Sean Cannell is a YouTube expert who teaches influencers how to be successful using video and social media. There’s one YouTube metric that’s even more important than views or subscribers. Sean will explain why “minutes matter most.” In other words, the view time on your videos is the most important metric. In this conversation, he’ll take a deep dive into the ins and outs of being successful on YouTube. His expert tips will help whether you’re a beginner or have already started growing your presence on the platform.

Connect With Sean:

Sean Cannell
@SeanCannell on Twitter
Learnyoutubetoday.com
Think Media on YouTube
Video Influencers on YouTube

The Mission Log:

• [02:26] - Orion starts the show off with a fun fact: both she and Sean like The Flash.
• [03:28] - Sean talks a bit about himself and his life, explaining how he met his wife and some health challenges she went through. He then discusses how he got into video around a decade ago.
• [08:02] - Orion’s tough times have been her greatest gift, she explains. Sean agrees and ties this into his experiences.
• [11:08] - We hear how Sean has changed in the past decade or so. He explains the ways in which he has become a better human being, particularly through gratitude and compassion.
• [15:01] - We hear a story of an encounter that Orion had during a recent trip to India, illustrating how much abundance most of us have in our lives.
• [18:24] - Who have Sean’s teachers been in his life journey and transformation?
• [21:41] - Sean talks about the impact that changing your environment can have on your success.
• [23:23] - Let’s talk YouTube! Orion talks about her experiences in trying to get started on YouTube.
• [24:10] - The best time to start on YouTube was in 2005, when the site started. But that’s irrelevant now, Sean points out, and the second-best time to get started is today. He offers some advice on how to do this.
• [27:08] - Sean talks about what not to do, which is looking at someone else’s channel on YouTube, liking it, and deciding to do what they’re doing because you like it.
• [30:15] - “Your vibe attracts your tribe,” Sean memorably says as he explains why it’s so important to be yourself and be unique on YouTube.
• [31:22] - How important is a YouTube channel’s name? How do you plan and strategize when you’re at the very beginning of planning and creating your channel?
• [34:52] - Sean recommends having what he calls a “napkin content strategy.” He explains what this is, and how simple and straightforward it can be.
• [36:53] - The two things you should define for your YouTube channel are who your audience is and what kind of value you’re going to deliver.
• [40:58] - Sean talks about what to do once you’ve identified your audience and value proposition: put out consistent, strategic, valuable content.
• [41:26] - Sean’s team is still relatively small. He also talks about the growth process of his YouTube channel, which started in 2010 but took off in late 2015.
• [43:51] - What are some of the most important tips regarding ranking for beginners? In his answer, Sean goes into depth on how to title your video.
• [45:26] - Another mistake that a lot of people make is shooting their video first, and then trying to optimize it later.
• [50:22] - Sean offers another tip regarding being specific. For example, you’ll probably never rank for “low carb,” but have a great shot for “low carb meal prep for weight loss.”
• [51:41] - One of the big mistakes that Sean sees people making is thinking that views or subscribers are the most important metrics. Instead, he explains, minutes matter most.
• [55:52] - The point, Sean explains, is that if you want to grow your channel authority, you need to put out consistent content and then hustle to get people to watch your videos.
• [56:51] - Where can listeners find Sean?

Links and Resources:

• Sean Cannell
• @SeanCannell on Twitter
• learnyoutubetoday.com
• Think Media on YouTube
• Video Influencers on YouTube
• The Flash
• Chalene Johnson
• Sally Hogshead
• Gary Vaynerchuk
• Casey Neistat
• Caleb Maddix
• Answer the Public