I just built something pretty cool for you. And no, it’s not a time machine, but it’s close.
It’s everything I desperately wish someone had told me back when I was refreshing my YouTube analytics every 5 minutes, wondering if anyone would ever actually watch my videos, and when I was seriously considering whether I should just quit and get a “real job.”
That was me, over 8 years ago.
I figure if someone had dropped these 65 lessons in my lap back then, it would’ve saved me from a ton of disappointment (and maybe a few existential crises).
I hope these help you skip some of the heartache, to keep going and get faster results 🙂
Here are 65 bites of YouTube wisdom from the last 8+ years
- You’ll only fail at YouTube if you quit. Your hard work will pay off, you need to stay focused and work on the right things
- Not everyone on YouTube will love you, and that’s okay. Their loss.
- Trolls don’t deserve your mental energy.
- Use that “hide user from channel” button and forget about that viewer. None of it is worth the mental space.
- There will be incredible clients and contacts you make from your YouTube channel. They’re the people you should focus your energy on.
- Systems are your friends. Build them for everything you can.
- A video editor is worth their weight in gold. Hire one as soon as you can afford it.
- You don’t have to learn video editing before you hire an editor. Stop listening to this advice. That’s like saying you need to get fit before you hire a personal trainer.
- When you do hire a video editor, setting budgets, deadlines, expectations and boundaries upfront is the key to a good working relationship.
- A good video editor will feel nice and easy to work with, they’ll deliver when they say they will, they’ll listen to what you want, they shouldn’t need lots of changes every time and they’ll take on feedback.
- If the video editor isn’t working out, end that bad relationship as soon as you can. Hire and fire quickly.
- Invest in yourself with coaching and courses. It’s better than fancy equipment and will help you make real progress (and money) faster.
- Treat your YouTube channel like a business and not like a hobby.
- Educational channels play by different rules than entertainment channels. Don’t try and copy Mr Beast or Casey Neistat. You’re not them.
- YouTube is saturated but you stand out be being you and delivering your content your way
- Think long-term. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a business that leverages YouTube.
- When you write your YouTube scripts you want to inspire people to be their best selves.
- Find a YouTube buddy. Regular check-ins will help you stay motivated and share learnings.
- Perfection is overrated. Done is better than perfect.
- Get feedback on everything: scripts, thumbnails, titles, editing, landing pages, offers. Fresh eyes are invaluable.
- The more you do YouTube, the better you’ll get at it.
- Nobody has it all figured out. We’re all learning as we go.
- YouTube is tough, but the payoff is huge. Keep pushing!
- Evergreen content is your friend. It keeps working for you long after you’ve posted it.
- You get to change niche as often as you like. There’s no niche police. You get to decide which niche brings you joy.
- Some niches are easier to grow in than others. Don’t get discouraged if other creators in difference spaces are growing faster than you.
- Be authentically you. Your audience will appreciate it.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of videos. It’s how you find what works for you.
- Remember why you started. Let that passion fuel you through tough times.
- You don’t need every piece of software, equipment or widget. Keep it simple. Use what you’ve got.
- There’s no “perfect” way to do YouTube.
- Burnout is not a badge of honour. If you’re feeling exhausted, it’s time to look at ways to take things off your YouTube plate.
- AI is your friend. Use it to help you but not replace you. Your YouTube scripts, titles, ideas can start from ChatGPT/Claude or whatever AI you use, but it will always need a big edit from you to actually be any good. Don’t get lazy.
- Don’t compare yourself to other YouTube channels. You never have the full picture of what’s going on. Everyone has different problems.
- If you feel yourself getting discouraged or down when looking at other channels, it’s ok to stop looking at them.
- It’s ok to copy other videos – but you need to make sure you’re at least adding your own interpretation and spin. Don’t just word for word rip them off. That’s not cool.
- Your subscriber count is a vanity metric. Your bank account (the money you make FROM YouTube) is the real measure of how successful your channel is. Let that sink in.
- Use tools to work smarter, not harder. AI, keyword research, and automation are your allies – embrace them.
- Batch those videos as much as you can! It’s a time-saver extraordinaire.
- Take a break now and then. The YouTube world won’t end if you don’t post.
- Curiosity is your secret sauce. Use it in your titles and videos. This hooks people in.
- Hook writing is a superpower. Also add this everywhere and as often as you can. Throughout your videos as often as you can, in your titles. Everywhere.
- Record your own b-roll. This will feel awkward at first (because it is) but it will help build more of a connection than stock footage will.
- Find ways to keep you accountable with YouTube. It’s very easy to get distracted and not make progress. But if you have systems in place to do what you said you would do, you’ll make more progress.
- Do everything you can to keep your word to yourself. We tend to fail to keep promises we make ourselves ourselves more than others, so try the best you can to do what you say you were going to do.
- Don’t be so hard on yourself if things aren’t progressing at the pace you want.
- You can figure everything out. One problem at a time. You’ve got this.
- Say no to the brand deals who don’t want to pay you any money. It’s not ok to work for free or for “exposure”. They’re taking advantage of you.
- You can wear the same outfit for multiple YouTube videos.
- You can wear make up if you want to and it makes you feel more confident.
- You don’t have to wear make up it if you don’t want to.
- You don’t need a highly decorated and fancy space to film your videos, it just needs to be clean. You’re a professional.
- If you had a tough day recording, this doesn’t mean that YouTube isn’t for you. It was just a tough day. Not all of your days will feel like that.
- Record a test before you record your main video. You’ll be able to spot issues with audio from your minute test rather than the end of the footage.
- Use a teleprompter. It will make recording footage SO much easier and faster.
- Practice your script. Add as much energy as you can whilst being true to your personality.
- Don’t be afraid to make offers and sell. You need to make a living and pay your bills.
- Celebrate small wins. Every video you record and publish. Every view. A win is a win.
- There’s no one-size-fits-all YouTube growth strategy. Find what works for you and stick with it.
- When the brand deals come (and they will) remember that you get to charge what you’re worth and you can walk away. No matter how big the brand is. You deserve to be paid for your time and effort.
- Ignore all of the spammers who email you telling you that they can improve your SEO and views.
- Don’t buy fake views. It’s not worth it. You may be tempted but don’t.
- There’s someone out there who is waiting to hear what you have to say in your way. Make the video.
- The best time to start is now. Do it ugly but do it anyway.
- Future you will be so proud of present you. Keep going!
AI Educator and Content Creator | Wine Lover | Matcha Addict |:D Helping small businesses grow using AI design and tech with ease
