Hey,
Milan here, Co-founder and COO of Playstack.
Welcome to the first edition of The Playstack Podcast. You are among the few who will ever read this edition, so you can pad yourself on the back for that.
In this edition, we will be talking about:
- The most important part on how to get more views on your YouTube videos.
- An insight into how Playstack came about.
- Some of my recent favorite YouTube videos.
Only 0.07% of YouTube videos hit 1 million views.
Now that sounds like every YouTuber’s wet dream…
Yet, YouTubers like Mr.Beast made it seem effortless.
Mr.Beast not only hit that 1 million mark but also exceeded 100 million views on almost every video he uploaded for the last three years.
Introducing the “Golden Trio”!
When you scroll through YouTube. What’s the first thing you notice?
It’s the thumbnails, titles, and the first 5 seconds preview hook.
These are designed in a specific way that puts your video on the cross road on:
Going viral vs failing to catch the YouTube algorithm…
This will lure you to click as you now have unanswered questions and want to know more.
This is something called “Curiosity Gap”.
So how exactly do you use the Golden Trio to aim for that 0.07% viral video?
1. The 3 Title rules
If you have been on YouTube long enough, you must have seen clickbaity video titles like these before.
Sure, they are mildly interesting but these titles are a TERRIBLE way to approach your audience. Especially if you are creating content to build strong relationships.
Follow these 3 rules to create a viral-worthy title.
The title sets the expectation
Set a clear expectation that is appealing to your viewer.
This is something you promise to show during the video so you mustn’t mislead them.
Grab Attention
Your title must stick out and grab the viewer.
The title is one of the first things your audience sees from you, so you must make the best first impression.
Start Video with the title
Mr.Beast understands the optimum way to write the best title is to brainstorm and create a huge title list.
2. Thumbnails
Here at Playstack, we love thumbnail A/B testing, because it helps us to find an exceptional thumbnail that not only increases the CTA but also helps us get closer to that 0.07% viral hit.
Through testing and researching, we have discovered these 3 thumbnail principles:
Complementary colors and leading line
Thumbnails are there to get your attention and make you click. To achieve that you can use:
Or when possible, focusing on a face making an emotional expression.
Our brain is wired to recognize a face several times faster than any other visual stimulus.
Title and thumbnail complement
Can you spot the mistake of this thumbnail?
The thumbnail shows exactly what the title is describing.
The thumbnail should not repeat the title but rather complement it.
Many YouTubers see the thumbnail as another opportunity to display the title but now in a visual format.
Doing this is an immediate way to blend in with the sea of other uploads.
Thumbnails perform so well because they work with the title to indirectly create open loops, and curiosity gaps alongside showing the video’s payoffs and stakes.
The hook matches the thumbnail
The thumbnail you use must match the first 5 seconds of your video.
Consistency is the key, your viewer needs to know they’ve clicked on a video that matches or beats their expectations.
But this isn’t enough, the ”Golden Trio” is missing one more piece…
3. The Hook
Take a look at this GIF-like previews, the auto-play, on YouTube.
This 5 seconds preview will determine the fate of your video and whether the viewer will click or move on to the other distractions.
Why?
Because this is the last piece of the Golden Trio; The hook.
These 5 seconds will confirm to the viewer that they clicked on the right video and their expectations will be met.
Your next upload ask yourself these two things:
- “How can I make my intro as short as possible?”
- “What is my video’s grand payoff? And what “carrot” statement will incentivize my viewers to stay hooked until the end?”
So there you have it.
The “Golden Trio” - made by matching the title, thumbnail, and first five seconds hook.
Now that 0,07% chance of 1 million views doesn’t sound so unrealistic for you, right?
