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Last active April 13, 2025 18:31
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youtube notes.md

general youtube tips

  • idea > title > thumbnail > hook > storytelling > viewer retention
  • audience quality > audience size
    • avoid optimizing too hard for virality
  • title > thumbnail > bingeability > SEO
  • lots of good videos > one great video
  • shorts should complement main content
  • authenticity can be a valuable differentiating factor
    • enjoy what you do
    • avoid trying to become a different person; try to lean into traits you already have
  • create a brand for yourself
  • make sure videos are just as interesting for new viewers as they are for existing ones

todo: review https://www.reddit.com/r/MrBeast/comments/1awjz9s/pitching_ideas_until_something_happens_day_10/

filming

  • only film either in places where you have everyone's consent or public places with no expectation of privacy
    • always blur out people who you don't have consent from so that they can't be identified
    • always stop filming if requested to do so
  • not public if:
    • you have to be invited
    • you have to get authorization to enter
    • there is an expectation of privacy (hotels, bathrooms)
    • not intended to be accessible to the general public
  • examples of public places:
    • sidewalks/streets
    • parks
    • town squares
    • transit terminals
  • businesses open to the general public can be considered public places, but you should generally still get permission before filming

amtrak filming policy:

  • need to contact amtrak if footage is for commercial use
  • must stop filming if told to do so
  • may be questioned or searched at any time
  • cannot film in:
    • platforms (unless you have a ticket & can only filmed using handheld devices)
    • employee areas
    • train cars (unless you have a ticket + cannot film passengers or employees + train car must be in service)
    • train engines
    • offices
    • baggage areas
    • restaurants
    • on tracks / in areas where amtrak vehicles have right of way

greyhound does not allow filming without obtaining permission

flixbus does not have a consistent filming policy; policies are operator-specific

cannot film lyft/uber drivers without obtaining permission from the driver

production

  • there is no one thing that really levels up your videos, it's a bunch of small things
    • details matter; always be striving to improve further
  • sound makes a big difference in your videos
    • be careful not to make music / sfx too loud
  • j-cuts improve video pacing
  • title & thumbnail is a promise to the viewer about the video; make sure to keep that promise
    • your title must accurately describe the video; if you have a boring title, you have a boring video
  • your thumbnail builds upon the title; it shouldn't repeat it
  • focus on viewer psychology and use of emotion in title & thumbnail
    • needs to be attractive at a glance
    • needs to have perceived value
    • needs to be recognizable at small sizes
  • avoid making thumbnails too visually noisy; simple is better
    • avoid putting yourself in the thumbnail unless you are the content
    • thumbnails should have a clear reading direction and a clear focus
      • arrows can be a helpful way to provide this
    • avoid using more than a few words in the thumbnail
  • avoid putting anything in the bottom right corner of the thumbnail, as it will be covered by the video duration box
    • the size of the video duration box will vary between different devices
  • stick to a consistent theme for all of your thumbnails to improve recognizability
  • make sure to write a few lines about the video in the video description to improve SEO
    • make sure that the description is connected and builds upon the title
  • first 60 seconds are the most important for algorithmic recommendation
    • start with hook in the first 8 seconds
      • start with strongest claim / most interesting visual
    • escalate interest during 9-30 seconds
      • examples:
        • introducing a complication which makes viewers more interested in the video
        • revealing something unexpected that challenges assumptions
        • giving a tantalizing glimpse of the end result to keep viewers hooked
    • slow down while maintaining energy during 30-60 seconds
      • add additional context to make premise more compelling
      • introduce a new mini-promise to keep viewers invested
  • there is no best overall video length or time to upload, only what is best for your audience
  • there is no optimal uploading schedule; the algorithm does not punish you for infrequent uploads

storytelling

  • constant dance between context and conflict
    • repeated twists keep the viewer engaged
      • piling on detail after detail is boring
    • use but/therefore rather than and/then
  • create a rhythmic flow of varying sentence lengths
    • "don't just write words, write music"
    • use sentence lengths intentionally to create an engaging rhythm
  • use a conversational tone
    • talk as if you're talking to a close friend, not a camera
    • it should feel like you're talking with the viewer, not to the viewer
  • whenever possible, work backwards from the end of the story
    • where do you want to take the viewer?
      • what do you want to leave them with?
      • what should be the last thing they hear?
    • the last line should be the most memorable
    • you have to start from the end to build out the conflict in the middle
      • start with the first and last lines
  • focus on your unique perspective
    • how will you uniquely tell the story about that topic?
    • try to create something unique that people haven't seen before
  • create a good hook
    • first line should be as punchy and indicative of what's to come as possible
      • don't start with an open/opaque line
    • first line should immediately grab the viewer
    • visual hooks are far more effective than audio-only hooks

storytelling framework

TODO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqDItsy4JVY

comedy

  • setup to establish premise & expectations + punchline which breaks the audience's expectations while still satisfying the premise
    • sometimes good jokes subvert multiple expectations at once or attacks the premise from multiple angles
    • needs to flow well and not be missing key details
      • sometimes increasing specificity can make the joke funnier
      • specific examples helps reinforce the connection between the comedian and the audience
        • be relatable while still being original (the familiar is boring)
    • sometimes creates tension and then relieves it at the punchline
  • always commit to the joke. losing confidence in your delivery can make a well written joke sound bad
    • always tell the joke with the assumption that everybody's going to listen, because that's what makes people want to listen
    • if people still ignore/interrupt, your problem is likely more your material than your delivery
  • cadence is important, and how you write the words is just as important as how you say them
    • you're aiming for the precision of writing with the fluency of speech
      • needs to sound authentic
    • most standup comedians improvise their setups and have their punchlines memorized
    • comedians use a slower pace to build up tension and switch to a faster pace to catch the audience's attention or provide further relief
  • general rule of thumb: no subject is off limits as long as your joke is more funny than it is offensive
  • you will need to practice a lot and read/listen a lot to get better, as it's primarily a matter of taste

growth

  • avoid sharing with friends & family when starting out; this will cause the algorithm to recommend this video to similar audiences which may not be interested in the video
    • for similar reasons, be careful with sharing your video on other platforms
  • getting the basics right and having a plan is the most important
    • if your content is genuinely enjoyable to watch, viewers will eventually come
  • early on, focus on exploring different themes and finding what best works for you. once you find something that works, focus on improving it.
  • youtube growth is non-linear
  • success is rare but possible
    • ~90% of videos get under 1,000 views
    • <2% of videos get >100,000 views
    • 90% of views go to top 3% of channels
    • outliers are overrepresented
      • on average, it takes 2-3 years for a youtube channel be monetizeable
  • avoid comparing yourself too hard to other creators
    • iteration is necessary to refine your videos, focus on trying
      • you will get good at this eventually
  • youtube analytics is extremely noisy below 100k views
    • as a rough rule of thumb, the baseline volatility for viewership is typically +/- 10k views
  • most important analytics: watch time and click through rate
    • watch time = how entertaining your video is
    • click through rate = how enticing your title & thumbnail is
  • avoid using the algorithm as a scapegoat
    • your videos need to offer value to viewers; you are competing in a market for people's attention
    • only the value of your finished content matters
  • see: https://www.reddit.com/r/NewTubers/comments/1glkh0g/this_is_how_the_youtube_algorithm_works/
  • slowly improve gear over time
    • better production quality does not make better
  • focus most of your editing effort on the cut
  • hire an editor as soon as it is financially feasible to do so
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