this

is something that I've spent a ton of

time thinking about and I really shared

all of my thoughts and strategies around

it here so as always thank you so much

for watching I hope that you're having

adventures and following your dreams and

I'll will catch you in the next video

bye