If I Wanted to Grow An Audience in 2024, I'd Do This

Ali Abdaal
28 Nov 202311:08
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn this video, the creator shares insights from his 6-year journey of growing an online audience to over 6 million followers. He emphasizes the importance of identifying a niche audience and providing value, using his own experience of teaching medical school entrance as an example. He discusses the evolution of his content strategy, moving from niche topics to broader ones like productivity, and highlights the significance of systemizing content creation. The video also touches on the role of consistency and setting achievable input goals, as well as the transformative impact of systemization and delegation on his YouTube channel's growth.

Takeaways
  • 🌟 Utilize personal expertise and experience to create niche content that provides value to a specific target audience.
  • πŸ“ˆ Identify and replicate successful content strategies, such as viral replication, to grow an online audience effectively.
  • πŸŽ“ Leverage the concept of the '10% Edge' where you are slightly ahead of your audience and can guide them effectively.
  • πŸ“Š Start with very niche topics and expand gradually into broader areas as your audience's needs evolve.
  • πŸš€ Focus on productivity and systemization to scale content creation and maintain consistency in output.
  • πŸ’‘ Prioritize title and thumbnail as they are crucial for attracting viewers and ensuring content visibility.
  • πŸ“ Structure content with a hook in the first 30 seconds and a three-part structure for effective video creation.
  • 🎡 Use royalty-free music from platforms like Epidemic Sound to enhance video quality without copyright issues.
  • πŸ”₯ Build systems and processes to delegate tasks and create content at scale, reducing the risk of burnout.
  • 🎯 Set input goals that are within your control, such as consistent content creation, rather than focusing solely on outcomes.
  • πŸ› οΈ Commit to a long-term content strategy, like posting weekly for two years, to see significant results and growth.
Q & A
  • What is the speaker's experience in growing an online audience?

    -The speaker has 6 years of experience in growing an online audience to over 6 million followers across platforms, including YouTube.

  • What does the term 'Niche' represent according to the speaker?

    -For the speaker, 'Niche' represents a combination of two things: the target audience and the value provided to them.

  • How did the speaker initially grow their audience?

    -The speaker initially grew their audience by creating very niche videos, teaching people how to get into medical school in the UK for specific universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, and UCL.

  • What is the '10% Edge' concept introduced by Amy Porterfield?

    -The '10% Edge' is the concept of being 10% ahead of your audience, a position from which you can illuminate the path for them and be a guide, rather than a guru.

  • How did the speaker transition from niche content to broader topics?

    -The speaker transitioned from niche content to broader topics by first helping medical students get into med school, then providing advice on studying and exams, and eventually expanding into productivity content as they received questions about their own productivity.

  • What is the 'viral replication' technique mentioned by the speaker?

    -The 'viral replication' technique involves copying the title and thumbnail of another successful piece of content and then creating a similar video in your own way, without plagiarizing the original content.

  • How does the speaker approach content creation?

    -The speaker approaches content creation as a systematic process involving hooks and a rough three-part structure, rather than relying solely on creativity.

  • What role does the title and thumbnail play in YouTube content success?

    -The title and thumbnail play a crucial role in YouTube content success as they serve as the packaging of the video, and if no one clicks on them, the content will not be viewed.

  • How does the speaker describe their content creation process?

    -The speaker describes their content creation process as systemized, involving processes and standard operating procedures (SOPs), which allows them to produce content consistently without relying on being a 'creative person'.

  • What advice does the speaker give for consistency in content creation?

    -The speaker advises setting input goals within one's control, such as committing to posting a video every week for two years, and having patience and faith that results will come with consistent effort.

  • How has the speaker's YouTube channel evolved over the years?

    -The speaker's YouTube channel has evolved from a one-person operation with a very rough process to a systemized, team-based operation with 14 people, including a general manager, allowing the speaker to focus on their strengths while the team handles other aspects.

  • What is the speaker's recommendation for new YouTubers?

    -The speaker recommends new YouTubers to commit to posting a video every single week for at least two years, understanding that it takes time and consistent effort to see significant results.

Outlines
00:00
🌟 Growing an Online Audience from Scratch

The speaker shares insights from their 6 years of experience in growing an online audience to over 6 million followers across platforms. They discuss the importance of identifying a niche by focusing on a specific target audience and providing unique value. The speaker emphasizes the concept of 'viral replication' for content creation, suggesting that one should emulate successful content while adding their own unique spin. They recount their journey from creating niche videos about getting into medical school in the UK to becoming a guide for productivity, eventually focusing on productivity as their main content theme.

05:01
🎡 The Power of Music and Consistency

The speaker discusses the role of music in their videos, highlighting the partnership with Epidemic Sound, which provides royalty-free music. They explain the benefits of Epidemic Sound's library, including the variety of tracks and sound effects, and the peace of mind that comes with avoiding copyright issues. The speaker also shares their personal experience with the company, including a visit to their offices in Sweden. Furthermore, they delve into the importance of consistency in content creation, advocating for setting input goals and the long-term commitment required to see significant results. They stress the need for patience and faith in the process, as well as the evolution from a solo effort to a systemized content pipeline with a team of 14 people.

