Did YouTube Stop Recommending Your Videos?

[00:03] Could be like one video away and you just never know when that thing is going to finally click and you're gonna be like, "Oh, okay. I'm start. I get this." >> If we're stalled that what we've been doing got us to where we are, but to get

[00:15] something else. And so, I love that you even took a shot at one of these 16 strategies. I think a lot of people could do this. And it's as simple as here's why it's amazing. Welcome to the Think Media Podcast, the

[00:27] number one show bringing you unfiltered YouTube tips for building a profitable YouTube coaches here and I'm joined with Josh Morgan today and Josh is someone that had real traction on his channel, had built a successful channel, but it

[00:41] hit that frustrating wall where growth stalled out. And so in this and just start start to break down exactly what he did, the pivots he made on his channel. in a pretty short period of time and not just get more views and

[00:58] more exposure, but actually have income as well. Josh, how's it going, man? >> I'm so stoked for this. >> Yeah, me [laughter] too. >> It's gonna be great. Well, hey, for people just, you know, linking up with

[01:11] give us a little backstory just briefly? Who are you? What's what's your channel about, you know? >> Yeah, absolutely. I My name's Josh. I have been a pastor or in ministry for gosh 20 years or so. And several years

[01:25] ago, I finished a doctorate in Christian formation. And I had all this stuff, all this content, all this great stuff I'd learned. And I'd been uh, you know, learned. And I'd been uh, you know, applying it uh hands-on in ministry, but

[01:38] maybe I could share this stuff with. So, do I want to write a book? Do I want to like what do I want to do? And and it just was clearly even communicated to me like, hey, you need to start by sharing this stuff online.

[01:51] >> My start really was uh Instagram. So I spent a lot of time short form Instagram. Uh I spent a couple years growing to about 35,000 um followers. And so uh but then after a couple years started really hearing the importance of

[02:07] things like email lists and uh other types of like relationships with you whatever. And so that's when I came across uh think media vra stuff and uh

[02:20] yeah so that pivot has been [clears throat] a really interesting one [clears throat] a really interesting one for me because I was just taking Instagram res and putting them on shorts and I was getting a lot of like traction

[02:33] and I was if I found you know on Instagram if you have a real that does well organically and you put money behind it to boost it >> it's going to do well right so I kind of was applying the same logic

[02:46] [clears throat] to you to to YouTube uh with a couple of posts that had done thousands of views. So, it grew pretty quickly. But about the time that I kind of started figuring out, oh, there's like a different strategy on this

[03:00] platform for for developing a particular type of follower and if you want to establish a business and and it took I mean it took like uh several months almost a year to really fully make that pivot and start seeing the kind of

[03:16] the time. >> Wow. Okay. So, I'd love to jump into what stalled growth looked like for you. So, because it was kind of wild. I think when we first met, like you jumped on a group call inside of our elite program

[03:30] and I remember being like surprised in a good way, but I think you had like channel. Does that sound right? Like, do you remember what number you were at? >> Yeah. 20 21 something. Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. So, like that's kind of wild

[03:42] wanted to bring you on for the conversation is like at that level, like to be at. That's usually, you know, if you've got everything else going on too, 20,000 subscribers, man, that feels like a pretty big milestone for a lot of

[03:56] >> But why was that stalling for you? You had the number there of subscribers, but that point? >> Well, a big part of it was >> a significant number of those followers were coming from

[04:11] uh viewing and maybe even subscribing when they were looking at the reals that I was posting as shorts. Oh yeah. >> But they weren't connected to >> But they weren't connected to anything larger like u like like brand

[04:24] or like a business plan or and and they weren't the type of followers that were stuff again, you know? [laughter] And so for me a big stall it really was

[04:36] I feel like I got to a crossroads where I I was like okay I could keep putting all this energy, effort, time, money even into growing the follower counts

[04:49] >> or I could really try to understand how this platform works. >> you know, spend some time like listening and learning from people who've done it and really really kind of take that hit of like this isn't going to be super fun

[05:02] for a while, but if this is really real, then you know it'll be worth it down the >> Yes, 100%. Okay. So, like what was the first move to get like unstalled? Like the first move that you took to start switching things up? I just remember and

[05:18] remember on a coaching call you just came back and you were like so like I >> and it was like an outlier video I think and it might have been one of the first outliers you had in in a minute for long form on your channel. What was what

[05:32] unstuck? >> Sure. So I mean at the very beginning >> Sure. So I mean at the very beginning what I I got into was the uh foundations and I think the very first thing I ever did was the nicheinder.

