7 YouTube Myths Online Business Owners Need to Stop Believing

May 10

YouTube is a lot of things…but what it’s not is a magic content generator that can pop out the big bucks in seconds. It’s a long game that requires a lot of strategy and understanding of your audience to make work. But sometimes it looks easy, or people aren’t exactly open about the work it took to build their channels.

That’s why in today’s video I’m busting some YouTube myths that have been running loose for too long — so you can know the TRUTH, and then create a successful path forward to rock your channel (and make some $$).

Let’s dig in!

Myth #1: SEO is the only way to get views

You can’t try to get seen on YouTube the same way you’d try to get seen on Google. Yes, Google does own YouTube and it’s so much easier to rank higher in the search results when you add SEO to your content.

But you don’t get found all the same ways on YouTube.

Actually, over-saturating your content with keywords or focusing too much on getting all the tags right isn’t a good thing. It feels spammy and unnatural on a platform that’s meant to share expertise and build connections.

Keep the keywords in your titles, but make sure they’re still click-worthy. That’s how people are going to actually watch your videos. And then focus on making the content good enough for people to stick around to watch until the end.

Myth #2: It doesn’t matter what content you create, just post something

Stop posting just to post people! It doesn’t work on ANY platform, but it really doesn’t work on YouTube. The content has a long lifespan. And if you’re trying to bring your target audience into the mix, this isn’t going to help them find you.

You’re just going to have some random videos floating out there that make people scratch their heads and eventually scroll past.

That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to what your audience not only wants to see, but also to think about strategically the types of things they would be searching for.

Don‘t know what that is? Observe some other channels in your niche and go to the comment section. What are people saying? Complaining about? What kind of questions are they asking? Chances are, you’ll find your answer there.

Myth #3: Videos have to be long

You DO NOT need hour-long videos to be on YouTube. It’s not about length, it’s about whether or not you can get the viewer to actually watch your entire video. And then another, and then another.

YouTube LOVES it when people binge content from one channel because it keeps people on their platform longer. That’s why it’s constantly recommending content you “may also like.”

And it’s also why lengthy content just for the sake of it (much like my point above) can be harmful to your strategy. Who’s going to watch to the end of a video you’re rambling in? Exactly.

When YouTube knows people are watching your stuff, they’re more likely to push it out. So make a worthwhile watch!

Myth #4: You need subscribers to make money

Nope. Nope. And nope! You don’t need a big following to drive leads from YouTube. I mean, look at me. I don’t even have that coveted silver creator’s plaque and I still make the LARGE majority of my six-figure revenue from what I put out on YouTube.

Why? Because I create content that’s valuable to my audience. And that’s what you need to do it too. Stop worrying about subscriber count.

Myth #5: You need the best equipment

For the longest time, I recorded my Youtube videos on an iPhone. Then, I got a camera that was only a couple hundred bucks. And with the way these smartphone cameras are these days, you don’t really even need a camera to get started.

Why? Because authenticity is what people want. Why do you think Tik Tok has taken off? Those videos are NOT professionally produced. A lot of the time those cameras could use a quick wipe off the lens, actually. But authenticity makes way for connection. They just want you to show up.

Moral of the story…you don’t need the latest camera and lens or the right light. Your audience just needs to be able to hear you and see you. That’s it!

Myth #6: You have to spend hours editing footage

Kind of like above, you don’t need to have fancy edits to make your videos worth watching.

I won’t lie though, editing DOES level up your videos, but even then, you don’t need all the bells and whistles to attract your target audience. Keep it simple.

Where most people go wrong with video editing is the amount of video footage they shoot. If a video takes you an hour to shoot, then double that for the amount of time it takes you to edit. Yikes!

That's why I always follow my video game plan when filming, which includes scripts. I can stay on task and have minimal footage to edit. This has been my number one tip for production over the years.

Myth #7: YouTube can be an afterthought

YouTube is A LOT of work. You’re going to have to spend a decent amount of time on it. Don’t just show up and dump your podcast footage or audio and call it a day. Don‘t just group your Reels together in one video and post it.

Make content for the platform and that strategically attracts your audience. We all consume content across each platform differently. That doesn’t mean your topics and main ideas need to be totally different for each, but you should be repurposing that content in a way that’s geared toward each platform.

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The only video equipment guide you’ll ever need (yes, filming can be simple!)
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A bank of YouTube titles, hooks, and calls to action for when you’re feeling uninspired
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Ready to turn YouTube into a lead-generating machine? Grab a seat inside of Going Video here!