UPDATE: as promised, here's my FIIRE Method for growing your channel: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6k6IkqHjKr0.html The book is called Essentialism. I've been listening to a LOT of books this year, and this one is top tier so far!
You know what Nate? This is EXACTLY what I was needed. From recording to editing, time management and using "time" efficiently as it is the most important resource is what I'm struggling the most. Hope you will make a video about your time management stuff and how you're scheduling your work etc. That would be a great video to watch and learn for lots of like me who lack of discipline.
I really want to get out of the hidden section of RU-vid. 😀 Everyone tells me that my videos are fun and well done. Then why doesn’t the channel grow? 😅
Nate you’re truly one of the best RU-vid educators/coaches out there Keep it up bro. I can see your channel hitting 1 million subs in less than 3 years 👍🏻
I started a brand new channel. BUT I remember with my main channel, before I got any viral videos, all of my videos had around 50-500 views. Now those same videos that had 50-500 views has 50k-600k. So you are NOT making them for nothing! If your videos are high quality enough and you are consistent enough they WILL eventually catch on to the algorithm along with the new ones.
Yo fam, how are we small channels even supposed to grow when the big ones are out here boosting themselves with stuff like zem rush and social plus? Feels like we’re hustling for nothing while they zoom ahead. Wishing y’all the best of luck!
Ikr. They have entire teams to do their editing thumbnails, some of em even have camera crews. Im one guy 😢 i dont have that kinda money, if i did, i wouldnt be making youtube videos
This is honestly the only channel worth watching in the RU-vid growth niche. The rest just regurgitate the same talking points about posting consistently, niching down and making good thumbnails. This is the only channel that consistently digs deeper and comes up with unique and wonderfully presented ideas and thought processes. Thanks for all you do Nate!
I agree. The other channels are good for starting out, but, honestly, I've followed all the basic advice, and it barely helped. Beautiful thumbnails made little to no difference in the performance of my videos, and posting more often actually made my channel do worse! By posting twice as often, the subscribers I was making were halved. Less is more, and Nate focuses more on the content itself, than the algorithm, while still acknowledging that the algorithm DOES put smaller creators at a disadvantage.
Don't get me wrong, Nate is good at this. But if this is the best channel, then you're not really looking enough.. Nate usually rehashes the same information again and again, in a different way..
thank you for the kind words! just became #98 for you and even watched some videos to give you the watch time! my goal is to reach 1000 by the end of the year without quitting because some days it feels hard to keep going when there are no results for your time and effort but i will keep trying to reach 1000 by the end of the year without giving up hopefully i can do it 🙏❤
RU-vid has spent nearly two months recommending this video to me. I scrolled across it 20 times in my feed. I finally clicked on I just saw RU-vid would stop recommending it..... And this video is explaining why RU-vid did this.
Hey Nate, I've been watching your videos religiously for 2 years and I thought my channel was dead at 5k subs, 10k subs, 30k subs, and even 50k subs. I've pivoted a few times and FINALLY I think I've found which content I can do long term. I even thought my intitial dream was dead so many times that I opened a 2nd channel in a differente language and KILLED it, only for that 2nd channel to stall out at 50k subs. I finally had 2 viral videos in the last 2 months and all that hard work has finally paid off. I'm finally being associated with other big youtubers in my niche, and I now understand that advantage that big youtubers have. It was so HARD, but your videos kept me going. What I've learned is just basically to keep being consistent, and make quality content and your version of success will come. Thanks!
This confirms my suspicion that that only thing holding me back now is consistency. It really is difficult especially because I get REALLY into my edits, but I've decided to be stupid this year and focus so much more time to my channel. Also, I get quite a few of those "How does this not have more views" comments fairly often, it's super validating every time.
Yes As Franklin D. Roosevelt said. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself ! oR AS Einstein QUOTED the only reason for time is so everything don't happen at once.
Holy CRAP its Gearheadtheman! Never knew you started a knew channel. I too have similar struggles with over editing. (btw its legomation24/Toy Man) in case you remember lol
I just started my channel and wow averaging like 20 views per video is discouraging. But your video gave me hope! So much to learn. To all the new content creators out there, don't give up!
here's whats currently working for me. I've grown to 50k subs in 3 months 1.) Make good videos - probably will take 2-3 weeks / 8hrs a day , here and there 2.) do that consistently 3.) learn from your mistakes 4.) adjust accordingly - Ive done these steps for close to a year now and my channel is now slowly just starting to grow. no other formula -
Bro, I watch every single video of yours, and you give me so much hope. I am sitting on ZERO subscribers right now 😂. But as you said, making good quality videos is essential. I'm trying to do the same . But again, finding that balance between quality and quantity really haunts me sometimes.
