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@ZCP finally takes a step forward to help more people!

Ernman

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If memory serves me correctly you can get a customized channel name after 100 subs. You should claim yours.

For instance my channel name: https://www.youtube.com/c/SharkScrapper

Yours could be ZaneEngineersLife OR ZaneEngineering OR ????

But some better than the random letters/numbers YT gives us.
 
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ZCP

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Two Dog

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Ah, robotics. My distant love affair that will have to be a future hobby at this stage in life. Our girls love the autonomous robots that simulate animals, insects and sea critters. Butterflies and birds are my favorites. My wife and I are transitioning into a super low-tech industry this year after decades selling logistics applications. I want to try a business that's mostly assembling building blocks instead of developing and maintaining complex software.

Curiosity question: What's the production time to play time ratio for publishing professional You Tube content? Meaning how much time is needed to produce XXX minutes hours of live content. Documentaries are something like 20x - 40x including filming & editing, but anyone can livestream an ad hoc monolog selfie at 1x. I've been wondering how much of a difference that makes in developing an audience.

p.s. If haven't seen Mark Rober's squirrel maze vids, both are *really* well done. Our kids love his channel.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFZFjoX2cGg
 
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Ernman

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Curiosity question: What's the production time to play time ratio for publishing professional You Tube content? Meaning how much time is needed to produce XXX minutes hours of live content. Documentaries are something like 20x - 40x including filming & editing, but anyone can livestream an ad hoc monolog selfie at 1x. I've been wondering how much of a difference that makes in developing an audience.
This is a great question. Being active in the YouTube creator community I can tell you this is frequently a point of discussion. From a purely biz perspective, if having a staff of videographers, editors and artists didn't lead to measurable success - well, we wouldn't see the big channels doing that now would we? YouTube has become a quality over quantity game. But the quality I'm referring to is all about keeping people on the platform. Can a small channel with little to no editing and using an iPhone be successful? Absolutely - many have done this. Can they compete with the likes of Mr. Beast - well, that's a different story.

I know a channel with over 10,000 subscribers who creates with nothing more than his phone and very little editing. He's a pleasant person who tells a good yarn...usually, and over time - 14 years - his audience has grown. To him he is successful at growing an audience because he's just having fun sharing his experiences. However, if one is approaching YouTube as a full time gig that makes money one can live on, much less Fastlane money - well that requires real work and investment ( $ and time). Developing an audience of 100K to a million - and keeping them - means capturing eye balls with a thumbnail in seconds and a title that causes them to click. Then you need a hook that keeps them watching long enough to get into the story for however long the video lasts. All of this requires skill and quality content: videography, story telling, editing, B-Roll, cuts, transitions, graphic artistry, and the list goes on.

Like everything on YouTube it is relative to one's goals for the channel. But quality content will beat crap every time.
 

Two Dog

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I often wonder how much the algorithm's whimsy comes into play. Assuming you've done the hard work described to even reach a minimum threshold (subscriber count? views? ad clicks?), you're now in a room with millions of other equally talented hard working people all publishing excellent content over a long timeframe.

Is there a point where you think the algorithms just take control and randomly reward some people over others?

The black boxes are so complicated I'm skeptical even the devs can accurately predict the results. Like chess software.
 

Andy Black

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I often wonder how much the algorithm's whimsy comes into play. Assuming you've done the hard work described to even reach a minimum threshold (subscriber count? views? ad clicks?), you're now in a room with millions of other equally talented hard working people all publishing excellent content over a long timeframe.

Is there a point where you think the algorithms just take control and randomly reward some people over others?

The black boxes are so complicated I'm skeptical even the devs can accurately predict the results. Like chess software.
YouTube will do what’s in YouTube’s best interest.

At a guess, they’ll split test your video against others and if your video earns YouTube more money then you’ll get shown more.
 
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Ernman

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Assuming you've done the hard work described to even reach a minimum threshold (subscriber count? views? ad clicks?), you're now in a room with millions of other equally talented hard working people all publishing excellent content over a long timeframe.
The algo doesn't care how hard you've worked. It only cares about keeping viewers engaged. How much of your video did they watch? Did they stay on the platform and click on another video? Was it another of your videos? Still in the niche/genre? and so on.

