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Success on YouTube: Interview with Gerbert Johnson

YouTube has become one of the dominant platforms for creators in recent years. But while the barriers to entry may be low, building a truly successful channel that stands out from the noise is far from easy.

In this fascinating interview, host Frank talks to Gerbert Johnson, an up and coming YouTuber who shares his experiences on the platform so far. They discuss the highs and lows of creating content, building an audience, social media influence and much more.

The Key Ingredients: Hard Work, Originality and Self-Improvement

Gerbert highlights that while inspiration from others is important, hard work, originality and continuous self-improvement have been the key ingredients behind any success he’s seen on YouTube.

“If you want to blow up right now on YouTube and you don‘t want to put in crazy work, it‘s just not going to happen.”

He cites creators like entrepreneur Hamza and commentator Sneako as influential figures who motivate him to keep honing his craft and skills rather than chasing overnight fame:

“Seeing what Hamza does, he uploads every single day…That‘s inspirational because it shows that people are still out here putting in work.”

This ethic of adding value through useful content while developing your abilities over time is a consistent theme throughout the discussion.

But what does this actually look like in the context of specific creator niches like gaming – one of the most popular genres on the platform? Let‘s analyze some best practices.

Gaming Content Strategies: Growth in the Fastest Rising YouTube Niche

Gaming proved itself as the ultimate pandemic pastime. According to Accenture, the gaming industry grew 12% in 2020 alone – the highest single year growth ever recorded.

YouTube creators innovated formats like gameplay walkthroughs, rage montages, esports clips and casual vlogs to quench this exploding thirst.

Big personalities like PewDiePie (110M subscribers), Markiplier (31M) and JackSepticeye (28M) attract millions of loyal, engaged viewers. But the opportunity still exists for smaller channels too in underserved niches around specific games or genres.

Let‘s analyze exactly what strategies gaming creators are employing at various stages to successfully rank videos and turn profits:

Optimizing Individual Videos

The most fundamental element behind any gaming channel is the quality of your individual pieces of content:

  • Laser Focus Your Game Choice – At least when starting out, establish expertise around just 1 or 2 game titles to consistently create niche, targeted videos rather than sporadically covering new releases. Build authority around your specialty.

  • Format Diversity – While walkthroughs and gameplay videos represent a chunk of gaming content, explore outer formats like reviews, tips and tricks, funny moments, theories and reactions to diversify your content style.

  • Attention Grabbing Thumbnails – As gaming thumbnails often feature similar in-game art, make sure to spice yours up with attention grabbing captions, contrasting colors and emphasize your personality/avatar.

  • Interest Sparking Titles – Ask leading questions, incorporated urgency with words like “insane”, “impossible”, or tie to trending current gaming events that enthusiasts would instantly click on.

  • High Energy Hook – Your introduction first 15 seconds is vital to signal this will be an entertaining video worth watching rather than dry, boring gameplay with no personality. Bring the hype!

By laser focusing around particular titles and their communities combined with search/suggest optimized metadata, you can start ranking for valuable existing traffic.

But explosive growth inevitability requires expanding production quality.

Elevating Production: The Formula Behind Viral Gaming Content

While personality remains crucial, creators consistently investing in better gear, software, editing techniques and collaborators separate themselves by crafting more polished, bingeable content.

The data shows it too – a Contagious report found videos with jump cuts increased average view duration over 30 seconds compared to non-edited videos.

Let’s analyze some production upgrades that contribute to long term YouTube success:

  • Hot Video Game Topics – Pay close attention to rising or controversial gaming news that will drive views regardless like console exclusive reactions, Twitch ban incidents or NFT integrations. Create commentary videos.

  • Camera & Lighting Gear – While webcams suffice initially, upgrade to mirrorless cameras like the Canon M50 combined with soft box lighting kits to take production quality up a notch.

  • Advanced Editing – Software like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro unlocks professional capabilities – especially plugins tailored to gaming creators featuring flashy transitions, effects and templates to expedite editing.

  • Custom Graphics – Brand your channel with slick intro animations, logo reveals, clean lower thirds and subscribe overlays. Resources like Envato are a goldmine. Graphic design skills prove invaluable long term.

  • Collaborator Videos– Guest appearances enables bouncing humor and commentary off a partner. The most popular gaming celebs from Ninja to IShowSpeed frequently have guests quadrupling typical viewership. Plan collabs into your content calendar.

The cumulative impact of these elements leads to a far more engaging, clickable end product ready to capture a viewer’s attention – even amongst thousands of competing gaming videos.

While fortress-like video optimization forms the core, truly thriving as a gaming personality requires understanding monetization models.

