At this point in time, the silver plaque commemorating my achievement of reaching 100,000 subscribers on YouTube should be prominently displayed in all of my videos, serving as a symbol of success and accomplishment. However, every day, the unforgiving YouTube dashboard confronts me with a disheartening figure that reminds me of the challenges I've faced:
Since early 2019, when I first began publishing content, I have made my fair share of mistakes. These missteps have undoubtedly hindered my progress and growth on the platform. However, I am excited to share that I have recently discovered a winning strategy that has breathed new life into my channel. Instead of a dreary, gradual decline, I am now experiencing significant double-digit growth on a monthly basis.
Allow me to elaborate on the errors I have made in the past, the current strategy I have adopted, and, most importantly, the underlying thought process that has guided these changes. By examining these aspects, you will gain valuable insights to analyze your own content and develop a personalized winning strategy that caters to your specific needs.
The Illusion of Viral Videos:
Within the online business realm, I produce videos in Italian, catering to a niche that can be better described as "earning income online" — a term that holds more credibility among the majority of individuals.
As you may have already guessed, this space is overflowing with the usual suspects: self-proclaimed gurus who have achieved desirable outcomes, packaged their unique stories into a prepackaged recipe for effortless success, and are selling it at exorbitant prices.
On the flip side, we encounter a predictable phenomenon. Our potential audience is inundated with opportunity seekers who lack the drive to work or learn but yearn solely for quick riches.
This group is not our target audience. My co-founder and I are actively seeking passionate entrepreneurs (as well as aspiring ones) who share our mindset. Our goal is to shed light on the opportunities that online businesses offer to individuals, which remain largely obscure to most Italians. After all, I reside in a country dominated by fearful Luddites.
Like any astute YouTuber, I initially turned to keyword research when I embarked on this journey. Utilizing SEO provides a powerful boost to new channels that lack an existing audience.
Regrettably, search volumes in our niche pale in comparison to their English language counterparts. Unsurprisingly, the largest keyword is "come guadagnare online" (translated as "how to make money online"), garnering a meager 8,200 searches per month.
There are only a handful of other viable keywords with similar search volumes. Although this particular keyword felt generic and associated with scams, I felt compelled to address it.
Our triumphant achievement of securing the top position on Google with a blog post on the subject had us elated. To capitalize on this success, I decided to transform the article into two captivating videos. The initial video started gaining significant traction, aligning with the size of our channel.
Naturally, I was ready to celebrate with a bottle of champagne. However, my excitement was short-lived as I quickly realized that these views were essentially meaningless.
My apprehension had been justified. The individuals searching for "how to make money online" were not our target audience. We were aiming to connect with driven business builders, aspiring entrepreneurs, and ambitious freelancers. Instead, we attracted a crowd of unskilled, idle daydreamers.
To compound matters, the success of that one popular video overshadowed the failure of numerous others. I had published tutorials on email marketing, content marketing, productivity, self-development for entrepreneurs, and various other topics. Astonishingly, 99% of them struggled to reach even 1,000 views, while the two videos about making money online amassed over 60,000 views.
When these videos lost their prominent positions in the search results, our overall view count experienced a drastic plummet.
A Shift in Approach: Niche Targeting:
Our initial attempt with generic, high-volume keywords proved to be ineffective. Therefore, sometime in 2020, we decided to pivot our approach and focus on narrowing our niche.
We observed that content creators and course creators in the English market were reaping substantial profits. Given our years of experience in content creation and course development, along with our expertise in the field, we recognized the potential. Additionally, we noticed that many websites were attracting more motivated subscribers by offering advanced content.
Consequently, I began creating video tutorials exclusively for professionals and employees seeking to enhance their expertise through courses.
We anticipated lower view counts but higher earnings, as our target audience consisted of individuals who were already generating income from other sources.
Unfortunately, the negative aspect of our hypothesis proved to be true. Most of our videos garnered fewer than 500 views throughout their existence.
Despite engaging in conversations and exchanging emails with potential clients who appreciated the topics and enjoyed my relaxed style, which differed from the typical alpha male persona prevalent in the business niche, we encountered a significant obstacle.
Our assumption about attracting a high-spending audience was incorrect. Moreover, there simply weren't enough high-spending clients. The professionals who were willing to pay for our services were hesitant to invest their time in creating content and building online courses that didn't yield immediate, outstanding results.
Yet, this failure, fortunately, led us to a more refined strategy.
Analyzing the Clues:
Fortunately, YouTube analytics serves as a valuable source of data regarding viewer preferences. By the end of 2022, our accumulated views amounted to around 300,000, which may seem disheartening considering the four-year span. Nevertheless, it provided enough insight to identify patterns and trends.
Interestingly, our most viewed videos of all time revolved around seemingly futile keywords like "making money online" and its variations. However, I deliberately continued to experiment with various topics and formats.
As a result, we had numerous videos with view counts in the low thousands. These primarily comprised tutorials on software tools utilized by entrepreneurs and freelancers, with Notion being a particular standout.
In the English market, there are incredibly successful creators who amass staggering views and earnings. Realistically, I am well aware that attaining even a fraction of those views in Italy would be a dream come true.
