My #1 Piece of YouTube Advice for My Past Self

What’s going on, friend?

As a YouTube strategist who has been making videos since way back in 2009, I often reflect on the long, winding journey that brought me to where I am today.

If I could go back in time and give my past self just one crucial piece of advice about succeeding on YouTube, it would be this:

Spend WAY more time on ideation and research before making any video.

Early on, I made the classic beginner mistake of coming up with a video idea, thinking, "This seems good!" and then immediately diving into recording and editing. I'd spend hours perfecting the video itself, but in hindsight, I should have devoted that time upfront to pressure-testing the concept.

As I gained experience, I realized that the ideas and strategy behind the videos are far more important than the production quality. An average video with a brilliant, well-researched idea will outperform a beautifully shot and edited video about a topic no one cares about every single time.

So, my advice to ‘‘Past Leroy’’ is this:

For every video, spend at least 3-4 hours researching the topic, studying competitors, looking for unique angles, and ensuring actual demand and interest. Validate the idea through platform-wide trends before committing to it. Only once the idea is rock-solid should you allow yourself to start making the actual video.

I estimate that 90% of small YouTubers make this same crucial mistake. They get wrapped up in the details of thumbnails, gear, and editing without putting in the hard work to develop irresistible ideas that viewers are hungry for. As a result, their growth stagnates.

Of course, as a strategist, I now have efficient processes for ideating and evaluating concepts. But even new creators can massively increase their chances of success by frontloading their efforts into the research and idea stages.

Trust me - a few extra hours of strategic planning is the ultimate shortcut to YouTube growth. I only wish I had known it sooner!

Do the work others aren't willing to do. Treat ideation as the most crucial part of the job. And you'll be miles ahead of the pack.

Now get out there and make me proud!

Leroy

PS: I am reopening a few one-off strategy sessions in the next few months, where we can dive deeper into your channel and show you how to implement this system to achieve the consistent growth you deserve. You can put yourself on the waitlist now, and I’ll start accepting and messaging people back soon. 🚀

Plus, here are my other favorite tools to WIN on YouTube:

💡Ideation: 1of10.com

🖼️Thumbnail A/B testing: thumbnailtest.com