A Podcast About Becoming Fearless Video Creators
Matt met Casey Neistat in Boston and asked him a simple question, âHow do you decide to give up on a project and when do you decide to muscle through it anyways?â We break down his answer and explore his 3 biggest videos of all time.
Loved this show? It would make our month (wait, no, our YEAR) if you left us a 5-star review on iTunes. ââââđ
Hit us up on Twitter @matopher & @jakearenot
In this episode, we break down how MKBHD (AKA Marques Brownlee) went from an unknown creator to the dominant YouTube tech review channel with 6.5 million subscribers by sticking to 3 simple video types over a stretch of 1,000 videos.
1) OnePlus 6 Review
2) Apple iPhone X Unboxing
3) iPhone 7 Unboxing
Total Gear Cost: ~$94,000
Loved this show? It would make our month (wait, no, our YEAR) if you left us a 5-star review on iTunes. ââââđ
Tell us whatâs up @sixstarsonly on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
You can hit Matt Woods up on Twitter: https://twitter.com/matopher
Connect with Jake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jakearenot
Do you want to create better videos that stand out, get clicks, and keep your audience engaged?
Then you’ll want to learn how to edit your videos more effectively.
On this week’s Episode of Six Stars Only, we’re discussing how you can streamline your editing workflow to create professional-looking videos that keep your viewers watching all the way to the end.
We cover the multitude of reason’s why editing and post-production are so important as well as the things that editing alone can’t fix such as bad lighting, bad audio, and the wrong camera settings.
Then, we dive into tips and tricks we’ve learned over the years about how we edit our own content, how we organize our workspace, and what editing strategies we use to give our videos a unique flair and style.
Jake details his own personal editing process and how he approaches each project, how he pieces footage, voice files, and graphics files into something that resembles a YouTube video.
Then, Matt dissects how he edits videos for his business and gives insight on how to streamline the exporting process by utilizing Adobe Media Encoder.
Like a chef in the kitchen that takes ingredients and turns them into a culinary work of art, editing is one of the best ways to add your own personal flavor on your content and create something that stands out from the competition.
You won’t want to miss this episode!
Loved this show? It would make our month (wait, no, our YEAR) if you left us a 5-star review on iTunes. ââââđ
Tell us what’s up @sixstarsonly on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
You can hit Matt Woods up on Twitter: https://twitter.com/matopher
Connect with Jake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jakearenot
Another book review! This time we’re unpacking the highlights from Building a Storybrand by Donald Miller and sharing why clear storytelling works as a sense-making device to grow your YouTube channel, business, or anything else.
If you have just a YouTube channel, do you need a brand? YES!
— In 2018, knowing how to clarify a brand message is more important than ever. It doesn’t matter if you’re a business or a content creator.
Biggest Immediate takeaway from the book – “Clarity”
— Tagline is “Clarify your message so customers will listen.
— “If you confuse, you lose.”
— Sort of ties in with “1 True Thing.” Too much noise turns people off to your brand.
— We live in a time know where just being creative and different isn’t enough to set you apart from the competition.
— If you have a good product, a good channel, good videos but you’re not growing….you need to evaluate how you’re communicating to your customers/audience.
There’s an enormous competitive advantage in the marketplace if you can say very quickly what it is that you do in such a way that everybody who hears you says, “I need that!”
Steve Jobs ousted from Apple example: Steve was a tech geek and took out a 9 page ad to promote the Lisa computer. Obviously, this bombed. Spent time with John Lasseter and Pixar who taught him how to tell stories clearly. He came back with: “Think Different”
How do we solve our communication problem?
To mitigate confusion, creating a narrative “story” helps to simplify.
There are few things that are universal: good music, good food, and good stories.
1) A Character
–Your customer is the hero, not you.
2) Has a Problem
— If you’re a YouTuber, what is your audience’s “problem?”
— They don’t know how to be a beekeeper, they want to be entertained?
3) And Meets a Guide
— Customers don’t want another hero to help them, they want guides
4) Who Gives Them a Plan
— Customers trust guides who have plans
5) And Calls Them to Action
— Bodies at rest tend to stay at rest, so do customers.”
— Don’t just assume your customer will react to your content.
6) That Helps Them Avoid Failure
— Visualizing the cost of failure is equally as important as communicating what success looks like.
7) And Ends in a Success
— But… It’s absolutely critical to nail a compelling picture of the “promised land.” People need to understand how their transformed life can look after your help!
Loved this show? It would make our month (wait, no, our YEAR) if you left us a 5-star review on iTunes. ââââđ
Tell us whatâs up @sixstarsonly on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
You can hit Matt Woods up on Twitter.
Connect with Jake on Twitter.
