This will get you 80% of your results on YouTube
YouTube has never been more competitive. Standing out requires more than technical skills or expensive equipment. The secret sauce behind the success of the biggest channels lies in their ability to generate killer video ideas.
These ideas form the foundation upon which everything else is built—title, thumbnail, scripting, filming, and editing.
Whether you’re a seasoned creator or just starting out, understanding the importance of a strong concept and learning how to develop it can transform your channel and set you on the path to viral success.
I will cover the exact way I research and brainstorm video ideas that perform for ourselves and our clients.
Why Video Ideas Are the Foundation of Success
It’s easy to assume that high-quality production or advanced editing techniques are what separate successful YouTubers from the rest. However, the reality is far simpler and great: the idea behind your video is the single most important factor that determines whether it will go viral.
This isn’t just an opinion—it’s a principle that top creators like MrBeast swear by. A great idea can triple your views with half the effort, making it far more impactful than the camera you use or the software you edit with.
The reason behind this is straightforward. YouTube is saturated with content. Thousands of videos are uploaded every minute, each competing for the attention of viewers. To cut through the noise, your video needs to be unique, engaging, and capable of resonating with a large audience. This all begins with the idea. As MrBeast highlighted in a conversation with Joe Rogan, most viral videos aren’t the result of significantly more effort or resources—they stem from better, more engaging ideas.
Crafting the Perfect Idea: Research and Brainstorming
So, how do you come up with a killer idea? The process involves a mix of research, creativity, and strategic thinking. Here are 5 steps to guide you:
1. Analyze Successful Channels (Outlier):
Start by studying the most popular videos on your own channel and those of your competitors. What topics consistently perform well? Are there any patterns or trends you can identify?
Example: if speed learning videos perform exceptionally well on your channel, you might want to explore that niche further with fresh angles or perspectives.
Similarly, if a competitor’s video on a specific technique is blowing up, consider how you could approach or improve that topic.
My favorite way to do this is to get 1of10’s Chrome extension, this will get the videos an outlier score. It’s a multiple of the average of the last 5-10 videos. Then order them in descending order, the good thing about it is that it shows the recent videos that are doing well, so different from the most popular on the channel with videos that could be 14 years old.
Most people stop here, they think they found a good idea, but they haven’t verified it properly.
2. Views Per Hour (VHP):
Tools like VidIQ allow you to track views per hour (VPH) in real-time, helping you identify trending topics that are currently gaining traction. This is important for evergreen topics, videos that have been posted for a long time and still getting views. By analyzing which videos are still performing well right now, you can tailor your content to meet the current demands, ensuring relevance and increasing the likelihood of your video being recommended by YouTube’s algorithm.
3. Tap Into Trending Topics:
Trending topics are a goldmine for content ideas. By observing what’s hot on your YouTube homepage or searching for keywords in your niche, you can discover topics that are currently resonating with viewers.
Example: videos related to Andrew Huberman’s morning routine have been trending across multiple channels. Creating content that taps into this trend could significantly boost your visibility.
4. Find Gaps in the Market:
Sometimes, the key to a killer idea lies in identifying underserved areas within your niche. Look for topics that have high demand but low supply.
For instance, if you notice that a particular subject hasn’t been extensively covered but has a strong audience interest, that’s your cue to dive in.
Example: Something that I’ve been seeing for a while is the “LinkedIn Strategy” videos. Often covered by agencies or content strategists. These videos outperform any other content around digital marketing.
5. Be a Contrarian:
Going against the grain can also get you powerful results. By challenging the status quo or presenting a controversial opinion, you can generate intrigue and drive engagement.
Example: instead of joining the chorus of critics who believe Elon Musk overpaid for Twitter, you could create a video arguing why it was a genius move. This contrarian approach not only differentiates your content but also invites discussion and debate, which are great for engagement. And that is exactly what we did for one of our clients.
To put this in practice as a business creating content for your customers or to attract leads, you really need to put yourself in their shoes, not your own.
That's why this data-backed research is so important, look into what your audience is watching and how you can take a piece of that attention.
Content Pillars
This is the part where I tell you to double down on good ideas.
To make your life easier, after you've done all the research and started making videos on the ideas that you deemed worth your time. This could be that gap in the market you found, either a topic or style.
This is what you call a content pillar, every time you make a video on this you know it will do well so you find ways to create more videos on it. Ideally, you find yourself 3 content pillars that align with different goals, authority, sales, growth, ...
I also want to say that you should make this a routine and not something to overthink resulting in no videos rather than test and repeat. Not every video is going to go viral, there are other strategies we will go into another time.
