From Blogger to Struggling YouTuber to 70k Subscribers in 2 years: The YouTube Power Hour Podcast 256
“You’re only as good as your last video.”
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Laura Jane Atelier was in my FIRST group of bootcampers, and she’s here to talk about her journey from blogger to YouTuber. Her channel is all about vintage fashion, lifestyle, and culture. When she started her blog and instagram, she spent a few years figuring out her niche, and as she became more and more active on YouTube, it took her even longer to really hone in further on her niche there. She learned as she went along, and didn’t focus too much on perfection. Her goal was to just churn out content, even if that meant her sound or editing left room for improvement.
Laura joined my bootcamp on a whim, and it was there where she learned a lot about tagging, SEO, and the YouTube culture, which greatly differed from the world of blogging that she was used to. Once she realized YouTube is a search engine, she was able to strategically create content that people would be searching for. She also discovered a community within the bootcamp that she never had anywhere else. Through the support of her fellow bootcampers, she was able to navigate the often lonely and isolating world of YouTube content creation, bounce ideas off of others, and get feedback on her videos, thumbnails, and titles.
“You have to be prepared to go viral.”
When one of her videos took off and went viral, that started a domino affect in her channel. Her views and subscriber count started to catapult, her other videos started getting more attention, and Laura was able to figure out what people wanted based on just a few viral videos. Once she figured out what people were looking for, it was easier for her to create similar content, which then solidified her in her niche. Laura was grateful that it took her awhile for one of her videos to go viral, because she had a catalog of bingeable content for people who had just stumbled upon her channel. As scary and overwhelming as it was for Laura to go viral, it was those viral videos that shaped her channel for the future, and it helped her 10x her subscriber count!
“It’s hard to say where I’d be if I didn’t do the bootcamp. Maybe none of this would have happened.”
3 Key Interview Takeaways
- Be prepared to go viral. As Laura said in the interview, you’re always one video away from a viral video. Make sure you have a backlog of other videos that are bingeworthy, so that when you DO get that one video that sticks, people will want to stay on your channel for more. Use what went viral for inspiration for more content.
- Don’t be stubborn. Get out of your own way and be open minded! Blogging and instagram might be all about YOU (look at me!) but YouTube is about your AUDIENCE. It’s not so much about what you want to make, it’s about what others want to see from you. Laura has even transitioned into more of a narrator role, rather than the star of the video. It’s more about the stories she’s telling, not about her. Accept when your videos don’t get popular and try something else.
- Find a balance. Based on a few of Laura’s viral hits, she created similar content that she knows people tune in for, but she’ll always do 1-2 videos a month for something different to see what sticks. You never know when your next hit will be! Finding the balance between reliable content your viewers like and new ideas with the potential to be picked up by the algorithm is important.
Mentioned in the Episode:
I Bought All of Sharon Tate’s Vintage Beauty Products on eBay
The World’s Oldest Beauty Products You Can Still Buy Today
Grace Kelly’s Favorite Beauty Products You Can Still Buy Today
Marilyn Monroe’s Favorite Beauty Products You Can Still Buy Today
Connect with Laura:
Laura Jane Atelier on Instagram
Resources
Add your name to the Zero to Influence YouTube Bootcamp waitlist so you are notified when space becomes available!
Watch my replay of my FREE Zero to 100k Subscribers Masterclass
FREE GUIDES:
Creating Content During Crisis: How to Create Impactful Content During COVID-19 Pandemic
Getting Started on YouTube: YouTube Niche Workbook
How to get onto PR lists and receive a TON of free product even if you have a small following: PR List
YOUTUBE OPTIMIZATION PLUG-IN I RECOMMEND
TubeBuddy [Use the code ErikasBuddy to get 20% off]
MY FAVORITE BUSINESS TOOLS
Course Creation: Looking to create a course? Kajabi is the BEST platform hands down. I use this for my course after extensive research on all the other platforms.
Live Calls and Interviews: I use Ecamm for my podcast interviews, both audio and for YouTube that you see here on YouTube. It makes it super easy to share my screen and create the split-screen with my guest. I’m not super techie and this software is really easy to use!
Webinars and Live calls: I use Zoom.us for my group coaching calls in my private membership group for female YouTube creators. It’s also the software I use to record my Road to 100k YouTube Subscribers Masterclass!
THE BEST YOUTUBE/PODCASTING EQUIPMENT
After interviewing HUNDREDS of successful YouTube creators, these are the pieces of equipment that hands down get mentioned time and time again. You can’t go wrong with anything on this list!
- 4k Camera: Great for starting out and vlogging
- Lens: This lens is recommended highly by many of my podcast guests, it gives the blurry “YouTuber” background look.
- Audio: If you want to upgrade your set-up, audio should be one of the first investments (after a good camera). This microphone is unanimously the favorite amongst my podcast guests.
- Podcast/Voiceover Microphone: If you are looking for a great microphone for a podcast or video voiceover, this is it! This is the one that you see in all of my videos and the one I’ve recorded my podcast on for years.
- Webcam: For my interviews, that you see in my videos, this is the webcam that I use. Super inexpensive and easy to set up!
- Inexpensive Lighting Kit: Need to pick up some lights but don’t want to spend a ton? This is a great set that will get you started and help improve the look of your videos.
- Ring light: Looking for that beauty look? Invest in a ring light! This is an inexpensive light that does that trick!
FACEBOOK GROUP
Podcast Music Credit: Boop by x50 @x50music
Music provided by Free Music for Vlogs youtu.be/o52xQkQWzyU
*Erika Vieira is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to www.amazon.com.
**Disclaimers: all opinions are my own, sponsors are acknowledged. Links in the description are typically affiliate links that let you help support the podcast at no extra cost.
