If you’ve followed me for a while, you may know that I’m a big believer in using what you’ve got to get started with YouTube whether that’s your smartphone, webcam or any other tech that may be lying around in your drawers. Because the first step is to get started.
But is it really that easy? Just take your smartphone out or webcam and hit record.
Then, upload it to YouTube.
Surely it’s not that simple. There’s got to be more to be successful on YouTube.
And there is. There are lots of things, but today, I really want to break down the Top 5 things I think it takes to succeed.
Episode 39: YouTube Success: Revealing the Not-So-Secret Formula – Podcast Transcript
Hey Thrivers, I’m Sara Nguyen, creator of the Thriving Creator Academy, and I’m here to help you go from stuck and overwhelmed to becoming a confident, profitable, and thriving YouTube creator. Join me here each week for honest conversations about what it really takes to be a successful YouTube creator.
Without compromising your creativity, sacrificing cheeky drinks with the people you love or downtime for yourself. You’ll hear about the hard lessons I’ve gone through so you can avoid making the same slow and costly mistakes on your journey. As well as my secret weapons to help you dig deep and do the work it takes.
I’m honoured and grateful to have this opportunity to share this together with you. Right here on the Thriving Creator Podcast. I’m glad you’re here. Let’s get started.
1: You need to show up
This is perhaps the biggest determinant of your success on YouTube. And it’s not flashy or glamorous. If you want to use YouTube to get your content and message out there, you need to carve out time and space to do it and be committed.
I get it. Life can be so demanding. Your plate is so full, overflowing with responsibilities. Maybe you’ve got people to look after. Maybe you’ve got work or projects that consume most of your day.
Maybe you’ve got to do the groceries because there’s no food in the house and everyone is hungry. But without creating the space to do YouTube, how will you create content?
The answer lies not in managing your time by your circumstances but by your commitment to YouTube. If you allow your circumstances to dictate your actions, you’ll only perpetuate them.
On the other hand, if you shift your focus to managing your time based on commitment, a transformative change occurs. Prioritising your commitments and aligning your actions accordingly empowers you to take control of your time, and that’s where true progress begins.
Some people advocate for a strict schedule to create and publish YouTube content and sticking to it. Religiously. And if this is your style and how you operate best, great!
However, as someone who’s constantly spinning numerous plates, I understand that maintaining a rigid routine can be challenging. I believe it’s more productive to commit to completing weekly YouTube-related tasks like scripting, filming, or researching.
The crux is to follow through on these tasks, even if it means squeezing in a quick 15-minute session between errands and work, however busy your schedule is. That unwavering commitment and those precious 15 minutes will accumulate over time, propelling you towards your next video.
So, grant yourself permission to show up, no matter how small the start may seem. Commitment, however modest, is the first stride towards achieving YouTube success.
2: Unwavering faith and relentless action
Here’s a #truthbomb for you if you haven’t realised it yet.
YouTube isn’t a gentle walk in the park on a nice spring day. It’s not a fast and easy, magical money-making scheme. For most of us, it’s a whole lot of work, with zilch in return for a long time.
The difference between those who make it and those who don’t is having unwavering faith that the actions you are taking are compounding towards your success and continuing to take action despite the pain you experience of not seeing any signs of growth.
Prepare yourself for videos that get zero views, nada engagement, and nil subscribers even when you’re creating incredible content. Expect the sound of crickets for months and months.
Do the work over and over again. Monitor it, optimize it. And be patient. It’s the only real way.
Success on YouTube is a long-term game. It requires you to be consistent and persistent with your content, and have the tenacity to keep going when the going gets tough.
3: Systems and structure
How do you do the work for YouTube so that you can continue whether you’re having a bad day, feeling low or uninspired?
The answer is setting up systems and structures.
Most of YouTube is a repeatable process. From researching your content to creating a script and storyboarding, from setting up the lighting to editing. All of it can be broken down into simple steps and repeated over and over again to form each YouTube video.
The benefit of creating a system around YouTube is that you’ll know what you have to do, even when you don’t feel like it. And that’s really half the battle. Taking steps when you’re just not feeling it.
It’s also likely that you’ll find some parts harder than others: maybe you struggle with being on camera or developing your script or perhaps you don’t enjoy editing videos (like me!).
But when you have a system, you can figure out how to either outsource what takes you way too long or work through strategies to make it easier and improve in these areas over time.
And the skills and discipline you’ll get from building systems and structures are invaluable for YouTube success.
4: Unfair Advantages
The idea of an ‘unfair advantage’ revolves around having a unique characteristic or quality that sets you apart from your competitors.
What do you possess that will make you shine brighter? How can you tilt the odds to be forever in your favour? (yes like in the Hunger Games LOL).
Maybe it’s an intense passion for a subject or a personal triumph over struggle that could be your ticket to creating unusually deep and resonant content.
Your unfair advantage could lie in a particular skill, a unique life experience, or an expansive knowledge base. Perhaps it’s your innate ability to connect with people and build relationships effortlessly.
In my case, my unfair advantage came from being an introverted, nerdy creator who didn’t fit into the typical “YouTube Bro-Gang” mould. My passion is and secret skill in learning and breaking down complex ideas into simple, digestible concepts for my audience.
I consciously steer clear of the hustle culture mentality often promoted by YouTube gurus. Whatever your unfair advantage may be, ensure that genuinely reflects who you are.
It should diverge from the norm, offering something fresh and new. We all have these unique advantages; the trick lies in recognising, claiming and harnessing them.
5: Block out blinders
One of the biggest challenges that brings many creators to their knees is comparison. Comparison really is the thief of joy. And on YouTube, it can be an absolute killer of motivation.
If you find yourself comparing your content or your progress with other creators who you feel are more successful and better than you, I want you to know that this is normal and very common.
Don’t get too caught up in how and what others are doing, because it is completely irrelevant to YOUR journey.
If you find that following and subscribing to other creators in your space makes you feel inadequate, then know it’s okay to unfollow and unsubscribe.
And before you get discouraged and give up on YouTube altogether, I want you to turn your focus onto yourself. Onto putting one foot in front of the other and creating your own content, with your own style and perspective.
I want you to focus on points 1, 2, 3 and 4 above…which will keep you busy and occupied so you don’t have time to compare your progress with anyone else’s.
And finally, I want you to remember that it takes courage and resolve to make a success of anything in life especially YouTube.
Be proud that you’re putting in the effort and work for YouTube and know that your success is yours alone to claim.
While you can’t literally will luck to appear, you certainly can create an environment that invites it to knock on your door.
The episode is over, but it doesn’t have to end here. If you’d like to have your YouTube channel running like a perfectly synchronized clock, attracting a growing audience and bringing in a steady income for you.
I’m here to tell you this isn’t just a pipe dream. It’s well within your reach. Join me in my YouTube masterclass to unlock the hidden magic of my YouTube framework.
You’ll get access to my 4 step plan that will melt away any YouTube confusion and help you transform your passion into profit. Sign up for the masterclass at thrivingcreatormasterclass.com.
