- So how does a relatively new channel
just started YouTube in 2019
go from getting this many views to this many views
in a space of a couple of weeks.
Well it comes from a very simple strategy
we've told you about it before
but this is a perfect case study.
- [Voiceover] VidIQ.
- [Man] Vidiq.com.
It's too late to start a channel in 2019.
My topic on YouTube is too saturated,
I'll never be able to compete with the big boys.
My channel's too small it'll never get shared on YouTube.
All of this of course is absolute rubbish.
I've been waiting for an opportunity to show you
how it is still possible to start a channel in 2019
and be successful.
Hello I'm Rob and welcome back to VidIQ,
the YouTube Tool and Channel aims to educate you
on your YouTube journey.
Now this video is all sparked
from something that we do on a regular basis here at VidIQ.
We audit channels at for free 11 a.m. PST every single week.
Make sure you join us for that.
And one of the channels we listed recently made me go wow,
this is what I've been trying to tell video creators
for years and years and years and it still works
and this is what it is.
All right a small confession first.
This channel actually published its first videos
on December 22nd 2018.
So it didn't technically start in 2019 but close enough.
It is a tech channel like many that have come before it.
and the channel description tells us
that it reviews smartphones, tablets and overheard tech.
Now if you're a regular visitor
to VidIQ especially the live streams,
I know what you're about to say.
That's all very well, smartphones, tablets, home tech,
but where is the focus,
where's the niche.
That channel's not specific enough.
And you are absolutely right.
If your first video is about a Lava Lamp
and your ninth video is about a wireless doorbell
and your 17th video
is about a Black & Decker Multipro
two in one cordless vacuum cleaner,
you are going to get a confused audience
not knowing what to expect next.
Now for a new channel this is perfectly acceptable,
the video creator is trying
to find their feet on a platform.
Learn how to make videos and publish them
and they're in the hustle stage.
They're trying to find out what content they like making
which resonates with an audience.
And in the early stages of this channel,
they had some success.
Incredibly, their second video
on a gas meter got 5,000 views.
But what did they do next?
A video about Google Home Hub which does nothing.
Then a video about a thermostat that did well.
Then a video about a tablet that does even better.
A follow-up video to that tablet
that doubles of views again.
Then a video about a light bulb
that somehow does even better.
Another video about a smart meter that doesn't do as well,
followed by a video on a smart Samsung device
that completely tanks.
Now what is curious, a new channel making videos
about fairly different tech products
is getting good views.
and that leads me to two conclusions,
either the video creator
was playing around with Google AdWords,
just to artificially inflate the viewing figures
a little bit but legitimately of course,
or the video creator was strategically targeting
a couple of very niche areas
such as a specific tablet or smart energy thermostats
and working out which one would be most successful
for that channel.
I think it was probably a combination of a two.
But let's continue to see
where this video creator goes on their journey.
It continues on the theme of random bits of tech
until we hit a breakthrough video on a mobile phone.
17,000 views for a small channel is a hit.
and quite rightly the video crEatOr follows this up
with another video but that one absolutely tanks.
now I would have liked to have seen this video creator,
have a couple more attempts at this keyword and this device
but given that the second video did really poorly
and the lights of dislikes ratio is relatively low,
I don't know maybe the video creator lost
their confidence on the topic.
So let's move on.
The next set of video see reviews of smartcams,
a kitchen vacuum sealer and of a tablet video,
a quick revisit of that phone which does okay,
some headphones, smart energy savers
and that vacuum cleaner.
So I think it's pretty clear at this point
that the video creator is basically reviewing anything
that they buy for their own house.
And you know what, that is absolutely fine.
As a new video creator you can't expect brands
to just send you products to review.
We've always said that none of these should be a barrier
to entry, you just work with what you have.
And the next thing this creator gets,
changes absolutely everything.
Aaaah, the Samsung Galaxy Tab s5e.
You've all heard of it, right?
No, me neither.
I thought Android tablets disappeared five years ago.
Anyway, this is a brand new tech device
and a trending one at that.
Our VidIQ Research Tools clearly illustrate this.
High search volume, low competition score.
That's a keyword of interest.
Click on the keyword tag itself from one of these videos
and this launches the VidIQ keyword inspector,
where we can see the keyword started
to trend a few weeks ago, and interest is peaking now.
That's a keyword of great interest.
What the video creator did a month ago
was create a preview video on this tablet.
Now given that this video
has a very low likes and dislikes ratio,
people didn't react to it very well.
But it did give the video creator more views
than they've had in any of the previous five to 10 videos.
So that was an indication of some kind that YouTube
did like this content.
The audience just wasn't that keen.
However, and quite rightly, the video creator pressed on
and released an Unboxing video.
Not only was that much better received in terms of ratings,
it brought in lots of views too.
Now a legitimate question you might be asking at this point
is how does a channel with a couple of hundred subscribers,
get a video with 8,000 views
when it might be competing against big tech channels.
And I think the answer is all to do with timing.
I had a quick check to see when the device
was officially released
and Google tells me it was April of 26.
But this creator was able to release
an Unboxing video six days before that.
Being able to create content before
or during a release date of a product, show or service,
gives a creator a huge boost.
Because while information is scarce,
the people who are searching for that information
will consume every resource they can find.
There's nothing particularly special about this video.
A seven-minute top-down recording of unboxing a product,
it's been done thousands of times before
and done better.
But here's a principle I've talked about before,
most successful channels are bigger, better
and before anyone else with the content.
This creator has one of those elements.
Their video was before most of a competition.
And when you have a video on your channel
it's done really well
and you're before the rest of the competition,
there's only one thing you can do.
Make more content as soon as possible.
You may have heard us refer to this
as V Double Down concept.
And over the last two weeks
that's all the video creator has done.
That same keyword title Samsung Galaxy Tab s5e,
followed by whatever aspect the Creator wants to investigate
with a fine-tooth comb.
The big YouTube channels review these devices and move on,
the smaller creators provide the real value
to those who have decided to buy it
and use it on a daily basis.
Remember the journey so far,
this channel could get 1,000 views per video
or they could get 20 views per video.
Now with an absolute focus on a trending topic,
they are guaranteed 1,000 views
and occasionally 10 times as many as that.
People often ask us this question here at VidIQ,
when it comes to YouTube what's more important,
quantity or quality?
And the answer like many things on YouTube is
that it depends.
In this particular example
because the video creator has a trending topic
and it's not gonna last forever,
quantity is more important.
You wanna try and get as many videos out on a topic
to hit that keyword over and over again
and it's working for this channel.
If there is less time sensitivity about your content
then obviously quality is more important.
I know we've specifically talked about tech
in this particular case of it
but you can apply this strategy to any topic on YouTube.
There is almost always something need to talk about
or something to talk about in a completely new way.
And when you find the videos that hit,
don't go on to something else.
Really just nail down on up topic and grow your channel.
For small channels, this is the Quickfire hack way
to get more views and build an audience.
There are a dozen improvements this video creator could do
with their channel.
The banner is bland.
Considering the number of views the channel is getting,
the conversion of those views to subscribers is very poor.
So more calls to action to subscribe
are likely required in the videos
and those thumbnails definitely need some work.
But what tramps all of this right now
is that the channel focus is driving momentum.
And until that changes,
that's what this creator needs to continue to throw
all of their efforts into.
So come on, don't tell me that it's too late
to start a YouTube channel in 2019
because this channel
has just proved you can go from hundreds of views a day
to thousands of views a day.
I have no doubt that you work hard,
you've just got to think smart as well.
(upbeat music)