The Output #6: Voice Isn't Volume

The first 10 years on YouTube ended with less than 20 subscribers.

I found this frustrating, because I was doing all “the right” things: creating every week, improving how I showed up on camera, working on thumbnails, bringing upbeat and good energy, and talking about something I cared about.

Seven hundred videos in ten years. The volume of what I was creating was there. But I wasn’t. I was reporting on topics, but not how I related to the topics myself. Nothing stood out in the videos.

After getting fed up with the speed of my progress, I started searching for what to do.

Part of that search was looking at what I was creating. Cringe. Not a good sign when that was the feeling hearing my voice and seeing myself on video. Not that what I was saying was cringy, but the fact I was on camera talking at all caused me to want to die inside.

The other part was getting into a group of YouTubers led by Evan Carmichael. This was huge because he pushed me to start with a big opinion each video. I looked back at the 10 years of videos, and yup. I never shared my opinion on the topic. I also noticed I rarely ever shared personal stories in videos.

For a year, I attempted to share a big opinion in the opening of my videos. And I often received feedback that the opinion wasn’t there, was weak, or was hedged. That I needed thumbnails that showed more of my face, or to make my face bigger. It all felt super awkward and uncomfortable.

But during that year, my audience grew from 20 to 100 subscribers. This change, even if I was terrible at it, was working.

Thinking about it more, I noticed something deeper was going on. I realized I was hiding myself behind the content: Not holding an opinion. Not telling stories. Shrinking my face on my thumbnails. What I was hiding from was “the flaming arrows of the internet.”

My introverted nature and tendencies were overcoming my drive to help people. Getting noticed so my channel would grow invited judgement. So I hid.

Sharing your opinion and stories is what reveals you to others, not volume. If they connect with you then audience grows.

So the one question I have for you this week is: What would you put out if you stopped trying not to be seen?

Reply to this email to let me know, and I’ll cheer you on!

Shawn