If you have more than 1,000 subscribers on YouTube, you’re in the top 10% of creators there. That’s right…90% of content creators on YouTube may never hit that magic number.

And while there are so many different ways to get to that level of “success,” I can say at least for online business owners, it’s being approached the wrong way.

I mean hey…it’s your channel, you do you! But if you’re an online business owner and want to see RESULTS with your channel (i.e. traffic to your website and conversions) then you have to start looking at YouTube differently than everyone else.

In this post, I’m going to share what I’ve seen work REALLY well, and what hasn’t, so you can figure out why your YouTube content strategy isn’t working. (And of course, how to fix it!)

Mistake #1: You’re not consistent

Online business owners — namely course creators and coaches — who give up on YouTube are typically those who get discouraged WAY too early. They can’t find a schedule or system that works for them, so they think that YouTube must be a flop for their biz.

Listen, I know that in a world full of INSTANT gratification, it’s hard to stay focused. You hear a lot about going viral, but not enough about how to stay the course to create long-term, consistent, success.

But YouTube doesn’t work like other social media platforms do. YouTube is a long-term game and you want your videos to be there when your audience needs a problem solved. By showing up, and providing valuable content, you’re doing the best thing you can to build a successful channel.

It’s not always easy to show up, but you have to commit to being consistent to see the results.

Mistake #2: You have tunnel vision

Ever watch other people’s videos on YouTube (even if it’s a niche or industry completely outside of yours)? If not…you should be.

If you want to create content on a platform you need to look at what's working, what you like, what you don’t like, and what’s actually out there. You should totally be your own person, yes. But you also need to keep tabs on what’s going on the platform as a whole.

And how can you do that if you’re only ever laser-focused on yourself?

Looking at other creators in your niche will give you an idea of what YOUR target audience would want. Look at some of their most popular videos or most recent videos. Take notes of the comments made on their videos.

(Remember, this is research, not being a copycat. Make sure you take it and make it your own!)

Mistake #3: You have too much beginner content

Beginner content (i.e., “how to” tutorials” etc.) is great when you’re first starting out. But if you’re trying to start a channel and get some traction, being in the beginner space is the most saturated place you can be hanging out.

And when you focus on beginner content, you don’t tend to get as many leads. Why? Because these are people who are coming to you for a quick answer and then will move on. They don’t care about you, or your offers, which makes it hard to make YouTube profitable for you.

Instead, you should be focusing on creating content for your “ready-to-buy viewer”, that person who is almost ready to work with you or buy your course, they just have a few more things standing in their way (HINT: those are problems you can solve!).

And where beginners haven’t really decided yet if this is what they want to commit to yet, those ready-to-buy viewers are typically more willing to invest in what you have available to help them get to where they want to go.

Mistake #4: You’re not thinking about the algorithm

Yes, yes I know. You’re sick of hearing about algorithms. Me too. But the fact of the matter is that they are still there, still working. So you have to know how to work WITH them.

Otherwise, it’s going to be pretty tough to see any traction on your channel.

Does that mean you have to take part in all the trends you see? Even if it feels a little off-brand? No! The algorithm on YouTube is less about trends and more about being seen and staying seen.

You need to create binge-able content so your viewer watches video after video, constantly coming back for more and staying on YouTube for longer. Thus, creating a binge session…which the YouTube algo LOVES.

The more you can get people to stay on YouTube, the more it’s going to want to show your videos to others. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship!

Binge sessions can also warm up cold leads.

Binge sessions can also warm up cold leads. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve experienced this where someone has told me they just binge-watched my videos on YouTube and then wanted to work with me or bought my course.

This is why it is so important to think about your content on YouTube as a series and not just one-off videos. It’s so much more strategic that way.

Mistake #5: You’re not looking at your analytics

Not taking the time each month to read through your monthly analytics on YouTube is a big mistake. Big. HUGE.

YouTube WANTS you to be successful because the more successful you are, the more money it makes. And they literally give you all the info you need to “crack the algo” within your analytics.

But most business owners don’t take the time to look at the data because they are either too busy or they get overwhelmed easily by the numbers, or what they don’t know. Honestly, that’s all valid. But sometimes you have to put in a little extra effort to see the return.

I know there are a lot of numbers in there but at the very least for each video you publish you should at least be looking at your click-through rate and audience retention. Because if you can’t get people to click on your videos to watch, YouTube is going to bury it. Nothing else matters if this isn’t working.

And of course, that ties into audience retention. Because if people keep on watching your videos, they’re more likely to binge.

So if you want your time on YouTube to pay off, you’ve got to take the time to look at this each month.

There’s a lot more where that came from

Found this post helpful? Well, my friend, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a reason why YouTube has a reputation for being a little more complex than platforms like Instagram or Facebook.

And while it's most certainly not as bad as everyone makes it out to be, there are a few more tips and tricks you need to know to absolutely crush your strategy than what I can show you in one blog or video.

That’s where Profit Per View comes in!

This in-depth training will show you so much more about how to create a killer YouTube strategy. Whether you’re a business coach, a copywriter, or something in between, I designed this training to be for online business owners in any niche. So rest assured there’s something here for you!

Want to learn more about Profit Per View? Take a look at what’s included at this link, and then register to join our next session on October 10.

See you there!