Monetization and Turning Pro: The Business Side of Gaming Content

An amateur history loving YouTuber can start a channel tomorrow reviewing game lore full time with enough dedication. But only with business fundamentals can it transform into a self-sustaining career.

Let’s analyze how gaming creators turn profits:

  • YouTube AdSense – Monetizing your channel to earn a cut of video advertising dollars remains the simplest way to directly make money from sheer viewership – but fluctuations in CPM rates can make relying solely on a third party platform risky.

  • Channel Memberships – Giving fans access to loyalty badges, custom emoji, members-only posts and even exclusive videos for a monthly fee provides recurring revenue streams outside of ads. Percentages earned are far higher through memberships than sponsorships too.

  • Affiliate Links – Curate handy lists of your favorite gear from webcams to gaming chair picks into links utilizing affiliate programs from Amazon or directly through brands to make passive commissions with no extra work beyond linking.

  • Sponsorships Deals – For gaming creators specifically, everything from energy drinks to VPNs want to get their brand in front of engaged viewers. Set attractive media kit rates once you have over 100k subscribers for the big bucks.

  • Merch Store – Sell shirts, hoodies, mugs and other collectibles featuring custom artwork and inside jokes from your channel that fans proudly want to don to support you and feel part of an inner circle.

  • Donations – Direct tipping from fans during live streams via services like PayPal, Super Chat and Patreon may match affiliate earnings as your most diehard true fans express their gratitude.

With so many income options now, gaming creators are joining the ranks of Hollywood stars with competitive esports athletes like Ninja earning upwards of $20m a year at the very top tier through diversified businesses across content, gear and entertainment.

But avoiding complacency by continuing to learn and improve remains the ultimate key according to Gerbert.

Ongoing Education And Avoiding Burnout

It’s easy watching viral highlight reels of gaming celebs living the dream lifestyle to overlook the sheer amount of work involved – both on and off camera.

Gerbert stresses avoiding creative stagnation by continually expanding your skillset and connecting with fellow gamers to avoid fatigue.

“When you smoke a lot of weed it makes you okay with being bored and not improving.”

Let‘s reflect on how to consciously counteract this trend:

  • Step Away From The Screen– Ensure you take regular time off gaming and content creation each week for fresh air, socialization and exercise for mental clarity stopping burnout sabotaging consistency

  • Network With Other Gamers– Attend gaming expos, conferences, summits and conventions to connect face-to-face with fellow creators collaborating on videos or just new friendships

  • Read Gaming Media– Stay updated with the pulse of popular titles, industry drama news and rising creator beefs that make prime commentary content via gaming sites like IGN, Kotaku and Polygon.

  • Take Production Courses – Hone skills around editing software, visual effects, motion graphics, design tools and animation through Udemy tutorials, Skillshare classes or formal education getting certified to expand creative capabilities

  • Public Speaking Practice – As gaming personalities with more exposure opportunities like hosting events or panels, practice orating abilities delivering complex ideas through courses teaching verbal communication and vocal techniques

This 360 degree approach to continuous self-improvement combining mental rejuvenation, community and pure craft development builds long lasting careers allowing creativity rather than stagnating from overwork and isolation.

The same principles apply when evaluating themes Gerbert explores around relationships and spirituality too.

Relationships, Sex and Sleep in the Internet Age

In another segment, Gerbert argues how technology and social conditioning perform a role in dating behaviors today – influencing massive generational shifts:

“Sex feels better when you really vibe with someone because of that energetic exchange.”

He explores religious interpretations on sex, such as the concept of tantric sex as a meditation practice. Retaining sexual energy rather than frequently releasing it may have real benefits reflected in ancient traditions.

Modern science has uncovered links between poor sleep, sexual activity and even mood regulation due to compounds like prolactin and cerebrospinal fluid production:

“Fapping lowers your magnetism… drains your spinal fluid”

While more research is needed, it’s clear today’s hyper-sexualized society informed by porn habits is radically shaping attitudes to intimacy amongst youth.

Final Perspectives: Character Matters Over Controversy

Wrapping up, Gerbert stresses having an open, non-judgemental attitude but being mindful with spreading certain messages responsibly.

He references viral controversies happening on social media. Whilst seeking truth, also recognize most people simply inherit the values and beliefs of their environment rather than developing real principles.

“Question popular narratives…but have empathy, don‘t vilify people.”

In that sense social networks both provide connectivity as well as divide humanity. Our online personas often wildly differ from real world actions.

It‘s a profound point to close on – encouraging genuine spiritual and character refinement rather than reacting to the outrage and sensationalism occupying so much of online discourse today.

That ability to self-reflect with nuance may be the ultimate determinant of success on YouTube.