Also have about a 6-10 videos ready to go. Or just so you're in front and don't need to worry about the next days vid , it's already been made. Life also happens and you're not always available to make more but you've got back up now in your "stash" or whenever you feel like throwing some extra content out there. 😏🤘🏻
Thank you for helping me stay positive, so many people tell me my small channels deserve more views and are seriously underrated. I'll keep doing everything you said to do, so even if I don't have success at least I know I tried. Competition is so extreme and every niche is over saturated compared to what it was like 15 years ago, anyone will be lucky to become a big channel. To everyone reading this don't ever give up, it's not over till it's over, you can achieve success in life!
I’m someone that has a large channel at 100k and a small channel stuck at 4.3k and no matter what I do it just doesn’t grow. I feel for anyone trying to build channels now - it’s tough… my 100k channel I started 10yrs ago when it was easier. But my smaller channels that I started in the past year/s is flatlining. There are so many talented ppl out there just not being seen and if seems the lesser talented ppl are getting the views 😂 it’s effed up !
I appreciate your help videos Nate. There's tremendous truth. With that said, when you are a small channel putting your heart, soul and tons of time into growing and making between $1 & $4 per day on RU-vid after being monetized for a period of time, a real job is still necessary to pay the bills. I try to put a portion of 7 days a week into my channel but it's not always realistic and burn out is a real thing. Working so hard on the channel and at the end of the day you've made $1.70 takes the wind out of your sail. I love my channel and believe in it which is the only reason I'm still here after trying for 5 years. I believe at some time it will start growing and I eventually plan on posting 2 or 3 full length videos per week but for now I struggle to post 1 video and maybe a few shorts. Hopefully the channel can survive to the point of real growth. RU-vid sends surveys questioning fairness of large channels vs. Small channels but I have no idea why because they continue doing the same thing.
I think the analogy with the farmer stall is very valid. Would you click on a video with 100 views vs one with 100k? People tend to do what others do. Sad reality
Tbh i click on the video that has less views. Thats just me though. I can totally see why people would click on whats popular due to “if they watched it it must be the right video on this topic” type of thinking.
I really like finding small channels and hidden gems so i always click on recommended vids with very low views to check them out and usually always drop a comment to help out and encourage the creator if I think there was some effort put in etc.
I started making videos last month, and of all the videos I've watched about growing a new channel, this is the best one by far because it actually speaks to a brand new creator and all the hurdles I face. I'm definitely subscribing and watching as many of your videos as I can
This point, i don't agree with Nate!, It depends on the codec of your video, then RU-vid will convert to a simple format with smaller file which allows many viewers can see your videos with the speed of internet! That is why when you download your file from your channel, the size of the file is much more smaller than the original one!
Just a shout out, I started youtube 6 weeks ago and I've been religiously consuming content and focusing on my quality and its working. 2200 views on my video from Sunday before it flatlined with 8% ctr and 60% retention. ❤ thanks for doing this stuff man
there is a trick with CTR i found that if my retention and viewer ship is up the more i see people enjoy my content but hard to see the flat-line again.
My channel is still tiny and maybe it always will be, but this guy is so genuine and speaks actual fact unlike other 'how to grow your channel' youtubers. Actually makes me feel better just seeing someone understand so well
I'll say it again...THANK YOU for being honest! All those "other" channels offer zero help and just remake the same video every week. I have a small channel that is going through most of what you described. I appreciate your integrity.
A lot of great advice! Thank you! I started my YT a little over a year ago, but didn't get semi-serious until last summer... the flatlining and other issues are so exhausting and sometimes very discouraging. I think you truly have to enjoy what you're doing, and do what you want to do and treat it as a hobby more than anything, otherwise if you have greater expectations like wanting to get monetized quickly and maybe get "famous" it is going to kill the whole idea of being a content creator. There are so many small channels I follow that are amazing with very high quality content and I don't understand how they get less thank 1k views. Good luck to us all ☺
Wow, my friend, you are literally the only one talking about this. I’m still a very small channel. And yes, the views will go up and then immediately flatline. Sometimes they’ll take off again, and then flatline again… It’s very strange behavior.
