💥 The Problem with YouTubers Today: Why Patience and Perseverance Are Key

In today's world of instant gratification, we're used to getting what we want almost immediately. My kids can command the TV with their voice, order anything they desire with a few taps, and even explore the world virtually without leaving home. But this mindset doesn’t translate well to the world of YouTube content creation.

Many new YouTubers start with high hopes, only to find out that the journey is far from easy. The allure of quick success often leads to disappointment when the reality sets in—YouTube is a marathon, not a sprint.

The Instant Gratification Trap

With 113.9 million active YouTube channels, anyone can start a channel with nothing more than a smartphone. However, the reality of maintaining and growing a channel quickly proves challenging for most. Many quit when they realize how much effort it takes to script, film, edit, and market their videos. The initial excitement fades when instant success doesn’t materialise.

Stat to Ponder: Did you know it took MrBeast four years to reach his first 1,000 subscribers? And seven years to hit one million? This level of patience is rare, especially in today’s fast-paced world.

The Marie Curie Lesson

Marie Curie once said,

This wisdom applies perfectly to YouTube creators. The journey is tough for everyone, but those who persevere are the ones who succeed.

Reality Check: Most creators who “make it” have been grinding for years, constantly improving their skills and learning from their mistakes.

So How Do You Succeed on YouTube?

1. Consistency is Key: Success on YouTube requires regular, high-quality content. Posting consistently helps you build a loyal audience and keeps you in the algorithm’s favour. But be realistic—don’t burn out by overcommitting. Start with a manageable goal like one video per week and stick to it.

2. Develop Your Skills: The best way to improve is through experience and continuous learning. Each video you create should be better than the last. Focus on improving one aspect at a time, whether it’s your editing, scripting, or on-camera presence.

3. Understand Your Audience: To grow, you need to know what your viewers want. Pay attention to what works and double down on it. If a particular video topic resonates, create more content around it. Remember, YouTube is as much about serving your audience as it is about expressing yourself.

4. Embrace the Long Game: Understand that success won’t happen overnight. It takes time to find your voice, build an audience, and refine your content. The sooner you accept this, the more likely you are to succeed.

Final Thoughts

YouTube is a platform full of opportunity, but it’s not for those looking for quick wins. It’s a place where patience, persistence, and continuous improvement are rewarded. So, take a page from Marie Curie’s book—believe in your abilities, work hard, and don’t give up. Success on YouTube is possible, but only if you’re willing to play the long game.

▶️ Ronaldo (The One People Love To Hate)

As a Man City fan, this guy always frustrated me. However… I have to acknowledge he is a master of his craft. A winner who dedicates himself 1000% to being the best he can be.

And now he seemingly has his sights on YouTube, becoming the fastest person to hit 1 million subscribers, and since reached 44 million in just 4 days. Incredible eh.

Don’t worry, this isn’t normal and you don’t need to set yourself unrealistic targets.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s YouTube launch was a work in motion for a while and would have had teams of people playing their part - including YouTube (who had already issued his golden play button on day 1).

In the madness of this launch is a lesson I would recommend to anyone launching a new channel.

Do not start with just one video.

Cristiano launched with over 10 videos. Enough that his fans and potential subscribers could press play, like what they see, then binge watch. Almost like they were diving into a full Netflix series.

If you haven’t launched yet then consider waiting til you’ve got 4 or 5 videos to get started with. Give people the opportunity to watch you, then watch some more of your content.

▶️ YouTube Premium: What I Discovered

Last month I went on holiday/vacation. To get through the long flights and wait times, I started a trial of YouTube premium, primarily because we all wanted to download YouTube content to watch offline.

It worked a treat and is by far one of the biggest selling points. However, there were a few other things I noticed.

1. I have since cancelled it, and I have realised how painful it is watching adverts when you haven’t had too. Annoying, but is it enough for me to pay for the privilege? Not really

2. The music app is good and initially I thought this could replace my amazon music subscription. Wrong. We have Alexa’s dotted around the house and these will not integrate with a Google product, so without that easy ability to dictate songs from whatever room we are in, the music on YouTube is redundant.

3. The price varied. At first I messed up as I signed up using my YouTube channel ID, however quickly realised all my Google Family settings link back to another ID. I had to cancel and sign up with that account instead. Which oddly was around £4 cheaper per month for the very same service. How does that work?

I know this isn’t completely creator related, but wanted to share my thoughts as i know many of you have considered the service and whether its a good fit for your family.

Let me know if you have tried it and what your thoughts are? Am I being unfair?

That’s it for this week. I would love to know what you think of these newsletters, so feel free to hit reply and tell me. What would you like me to cover? What do you like or dislike?

More importantly though - keep creating friend!