Ranking the Worst YouTube Advice (Tier List)

Summary

In this video, the creator ranks the worst advice given to small YouTubers into six tiers, from 'Epic Fail' to 'Silver Lining'. They discuss the pitfalls of overusing hashtags, the balance between optimizing for algorithms versus passion, and the myth of daily content creation. They also address the ineffectiveness of 'sub-for-sub' schemes and the importance of genuine audience engagement. The video serves as a guide to help small creators discern valuable advice from potentially harmful strategies.

Takeaways

• 🚫 Avoid using over a 100 hashtags as it clutters the description and may confuse the algorithm.
• ⚠️ Be cautious of advice suggesting to optimize for the algorithm at the expense of creating content you enjoy; it could lead to burnout.
• 🤔 Consider the balance between creating content for optimization and creating content that reflects your unique personality.
• 🙅‍♂️ Daily posting is not feasible for long-form content and can lead to burnout; it's not a one-size-fits-all strategy.
• 🚫 Posting multiple times a day with different content types is not a sustainable or effective strategy for most creators.
• 🙅‍♀️ 'Sub for sub' and spamming your video link to unrelated audiences can harm your channel's engagement and data.
• 💸 Investing large sums in SEO or expecting overnight success is not a reliable strategy for channel growth.
• 🙅‍♂️ Disregard advice that suggests not using tools like vidIQ, as they can provide valuable insights for channel growth.
• 🌟 Embrace strategies that align with your vision but ensure they are tweaked to suit your unique brand.
• ⏱️ The belief that short videos are better when extremely short is not universally true; success depends on your audience and content.
• ❌ The idea that YouTube shorts are a guaranteed growth strategy is misleading; success depends on various factors including content and audience.

Q & A

What are the six tiers of advice mentioned in the script?

The six tiers of advice are Epic Fail, Thumbs Down, Face Palm, Meth, Risky, and Silver Lining.

What is the 'Epic Fail' tier and an example of advice that falls into this category?

The 'Epic Fail' tier contains advice so bad that it could break your channel before it starts. An example is using over a 100 hashtags, which clutters the description and might confuse the algorithm.

What does the 'Thumbs Down' tier signify and an advice example from the script?

The 'Thumbs Down' tier signifies advice that could lead to more dislikes than likes. An example is the advice to make videos optimized for the algorithm instead of videos you actually enjoy making.

What is the 'Face Palm' tier and why is the advice to post every day considered part of it?

The 'Face Palm' tier includes advice that makes you question if it was a serious suggestion. The advice to post every day for long-form content on YouTube is considered part of it because it seems nearly impossible and could lead to burnout.

What advice is placed in the 'Meth' tier and why?

The advice to upload five times a day on completely different topics is placed in the 'Meth' tier because it's neither harmful nor helpful; it's just an indifferent suggestion.

What is the 'Risky' tier and an example of advice that falls under this category?

The 'Risky' tier includes advice that might have some merit but is risky to follow. An example is the advice to focus on what brings more views for YouTube growth, which could lead to creating content you don't enjoy.

What does the 'Silver Lining' tier represent and an advice example?

The 'Silver Lining' tier represents advice that has a little speck of wisdom even if it's part of the worst advice. An example is not being yourself and just mimicking big YouTubers, which could be interpreted as learning from others' successful strategies.

Why is the advice to use over a 100 hashtags considered harmful?

Using over a 100 hashtags is considered harmful because it clutters the video description, serves no purpose, and might confuse the YouTube algorithm.

What are the two schools of thought regarding making videos for YouTube mentioned in the script?

The two schools of thought are: one, focusing on what brings more views to make a full-time career out of YouTube, and two, creating content you enjoy and letting passion build a community that can help build your career.

Why is the advice to post every day considered a recipe for burnout?

Posting every day is considered a recipe for burnout because producing a halfway decent video requires a significant amount of effort, and doing so daily without a sustainable creative process can lead to exhaustion and reduced content quality.

What is the advice regarding YouTube shorts and why is it considered risky?

The advice is that shorts are a guaranteed growth strategy, which is considered risky because success on YouTube depends on various factors like audience, content, and algorithm favorability, and not all creators find success with shorts.

Why is the advice to not use vidIQ placed in the 'Thumbs Down' tier?

The advice to not use vidIQ is placed in the 'Thumbs Down' tier because it dismisses a tool that can help creators understand and optimize their content for YouTube, which could be beneficial for growth.