What's weird is many creators are doing the exact opposite of what gurus are saying and still blowing up their channels. The algorithm is always changing and I think even the viewers are demanding something different of what we've been watching the last 5 years.
I think it's just luck at the end of the day. Some people get 500k views on their first video without even putting a customized thumbnail or much effort into the packaging. Sometimes it's just the timing of when you publish and if the topic tends to hit a certain trend etc. I know this cos i've seen brilliant thumbs and titles on vids that completely flop for no other reason.
@@nixonagnewreviews7206 so what's the point of putting so much time and effort on packaging and emphasis on thumbnails? I agree with you by the way. I'm just saying I just don't know how all of this stuff we are constantly told to do by these gurus really work. Maybe 5 years ago it did. I know creators who have 100k subs, have a silver play button, but struggle to get over a few thousand views per video. Meanwhile I see others like you said with a horrible thumbnail crushing views. It just doesn't make sense.
@@KevinNordstrom I know. There's no rhyme or reason for things, which is why I just attribute it to luck and timing, because I've seen so many horrible videos with crap packaging go viral just because it hit trending topic at the right time. Those channels may not translate those views into subs but but it certainly helps their channel in the algo with future videos. I think just keep making best content you can, with best packaging you can and then just try and hit trending topics at the right time as best you can...
Amazing creator here! After watching endless videos like this on youtube, i've grown my channel to well over 3000 subscribers in less then a month, and a quarter million channel views. I still have much to improve on and i'll be watching your content ❤️
@@Secret_coovi shorts is the easy way but you will have less of a fan base and make less, but it's the get-subs-quick scheme(if you do it right) Creating shorts you just gotta make videos that you feel like HAVE to go viral and if they don't then just repeat but make it better. Remember that the feed is infinite and if someone views you short and slightly doesn't like it then they can just skip. You are fighting for others attention, and since short form content is easy to make and free for almost everyone, there is a lot of competition so you gotta make something you really think can break through and go viral
2 comments: 1. My channel just hit 1000 subscribers on Friday (at the moment we were driving through ID and I thought of you 😊) and in the ensuing days I have seen so much more love from RU-vid in terms of exposure and growth since hitting that magic number. 2. Your card display is giving me mission flashbacks haha
This kind of confirms what I've thought for a while now, the bigger you get - the bigger you get. Well done on the 1k subs, I'm not far off myself now.
Hi Nate. It's 3am right now and I'm awake trying to figure out what I can do to improve my next video. It's been a very rewarding but also frustrating 2 months constantly feeling like I'm doing well, but also knowing that I could do 10x better right now. This last month, I always feel like I can blow up, but during the day while my mind is busy, I just can't figure out how.. until past 12am I rewatch each video and am slowly starting to understand exactly... why it hasn't blown up. I have officially unsubscribed to 90% of the YT channels right now on this particular account so I can focus purely on my work, but your channel is that one awesome channel that I absolutely love. You rock mate! Thanks for the awesome content.
Great video! The past 2 months, i've been getting comments like, "how's this video not getting any views..". Ever since I started experimenting with my content, like new topics, editing and comedy, things started to take a turn. I recently hit the 1k sub mark and finally got monetized thanks to this channel.
Thanks for uploading this. The simplified and friendly way you explain, show what to do, and how to do it helps make the whole frustrating channel growth process less daunting. I'll definitely be watching more of your videos.
Loved the whole card concept to help explain this. The flat line is really frustrating I admit, however, YT definitely does continue to push. I have many videos that didn't begin really taking off untill months and in some even years later. Also love the roast videos Nate keep them coming!
Shows what I know. I thought flatlining was normal, and that only "viral" videos would be pushed out, while older videos were shelved to make room for those that were new.
This was eye-opening. Yes, my 4k videos took 2 hours before, and these days it litterally takes a minute or two to encode. I just thought RU-vid got better. Thank you for the video, as always.
I'm still a small channel, but, around when I hit the 500 subscriber mark, uploads were suddenly faster - despite the fact that I often find myself posting in different places (I'm a housesitter). I just thought Telus imroved it's internet, lol.
