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As I reflect upon reaching the extremely arbitrary milestone of 100k Youtube subscribers, I would like to talk about how I got here, as well as offer some realistic advice for others. I have been doing this full-time for about 10 months and have learned quite a bit. [1/17]
Perhaps my biggest asset is knowing my limitations. To do Baseball Bits, I have to assume the role of a researcher, statistician, writer, artist, voiceover guy, video editor, and social media marketer. That might sound impressive, but dig this… [2/17]
I’m actually not amazing at any of these. I don’t have the skills of a professional front office employee, baseball writer, or video editor in a vacuum. I can tell you plenty of terrific part-time bloggers who know more than me, but I succeed because I combine my skills. [3/17]
To reiterate, there are plenty of better writers, numbers geniuses, and video editors who won’t get as far as I have. I almost feel guilty about it at times. But the fact of the matter is by combining all my skills, I can pump out a product that very few people can. [4/17]
Many people can generate a quality product, but getting exposure is the hard part. That’s where Youtube comes into play. If Youtube likes you what you’re doing, they will recommend it to the right people. My videos get millions of impressions because of a machine. [5/17]
Most creative types would kill for that level of exposure on any platform. I hear many Youtubers complain about the algorithm, but the algorithm MADE us. I’d be nothing without it. This all started because Youtube shoved my Justin Verlander vid in front of people’s faces. [6/17]
Here’s some practical Youtube algorithm advice. The only metrics you should care about are (1) Click-Through Rate and (2) Watch Time. Youtube wants to keep people on the site, so it will recommend frequently clicked videos that the audience is likely to finish. [7/17]
So obviously you need a good title and thumbnail for that Click-Through Rate, but you can’t clickbait, because if you misrepresent your video, people will click off and nuke your Watch Time. Getting them to click is just half the battle. [8/17]
That also means you can’t stretch a 5 minute idea into a 10 minute video. DON’T RAMBLE. I organize my thoughts with an outline before I write the videos. If you start getting sponsorships, it also means integrating those ads in a non-intrusive or alienating way. [9/17]
So how do you get there? I think the key for me is having as little competition as possible. That means doing something unique. That’s easier said than done, because most people getting into creative fields will have been inspired by others. [10/17]
For me, more than anyone else, I was inspired by @summoningsalt who was in turn, inspired by @jon_bois. So what makes my videos different? Baseball Bits is about making the sabermetrics more accessible. WAR, OPS+, FIP, DRS, framing, Statcast, etc. It’s Sabermetrics 101. [11/17]
People who get their baseball through Youtube weren’t frequently exposed to these ideas before I got started. I read the nerd blogs like FanGraphs and BPro all day, but that perspective didn’t exist in video form. I create things that I myself would want to consume. [12/17]
I’m also genuinely lucky. Not only am I product of the algorithm, I’m also the product of real life circumstances. I started making Baseball Bits as a 23-year-old college grad working weekends at a homeless shelter. I lived with my parents. [13/17]
Because of this, I always had the safety net. I quit that job to focus on Foolish Baseball and eventually moved out. If I fail, the worst case scenario is moving back in with Mom and Dad, not going hungry or homeless. A lot of folks don't have that luxury. [14/17]
I could get into specifics about MLB copyright and ad revenue, but that’s a different conversation. I will say that people are way too defeatist about those things. All the Baseball Bits are monetized in my favor. MLB isn't out to get you. [15/17]
The reason I bring that up is that I get tons of DMs saying “HEY! I WANT TO MAKE THIS THING, BUT WHAT ABOUT MLB COPYRIGHT?” My advice? Just make it. You have to make the thing first before you can worry about anything else. Don't talk yourself out of something cool. [16/17].
In conclusion, use every skill you have, do something unique, click-through rate & watch time, get lucky, and consider your real life circumstances. Thanks for reading! Feel free to drop links to your own work below. [17/17]
