Brief Summary
This video is a conversation between Jay Clouse and Patty Galloway, a YouTube strategist who has helped generate over 10 billion views. They discuss how to overcome the limiting belief that some niches are too small to succeed on YouTube. Patty argues that any niche can go viral with the right strategy, emphasizing the importance of expanding your audience beyond your core viewers. He introduces the CCN framework (Core, Casual, New) to help creators target a broader audience and provides practical tips for brainstorming ideas, analyzing outlier videos, and optimizing video packaging.
- Any niche can go viral with the right strategy.
- Expand your audience beyond your core viewers by targeting casual and new viewers.
- Pre-production is crucial for success, especially in title and thumbnail optimization.
Are Some Niches Too Small?
Patty challenges the notion that some niches are too small to succeed on YouTube. He argues that even seemingly niche topics like permaculture can attract a large audience with the right approach. He uses the example of Andrew Millison, a permaculture expert who achieved 12 million views on a video about the UN's efforts to hold back the Sahara Desert. This demonstrates that even niche topics can be made relevant to a broader audience by focusing on broader themes and packaging them in an engaging way.
How to Calculate TAM
Patty explains how to calculate the Total Addressable Market (TAM) for a YouTube channel. He suggests using YouTube's search filters to identify the viewership potential of a niche. By searching for relevant keywords and filtering by video length and sorting by most viewed, creators can get a sense of the viewership potential of the top channels in their niche. This provides a benchmark for what is possible and helps creators avoid blaming their niche for lack of success.
Start Narrow and Expand
Patty recommends starting with a narrow focus on your core audience and then expanding over time. He argues that it's easier to gain traction with a smaller, more specific niche and then gradually broaden your appeal. He uses the example of his own music channels, where he started with a very specific subgenre and then expanded to broader categories over time. This approach allows creators to build a strong foundation with their core audience before venturing out to a wider audience.
Make Brainstorming Ideas Easy with 1of10
Patty introduces 1of10, a tool designed to help YouTubers find better ideas using outlier videos. The tool allows creators to filter videos based on viewership, posting date, and other parameters. By analyzing outlier videos, creators can identify trends and formats that resonate with a broader audience, helping them brainstorm new ideas that go beyond their niche.
The Core, Casual, New Framework
Patty introduces the CCN framework (Core, Casual, New) as a key principle for creating viral videos. This framework encourages creators to consider how their videos appeal to different audience segments:
- Core: Hardcore fans who are deeply invested in the niche.
- Casual: Viewers who are somewhat interested in the niche but not as dedicated.
- New: Viewers who are not familiar with the niche but might be drawn in by an interesting topic or format.
By creating videos that appeal to all three segments, creators can maximize their reach and attract a broader audience.
Can You Go Too Broad?
Patty addresses the potential risk of going too broad and losing your target audience. He acknowledges that while view maximization is a valid goal, it's important to consider other objectives, such as product sales or building a dedicated community. He emphasizes that creators should strive to expand their audience while still maintaining a connection with their core viewers.
Should You Always Maximize Views?
Patty discusses the importance of aligning view maximization with your overall business goals. He suggests that creators who primarily rely on ad revenue and sponsorships should prioritize view maximization, while those who sell products or services might benefit from a more targeted approach. He emphasizes that even creators with products can still attract a broader audience, but they need to be more tactful in their approach.
What Do ALL Viral Videos Have in Common?
Patty outlines four key traits that viral videos across different niches share:
- CCN Fit: The video appeals to core, casual, and new viewers.
- Unique Novelty Value: The video offers something new and interesting that sets it apart from other content.
- Easy to Convey Title and Thumbnail: The title and thumbnail clearly communicate the video's content and attract clicks.
- Excitement Factor: The video generates excitement and interest among viewers, both within and outside the niche.
What Makes Viral Packaging?
Patty emphasizes the importance of simplicity and exaggeration in video packaging, particularly in titles and thumbnails. He suggests using the "glance test" to ensure that thumbnails are easily processed within milliseconds. He also advocates for the "three element rule," which suggests limiting the number of elements in a thumbnail to one to three to avoid overwhelming viewers.
How Much Does Pre-Production Actually Matter?
Patty highlights the significant impact of pre-production on video success. He argues that top-level creators invest significantly more time in planning and brainstorming before creating content, while beginners often jump into production without sufficient preparation. He emphasizes the importance of making informed decisions about topics, titles, and thumbnails, as even small improvements can lead to exponential returns in viewership.
Stop Yourself From Overthinking
Patty acknowledges the importance of overthinking but emphasizes the need for time limits. He suggests setting a specific time limit for brainstorming and decision-making to avoid getting stuck in analysis paralysis. He also reminds creators that perfection is unattainable and that it's more important to publish consistently and learn from each video.
Should You Target Core, Casual, or New First?
Patty recommends focusing on your core audience first and then expanding to casual and new viewers. He argues that building a strong foundation with your core audience provides a platform for growth and allows creators to gradually broaden their appeal. He uses the analogy of monkey bars, where creators can start with a specific niche and then move to broader categories with overlapping interests.
How Do You Know When to Expand Your Audience?
Patty suggests that creators should move from the establishment phase to the growth phase when they have established a consistent posting cadence and developed fundamental skills in video editing, thumbnail creation, and storytelling. He emphasizes the importance of building a foundation of skills before focusing heavily on strategy and analytics.
Don’t Get Stuck on Strategy
Patty cautions against getting bogged down in strategy before developing basic skills. He argues that creators should focus on creating content consistently and building their skills before diving into complex strategies. He emphasizes that YouTube is a complex platform with many moving parts, and it's essential to gain experience with all of them before optimizing for specific strategies.
How to Analyze Outlier Videos
Patty provides a framework for analyzing outlier videos, which are videos that perform significantly better than the average on a channel. He suggests asking questions like:
- What made this video unique?
- What about the packaging made it special?
- Why did this video go viral, while others similar to it didn't?
By analyzing these aspects, creators can gain insights into what drives success and apply those learnings to their own content.
How to Analyze Your Own Outliers
Patty suggests analyzing your own outlier videos by looking at demographics, device type, and new viewer metrics. He emphasizes that there is no single magic data point that reveals why a video went viral, but by examining various data points, creators can gain a better understanding of what contributed to its success.
Is CTR a Useful Metric?
Patty discusses the limitations of click-through rate (CTR) as a metric. While acknowledging its importance, he points out that CTR can be misleading due to the relationship between impressions and CTR. He suggests focusing on first-hour CTR as a better predictor of video performance, as it often correlates strongly with long-term success.
How to Filter Video Ideas
Patty outlines a process for filtering video ideas using an idea funnel. He suggests considering three main sources of ideas:
- Internal: Ideas based on past successes on your channel.
- External: Ideas based on successful videos from competitors or other channels.
- Innovation: New and unique ideas that go beyond existing trends.
He then recommends using a series of filters to eliminate ideas based on CCN fit, feasibility, title and thumbnail potential, and personal excitement.
Paddy’s Hot Take
Patty concludes with his "hot take" on YouTube: there is no single meta or formula for success. He argues that creators should avoid chasing trends and instead focus on creating high-quality content that resonates with their audience. He emphasizes that YouTube is a diverse platform with a wide range of successful content, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