I had no idea about the upload speeds! No wonder mine take ages... 😅 I've found this all to be super true. The hardest part of being a small channel is getting enough visibility. Once you start building up a small group of "fans," the momentum builds. I'm in the early phases of that and it's been motivating! Thanks for the tips, Nate! :)
Great input! I really enjoyed the analogy between channel size and the farmers market. I’ve even caught myself doing the same thing by looking for a “more vetted” channel with more subscribers when searching for a specific topic. Best thing to do is consistently put out quality content and it will grow! Everyone keep strong 💪
Love the vibe here! Embracing discomfort really is where growth happens. 🌱 I’m on a similar journey with my stoic videos, and it’s been a wild ride! Here’s to all of us pushing our limits and supporting each other along the way. Let’s keep inspiring one another! 💪✨
I've learned that if you create a loop of content, you get visible by RU-vid. That and being consistent with the style of content you want to make, people will watch because they see that you're building a channel based on the vision you want to create it. Been seeing that a lot recently.
Booped the thumbs up- dude for the record, I have been on a fallout 4 binge using RU-vid as a search engine for specific tasks and you are hundred percent on target. My home feed is a ton of 15-100 view smaller channels or very closely related topics. I love this channel. It helped me change the direction of my own into a more business centric one. I can’t be the only creator that struggles with “do I upload it all onto one channel” or “ I should have a channel dedicated to these different presentation styles of me” 😅
That was a great farmers market comparison. I've been very appreciative of my early comment viewer. I've also seen more small channels on my feed since starting my small channel. Best of all, my recent video is really outperforming my average, gave me 30 new subscribers, and I'm starting to see those encouraging small channel comments. The timing on this video really helped boost my confidence. Thanks Nate!
Hey Nate, I’m just starting out and I was using your channel for a lot of guidelines, and I just wanted to say I’m getting a lot of growth recently because of it. Thanks for all your work!
This is the most helpful creator video ive ever seen! THANK YOU!! i was really feeling frustrated and hurt from my lack of success! I realize now that im just a small channel. It gives me hope! Thanks... i subbed
I've gained 24 subscribers in the past two weeks before watching your video. I'm thrilled to see how your advice can help me accelerate my growth. Thanks for the fantastic content!
Thank you, it's about time someone talks about this, Almost all of the videos about small channel advice on RU-vid are NOT for small channels! So frustrating. So thank you. I'm in small channel hell right now but I hope that will all the advice I got from you and few others I will get out.
This is why I take big channel advice who started years ago, with a pinch of salt because the dynamics are very different for smaller channels and for those starting out now. And with the algorithm changing all the time. So thanks for flagging this as a real thing!
RU-vid has been recommending this video to me for weeks. I kept seeing it in the sidebar and not clicking simply because I'm fed up with listening to RU-vid advice for small channels that doesn't really tell you anything useful. I am so glad I finally watched this today! I have seen the exact pattern you describe in my videos (I am not even a small channel, I am TINY lol), of climbing views and then silent plateau, and it's really helpful to know that this is a normal process. Off to watch more. I liked and subscribed, thank you 🙂
I booped the like before you told me to! As others have said, this seems like the only channel that goes a bit deeper. I guess the algorithm is getting to know ME better now😎
Oh, first time I have been semi early to your video! Anyway, love your content and I have learnt so much. Out of all the RU-vid gurus you are one of the best 👍
How you described being at the farmers market is perfect. It’s like when people would rather buy from a successful store rather than the mom and pop store where the product could be better and less expensive… this is great advice! Thank you!
Which sucks for me because I make sports history video essays that take weeks to script, edit etc. And I also work in the merchant navy so I have enforced breaks... Feels like people who slop careless stuff on everyday will have more success.
@@robediodde this one is the first to : 1. find a real logical reason for « consistency » (giving more substance to algo) which everyone pushes for with no logical explanation which means they don’t really take the time to think about it in depth 2. explain potential algorithm behaviors while all others just rely on the « do quality » or « replace algorithm by audience » .. I am actually tired of hearing gurus contradicting each others just to sell. This goes straight to the point, is clear, and has very good logic in what he explains.. is he right ? i don’t know. but at least he is LOGICAL I would love to hear him talk about essay/documentary videos (not the faceless BS), but i guess like most other coaches, he might consider their audience to be too niche…
@@robediodde Happy to hear your view. do you mind sharing it ? i don’t want to argue, debate or defend the youtuber, i really want to get different perspectives
So!!! I am not the only one…You confirmed my analysis of this situation… Video takes forever to pick up. It’s so frustrating and I often feel like quitting when I am not seeing expected results. Thanks for your honesty in discussing this in a reassuring way 😊
This is soooo helpful! Thanks! Growing my channel has been a slow slog....I appreciate your information to help people like me stay sane and focused while trying to stay in the game and grow.
