Quick Fire YT Questions

Bonjour,
I did a talk on zoom this week to a group about YT and did a speed round Q&A at the end, which i’m just going to put below as you might get some insights out of it:

Are subscribers important anymore?
No. YouTube shows content based on interest/topic, not subs. It’s a great internal metric, but I know channels with under 5k subs making more than 100k channels.

What’s the one thing I should be focusing on in 2026 to grow?
Thumbnails and titles. Everything else after. If you don’t have a kick ass god tier thumbnail person on your team, you’re pissing in the wind with everything else. YouTube is a package platform, not a video platform.

What about YouTube shorts?
I think now YouTube shorts are important (since major changes) but need to be done correctly. We’ve a lot of tests with clients to find the “best” formula for it. We’ve seen some amazing results but I’ve also seen some people treat them like IG and are clueless doing more harm.

I want to start a podcast, is it still an option or is it dead?
I think podcasting in 2026, especially for video is going to be clip based. So clipping the most juicy moments for short form and referring back to longform. Think of it like making the podcast for the gram. Already some hugely successful tests to prove this.

What’s the most important metrics to track on YouTube?
AVD, retention, CTR. That order.

Is YouTube still worth starting in 2026 or is it too crowded?
It’s crowded with bad content. Clear, opinionated, well-packaged content has less competition than ever.

Should I build personal brand or a topic channel?
If you sell trust, build personal brand. If you sell information, build topic authority. Mixing the two is why most channels fail.

How much time should my editor spend on scripting vs editing?
Spend more time thinking about the first 30 seconds than the entire edit. Then more time editing the first 30 seconds than the entire video.

Do old videos still matter or should I only focus on new ones?
Old videos are assets in your library. One packaging change can resurrect a dead video overnight and change the course of a channel. I see it every week.

How can I get my channel monitized fast?
If you think Adsense matters and is your key metric for success, you’re a f**king moron. Every penny of adsense should go back into the channel to improve everything. Real money comes from brand, sponsors, and selling.

Why do some channels grow faster than mine while I’m stuck for years?
Clarity, convitction, and repetition in a lane. Most people never pick a lane or say anything worth reacting to. Their posting systems are all over the place and they play “hit and hope”. Also, other niches grow faster than others. Just the way it is.

Is the algorithm against me?
No. Indifference feels personal when your content is average.

What’s the biggest way to kill a channel?
Copying what works for someone else without understanding why it works. Cut and paste without understanding is laughable. Through experimenting and failing, you learn your greatest lessons to get to the top.

Who’s your favourite YouTuber right now doing things right?
The Burnt Peanut. A stream who breaks all the rules except one, connect with your audience.

One piece of advice to get better?
Fail gloriously and daily.

Did you see the Henry Cavill photos from the new Highlander film?
I did. It will be legendary! The director of John Wick is making it.

I might do this again as it was fun, so reply with any questions you have.

Until next week

Me