How I Plan to Revive My YouTube Channel
A definitive behind-the-scene overview of my slow growth on YouTube and how I’ll change it.
Let’s start from the end.
I’m changing my niche, which is not recommended, especially on YouTube. It’ll probably confuse the algorithm, and some subscribers might leave me altogether.
But don’t try to stop me because I thought it through.
I decided to change the focus of my channel, regardless of the short-term cost. I wanted to return to the original theme I planned for the channel while applying some winning elements from my recent videos.
I summarize here my first year on YouTube and share my growth. Well, it wasn’t a significant growth as I haven’t created too many videos, only 28. I wrote more on my blog and Medium than I produced videos.
My blog will continue to be my priority, but I’ll try to create more videos for my channel. So, here are the growth steps of my YouTube journey as they lead to my niche change.
Starting with random videos
When I started, I was playing around with various journey-related content. One video was on why I started the channel. Another was on how to get the first subscriber, and another was on why to create your channel in your second language.
They weren’t performing well, to say the least, but not because of the ideas themselves. The tips were valuable, but the production quality was awful. I recorded the videos with low energy. I was also too anxious in front of the camera. The lighting was bad, and so was the audio. All that wound up in not-so-great vibes.
At the same time, I did an unboxing video on my favorite typewriter keyboard. Surprisingly, that video has taken off in beginner’s terms. I’ve got 2600 views on this faceless video so far. I also created a similarly successful video on technical issues on WordPress. I showed my face in the latter video, but the WordPress backend was in the center.
I later discovered that this kind of educational video is my thing — explaining things without being concerned with the camera.
I experimented with this style more in my chess videos.
Early success with teaching my good old hobby
My last eight long-form videos were about chess — opening tutorials and me playing chess online. Chess has been my hobby for many years. I recorded myself playing chess and teaching unusual openings that surprised my opponents.
The main reason for producing these chess videos was to gain experience in front of the camera with content I have significant value to offer. I played chess for 25 years as a hobby and have 2000 ELO on chess.com.
I also learned on producing high-converting thumbnails:
Producing content on my hobby has proven the concept, at least from a practical standpoint.
I have 1600 public watch hours, thanks to my chess opening tutorials. Two chess videos drive me most of the viewership, with 16000 views. I also got 230 subscribers, not much but still something. Most of them are there for my chess content.
If you are starting on YouTube and struggling to find a niche, consider teaching a hobby you know well, even if you don’t like it that much. The hobby can help you understand what content and styles suit you better.
However, after producing the chess videos, which were fun to make, I realized I didn’t want to produce chess content anymore. I don’t play rated games as I used to, only here and there.
So, I’m looking forward to leaving chess behind me and creating content inspired by my written content. I like to produce that content, and I have already published it on other platforms.
Repurposing my written content
I primarily create content for my Blog and my Medium account. While I first wrote more on Medium, I recently updated that I focus more on my blog.
My blog content is about my journey from existential crisis to reinventing myself as a creator. I created a source of information to help those who feel lost in life and look for meaning and see some success. That means journaling tips, self-discovery insights, and finding your strengths, talents, and passion.
I plan to repurpose some of the content I have published in my blog and Medium account. My Medium content is about self-discovery, too, concerning blogging and writing.
I now reorganize my content and write some scripts for new videos. My plan aligns with my initial strategy for the channel, which was pushed aside due to the relative success of my chess videos.
I am glad I haven’t stuck to the success of my chess videos, as I don’t want to be a chess creator. Yet, I will take something from my chess videos.
Adopting the winning style into the new niche
My best videos so far were my chess opening tutorials, but why so?
I found several reasons for that — first, my value as a former chess player. Second, I like educating and explaining ideas. Third, I served the content by focusing on the board, not the camera. That reduces my anxiety as an introverted guy.
This is a critical insight. Thanks to my play-around approach in my early days as a YouTuber, I could spot the ideal content for myself after one year.
It’s essential to find the kind of content you are interested in creating and the most effective way to serve it to your audience.
So, my new niche is about self-discovery and blogging tips, using the educational method of me being on the side explaining with a board.
I’m considering purchasing a giant physical erasable board to explain my ideas or using a digital whiteboard solution instead, which is cheaper. Numerous prominent educational YouTubers have used this method to deliver productivity tips and growth hacks.
Why not start a new channel?
If you read until now (thanks!), you might wonder why not start a separate channel for my new niche. Indeed, it looks more logical to rebrand my current channel as a chess channel and create another channel for my self-discovery and blogging content.
Maybe I should create even two new channels — one about self-discovery and the other about blogging, as these two topics aren’t the same.
The only issue with that scenario is that it’s not practical. While it might seem logical, it requires much time and energy. I hardly manage to create content for my blog, Medium, and channel, so two or three channels?
No way. That will be highly counterproductive.
Sticking with my same channel and the current audience I built is a far better option.
This way, I don’t need to start from scratch, and that’s easier psychologically. It also makes sense to show how I’ve changed as a creator and refined my niche. This process is valuable to my target audience.
Regarding whether my chess audience will find interest in my new niche, I’ve been checking some transitions made by other YouTubers. I’ve noticed that it’s a decent growth method to start with your hobby and expand to a broader interest.
For example, Niklas Christly is a super-talented photographer and video producer. He started his channel with filming and video editing tips with fantastic scenery. After a while, he turned to the trendy self-improvement niche.
Even though these are two different niches, his former audience was still interested in self-improvement. He reached almost one million subscribers.
Inspired by his approach, self-discovery and blogging are supposed to interest many viewers. Today side hustling has become so widespread that every other person is likely to try some methods to earn money online.
Knowing yourself better (aka self-discovery) is also essential as a creator to stand out and outperform your competitors. This topic can be clustered as a subcategory of self-improvement.
I believe some of my chess subscribers will be interested in such content, though only time will tell if I’m right.
Final words
Beyond everything sorted in this article, it’s the personality and compelling storytelling that make a YouTuber successful. I still have much to improve and work toward, but I hope to get there someday.
I hope my subscribers won’t leave me after I change the niche. Yet, even if some of them will leave me, I believe new subscribers interested in knowing themselves better or earning with blogging — will join the ride.
If you are interested in those topics or curious to evaluate my journey so far — check out my YouTube channel
See you there
