Hey everyone! Welcome back to the blog! Over the past 7 years, I've had the incredible journey of creating over a thousand YouTube videos and growing my channel to over 5 million subscribers. It's been a wild ride, and I've learned so much along the way. I've also had the privilege of teaching thousands of students in my Part-Time YouTuber Academy, and recently, I was invited to speak at an event run by Think Media, where I answered a ton of questions about growing an audience on YouTube. So, I wanted to share some of that best advice with you here.
The YouTube Framework: Get Going, Get Good, Get Smart
I like to think about the YouTube journey in a three-part framework:
- Level 1: Get Going: If you're under 100 subscribers, you're squarely in the "get going" stage. This is where you need to focus on just starting to create. Aim for your first 20 videos or so. Don't overthink things, especially finding your niche. That comes later.
- Level 2: Get Good: This is where you focus on improving your craft. There's an internal quality bar (where you're no longer cringing at your own videos) and an external quality bar (where you start getting positive feedback from viewers).
- Level 3: Get Smart: This is where you start to strategize and optimize your channel for growth.
The Crucial Choice: Casual vs. Serious
Between level one and level two, you'll reach a fork in the road. You need to decide:
- Casual Relationship: Like a casual relationship in real life, this means you're only going to create content when it's convenient.
- Serious Relationship: This means you commit to consistency. It doesn't have to be daily, but you need to commit to a schedule and stick to it.
If you're happy with a casual relationship, that's fine, but the rest of this advice won't really apply. You can't expect significant results without commitment.
Hobby vs. Business
Once you get to level two, you'll face another decision:
- Hobby: This is something you do for fun and for yourself.
- Business: This is something you do primarily for money and to add value to others.
There's no right or wrong answer, but it's important to be honest with yourself. I treat YouTube as a business because I want to make money and provide value, but having fun is a very important secondary goal.
Focus on Value (Especially When Starting)
In the early stages, focus on the value you're providing to others. It's only later that you should really worry about your niche. If you're under 100 subscribers, don't sweat it. Just make videos you enjoy making. If you're an educational channel, think about what you know now that you didn't know a few years ago, and teach that.
Consistency and Time Management: The Biggest Struggle
Consistency and time management are the most common challenges I hear about. Even I, as a full-time YouTuber, still struggle with it. And even those with millions of subscribers and millions in revenue still face these issues. So, if you're struggling, you're not alone.
Key Tips for Time Management and Consistency
Here are some of the most important things that have helped me:
- Outsource Your Editing: This is the number one tip. Unless you absolutely love editing, it's often the lowest-value task you're doing. I spent way too long editing my own videos. Figure out the dollar value of your time. Even if your channel isn't making much money, your time is still valuable. Would you rather edit for 8 hours or spend that time on other things? I recommend outsourcing as soon as you can.
- Don't Script Word-for-Word: If you're an educational YouTuber, scripting word-for-word can kill your consistency. It takes a ton of time, and it can make you sound less natural on camera. Instead, talk through bullet points. This is much faster and often leads to more confident delivery.
- The Magic Number: Three: When planning a video, aim for three main points. I know it's tempting to cram in tons of information, but audiences have a hard time absorbing more than three key takeaways.
My Video Creation Framework: HIVES
Here's the framework I use for creating videos:
- H: Hook: This is the promise of your video. For educational content, it can often be as simple as restating your title. Think Media does a great job of this.
- I: Intro: This is optional, but I think it's a good idea. It's where you introduce yourself and explain why the audience should care. Establish your credibility. It's easier to grow a YouTube channel when you have real-world credibility. You don't have to be a guru; you can be a guide (someone who shares their own experiences).
- V: Value: This is the core content of your video – your three main points.
- E: End Screen Sales Pitch: This is a crucial element. Don't just say "like, comment, and subscribe." Instead, give a compelling reason for viewers to watch another video. For example, "If you enjoyed this video, you'll love this video over here where I break down X in more detail."
- S: (Implied) Title, Thumbnail, and Hook (First): I've added this because it's so important. Don't even start writing your video until you have a good idea of your title, thumbnail, and hook. 80% of the value is in these elements.
Example: How to Raise Your Self-Worth (or How to Be More Confident)
Here's how I would break down a video on this topic:
- Concept: Self-worth going up
- Title/Thumbnail/Hook Exploration: Is "self-worth" the best framing? What about "confidence"? Confidence seems to be getting more views.
- Three Main Points:
- Get out of your own way (internal blockers vs. external circumstances)
- Competence equals confidence (evidence and self-efficacy)
- Affirmations and mantras (and how they work)
- HIVES:
- Hook: "In this video, I'm going to share my top three tips for raising your self-worth so you can be more confident in any situation."
- Intro: "Hey friends, welcome back to the channel! If you're new here, my name is Ali, I'm a doctor turned entrepreneur and author of the New York Times bestseller 'Feelgood Productivity.' I've been making YouTube videos for 7 years, and I used to struggle with confidence and self-worth. In this video, I want to share what I've learned along the way."
- Value: Points 1, 2, and 3 above, with examples and explanations.
- End Screen Sales Pitch: "If you guys enjoyed this video, you're going to love this video over here where I break down in more detail exactly how to be more confident when you're feeling awkward in social situations. So check out that video right over here."
Q&A Highlights
Here are some of the key takeaways from the Q&A:
- Why Some Videos Get More Views: It primarily comes down to the
