From ZERO to HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of SUBSCRIBERS on YouTube in 2 Months with Kenna: The YouTube Power Hour Podcast 198
“Once I stopped questioning myself, I started making videos that did a lot better.”
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There’s no such thing as an overnight success, but every once in awhile, something happens that just makes you wonder. Like this week’s guest who decides to throw up a video, and not even optimizes thumbnails or descriptions, but 10 days later gets millions of views! Biochemist and YouTuber Kenna is here to break down that overnight success and she’s telling us why it was actually several years in the making, and giving you the clues to make that a process you can follow for your next viral hit!
When Kenna started out on YouTube, she was looking for an outlet to answer the common questions she was getting from her skincare line customers – she started her own skincare line at 18 while she was still getting her degree. She wasn’t growing then, so she didn’t put much attention and effort into it. But one day she decided to record herself giving her Biochemist’s review of Jaclyn Hill lipstick, and that video ended up getting 1.4 million views! With that viral hit, she was forced to grow up as an influencer real fast. And when she followed it up with part 2 of the review, which got almost 1 million views, she decided to take her channel more seriously.
“I’m taking baby steps to grow to the level where my viral growth has gone.”
She’s now running her own skincare line that she sold to the natural skincare company she now works for and at 23 is overseeing a number of product lines, from quality control to distribution to retail outlets. She’s now at over 200k subscribers and is using the feedback from her followers and subscribers to upgrade her channel and how she approaches her content over time. In this episode, we’ll be talking about that viral hit, how she’s following it up to become a full-fledged YouTube influencer, and how you can use your superpowers to carve out a relevant and substantial niche for yourself on YouTube. Enjoy!
“I wouldn’t do content on someone else’s skincare brand because I wouldn’t be able to authentically speak about it.”
4 Key Interview Takeaways
- Consistency is momentum. When Kenna wanted to capitalize on the explosion of her channel, she stopped taking 2-3 weeks to post new videos and started posting 5 times a week. She was able to convert people who stopped by for the viral hit into full-fledged subscribers who now engage in her comments and help her create content.
- Listen to your audience. Have content idea problems? Kenna gets constant questions from her followers and subscribers which is why she hasn’t run out of content and doesn’t plan to run out of content anytime soon. Create a path for your subscribers to connect with you and give you feedback, and poll them regularly for what they want to see from you.
- Ride the wave. Here’s the power of building content that is on-trend: Kenna threw up a video that shared her perspective on a trending topic and forgot all about it. And virtually overnight – in about 10 days actually – she flew up to 138k subscribers. Amazing. What’s trending right now that you can give your different and unique perspective on? The potential for growth is massive.
- Outsource the technical aspects. It’s frustrating when you’re making the same technical mistakes, losing files, getting glitches and taking extremely long when you’re creating content. It all feels unnecessary just to get your videos out. But it’s essential, and if those are the parts you don’t enjoy, why not work with someone or a team to take it off your hands. When the process is fun for you, you tend to create more, but the frustration can stifle your creative muscles.
Connect with Kenna
Mentioned In This Episode
Kenna’s Videos:
- Jaclyn Cosmetics Lipsticks First Impressions Biochemist Perspective: Part 1
- Jaclyn Cosmetics Lipsticks Microbial Report Biochemist Perspective: Part 2
Resources
REGISTER FOR MY FREE ROAD TO 100k YOUTUBE SUBSCRIBERS MASTERCLASS
FREE GUIDES:
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!
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Podcast Music Credit: Boop by x50 @x50music
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**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.