[05:45] >> Oh inside our course. Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. which so that was even before joining elite or anything and really just having to go through the work of going like what is my niche like what what am I doing why am I doing it who's

[05:57] my audience that was super helpful >> so then fast forward because by the time you're in uh coaching calls with you guys if you don't if you don't at least have some sense of understanding of what that is really hard to then take and

[06:11] directly apply what you guys are sharing with us what you are teaching us you know and so yeah by the time By the time that I got into this call that you're that I got into this call that you're talking about, I think I had enough of

[06:24] an understanding of what I was trying to do that I felt a little bit more comfortable trying out different types of videos. >> So, whereas I was pretty much just doing like talking head teaching style videos,

[06:37] um, you know, Sean has a list of it was like 16 surefire video ideas. >> Yeah. Yeah. Straight up. So he had like the podcast or he had um the there was interview or the one of them was reaction video

[06:52] Reaction. >> Yeah. So then so then like combining those things I I I gave some I gave reaction video a shot and it quickly became like the best performing up to that point. One of the best performing

[07:05] exciting. >> That's crazy. So let's dive into this like some modules in our, you know, training and stuff, but one of them is the 16 surefire video, you know, video structures, video formats. So, the one

[07:20] that you chose was reaction style content. Can you break down just for someone who's listening who that I may not even know what we're talking about? that mean? >> Yeah, it's I'm [clears throat] sure that

[07:32] our listeners have heard that because or have seen this more and more. Maybe I'm seeing it more and more. >> Yeah. where you have a uh a content >> Yeah. where you have a uh a content creator uh who is essentially watching

[07:45] something else, an interview or somebody saying something and then and then in some way, shape or form, they're reacting to it. Now, a lot of them are square and they're watching it and they're just kind of going,

[07:59] >> That's right. and they're not even saying anything or or they might go like yep at the end or something. [laughter] Um, but this is so my my niche is spiritual formation in the area of of like disciplehip. So, it's it's how to

[08:14] help people grow in their relationship with Jesus, but specifically I'm kind of coming at it from like a like a worldview And so >> because I was willing to play with a few

[08:28] different types of videos, when I came across reaction, I thought, "Oh, this is this is very interesting to me because I'm [clears throat] listening to what Steo or um what uh you know, James Vanderbeek

[08:45] or Matthew McConna or Jud Appatile or like what I'm I'm getting to hear their perspective on like spirituality and God >> and then I essentially can hit pause and then I can go here's here's like a biblical perspective on that same thing.

[08:58] But what was cool was I was like, "Oh, this is this is actually perfect for what I'm trying to do." And I would have never even thought to do it had I not to to try some different stuff out. >> Quick question. Does your YouTube

[09:12] channel feel stalled because you know you need to try something new, but you just don't know what to do next? Josh just shared how one small nudge in a repeatable format helped him stop guessing and get momentum again. And if

[09:24] you want help with that, this is exactly why we built VRA Elite. It's our YouTube talk to our team and see if it'd be a good fit for you, you can go to viral videocoach.com to apply. It's not a fit for everyone,

[09:38] but if it is a fit for you, get to hop on a free call with our team to get a strategize next steps. All right, back to Josh. I mean, first off, hats off to because I think that actually holds a lot of people back. when you're at this

[09:52] stalled spot, you're stalling for a reason. So, like even just being a coach you you're going to have to try something new. [laughter] That's usually right. Like if we're stalled that what we've been doing got us to where we are,

[10:05] going to need to try something else. And so, I love that you even took a shot at one of these 16 strategies. But this reaction style, I think, is so slept on. I think a lot of people could do this. And it's as simple as here's why it's

