Experimenting with Different YouTube Video Styles - The Results

So my main channel is all about creating long form tutorial videos covering the "how to" aspect for different software. That channel is doing great, I love creating content there as it's a win-win for all involved.

I'm functionally doing content marketing for SAAS companies so I'm compensated well, and you the viewer get free helpful tutorials that I could charge for. Since I make so much from affiliate marketing, ad revenue and brand deals I can keep everything free and put a lot of effort into my content.

Then there is my personal channel for Edge of David.

Nothing I do really works here and it's frustrating. "Work" meaning my videos get views regularly, my subscriber base grows, I'm making money and I enjoy the process.

I don't know if it's because my channel or videos are suppressed, I suck, or some combination of the two (probably a combination of the two).

But so far here are the results for different video styles 👇

1) Action camera vlogging

I loved recording videos with my Sony X3000, but YouTube never pushed my videos out that much so my channel was never able to grow, make money and become something.

One such place I made an action camera style vlog (among 35+ other vlogs I made) was Ha Giang. Ha Giang is this incredible place in northern Vietnam that I visited with my then girlfriend.

The pattern for my vlog style videos was to get some views then the videos die off forever.

Literally die off, no views, nothing. My Ha Giang vlog got about 2k views at launch then since 2020 it has gotten maybe 20 views a year since then.

Part of me thinks my channel is just suppressed or that I'm just that bad at vlogging.

Before my X3000 I used a Cannon G7X for vlogging. I vlogged in Thailand, Korea, China etc before it was a thing.

One example was when I was in Korea with my then Korean GF and all my content never broke more than 300 views.

This video got 100 views then the cripple hammer came in. Since being published it gets viewed maybe 35 times a year max.

This is why I gave up on vlogging - I got bored AF

Making videos is fun, but after making 40+ videos, no growth, every video 60-100 views then dead you got to stop and think "what's the point? No one is watching, I'm not making any money, it's taking a lot of time and this is not fun anymore."

It's like going to the gym 3x a week, putting in the work and you still look exactly the same after 6 months of consistency.

Clearly I'm not that good at vlogging and/or YouTube does not like my content that much.

PROS

• Travel vlogging is fun, recording content with an action camera is a low effort style of content.
• It's wonderful to have these video memories of happy times in my life.
• You need to actually travel though to make it work.
• Personality driven, you either got the "it" factor or you don't. I don't at all apparently, I'm much much better at talking head style content.

CONS

• You have to wander around public talking into a camera.
• The algo and audience either like you or they don't.
• The ad rates and income potential is not there unless you're a star like Kurt Caz, Harald Baldr, Bald and Bankrupt etc.

2) Narration style content

More time consuming is narration style content. I would record clips of a place I'm at and instead of vlogging and prepare a script once finished.

The benefit of this style is it's a bit more polished, I have a good radio voice and when I'm traveling I don't have to be "that guy," a jackass walking around talking into a camera in public.

My narration content did perform a bit better, usually getting 1k views before the YouTube cripple hammer came in but not always.

The above video gets about 10 views a year, it's really pathetic. At launch it was doing 14-20 views for the first 10 days then the cripple hammer.

This video had the same performance, 10-20 views for the first 2 weeks then the cripple hammer. Then all of a sudden YouTube forgot they hit me in the kneecap with the cripple hammer and actually pushed the video out.

It ended up doing that twice (as you can see with the two spikes) then it went back to 1-3 views a day for a few years and now it's dead.

900 views, then dead - narration style content about personal development. Was fun to make, but there is no point in making this type of content if no one watches.

PROS

• Good for story telling, not exactly a style I want to do.
• You don't have to be that guy walking around talking into a camera.
• Less stress when traveling, just record a bunch of clips and enjoy your trip.
• Harder to get out content quickly as you need random video clips.

CONS

• More time consuming to record a bunch of clips, make a script and record your voice.
• No real monetization strategy with narration style content.

3) Walk and talk, topical videos

I've done this with both my iPhone and X3000 with mixed results.

I used my iPhone for this one, the audio sucks. You need a mic.

It really comes down to the topic, I noticed if I talk about anything personal development related, it's a total waste of time.

Personal development content gets me 100-200 views max then dies.

Eh, it's not a good fit for me or this walk and talk style so I won't do this again. Personal development style content I'm great at when it comes to writing, but video?

Nope.

First off, this sort of video content is done much better by the likes of Mark Manson and Clark Kegley who put out high production videos.

My focus is on the "main thing" which is my professional brand that works. So for Edge of David I just don't have the time to put a ton of effort into high production video content, I want something more fun and easy.

That's the whole reason I have this channel in the first place, as a creative outlet.

This video I used my X3000, expat/travel related content performs a bit better as I guess that's the bucket the algo puts my channel in.

I know if I create this sort of video I'll get about 1k views before the cripple hammer comes and bashes my analytics. After which the video is functionally dead and gets only 0-3 views a day at best.