I have wondered about this impressions thing before. Right now, it feels like my channel is starting to break out of that "testing spike" period. My most recent video is my best performing and I've been continuously getting impressions for the past few days (sitting at about 112k right now). Curious to see how the next video does and what the impressions are like then. Thanks, @ThatNateBlack for all the useful videos!
this is one of the most wonderful videos i have seen! Thank you nate! I think you are the only person that lays out how to get our channels off the ground, in a way where we can all understand.
I’m a relatively new creator. My learning curve is through the roof. I’ve been getting better and better in every video and while, like most of us who feel the results don’t match the input, I stay positive because I genuinely enjoy doing what I’m doing. Stay true to you, don’t accept mediocrity, and let your enthusiasm be contagious. Results are slow coming but they are coming.
How funny you mention dropping everything else that is not in your focus. I recently dropped Facebook. I Had my personal Facebook account deleted because it is a time waster and drama-filled. Then I a new blank profile ( turned off the notifications as well) and made a page for my RU-vid channel which is my laser focus. It has been a game-changer for me.
Thanks for making this! This video convinced me to stop wasting my time selling random stuff on Ebay, and get way more serious about my channel. I mean Ebay also helped convince me to stop that too by being kinda awful but you told me precisely why RU-vid was worth more of my time!
Thank you! I knew it, and I’m so glad you got to see data that proves it. And thank you for giving us direction and ideas to focus on. This is by far the BEST video I have seen that applies to me right where I am. I am excited to see the video you are working on next.
Third! I love your channel. I don’t think of it being getting stuck, statistically, smaller channel probably makes up most of the RU-vid channels, and it is okay being small, as long as you are doing what you enjoy, it doesn’t have to be big.
It depends on what you want out of Yotube. I remained and am still small on the big scale of things. At the beginning when you do it for fun it's OK to be small. But then as you realise the time it takes (huuuge amounts of times to run a channel) and personal investment it takes then you want to justify all that by growing up
I appreciate you omitting the file language from your brand. Thank you! It's actually a subscription deal breaker for me. I can literally feel my energy shift to a lower vibration as soon as I hear any person of influence start cursing.
Finally a creator channel confirming what I've been saying all along (and which fir instance VIDIQ keeps denying, even laughing me in the face about it). I've been uploading for two years now, 400 quality videos/shorts, providing as much data to the algorithm as I'm capable of... People love my content, likes, subs, very few dislikes and Ive had many comments on why the channel isn't bigger and how everyone should be seeing the content.... But the algorithm still ignores the channel... And even worse, it keeps testing it with the wrong audience... middle-aged males do not want to see our teenage girl vlogs (and the few that do, we don't want as an audience). With 400 videos, nearly 2.5k subs the algorithm should know better... but it doesn't :(
To everyone reading this comment just Keep working hard and make sure to stay consistent, you WILL get there, it's just a matter of how much effort you put into your videos. Good luck everyone.❤
Thank you again Nate! I was wondering what is considered a "small channel" now. I guess it depends a lot on the niche. What I can say is that ever since I got to 20k many more people than before have come knocking at my door for Collab, sponsorships and whatnot. I really cannot imagine what it's like for people with hundreds of thousands or with millions of subs and views 😱 And by the way, just to follow one of your points, I can't understand why your channel doesn't get more views/subs 😁
As high a quality as you can, but one should NOT fear 1080p or 1480p or even 2k , a lot of people don't have the greatest cell phones poor people don't care ... ... 360 vids are super fast and YT needs them 1080p
I really like how you described the parallel between the audience with a small channel and a person being the only one walking up to a booth who has to face the seller one on one. It really clicked with me. On my other channel I make content which is relatively niched and I think what you mentioned might be why my videos have few viewers.
Guys, keep going! As a small RU-vidr, I know, it’s painful to see low views, and even worse when you make sth that is actually quality but just can’t get the right audience Pls still bear with it and you will somehow go through this tough time!
Small channel hell is a great place to test ideas and try new things. Being a small channel can be fun. If you have no viewers, you don’t need to pander to an audience. You do what you want.
What a video! Love your general way of explaining how to progress in general but this video really opened my eyes to other things I need to try as a new(ISH) vlog!
Currently getting myself out of small channel hell after taking two months out after i left my job (toxic boss) and deciding to not just put my feet up but actually give full-time content creation on my channel a go. I git the Presence comments in the past frequently, so i know i can do this! Thank you so much for such awesome insight
