Transcription
This guy has gone from losing subscribers to one of the fastest growing channels on YouTube. Ryan Trahan originally started off making content around his career as a college athlete, but then shot to fame in 2018 when he started pulling millions of views on videos like these.
But one year ago, Ryan hit a major problem. His growth had completely dried up. In the months of November and December 2020, he was actually losing subscribers, and his videos were sometimes struggling to crack 500k. He looked like another victim of the infamous YouTube downward spiral, where you blow up, peak, and start to fall off.
But a year later, the complete opposite has happened. Ryan has managed to 10x his average views per video and more than double his subscriber count, getting 3 million in one year. What did he discover here? Well, it turns out this 23-year-old from Texas knows something most people don't about YouTube.
In January of last year, he started implementing a three-step formula to create viral videos every single time. So, let's break it down. In just a minute, we're going to analyze this video here, and I'm going to show you how Ryan has managed to combine retention tactics from both MrBeast and Emma Chamberlain. But we need to start with step number one.
Ryan discovered the key to high-potential ideas. We can see this by comparing Ryan's last video of 2020 to his first video of 2021. The most obvious difference is the view count, but when you look further, they are actually two completely different strategies. This video is what I like to call a maintenance video. It's in vlog format, and it's completely focused on his life. Ryan, his friend, and his wedding are the main subjects for the video. If you don't know Ryan, why would you click? Even the language is tailored for returning viewers. He starts out by assuming you already know about his wedding.
"As you guys know, I'm getting married. I know, but I don't have a best man yet."
On YouTube, you can break viewership up into three sections: core audience, casual audience, and new viewers. Maintenance videos like this only really appeal to the core audience and some of the casuals.
This, on the other hand, is what I like to call a growth video, and it has four main traits. The subject is not a personality. In this case, the subject is the world's smallest Airbnb. That's the reason you're going to click, not for Ryan. This gives the video broad interest. It's designed to be interesting to new viewers. It's also in the format of a challenge, which adds to the intrigue. How can he live overnight in such a small Airbnb? This instantly poses a story. The fourth trait is it has novelty and shock value. It's not every day you see this on your feet.
Now, I've just used four points to describe this specific video, but these same traits apply to every single video Ryan has made since. You see the huge dip he experienced at the end of 2020 was during a period where he was uploading back-to-back maintenance videos. There's probably only one or two videos on screen right now that would be interesting to a new viewer. From an algorithmic perspective, YouTube rewards people who can consistently bring in new viewers. Switching to only making growth videos made it easier for Ryan to build serious momentum.
However, we all know YouTube isn't as simple as that. Lots of people have good ideas. Not very many people grow as quickly as Ryan. So, I decided to dig deep into the actual content, and I was actually really surprised with what I found, which takes us on to step 2.
Ryan has a genius retention strategy. Pretty much every video Ryan makes is filled with comments like this. We know the algorithm loves videos that keep people watching from beginning to end. So, what is Ryan doing that's so special? Well, his strategy is to blend multiple styles of content together. This video is optimized and fast-paced like a MrBeast video, but it still feels personal and relationship-based like an Emma Chamberlain video. He mixes retention tactics with humor and personality. Let's take a look at how he does this in action.
"I don't think you realize how crazy the world's quietest room really is. Apparently, 30 minutes inside will drive you completely insane. That's what they're saying, anyway. I don't believe that. I think that's baloney. I think that is a large pile of a meat-like substance."
This is an intro masterclass. The first thing he does is instantly reaffirm the click. He shows you pretty much the exact image in the thumbnail right away. Why? Well, the time when the biggest percentage of people click off a video is in the first few seconds. By showing exactly what you clicked for, this can help alleviate the falloff. Also, notice how he doesn't use any fluffy language like "welcome back" or anything like that. If there's any part of the video where you shouldn't be personal, it's the intro. You need to hook the viewer's attention right away.
Ryan also sets the stakes. He mentions that 30 minutes inside the quiet room supposedly drives you insane, and then goes on to say he believes that's a myth. He instantly gives the video a "why." This is a very optimized start, but then he lets his personality show in his editing.
"I traveled all the way from Texas to Minnesota. Yeah, I'm committed to break the record for the longest time spent in the world's quietest room. 45 minutes."
The creator of the world's quietest room is a man named Steve. Steve Warfield of Warfield Laboratories. I'm scared of this man for a number of reasons. Not only does he send two-word response emails, but also Warfield Laboratories literally sounds like the place a Demogorgon would be hiding in the next season of Stranger Things. Steve seems to be making a funny joke because I'm literally just wearing a white t-shirt and black gym shorts.