Lots of YouTube creators believe they are talented and making good videos. I've seen countless comments saying something along the lines of..."my content is as good as so and so's why isn't the algo promoting me?" "I'm being shaddow banned." "I make great content but he algo won't show me to people."

Bottom line - if you can get people to click on your video, watch long enough and stay on platform...YouTube will continue to promote your videos to more people.
 

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Some of you know that I own and run an engineering company. Others of you know that I've been teaching engineering for a little while now at the local university. Many of you know that I'm really big into making an IMPACT.

So after a lot of pushing by other Fastlaners, I finally got around to making a youtube channel to help kids in engineering / technology, helping people in their careers in engineering / technology, and generally trying to help people with the stuff school does NOT ….. mindset, money, business, figuring out your why, etc.

I’ve been making posts regularly for a few weeks. After a recent trip with a bunch of the group, I decided to up the anti. Another Fastlaner has a course / company that could help me with a studio upgrade, so I pulled the trigger (and invested some $$) and upgraded my studio so we can start delivering some professional quality content.

Would the community be willing to help me with a few things?
  • Check out some of my old videos
  • Check out the new setup and new videos
  • Let the videos play to the end (even if you decide to mute me!) :)
  • Let a few play in order if the YT algorithm suggests it
  • Subscribe if so moved (it will be awesome!!!)
  • Share somewhere that might have someone I could help (FB, LinkedIn, IG, other forums)
Would love any feedback as well!


Hey @ZCP! Nice putting a face to the avatar; for some reason I thought you were Asian??

Anyway I watched the Body Bag video and I liked it, good story and well put.

Some feedback:

Great setting, looks very professional, I like using the screens behind to give a bit of back light, I'd perhaps tighten up the frame slightly (bit less space over your head).

A great tip for just telling stories to cam like that, is to add some visuals, Jay Williams a prison Youtuber really does this extremely well, you'd be surprised how a little image or gif can enhance your story. For instance when you were talking about the guy saying "Are you kidding?" before you'd even started, a funny little gif of a sweating man would have worked there nicely. The trick is to identify the key points of your story and then see if you can add something to enhance that point. So for example in your Friday Story your pic list might have looked like this:

1. Shooting Incident - insert cartoon of Yosemite Sam shooting his gun randomly

2. Talking about no sleep - Find caricature image of really tired man - rings round eyes - melting?

3. Slide interrupted - insert classic Airplane gif of man sweating as he tries to land the plane.

4. Answer guys question - Insert image of lightbulb going on.

5. Asking questions - image of students listening to teacher

Okay obviously those were just top-of-the-head random things I thought of, I'm sure with some thought you could make them even better.

Lastly I would start thinking about a sign off and a little video stinger, just some simple graphics and a little jingle, but that can come later as you develop.

Two similar channels to watch for ideas:

Jay Williams Let's Live Life

Bruce Rivers Criminal Lawyer Reacts

LegalEagle

Cool man, look forward to seeing the channel grow! Good luck!
 

ZCP

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@Roli
polish asian, right? :)

LOVE the ideas! graphics are the next step. info on the screens, etc. think a few of us are getting together and lining up a vendor to handle our video cutups / animations / uploads / keywords / etc.

dm me if anyone offers those services! have four or five of us that are producing 1 to 3 videos a week and we could use the help!
 
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Andy Black

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@Roli
polish asian, right? :)

LOVE the ideas! graphics are the next step. info on the screens, etc. think a few of us are getting together and lining up a vendor to handle our video cutups / animations / uploads / keywords / etc.

dm me if anyone offers those services! have four or five of us that are producing 1 to 3 videos a week and we could use the help!
I think there’s a progress thread in here of someone doing video editing for YouTube.

A couple of years ago I was in a wee group of people messing about on YouTube. I couldn’t bring myself to add the little graphics like the others were doing, or ask people to subscribe etc.

I’m curious.. how did you decide to create 1-3 videos a week?
 

ZCP

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@Andy Black a fellow fastlaner that is CRUSHING it in the space said that when i get 50 up, he'll go through all the analytics with me to map out the channel / tune / fix / update / grow. another fastlaner suggested i do a friday story. so i'm kind of doing both. got the studio setup, can do 1 to 3 in a sitting and batch them out.
 