On this week’s episode of Six Stars Only, we’re deconstructing the YouTube Channel “How Rich Are They” and discuss how we can add our own personal style and flair to our content.
So what is, “How Rich are They?”
It’s a YouTube channel that talks about celebrities and about how rich they are. Covers rappers, athletes, actors, musicians, YouTubers, etc. He’s recently pivoted into making more TMZ/Gossip type videos as of recent.
Who runs the channel? I don’t know, “It’s ya boy Alfred.”
Quick Stats:
132k subscribers
31 million total views
410 videos
Most popular video:
“How Rich is Casey Neistat?”
– 1.17 million views
– 742 comments
Last Month, they gained 585 subscribers on June 8th, the day he released the video, “6ix9ine LEAVES the COUNTRY within 48hrs after BEEF with Chief Keef’s Cousin Tadoe” That video currently has 775,000 views.
Breakdown of Average Video
– Vido essay style – Voice over (robot voice :D) on top of footage of the subject.
– Goes through the beginnings of said subject and details their career as well as how they began to acquire wealth.
– The videos aren’t very long, they average out at about 5 minutes or so.
What Separates, “How Rich are They” from the Rest?
It Oozes Style
– Quality writing and editing.
– Funny, witty content with a dash of informative details.
– Cashes-in on relevant, popular celebrities.
– Takes a seemingly stale type of video and makes it into his own style.
Consistency!!!
– Releases a video almost once a day. 22 videos in the last month. On July 4th, he released two videos.
– His most recent videos only have a few thousand views, but the consistency helps each video build off of each other.
What Do You Think They Can Do to Grow Their Channel?
– Gotta get that viewer retention!! aka longer videos
– He needs to make more playlists
Discussion
Is it better to make fewer videos if they are longer? Or more videos that are a bit shorter? Your mileage may vary, but focus on getting your videos created and published on YouTube before you agonize about making longer and longer videos.
We mention using TubeBuddy to research our favorite content creators, but how do we use it?
Well, here’s a really good tutorial on how to operate it, how to explore tags in your niche, how to see what other content creators are doing in your field, and so forth.
I would really, really recommend downloading it because, well, it’s free! But it also gives you super insightful information on how to make your videos better and how to get your videos seen by searches.
Want some feedback on whatever youâre working on?
If youâre a new content creator like we are, you may want all the help and feedback you can possibly get!
Thatâs why we would love for you to message us for some of our feedback! Videos, blog posts, poetry, whatever youâre working on, we would love to help you out like you guys are helping us out.
Loved this show? It would make our month (wait, no, our YEAR) if you left us a 5-star review on iTunes. 
Tell us whatâs up @sixstarsonly on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
You can hit Matt Woods up on Twitter:Â @matopher
Connect with Jake on Twitter:Â @jakearenot
In this episode, we walk through the definitive guide to getting your videos found in organic YouTube search so you can get your videos found and build your subscribers â faster.
How should you research keywords to rank your video for more views?
Major Key: Total watch time = YouTubeâs #1 ranking factor.
Audience retention (the % of your video watched) is also key.
Why you shouldnât overlook session watch time.
Create raving fans with these user engagement rules of thumb.
Create a video title that scores clicks in 2 simple steps.
Why video descriptions matter more than you thought.
But, how should I handle video tags?
Quick wins that will boost your rankings.
Create a channel trailer that answers these essential questions to convert new subscribers.
Loved this show? It would make our month (wait, no, our YEAR) if you left us a 5-star review on iTunes. ââââđ
Tell us whatâs up @sixstarsonly on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
You can hit Matt Woods up on Twitter: @matopher
Connect with Jake on Twitter: @jakearenot
Have you ever wanted to make a living off of your YouTube channel?
If you’re like us, that’s the ultimate dream. Making what you want to make and getting paid for it. However, it also seems like a long shot. It may even seem impossible.
Well, it may be a lot more doable than you think.
On this week’s episode, we unpack Kevin Kelly’s amazing article, “1,000 True Fans” and discuss strategies that you can use to make that dream a reality.
“To be a successful creator, you don’t need millions….you only need thousands of true fans.”
What is a TRUE fan?
“A true fan is defined as a fan that will buy anything you produce.”
(i.e. Jake with Red Letter Media, Matt with Donald Glover, etc.)
– For every single true fan, you might have two or three regular fans.
Why 1,000 True Fans?
“A thousand customers is a whole lot more feasible to aim for than a million fans.”
Aiming for a million people is daunting. 1,000 people is a lot less stressful and obtainable. Please your true fans first.
How the Math Works:
1) First, you have to create enough each year that you can earn, on average, $100 profit from each true fan. 2) Second, you must have a direct relationship with your fans. That is, they must pay you directly. You get to keep all their support without having to give it away to a middleman (YouTube, music distributor, etc.)
