(Picture: New & Improved Thumbnail)
Strategy 4 Saturday Blog (<4 minute read)
I’m excited to share a surprising journey with you—how our YouTube channel at 40 Strategy went from under 100 subscribers to over 2,000 subscribers in just three weeks. It was an exhilarating experience filled with unexpected twists and valuable lessons. Here are the details, the strategies we used, and what happened along the way.
The Starting Point
First, a little background. For years, we’ve been focusing our efforts primarily on LinkedIn, with minimal attention given to our YouTube channel. We posted our podcast episodes on YouTube but didn’t put much effort into promoting or optimizing them. As a result, we had a modest number of subscribers and views.
In 2023, we had around 2,000 views, 203 watch hours, and only 59 subscribers. (For contrast, we have over 18,000 followers on LinkedIn and 474,000 podcast downloads). Our YouTube content consisted mainly of long-form podcasts, and we didn’t pay much attention to thumbnails, keywords, or other YouTube-specific strategies.
The Big Change
In 2024, we decided to change our approach by launching the $4 Million Strategies™ Podcast—a daily four-minute podcast aimed at helping business owners increase the value of their companies. We also began creating YouTube Shorts, less than 60-second engaging videos that have a higher chance of going viral.
This new strategy paid off almost immediately. In June alone, we saw our views jump to nearly 20,000, our watch hours increased to 337, and our subscriber count skyrocketed from under 100 to over 2000 in just three weeks.
The Unexpected Setback
Just as we were riding high on this YouTube success and I had recorded a July 4th celebration video…—all of our videos vanished! Our Shorts remained, but every other YouTube video disappeared. We were stunned! 4th of July celebration video canceled! We studied the data, controls, and despite our research, we did not discover the trigger event. Despite this setback, we decided to view it as an opportunity to improve and relaunch our content.
Key Strategies for Growth
So, how did we achieve this rapid growth? Here are the key strategies we implemented:
- Increased Content Output: We started posting content daily. The $4 Million Strategies™ Podcast became a regular feature, providing consistent value to our audience.
- YouTube Shorts: Adding Shorts to our content mix significantly boosted our visibility. These short, engaging videos helped us reach a wider audience quickly.
- Optimized Thumbnails and Titles: Although we didn’t initially focus on these elements, we learned their importance and began creating more attractive thumbnails and compelling titles to attract viewers. (You’ll see the changes soon)!
- Engagement and Consistency: Regular posting and engaging with our audience played a crucial role. The more active we were, the more YouTube’s algorithm favored our content.
(Picture: 40 Strategy’s YouTube Growth)
Moving Forward
While losing our videos was a setback, we decided to take it as a chance to start fresh. Starting this upcoming week, we are now re-uploading our content with improved thumbnails, better titles, and optimized keywords. This time, we’re equipped with the lessons learned from our previous efforts and are confident in our ability to grow even more.
Our next goal is to reach 10,000 subscribers to build a thriving community on YouTube and to take the next step at monetization. We’re committed to providing valuable content that helps business owners and leaders succeed.
Keep, Start, Stop
This journey has taught us a lot about the power of persistence, adaptation, and viewing challenges as opportunities. We had an opportunity to self-reflect, and apply our Keep, Start, Stop to our own social strategies. I hope our story provides some inspiration and practical insights. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to boost your current efforts, remember that consistent effort and learning from each step are key to success.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us along the way. We’re excited about what’s to come and look forward to continuing this journey with you. If you haven’t already, subscribe to our channel, and set notifications, to stay updated with our latest content and join us as we aim for even greater heights.
Wishing you all success in your endeavors!
(Picture: $4M Strategies™ logo
|
We want your feedback on our Saturday for Strategy Blog. Scan this QR code to help us improve!