As simple as the previous 20 seconds might seem, this is perfect YouTube storytelling. First of all, it's low-production value, intentionally. The audience on YouTube don't really care about fancy transitions or text effects. It feels more relatable when someone uses a font like this. His delivery is also pretty mellow. He sounds like a normal person, which adds to this relatability. Also, notice how it is pretty much non-stop talking. Data shows us that video footage with talking holds viewers' attention better. I guess it's harder to click off a video when someone is mid-sentence.
The really smart thing he does, though, is use humor in contributing moments. What I mean by this is his humor is tied into the overall story. For example, when he introduces Steve, finding out who made the room is really important to the story. He could have tried to make a funny moment out of a scene in the airport, but that's distracting from the storyline and not contributing to it.
After this, Ryan sticks to the task at hand and gets straight into the quiet room. He immediately reminds the viewers of the challenge he has to beat.
"So, according to the internet, the world record is 41 minutes in this room. I'm gonna beat that. I guess it's not the world's quietest room if I keep making noise. So, let the games begin."
A few minutes later, though, he does something pretty interesting.
"Silence is louder than the last time I told my dad I didn't like his pork chops, and that was some loud silence."
And Steve thinks he knows why.
"I didn't like those pork chops. Everything that stimulates you masks everything else that stimulates you. So, for example, if you go into a noisy bar, the hamburger doesn't taste so good. The beer doesn't taste as good. If you go into a quiet bar, they both taste more subtle. You can get more out of them because your brain isn't processing the noise."
Now that I think about it, I was definitely on my phone while eating that pork chop, and I was so distracted, I couldn't even appreciate the flavor. This is a really clever way of building rapport with the audience. He presents a relatable situation, but here's the key: it's still tied to the theme of the video. Some people worry that YouTube is getting too optimized and that there's no room for personal connection, but scenes like this are where you can make it happen. Relationship building shouldn't feel like a tangent or a disruption; it should be woven into the storyline. This same storyline is revisited towards the end of the video.
[Music]
This storytelling is all well and good, but we haven't even talked about what I believe made the biggest difference, which takes us on to step three of the formula: becoming a clickbait master. There are four main things Ryan does in his thumbnails that make them irresistible to click.
The first trait is exaggeration. We know that the real quiet room doesn't look anywhere near as interesting as this, but at the end of the day, if you still deliver in the video, the viewer won't feel lied to. Clickbait by exaggerating, but still delivering, is the new meta.
You'll also notice Ryan is brilliant at using contrasting colors in this thumbnail. The bright orange of the jumpsuit heavily contrasts against the black background. You can also see with this white against green and blue against brown. Ryan knows people glance at thumbnails in milliseconds. Contrasting colors grab the eye.
He almost always shows some form of action. In this case, he's almost bent over in pain and is pressing his hands against his ears. This perfectly complements the title. Imagine how boring this thumbnail would be if it was Ryan smiling and pointing at the room. He wants to let the viewer know he's attempting something extreme, and this action backs it up.
He also is very effective at using text. Just like the contrasting colors, this draws your focus as you're scrolling by, and just like the action, it can be used to reinforce the storyline or challenge. Text in the thumbnail should be short, preferably under four words, and it must add more intrigue, not just repeat the title. Like this, which is far less interesting. Ryan uses these four factors in pretty much all his thumbnails.
Now, he also invented his own style for his money challenges, which have inspired thumbnails all across YouTube. Speaking of money, making my first $1 on the internet was one of the most important moments of my life. So, I've got a challenge for you to do the same that could win you $500.
Which brings me on to today's video sponsor, Shopify. The best place to start selling online. The biggest reason most online stores fail is because they never start. So, I timed myself setting up this Shopify store to sell photos of my dog. Guess how long it took? Seven minutes. In the time it takes to watch a YouTube video, I now officially have an online store. So, here's the challenge: First, start a Shopify store using the link below. Then, make just $1 or more selling a product of your choice, whether it be a photo, t-shirt, or maybe just a digital product. Then, screenshot the sale and tag me on my Twitter account. I'll pick one person that ran them and give them $500. The best part is you can use the link in the description below to get a free 14-day trial to Shopify. So, in as little as seven minutes, you can start selling online for free.
I hope you learned a thing or two from this video. Ryan truly is one of the best creators on the platform right now. I'll also be giving another $500 to someone who subscribes in the next seven days. But for now, YouTube thinks you'll like this video next. Let's see if they're right.