The number 1,000 is not absolute. The actual number has to be adjusted for each person. If you are able to only earn $50 per year per true fan, then you need 2,000. (Likewise, if you can sell $200 per year, you need only 500 true fans.)
Another way to calculate the support of a true fan is to aim to get one dayâs wages per year from them. Can you excite or please them sufficient to earn one dayâs labor? Thatâs a high bar, but not impossible for 1,000 people worldwide.
HOW CAN WE GET 1,000 TRUE FANS?
THE INTERNET!!!
“As far as I can tell there is nothing â no product, no idea, no desire â without a fan base on the internet. Everything made, or thought of, can interest at least one person in a million â itâs a low bar.”
“One thousand is a feasible number. You could count to 1,000. If you added one fan a day, it would take only three years. True Fanship is doable. Pleasing a True Fan is pleasurable, and invigorating. It rewards the artist to remain true, to focus on the unique aspects of their work, the qualities that True Fans appreciate.”
The point of this strategy is to say that you donât need a hit to survive. You donât need to a best seller or a video that gets a million views overnight.
There is a place in the middle where you can at least make a living.
That mid-way haven is called 1,000 True Fans. It is an alternate destination for an artist to aim for.
The Magic of Crowdfunding
The average number of supporters for a successful Kickstarter project is 241 funders â far less than a thousand. That means If you have 1,000 true fans you can do a crowdfunding campaign because by definition a true fan will become a Kickstarter funder.
Patreon and your own merchandise are other great options as well. Especially with the recent “Adpocalypse” on YouTube, they may even be better alternatives. Keep in mind, though, that the goal of these platforms aren’t there to necessarily make you rich, they are there as tools to help you make a living.
HOW CAN YOU APPLY THIS TO YOURÂ CONTENT?
FINAL THOUGHTS
“Instead of trying to reach the narrow and unlikely peaks of platinum bestseller hits, blockbusters, and celebrity status, you can aim for direct connection with a thousand true fans.”
This is by no means a get rich quick scheme for success. As Matt says, if anything, this is a get rich slow scheme.
You still have to put forth the effort and the time. Like Jake and Matt, you may work 40 hour-a-week jobs. It’s difficult enough to make content regularly, but maybe you have kids or relatives to take care of on top of it all.
It’s exhausting.
But it’s possible.
Make sure your content is of the highest quality. If you aren’t taking the necessary steps to increase the quality of your content every day, there won’t be any fans of it, no matter how many videos you churn out.
The first step is to start making stuff.
It may be rough at first, but if you put forth the effort and commit to consistency, you will get those first few fans.
Then those fans will compound on each other and make a few more fans.
Then a few more.
Then a few more.
I think you get the idea.
Want some feedback on whatever you’re working on?
If you’re a new content creator like we are, you may want all the help and feedback you can possibly get!
That’s why we would love for you to message us for some of our feedback! Videos, blog posts, poetry, whatever you’re working on, we would love to help you out like you guys are helping us out.
Just connect with us as sixstarsonly@gmail.com or hit us up on social media!
@sixstarsonly on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
You can hit Matt Woods up on Twitter:Â https://twitter.com/matopher
Connect with Jake on Twitter:Â https://twitter.com/jakearenot
And speaking of feedback…
Loved this show? It would make our month (wait, no, our YEAR) if you left us a 5-star review on iTunes. ââââđ
Weâre taking a deep dive into Donald Gloverâs history and tracing his humble beginnings from one of the worldâs first breakout YouTube stars.
Weâll unpack the stepping stones that lead from making millions of people laugh on his viral videos and culminates in Glover winning an Emmy for his hit show Atlanta, snagging a Grammy under his rapper name, Childish Gambino, and even playing smooth-talking Star Wars smuggler Lando Calrissian in a blockbuster spin-off.
Even if youâve heard Donald Gloverâs story before, weâve uncovered a couple pieces specifically relevant to video creators who want to create meaningful work that gets noticed.
Matt and Jake also break down some of the fundamental lessons from Donaldâs creative journey to fuel your own creative projects.
Continue reading “#10 Donald Glover’s Jaw-Dropping Rise From YouTube Star to Media Titan”
Have you ever wondered why and how your favorite YouTubers got to where they are?
Well, on this week’s episode we’re dissecting the popular movie review channel Red Letter Media. We dissect why it’s so popular and how it is so good at attracting and growing subscribers.
This week on Six Stars Only weâre sharing the best 100% free resources we actually use to create videos that stand out from music to motion graphics.
Continue reading “#8: Battle-Tested Free Resources Every Video Creator Should Know About”