Most youtuber advice is bad | Advice Tier List

Summary of YouTube Video: “Most YouTuber Advice is Bad | Advice Tier List”

This video provides a structured tier list evaluating common YouTube creator advice based on the presenter’s decade-long experience. It emphasizes actionable, business-relevant insights into content strategy, audience growth, channel management, and platform mechanics, while debunking many popular myths.

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Frameworks, Processes, and Playbooks

• YouTube Algorithm Core Concept: YouTube’s recommendation system is primarily based on co-watch behavior—analyzing viewer watch histories to identify patterns and suggest videos accordingly. Deleting videos removes valuable data points, which can negatively impact channel growth.

• Content Production Mindset:

  • 80% Rule (Hank Green): Aim to complete creative work to about 80% of perfection and publish rather than striving for 100%. Avoid paralysis by over-polishing or restarting projects.
  • Algorithm = Audience Mental Model: Focus on what the audience wants instead of obsessing over the algorithm as a separate entity.

• Audience Engagement & Growth Tactics:

  • Use A/B testing for thumbnails and titles to optimize click-through rates and views.
  • Build a newsletter/email list to maintain direct contact with loyal fans, bypassing YouTube’s unreliable notification system.
  • Translate videos into multiple languages, ideally with translated audio tracks, to double revenue with relatively low additional effort.

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Key Metrics, KPIs, and Targets

• Views & Subscriber Growth: Shorts can generate billions of views and millions of subscribers quickly (e.g., a channel with 1.5 billion views and 1.5 million subscribers in 1.5 years). However, conversion from Shorts viewers to long-form video viewers is very low (<0.1% in the example). Shorts and long-form audiences should be treated as largely separate.

• Engagement Metrics:

  • Click-through rate (CTR) is important but often misinterpreted; CTR tends to decline as impressions grow, so a high CTR alone does not guarantee viral reach.
  • Time spent watching and session duration on channel videos are stronger signals than subscriber count or engagement alone.

• Email Open Rates: Industry average for email open rates is around 20%, significantly higher than YouTube push notification click rates (~2%).

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Concrete Examples and Case Studies

• Deleting Old Videos: Deleting underperforming videos harms channel growth by removing algorithmic data. Some creators delete videos to inflate sponsor negotiation metrics, but this is risky and discouraged.

• Collaboration (Collabs): Early career collaborations often do not lead to sustained audience growth; many subscribers gained through collabs do not engage with your own content afterward. Effective collabs fit naturally (e.g., cameo appearances, game shows) rather than forced collaborations.

• Shorts vs Long-Form: The “Girl Who Eats Art” channel example shows Shorts attracting massive views and subscribers, but her first long-form video received only 431 views, illustrating the difficulty of cross-format audience conversion.

• Breaks and Channel Activity: Taking extended breaks does not inherently cause algorithmic penalties. For example, creator “Sam Onella Academy” took a 3-year break but continued to grow due to audience loyalty and evergreen content.

• Monetization: Monetizing or adding sponsorships does not hurt channel growth; audiences often respond positively or neutrally.

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Actionable Recommendations

• Avoid F-Tier Advice:

  • Do not delete old videos just because they underperform.
  • Avoid encouraging toxic or negative engagement as a growth tactic.
  • Ignore advice that claims all engagement is good engagement.

• Don’t Overprioritize Timing: Posting at specific times or days rarely impacts long-term views unless content is time-sensitive (e.g., news, trends).

• Focus on Content Quality and Audience Experience: Prioritize content that resonates with the audience rather than metadata hacks or algorithm gaming. Use A/B testing tools to optimize thumbnails and titles.

• Use Shorts Strategically: Shorts can grow views and subscribers rapidly but require separate strategies to convert those viewers to long-form content.

• Build Direct Audience Relationships: Develop an email newsletter to reliably reach your most engaged fans, increasing video co-watch potential.

• Translate Content: Investing in multilingual subtitles and audio can significantly increase revenue and reach.

• Mindset: Publish content when it’s good enough rather than perfect. Think of algorithm signals as audience preferences to stay aligned with viewer interests.

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Presenters / Sources

• The video is presented by a seasoned YouTube creator with nearly 10 years of experience (name not explicitly stated).
• Mentions advice and quotes from:
  • Hank Green (creator of the 80% rule)
  • Todd Doupé (Head of Search and Discovery at YouTube)
  • Casey Neistat (popularized “Interested is interesting”)
  • Other referenced creators: Sam Onella Academy, Magic the Noah, Juliet (“Girl Who Eats Art”), Extra History.

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Overall, the video emphasizes focusing on sustainable, audience-centric strategies over chasing algorithm hacks or viral gimmicks. It advocates for measured content creation, direct audience engagement, and leveraging platform tools like A/B testing and translations to maximize growth and revenue.