Why You're Overthinking Your YouTube Strategy (And What To Do Instead)
If you're anything like me, you don't really have much time to mess around with something new. You want a plan so you know that your efforts WILL bring in some form of success. You want a fast track to results because you're eager to nourish your business and watch it grow.
In other words… you're a perfectionist (guilty).
The thing is, if you want to try something new, like busting out that new YouTube content plan and creating elevated videos, you're never going to do it if you don't stop overanalyzing it.
Look, I feel you. I am constantly overanalyzing everything in my business — not just my YouTube channel. Should I be doing an agency? Should I be doing courses? Should I open a digital product shop? The questions are endless!
As entrepreneurs, we are constantly thinking about everything and overanalyzing EVERYTHING, and the problem is, it freezes us! It keeps us from moving the ball forward because we're too caught up in something being "perfect enough" to publish.
I know you want a content plan for YouTube that doesn't take years to implement. You want ROI. You want results. But YouTube isn't an overnight cash machine. It's a long-term piece of your business.
Stop overthinking it.
YouTube is something you build on, and the good news is that it will yield results if you put the time and effort into it.
So, how do you stop overthinking YouTube and start creating killer content?
Stop Trying to Make Everything Perfect
Trying to make everything perfect is sucking the life out of you and actually keeping you from bringing any sustainable income in. The perfectly-researched keyword. The perfect script. The perfect video editing.
They all matter, but they don't matter that much. Have you ever heard the phrase "done is better than perfect?" That applies here. How will you make money from YouTube if there aren't any videos for people to watch?
Perfectionism will stop you from moving forward.
I didn't film at home for a long time because I had a house full of two kids and their toys and felt like it wasn't put together enough to be used. I didn't have the backdrop that "influencers” did with perfectly organized living rooms and offices. I was scared of being judged for it until I realized everyone was in the same boat.
Yeah, even those beauty gurus you love to watch have messy houses once and a while. We're all human.
Take a Deep Breath — One Video Isn't Going to Make or Break Your Channel
You could spend years researching your next video idea, but all the research in the world does not guarantee the success of a video. Nothing does. One of the challenges of being an entrepreneur is to be okay with uncertainty and understanding that consistency is what will get you somewhere.
I've had videos that I did not research that have taken off, and I've had videos that I spent hours researching, planning, scripting, and editing, and they still didn't turn out how I'd hoped they would.
The point is to be consistent. Get videos out on your channel — you never know what will take off. The internet can be unpredictable.
And if you're still waiting….and waiting…and waiting, just remember that if you don't do it, someone else will.
How to Grow Your YouTube Channel (For Real)
Like I said, growth doesn't happen overnight. Do me a favor, right here, right now.
Accept that you are in this thing for the long haul.
I've been on YouTube since 2016. That's over six years! I still have less than 50K subscribers, but that doesn't mean my business hasn't gone anywhere. I made half a million in my business in 2021 alone.
How? I've been using my YouTube videos to drive leads to my offers, not to get more subscribers.
Subscriber numbers are just a vanity metric. Don't expect to get anywhere if you aren't willing to put in the work, learn how to get better at making YouTube videos with each video you make, and make valuable connections with your audience.
I'm telling you this because it's what I did. And I failed. In the early days on Trena Little, my sole focus was on pumping out more content, waiting around for that next video to go viral or land me tons of subscribers. I was so overloaded with unrealistic expectations that I missed opportunities to engage with my audience and get some insight into how I could make my channel better for them.
The hard truth is that you have to make videos for your audience, not just for yourself. If no one's watching them, YouTube isn't going to do you any favors by suggesting them.
What To Do Instead of Overthinking
We all overthink. It's part of that #EntrepreneurLife. Sometimes all it takes is some perspective to get out of your head.
#1: Think About the ONE Person Watching
Think about your subscribers as individuals rather than a big group of people. When you make content for the masses, you make content for no one. You can't please everyone, so instead, just focus on how your content can help ONE person. You'll funnel in the right audience by doing this.
#2: Make YouTube Happy
Help YouTube help your business. YouTube will push your content to more people if you do what they say. If you're someone who doesn't like to follow the rules or do something just because someone "says so, "...sorry — I don't make the rules!
You're not an angsty teen anymore. You're an entrepreneur! Start working with your challenges, not against them.
#3: Add Layers and Work Your Way up to Your Goals
If you haven't made many videos before, there are so many aspects of the entire process that will feel a little foreign to you. Take it one step at a time.
Focus on finding your best lighting, your best angles, your best filming locations first. Then get down your editing process, then work on elevating your thumbnails…you get the picture.
#4: Experiment, Then Experiment Some More
Give yourself permission to try new things. I talked about YouTube and only YouTube for so long that I didn't stop to realize people were interested in other things like my content planning system. If I didn't try out new content, this post wouldn't even exist. I wouldn't even have a blog!
There's an entire world at your fingertips to discover. You never know — that one idea that doesn't seem right but feels like it's the right direction may just be the thing you've been looking for.
Time to Get Busy
If you want to see my entire process for getting started with video content including my YouTube script template and my workflow…then check out Going Video!
Inside, I also share how I turn my YouTube videos into reels and how I edit those Reels. You’re basically getting a glimpse into a 360 video content strategy that utilizes multiple platforms, including YouTube! If you are ready to get serious with video content, follow me here to grab the course for just $37!