Nonetheless, there were a couple of tutorials that displayed promising results.
Embracing the New Approach:
After careful consideration, I made the decision to confront the reality. It became evident that courses alone would not lead us to financial prosperity. Surprisingly, it was the ordinary software tutorials that garnered more appreciation compared to tutorials on business skills and practices.
Furthermore, I noticed that other Italian YouTubers within our niche were experiencing faster growth, primarily due to their focus on precisely these types of tutorials. Interestingly, one of them happened to be a personal friend, who provided me with an insider perspective on why and how this strategy proves successful.
However, it was essential not to alienate our existing audience in the process. They had already demonstrated their interest in software tutorials. Additionally, considering the dismal numbers associated with our other videos, the potential loss from diverting our attention seemed minimal.
The New Content Strategy:
To streamline our efforts, I devised a straightforward content calendar:
One video per week
One tutorial focused on Notion every two weeks
On the alternate weeks, a tutorial on another relevant tool
Additionally, I made a conscious decision to cater to a beginner audience. My observations, along with insights from other creators, indicated that our market was ideally less sophisticated. However, I did sprinkle in some advanced content sporadically to highlight the availability of more in-depth material, if desired.
Remarkably, this approach proved to be more successful than any previous experiments.
The Results:
Our initial hunch about Notion was accurate. Introducing tutorials centered around Notion immediately had a positive impact on the overall performance of our channel.
The other tools we explored also delivered promising results, although not all of them performed equally. Capitalizing on the wave of artificial intelligence (AI) proved to be beneficial as well.
Following the pivot, I published the first Notion tutorial on January 13th, 2023, and remained committed to our content strategy. Take a look at the graph showcasing the views: [Insert graph illustrating the upward trend in views]
Analyzing the Analytics:
I understand that the trend in April seems to deviate from the overall pattern. However, after four months, such variations can occur. Let's remain hopeful.
The most exciting aspect of this growth is that it is not attributed to a single viral video. Instead, it resembles a rising tide, with consistent growth across the board.
Additionally, I ensured that the majority of the tutorials I posted were evergreen in nature, providing continuous fuel to the channel over time. It's important to note that on YouTube, old evergreen content can gain momentum weeks or even months after publication.
How does this information benefit you? Well, it's not necessarily about publishing software tutorials on your own channel (although they do work in specific niches). The underlying lesson is to persistently publish content despite setbacks, ideally at a frequency that maximizes data collection, such as once per week.
Additionally, be open to experimenting with different formats and topics while staying within your chosen niche. And when it seems like you've exhausted all options and growth is stalling, dive into your analytics and identify the most viewed content.
However, it's crucial to approach this analysis with caution, as the data may be misleading or lead to incorrect conclusions.
There will always be an element of educated guesswork involved. The key is to quickly recognize any mistakes and develop new tactics based on observations, testing them promptly through frequent publications.
Analyzing analytics is part science, part art. To avoid common pitfalls, here are a few suggestions:
Don't rely solely on surface-level metrics like views. Dive deeper and analyze engagement metrics such as watch time, likes, comments, and audience retention.
Look for patterns and trends over time, rather than focusing solely on isolated data points. This will provide a more comprehensive understanding of your audience's preferences and behavior.
Compare the performance of different content formats and topics to identify what resonates best with your audience. Experimentation is key.
Pay attention to audience demographics and geographical insights to tailor your content and target the right audience segments effectively.
Seek feedback from your viewers through comments, surveys, or direct communication. Their insights can provide valuable guidance for future content creation.
Remember, analyzing analytics is an ongoing process. Continuously adapt your strategies based on the data and feedback you receive, and always be open to learning and improving.
Analyzing Your Analytics: A Mix of Science and Art
Analyzing your analytics is a blend of science and art, requiring careful consideration and strategic thinking. Here are some suggestions to help you avoid common mistakes:
Consider a long time interval: Look at data spanning at least a year to gain a broader perspective. This will help you identify long-term trends and patterns.
Know your averages: Understand your baseline performance metrics by establishing averages for key indicators such as views, watch time, likes, and comments. This will provide a benchmark for evaluating the success of individual videos.
Consider aggregated data: Group your data based on relevant factors such as topic, format, or other features of your videos. This will enable you to identify trends and patterns within specific categories.
Go granular: While aggregating data is useful, be cautious about combining dissimilar videos. Analyze your data at a more granular level to avoid conflating different types of content or being misled by outliers.
Rule out external influences: Consider external events or seasonal factors that may impact your data. This will help you discern whether certain fluctuations in performance are attributable to your content or external factors.
Look for outliers: Identify individual videos that have exceptional statistics, such as unusually high views or engagement. Examine these outliers to understand what factors contributed to their success or identify any unique characteristics that may have influenced their performance.
Identify patterns: Look for consistent patterns in your data. Identify topics, formats, or approaches that repeatedly outperform others. These insights can inform your content strategy and help you create more engaging and successful videos.
Remember, analyzing analytics is an ongoing process. Continuously refine your approach, adapt to changing trends, and experiment with new ideas. By leveraging both the science and art of analytics, you can make informed decisions that drive the growth and success of your channel.
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