10:03
πŸš€ Scaling Content Production and Delegation

The speaker elaborates on the evolution of their content production process, transitioning from a solo creator to a team of 14, with 10 focused on content creation. They discuss the importance of systemization and delegation, drawing parallels with the franchise model for consistency and scalability. The speaker shares their journey from making videos on the fly to establishing a structured content pipeline, including idea generation, writing, filming, editing, and publishing. They also touch on the challenges of outsourcing certain tasks and the benefits of having a dedicated team to handle various aspects of content production, allowing them to focus on their strengths.

Mindmap
Keywords
πŸ’‘Online Audience Growth
Online Audience Growth refers to the process of increasing the number of followers or subscribers on digital platforms, such as YouTube. In the video, the speaker shares their 6-year experience of growing an online audience to over 6 million followers, emphasizing the importance of understanding target demographics and providing valuable content to them.
πŸ’‘Content Buckets
Content Buckets are categories or themes of content that are popular with a specific audience. The speaker advises identifying these buckets by researching what is popular on blogs and other YouTube channels targeting the same audience. This helps in creating content that resonates with the audience and increases the chances of going viral.
πŸ’‘Viral Replication
Viral Replication is a content creation technique where one replicates the successful elements of a viral piece of content, such as the title and thumbnail, and presents it in their own unique way. This approach is seen as an efficient method to create content that is likely to perform well without plagiarizing the original content.
πŸ’‘Niche Audience
A Niche Audience refers to a specific group of people who have particular interests or needs that are not widely addressed by mainstream content. The speaker emphasizes the importance of identifying and targeting a niche audience to provide specialized value and establish expertise in that area.
πŸ’‘10% Edge
The 10% Edge is a concept by Amy Porterfield which refers to the idea of being slightly ahead of your audience in terms of knowledge or skill. This allows you to guide and illuminate the path for your audience, rather than trying to be an all-knowing guru. The speaker used this concept to help medical students get into med school and later expanded to providing study and productivity advice.
πŸ’‘Productivity
Productivity in the context of the video refers to the ability to efficiently accomplish tasks and achieve goals, especially in the face of multiple commitments such as studying, working, and creating content. The speaker eventually becomes known for their expertise in productivity, providing tips and strategies to help others improve their own productivity.
πŸ’‘Content Systemization
Content Systemization is the process of creating structured systems and processes for content creation, which helps to streamline the production and ensure consistent quality. The speaker emphasizes that content creation is less about creativity and more about establishing reliable systems and standard operating procedures.
πŸ’‘Consistency
Consistency in content creation means regularly producing and publishing content to maintain audience engagement and grow the follower base. The speaker stresses the importance of patience and faith in the process, suggesting setting input goals that are within one's control, such as committing to posting a video every week.
πŸ’‘E-Myth Revisited
The E-Myth Revisited is a book by Michael E. Gerber that discusses the concept of systemization in businesses, emphasizing the importance of having defined processes to achieve scalability and freedom from the business. The speaker credits this book for changing their approach to content creation and business management.
πŸ’‘Affiliate Income
Affiliate Income is a revenue model where an individual earns a commission by promoting or referring customers to a product or service. The speaker mentions that one of their income streams is from affiliate marketing, specifically through the Epidemic Sound affiliate program.
πŸ’‘Epidemic Sound
Epidemic Sound is a music service providing a library of royalty-free music and sound effects for use in various media productions. The speaker praises Epidemic Sound for its high-quality, original music and for sponsoring their video, highlighting the benefits of using such a service for content creators to avoid copyright issues.
Highlights

The speaker shares 6 years of experience in growing an online audience to over 6 million followers across platforms.

The importance of identifying a niche by understanding the target audience and the value provided.

The concept of 'viral replication' for content creation, which involves emulating successful content from others in a unique way.

The speaker's personal journey from teaching med school entrance to becoming a guide for productivity and study techniques.

Amy Porterfield's concept of the '10% Edge', where the content creator is slightly ahead of the audience and can guide them effectively.

The transition from focusing on a very niche audience to expanding into broader topics like productivity.

The role of title and thumbnail in the success of a YouTube video, emphasizing the need for careful packaging.

The idea that content creation is more about systems and processes rather than pure creativity.

A quote that inspired the speaker: 'Creativity is a systematic process', shifting the perspective on content creation.

The speaker's recommendation for consistency in content creation, suggesting a commitment to posting weekly for two years.

The necessity of patience and faith in seeing results from consistent content creation efforts.

The evolution from creating content solo to building a team and systemizing the content creation process.

The impact of systemization on avoiding burnout and ensuring sustainable content creation.

The book 'The E-Myth Revisited' by Michael Gerber's influence on the speaker's approach to systemization and delegation.

The speaker's transition from a medical student to a content creator with a team of 14, focusing on their strengths.

The importance of repurposing content across different social platforms to maximize reach and impact.

The role of a general manager in handling day-to-day operations, allowing the speaker to focus on content creation.

Transcripts
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