All right, so get this, we're diving into YouTube today
and we're looking at a strategy that Think Media claims
made them over $120,000.
Yeah, you heard that, right?
$120,000 and all they did was re-upload videos.
Interesting.
I know, right?
But hold on, before you go thinking
they're just being sneaky and copying,
let's hear what they actually did.
Yeah, it's not about just copying and pasting old content.
It's more like they're really smart
about using what they've already made.
Think Media calls these strategies
content marathons and repurposing content.
And they both basically help you get your content seen
by more people and make a bigger impact.
Okay, content marathons, that sounds kind of intense.
Like are we talking about those 24 hour livestreams
because I don't know if I could handle that.
Ha ha, no, not quite.
It's more like think of it as making your content
super binge worthy.
You create these mega long videos,
some of them like two or three hours long.
And the cool thing is that not many people
are making those really long videos,
so there's less competition.
Wait, two or three hours long, seriously.
Who actually watches videos that long?
And how do you even make something that huge?
Right, so that's where the marathon idea comes in.
You're not making one giant endless video.
Instead, you break it down into smaller chunks,
kind of like chapters in a book.
These shorter sub-tutorials, when you put them all together,
they become this epic guide
to whatever topic you're covering.
Oh, so it's like building blocks.
Like think Media used Nolan Moult's
How to Start and Set Up a New YouTube Channel video
as an example.
That one's about an hour and a half long,
and it covers everything you need to know to get started.
I'm guessing he didn't film that all at once though, right?
Exactly.
Nolan was smart about it.
He broke the whole process down into smaller videos.
And each video is helpful on its own,
but when you combine them, they become super powerful.
So you're basically getting twice the value from your work.
You film these shorter videos,
and you already know they'll be part of this
bigger marathon video later on.
But doesn't that take a ton of planning ahead of time?
Oh, absolutely.
You really gotta have that bigger picture in mind
from the very beginning.
You need to make sure each little segment
flows smoothly into the next one.
So the whole thing feels like one big video.
I think Media really stressed
that if you're gonna do a marathon,
you gotta be thinking about the final product
the whole time you're making it.
That makes a lot of sense.
And here's a little sneaky tip they shared.
Steal their titles.
And not literally steal them,
but adapt them to your own niche.
So let's say you make product tutorials.
Why not create a series of videos
that all lead up to the ultimate guide to your product?
I like that.
And what's really cool here is you're not creating
a ton of new content for that marathon video.
You're just repurposing what you've already made.
So it's like you're getting a whole new video for free.
Yeah, that's a really smart way to look at it.
You're not just pumping out random videos.
You're building a whole library of content
that gives people different ways to learn from you.
It's like you're giving your audience
their own choose your own adventure.
And spilling of giving your audience
different ways to engage.
Let's talk about that second strategy.
Think Media mentioned repurposing content.
Okay, so if content marathons are about combining things,
is repurposing content about breaking things apart?
You got it.
This time you're starting with something big
like a podcast episode or a live stream.
And then you're breaking it down
into smaller, more focused videos.
Oh, I see.
Think Media do this all the time.
They'll have a conversation
and then they'll pull out a really good part.
And bam, they turn it into a whole new video
with its own spin.
It's smart, right?
They're squeezing every bit of value out of their content.
And because they're targeting each new video differently,
they can reach a whole bunch of new people.
This is where it gets really interesting for me.
It's like a whole other level of content strategy.
And it sounds like Think Media actually
has a whole separate video
where they explain exactly how they do it.
That's right.
We don't have that specific video for this deep dive.
Oh, okay.
But don't worry, we can still figure out
the main ideas behind repurposing.
Perfect.
So just to recap,
content marathons are about combining things.
And repurposing content is about dividing them up.
But what's the big idea
that connects both of these strategies?
Well, I think it's about realizing
that you probably already have
some amazing content just sitting there.
You just have to be creative
and find ways to repackage it
and make it appeal to different people
and different platforms.
It's about working smarter, not harder, right?
Exactly.
And avoiding that dreaded creator burnout.