Getting about 0-3 views a day.

PROS

• Topical videos have the potential to have a bit more staying power as the topics tend to be more searchable.
• When walking it's easier to talk as it unlocks your thoughts through movement.
• Easy to produce this sort of content.

CONS

• You're that guy walking around talking again.
• Background noise could be an issue.

4) Traditional, edited talking head style content

This is the style of content I'm best at. Taking on a topic and sharing my thoughts through a lightly edited video.

Removing out the pauses, having my thoughts be concise and adding in design and color grading to the video.

This video was well received, has a good watch time, click-through rate, engagement and likes. Video and audio quality is great.

Then the cripple hammer strikes.

This video now gets 0-2 views a day.

Pathetic.

You can see in the graph I had a nice spike for about a week, then the hammer comes in. Then the video bounced back a little, and the hammer came back to deal the finishing blow.

For the effort, the reward is not there. Yes I can do this style well, but no matter what, my video will end up getting 0-3 views a day.

Response vids

The two talking head, edited vids were response videos and they both had the same performance.

A massive spike, decent views for a week then the cripple hammer.

This video about about responding to "Where's Wes" video about Vietnam had the same performance.

8k views, went a bit viral for a hot second then BAM, cripple hammer. It then got 0-3 views a day so I unlisted it.

Same exact performance. 1-2k views, then the cripple hammer.

Overall the performance of these talking head videos makes it not worth it as the ROI is not there.

It takes time to record multiple takes, time to edit and the end result is zero views after 7-10 days of being published.

Better topic and thumbnail selection?

Con Lear launched his channel just 6 months ago and his video average 3k views, some with staying power getting consistent views daily.

Looking at his channel it's obvious he has good topic selection, good thumbnails, great titles that make you want to click and watch and his presentation style is good.

I got the presentation style down, but my topic selection and titles could be better. The Vietnam vid took off because of the title with people commenting on it before even watching it.

Perhaps I should pivot and model after Con Lear more as his video style is fairly easy to make and it's a topic I can create video content on as I've been an expat for 15 years.

Nate Obrien is another example in a similar style to Con Lear. More on finance and personal development topics,

Nate had a great presentation style and his videos like Con, and were lightly edited. Fairly easy to make, but so far my results are that my videos will get 1k views then die off.

PROS

• Good audio and video quality.
• Potential staying power if you make a video on a topic people are looking for.
• Personal brand potential, so you can recommend products and services as people connect with you more.

CONS

• A bit more time consuming than going off the cuff and talking about a topic.
• Could be a waste as you put in effort to make these videos then the algo just stops you from getting views.

5) Topical "off the cuff" style

The last style I tried out is the "off the cuff" Hamza Ahmed style where I do next to no editing beyond a quick little intro and outro.

These types of videos are weird because I can speak much more naturally for whatever reason than I can with my pro setup.

I have no idea why, but when I'm in my room in front of my camera I fumble over my words and I'm just not as natural. But when I record with my iPad or iPhone sitting at a cafe somewhere it's no problem, the ideas and speech just flow.

This video is doing well, it's a grindy video where the views are picking up from browse and search features. It was easy and fun to record this 20 minute video.

Next...

This video has the same performance as everything else. A few days of views then the cripple hammer comes and it's 0-4 views daily.

I realize a few things after making this:

1 - I need a proper tripod, not hold the phone in my hand.

2 - Bullet points. Have specific topics I want to cover, incorporate stories, when I get through said bullet points end the video as to avoid rambling.

PROS

• Speaking comes easy and natural.
• Can cover a topic quickly and the watch time is good so long as I get to the point.
• Very easy for me to make these types of videos regularly.

CONS

• I don't have the gift for gab, which is why when I do a proper edited, talking head video it comes out better.

Nothing I do works here

In short, nothing I do works here. I only have 3 videos on my channel that get daily views. My teacher trap vid, that vid on teaching abroad and my vlog on Vung Tau.

That's it, the rest of my videos are either totally dead and get ZERO views or they are on life support after getting smashed with the cripple hammer from YouTube and are getting 0-4 views a day.

What I want

I want a channel like Con Lear/Nate Obrien style where I make a video once a week and get 3k views and that video then gets a small amount of consistent views.

Then drive that attention to my email list here and a few low ticket paid products.

It's just a risk because the main thing for me is where my effort needs to go. I don't want to get too distracted with making video content here that does not work.

My personal financial goal with Edge of David is to make $1-3K a month off this primarily through selling low ticket products and growing my email list.

I'm torn honestly so if YOU have any input, it's helpful.

Should I go buy an Osmo Action and use my wireless mic and do off the cuff videos going forward at locations of interest. This style is fun and easy to make...

...or should I do more expat related Con Lear style talking head content? So far my talking head content is well received, it just dies after a week.