Join me as I chat with Paddy Galloway, a veteran YouTube strategist who has worked with major creators like MrBeast, where he shares a comprehensive blueprint for YouTube success. The discussion covers everything from initial channel strategy to advanced content packaging techniques, emphasizing the importance of consistent posting, strategic ideation, and effective thumbnail design. Galloway presents a structured approach to growing a YouTube channel over 12 months, with specific benchmarks and goals for each phase.Growth guides to turn your startup into a money printerGet access: https://www.gregisenberg.com/growth-guidesTimestamps:00:00 - Intro03:41 - Why YouTube09:26 - Evergreen Content vs Timely Content11:54 - The Value of Comments and Engagement14:44 - YouTube's Unique Position in Content Consumption15:26 - Monetization Potential on YouTube17:14 - The Challenge of Mastering YouTube19:36 - YouTube's Popularity Among Younger Audiences20:35 - Algorithm Stability on YouTube30:27 - Depth vs. Discovery on YouTube36:51 - The 12-month growth strategy breakdown1:17:38 - Content ideation framework discussion1:32:26 - Thumbnail and packaging strategiesKey Points:• Success requires a 12-month commitment with specific phases: establishment (months 1-4), improvement (months 5-8), and optimization (months 9-12)• Content ideation should follow a 0-100-10-1 framework: start with zero, generate 100+ ideas, filter to 10 strong ones, develop 1 final concept• Thumbnails and packaging are crucial, with recommendation to create 3 distinct thumbnails per video and follow the "three focus area rule"1) First, understand what YouTube really is:• It's NOT social media - it's a streaming platform• 60-70% of views come from TV screens• It's the biggest streaming service worldwide• Videos = digital real estate that appreciates over time2)The 12-Month YouTube Growth Plan:Months 1-4 (Establishment Phase):• Find your niche using triple Venn diagram:1. What you love2. What you're good at3. What people want to watch• Post 2x per week consistently• Don't overthink quality yet3) Months 5-8 (Improvement Phase):• Generate 100 video ideas weekly• Make 3 thumbnails per video• Study outlier content in your niche• Switch to 1 high-quality video per week• Focus on packaging (title + thumbnail)4) Months 9-12 (Optimization Phase):• Analyze your top 10% performing videos• Double down on what works• Spend 4 hrs/week studying YouTube• Make small 1% improvements each video• Build systems for consistent output5) The Golden Rule of Audience Overlap:Each video should have 80%+ audience overlap with your other content. If someone watches one of your videos, they should want to watch MOST of your other videos too.6) Thumbnail Psychology:• Use the "3 Focus Areas" rule• Pass the "Glance Test" (1-second viewability)• Max 4-5 words of text• Make it bright and clear• Being good at graphic design ≠ good at thumbnails7) Smart Title Strategy:• Keep under 60 characters• Use simple, universal language• Include superlatives when possible• Write for humans, not algorithms• Grade A readability score (7-8 year old level)8) The CCN Framework for Ideas:Every video should appeal to:• Core audience• Casual viewers• New viewers9) The Video Idea Pipeline:Start with 100 ideas → Filter to 10 strong ones → Pick the best one10) The ROI reality:• Expect 12 months minimum before seeing real returns• Need 50+ videos to find your groove• Success = Volume + Quality + Consistency• Best converting platform after email• Worth the long-term investmentRemember: YouTube is a game of marginal gains.Notable Quotes:"YouTube is not a video platform... before making a video, you need to understand what video to make, the strategy behind choosing ideas, packaging." - Paddy Galloway"If you're going to do something for 12 months on YouTube, you have to be willing to eat shit for a long time before it might pay off." - Paddy GallowayLCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/BoringAds — ads agency that will build you profitable ad campaigns http://boringads.com/BoringMarketing — SEO agency and tools to get your organic customers http://boringmarketing.com/Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.startupempire.coFIND ME ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenbergInstagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/FIND PADDY ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://x.com/PaddyG96Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@paddygalloway8780YouTube Job Board: https://ytjobs.co
Full Episode
Paddy Galloway. This is the guy that's worked with everyone from Mr. Beast to Red Bull on their YouTube strategy. And in this episode, he walks through in about 90 minutes, a 12 month plan for you to kickstart and build your very own YouTube channel that can scale to millions of subscribers.
now this is important not just if you want to create a personal brand this is also if you're creating a business youtube is an incredible place to have an audience and he walks through this whole whole whole youtube cheat sheet which he prepared for everyone on the startup ideas podcast you're gonna love this episode it's long i will say but if you stick through to the end
You'll know more about YouTube than 99% of people.
Patty Galloway on the pod.
What are we learning today, Paddy?
I'd love to give your audience a bit of a cheat sheet into YouTube strategy because this is what I do all day, every day. This is what I focus my life on. And I think if by the end of this podcast, I can sort of dispel a few myths and give people some good ideas of how to tackle what is, in my opinion, the best platform to grow an audience on, I think that would be a great use of time.
I mean, I'd be honored. You know, Patty, you work with the biggest creators in the game. You've worked with Mr. Beast. You've worked with small creators who have become big creators, the Noah Cagans of the world. I see you out there. So I'm excited to hear what you've got in this cheat sheet. By the end of this pod, what's someone going to be able to take away?
I think the main thing for me when it comes to the sort of basis of what I teach with YouTube is that YouTube is not a video platform. Like everyone thinks YouTube is like YouTube videos, obviously. And, you know, I'm being a bit silly, but realistically, most people look at YouTube and say, I need to make a video.
What I love for people to think about by the end of this call is I need to make a video. But before that, I need to understand what video to make, the strategy behind choosing ideas. packaging. So when a YouTuber says packaging, they're referring to title, thumbnail, basically like the packaging of a product.
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