Instead of feeling like you always have to come up
with something brand new,
you can just give your old content a makeover.
I like how you put that.
So here's a question to think about.
What content do you already have
that you could repurpose or combine into a marathon?
Think about your blog posts, your podcasts,
your social media posts.
What hidden gems are you sitting on?
Yeah, it's like, you know, that's saying
one man's trash is another man's treasure.
You might have content you think is old news,
but for someone who's just finding your channel,
it could be exactly what they need.
Yeah, that's so true.
And think about how many times
you've gone down a YouTube rabbit hole yourself.
You start with one video
and then you end up watching a whole series.
These strategies are tacking into that.
People want that in-depth content.
Yeah, it's about making an experience
that pulls people in and keeps them watching.
It's about building an audience who trust you
and keep coming back for more.
And that of course means more watch time,
more subscribers,
and ultimately a more successful YouTube channel.
Exactly.
You're playing the long game,
you're building something that lasts.
I know some people might be worried
about being original.
They might be thinking,
isn't this just recycling old stuff?
That's a valid concern.
But it's not about just re-uploading
the same exact video.
Think media is all about adding value.
It's about repackaging and reframing your content
in creative ways.
They use the word angling,
which I thought was really interesting.
Like you're taking a piece of content
and showing it from a new angle,
highlighting different parts of it,
or tailoring it to a specific audience.
Right, like for example,
you could take a part of a podcast episode
about video editing
and turn it into a separate video
that just focuses on one specific editing technique.
Or you could take a bunch of blog posts about photography
and combine them into one big video tutorial
about a certain style of photography.
It's all about finding those hidden gems
in your content and making them shine.
And don't forget about SEO.
Every time you repurpose something,
you're creating another chance
to rank for different keywords.
Oh yeah, the SEO angle, that's a big one.
You're increasing your chances
of being found by new people.
It's like you're casting a wider net.
And plus, every time you repurpose content,
you're giving it another chance to go viral.
You never know what's gonna resonate with people.
This whole conversation has really changed my perspective.
It's like I'm seeing my content library
as this valuable asset
that I can use in so many different ways.
It's about thinking bigger than just individual videos
and creating a whole ecosystem of information.
And that ecosystem keeps growing as you make more content.
I love that.
So let's get practical.
Think Media mentioned having a whole other video
about how they repurpose their content,
which we don't have right now.
Right.
But we can still learn from what they've shared so far.
Definitely.
They're really big on angling content differently.
So I'm guessing they're very strategic
about finding the most important takeaways
from their longer content.
And highlighting the parts
that people really connect with.
Yeah, you're looking for those aha moments,
those little nuggets of wisdom
that people wanna share and remember.
Exactly.
And then you build a story around those moments.
Like what do you wanna say with this repurposed content?
Who are you trying to reach?
And what's the best way to get that message across?
Should it be a short video for social media?
Or blog posts that goes deeper into a specific point?
Or maybe a series of email tips with actionable advice?
Those are all good questions.
Repurposing isn't about just copying and pasting.
It's about making smart choices
to get the most out of your content.
So let's say you have a podcast episode
you wanna repurpose.
Where do you even start?
I would start by listening to the episode
and really paying attention.
What are the main takeaways?
What are the most interesting parts?
What would your audience like the most?
You're basically being an editor
picking out the best parts.
Exactly.
Once you found those key points,
then you can start thinking about different ways
to repurpose them.
Could you make a bunch of short videos
using the best sound bites?
Or how about a blog post that summarizes the main points?
And then add some extra insights or examples.
You could even take some quotes or stats
and make them into social media posts.
There are so many possibilities.
It's all about finding formats
that work for your content and your audience.
And don't be afraid to experiment.
Try different things and see what works.
Yeah, repurposing should be something you do
all the time, not just once.
I keep thinking about that idea of a content ecosystem.
You're not just creating separate pieces.
You're building this connected web of content
that you can repurpose and reimagine
in all these different ways.
And it just keeps growing.
I love that image.
It's really inspiring.
It is.
And it's something that any creator can do.
No matter what their niche is
or how much experience they have.