Two Dog

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@Andy Black a fellow fastlaner that is CRUSHING it in the space said that when i get 50 up, he'll go through all the analytics with me to map out the channel / tune / fix / update / grow. another fastlaner suggested i do a friday story. so i'm kind of doing both. got the studio setup, can do 1 to 3 in a sitting and batch them out.
Cool!

Hopefully you can keep up that production schedule. It sounds daunting to me, but I'm awful about doing anything on a reliably predictable schedule. That's why I rely on software to handle those kinds of things. Several pretty successful YTers have told me that publishing on a consistent schedule has been a big part of their growth even though it's not necessarily (at least I don't think it is) known as fodder for The Algo Beast.
 
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ZCP

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There's a good YT from Hermozi on his call with Grant Cardone ...... Grant is like 'dude. you post 8 times a week. i post 60. quit trying to make it perfect and get it out there.' ...... same thing our fellow fastlaner told me. make it. make it authentic. help people. get it out there.
 

ZCP

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My customer avatars = (from my YT channel about page)

Zane Engineers Life is a place for help. Engineers and those working in technical fields need help with their career, their motivation, their future, figuring out how to survive (and thrive) in the crazy world we live in today. Students and those early in their engineering / technical careers need help with their resume, their job search, their negotiations, and how to navigate the world of work and life.

Thoughts on marketing / outreach / getting out there?
Suggested topics for the channel?
 

ZCP

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Andy Black

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In a nutshell…

Who are you trying to help?

What are you helping them with?

How will you help them?
 

ZCP

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Some thoughts on description:

In 1st paragraph I'd maybe remove the 2nd sentence. Not enough context yet so it seems too vague.
In 2nd paragraph I'd maybe remove the 1st sentence. As now they already know who you are, where they are, and need to hear already what's in it for them:)

Just my .2c:)
 

Andy Black

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In a nutshell…

Who are you trying to help?

What are you helping them with?

How will you help them?
Let me rephrase that.

Can you say in one sentence who you help, what you help them with, and how you do it?

I ask to see if it’s immediately obvious from your channel.
 

ZCP

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i help engineers and people in the tech field navigate their career by providing advice, experience, ideas.
i help students in STEM start their career, figure out what they want to do, and GO GET THEIR JOB by providing advice / techniques / a push to achieve.
i help everyone believe in themselves and invest in themselves by providing guides / techniques / advice.
 
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ZCP

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Hired new video editing service. Check out the new thumbnails!
Going to have a bunch of shorts and reels up soon.
Let me know what you think. Lot of content coming.
View: https://youtu.be/XGq14PSWgQI
 

Andy Black

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Hired new video editing service. Check out the new thumbnails!
Going to have a bunch of shorts and reels up soon.
Let me know what you think. Lot of content coming.
View: https://youtu.be/XGq14PSWgQI
I’ve seen some of your videos in my feed on LinkedIn.

I do wonder if text would be better to start with LinkedIn. I don’t watch any videos I see on there. I’m just not in video mode when I hop onto LinkedIn. Obviously I am when I hop onto YouTube.

It’s also easier to publish a text post on LinkedIn, which means you can easily post daily which allows you to get more feedback more often.

Maybe see what resonates with short posts and then expand the winners into longer posts and then ultimately video?

Just a thought.

Obviously I’m a sample size of one, and I’m not your target market, so take what I say with a pinch of salt.

For that video thumbnail above, what’s the hook? Whats in the video? Who is it for? What will a viewer learn or be able to do after watching the video? I feel you could do more to “sell the click”.

Also… the copy in the thumbnail matches the video title. Check what some of the popular channels in your niche and other niches do. I don’t think the thumbnail is a duplicate of the video title.
 

Andy Black

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ZCP

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Interesting. They say YouTube shorts can get lots of views and are a way for people to discover you. Are yours extracts from your longer videos?
yep, they are from longer videos .....
yes, the shorts are KILLING it
1657564492645.png
since Friday
 

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o help kids in engineering / technology, helping people in their careers in engineering / technology,

atta boy. You should teach the youth the most important thing. GEAUX TIGERS
All jokes aside, quite a noble undertaking. You know who i am.
 
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ZCP

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Super Spreader Media is KILLING IT with the channel. Check out the views.....
1658163496470.png

It is run by a fellow fastlaner. Hit me up to make the connection!!
 

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