I COPIED a YouTube Channel for 30 Days and Went VIRAL

Summary

In this 30-day challenge, a YouTube creator sets out to replicate the success of a Minecraft animation channel by adapting viral video ideas to the football niche. Despite facing setbacks such as underperforming shorts and delays in algorithmic push, the creator adapts quickly, optimizes content, and learns from the data. With the help of an animator, they refine their videos and eventually hit over 1.6 million views on a single short. Although they don’t hit the $5,000 target, the journey showcases the importance of persistence, creativity, and learning from failures to grow a YouTube channel successfully.

Takeaways

• 😀 **Consistency is key to YouTube success**: Regular uploads and analyzing what works help build momentum and increase the chances of going viral.
• 😀 **Niche selection matters**: Choosing a niche with potential for growth (like football animations) while avoiding overly saturated ones (like Minecraft) can improve chances of success.
• 😀 **Collaboration accelerates results**: Working with skilled animators or collaborators can reduce the workload and improve the quality of content, helping videos stand out.
• 😀 **Start with a test approach**: The first few videos should be treated as tests to see how the algorithm reacts, without over-investing time or resources.
• 😀 **Research competitors thoroughly**: Analyzing competitors' performance and content strategy can provide insights and inspiration for creating better content.
• 😀 **Optimize content for the algorithm**: Simple things like catchy titles, relevant descriptions, tags, and emojis help improve discoverability.
• 😀 **Monitoring performance is crucial**: Tracking views, engagement, and watch time is essential for understanding how content is performing and making necessary adjustments.
• 😀 **Don't rush uploads**: Uploading too frequently or before a viral short has reached its peak can hurt performance. Allow content time to breathe and gain traction.
• 😀 **Re-uploading with tweaks is a strategy**: If a video isn't performing, deleting it and making changes (e.g., removing problematic sound effects) can improve its chances of going viral upon re-upload.
• 😀 **Patience pays off**: Even with early setbacks (like low view counts or flatlining videos), staying consistent and continuing to create quality content can lead to viral success, as seen with the channel's growth after 30 days.

Q & A

Why did the creator decide to switch from Minecraft animations to football animations?

The creator realized that the Minecraft niche was oversaturated with established channels and similar content. By shifting to football animations, they saw an opportunity to target a global audience with a popular subject while applying viral video tactics from Minecraft channels.

How did the creator manage the animation process despite not knowing how to animate?

The creator partnered with an animator, referred to as NSR, to bring the ideas to life. This allowed the creator to focus on content creation, video editing, and channel management while leaving the animation work to NSR.

What were the key factors in selecting a YouTube channel for this project?

The creator used an older YouTube channel, which was active for at least a week, as a strategy. This was important because YouTube's algorithm favors channels with some history over brand-new accounts, even if the channel had zero subscribers initially.

What was the initial content creation process for the YouTube shorts?

The creator first gathered inspiration from established football animation channels and then created a basic storyboard for the animator to follow. The storyboard was simple because the first short was intended as a test for the algorithm rather than a perfected piece.

How did the creator evaluate the performance of their YouTube shorts?

The creator tracked the performance by looking at real-time analytics, especially focusing on the 'views per hour' chart and engagement levels like comments. They paid attention to flatlines in views and used this data to determine the timing for the next short upload.

What challenges did the creator face with YouTube’s algorithm during the process?

The creator initially struggled with YouTube not pushing their new shorts into the shorts feed due to competition with their viral content. This led to lower visibility for new uploads. They found that uploading too frequently or prematurely could hinder the growth of newer videos.

Why did the creator delete and re-upload some of their shorts?

The creator deleted and re-uploaded some shorts after determining they weren’t getting views because of YouTube's algorithm prioritizing their viral content. They also made adjustments, such as removing sound effects from movies or modifying certain scenes that could have been flagged as inappropriate by YouTube’s AI.

What was the outcome of the creator’s first few shorts after uploading?

The first short gained some traction with 2,500 views and 75 subscribers, but the creator continued refining the strategy. The second short performed much better, reaching 23,000 views and gaining 283 subscribers. They found that shorts need time to breathe and grow before they can go viral.

How did the creator’s mindset affect their progress and content strategy?

The creator emphasized the importance of resilience and not being discouraged by initial setbacks. Despite some early failures, they focused on refining their approach and learning from mistakes. They consistently tested new ideas and adjusted content based on feedback and performance data.

How did the creator manage their monetization goals?

Although the goal of reaching $5,000 in monthly earnings within 30 days wasn’t met, the creator hit the first milestone for monetization and gained significant traction with over 37,000 subscribers and 3.4 million views. They were optimistic about reaching $10,000 per month as the channel continued to grow.