It's about changing how you think about creating content.
And seeing the potential in every piece you make.
And using the power of repurposing
to build a content legacy that will keep growing
for years to come.
Think Media didn't specifically talk about titles,
but I think that's a really important part of this,
especially when you're repurposing content.
Absolutely.
A good title can make all the difference,
whether it's a repurposed piece or something brand new.
Remember what Think Media said
about adapting their titles for your own niche.
Yeah, that was a great tip.
They talked about titles that start with how to
or offer an ultimate guide to something.
Those kinds of titles work really well
because they tell people exactly what the video's about.
Yeah, people know what they're gonna get
when they click on a video called
How to Start a YouTube Channel from Scratch,
or the ultimate guide to video editing.
They're looking for answers,
and those titles tell them they'll find them.
So when you're writing titles, think about your audience.
What are they looking for?
What problems are they trying to solve?
What goals do they have?
And then create a title that answers those questions
directly and clearly.
Don't be afraid to be specific.
The more specific your title is, the better it will do.
Remember, your title is the first thing people see.
It's what makes them decide
whether to watch your video or not.
So take your time writing titles
that are both informative and interesting.
It could be the difference between a video
that gets a few hundred views
and a video that goes viral.
And speaking of getting people's attention,
let's not forget about thumbnails.
Oh yeah, the visual part of your title.
Your thumbnail is what's gonna catch people's eye
when they're scrolling through their feed.
Make sure it's eye-catching and relevant to your video.
Use bright colors, bold fonts, and strong images.
And don't forget to tell people what to do,
like watch now or learn more.
Your title and your thumbnail
should work together to make people wanna click.
They're like the dynamic duo of your YouTube strategy.
You know, something else,
think media didn't really talk about,
but it's super important, consistency.
Oh yeah, consistency is key.
It's the foundation of a successful YouTube channel.
It's about showing up for your audience regularly
and giving them good content
on a schedule they can count on.
Whether you upload once a week, twice a week,
or once a month, the important thing
is to establish a rhythm.
Consistency builds trust and loyalty.
It shows your audience that you're serious
about giving them quality content.
And it tells the YouTube algorithm
that you're an active creator,
which can help more people find your videos.
So make consistency a priority.
Figure out how often you can realistically upload.
And don't be afraid to try different formats
and types of content to keep things interesting.
But consistency goes beyond just uploading videos.
It's also about talking to your audience in the comments,
responding to their messages,
and being an active part of the YouTube community.
It's about building real connections with people.
Make consistency a core part of your YouTube journey.
It's the foundation for building a channel
that thrives and succeeds.
You know, it's funny isn't it?
We always think of YouTube as like the place
for the newest stuff,
but think media is showing us that there's a lot of power
in looking back at what we've already made.
Like they're saying, hey,
you've already got a goldmine of content right there.
Yeah, you might have a treasure trove of content
just sitting there waiting to be rediscovered.
And it's not just about making money from it.
Although, I mean, that's always nice.
But it's about giving your hard work a chance to be seen.
Right, you put so much effort into those videos
and podcasts and blog posts.
Why let them just sit there
when they could be reaching new people
and starting new conversations?
It's like giving them a second life.
Exactly.
And who knows, maybe the repurposed version
will even do better than the original.
Sometimes all it takes is a fresh perspective
or a different format.
This whole deep dive has really made me think.
I think a lot of us are underestimating
how valuable our content libraries really are.
Yeah, it's easy to get caught up
in trying to always make new stuff.
But sometimes the best thing we can do
is look back at what we already have.
So as we wrap up this episode,
I wanna leave you with a challenge.
Take a look at your content library.
Go back and check out your old videos, podcasts,
blog posts, even your social media posts, everything.
And ask yourself, what can you repurpose?
What can you combine?
What can you present in a new way?
Don't be afraid to experiment.
Get creative, think outside the box.
You might be surprised at what you come up with.
Every piece of content you make is like a seed.
It has the potential to grow and flourish
in ways you might never have imagined.
So go out there and nurture your content garden
and watch it bloom.