[10:18] amazing. A lot of people don't know, maybe you or me per se in the world, >> Nobody knows who >> kidding. Actually, I'm surprised we got to go back and forth. >> No, [laughter] I know exactly what

[10:32] you're saying. Nobody knows. They could care less who I am. of us, you know, listening here to like podcast like relative to the world. You know what I mean? Gee, who is Josh Morgan? Who is Nathan Eswine? Who's

[10:45] Steo? Gee, well, okay. just a lot more people. Just know who that is. And it doesn't have to always be a person that you're reacting to. It could just be things inside of your niche. News headlines, a new product line, changes

[10:59] different things you can be reacting to that do a beautiful thing, which is connect what's unknown, which could be you, me, the creator, right? To something that is known, a person, a place, a thing. And so I'm just And

[11:12] though, right? because this led you to do you've done other other reaction style content. Uh yeah, I've probably I've done at least half a dozen now. And >> and then [clears throat] it also opened up the door to because so this the

[11:27] reaction setup that I've put together >> which again even >> which again even >> having um you guys to like you know like is that software and how does that work? And to have somebody lit literally like

[11:42] take over my computer and like help with settings and stuff like that was fantastic. It's pretty, >> but the set the setup is similar to a podcast type setup. And so >> so I'm I also have like an affiliate

[11:55] Software. >> And so I was set up to do a a like a interview um I'm I'm drawing a blank. You know, when they do when they like

[12:07] >> Oh, you did like a a tutorial. You probably tutorial. some new features. >> Okay. And uh and so and so that it made that easier and then uh then those videos have just been like exploding. So

[12:22] other. >> That's okay. You already read my mind, cuz there's an effect here that happened. Um which is pretty exciting. up for reaction content. Can you break that down? Like what have you learned

[12:35] little bit of tech involved, right? Because how do you get the other the do you do that? I used to be in woodworking and when I first started I I

[12:47] woodworking and when I first started I I had I had like a chopsaw and so the name of the game at that point was how many different ways can I use this chopsaw I'd go oh there's actually a tool that does that I don't have to use the

[12:59] chopsaw for this I can use the jigsaw or the router or whatever. >> Okay. So, a lot of a lot of video has been that where you go you can you can >> and then eventually you go, "Oh, there's a program for that or oh, there's a

[13:12] piece of gear for that or whatever." >> So, basically what I do now is I I use um OBS >> broadcasting software >> and and I had to upgrade my computer to really handle it, but it it essentially

[13:25] allows me to record the the video itself. I can record a video of me >> Yeah. Yeah. And it just it just makes the the um post editing so much quicker

[13:37] and and and look really great, you know, and so >> That's that's been a big one is that kind of upgrading to the point where I could utilize OBS. >> Yeah. Okay. Huge OBS. Okay. So, like

[13:49] you've got some sort of software that you need that will allow you to put the screen as you, right? Because it's pretty pretty important. Have you ever had any flags just out of curiosity like YouTube strikes or copyright stuff?

[14:02] >> You know, I was really concerned that I was and I haven't had any. And anything that even looked like it where it kind of said, "Hey, we noticed you're using going to like penalize you." [laughter] So, that's like the closest I've gotten.

[14:15] "We see what you're doing, but it's >> We're here. We just want you to know here, big brother." Yeah. Well, hey, I audience if you just go to Dr. Josh Morgan. Search that on YouTube. You'll

[14:28] some of these reaction videos because you do it really clean. Um, and of course I'm certainly not a lawyer or like well-versed in copyright law and all that kind of stuff. Disclaimer out of the way. But I will say the way

[14:41] you're going about it lends itself to less chance of copyright strikes, stuff the content. I think that's the main thing YouTube wants to see is and so >> okay, I've seen this before. Great. I'm gonna go try this reaction style content

[14:55] know, and so then it's just like they find something >> and it's just like this shot is just the person watching the thing. Yeah. >> And so having those disruptions of like you said, you'll pause it, give some

[15:08] insight, give some clarity, give a teaching point, application, >> hit play, go back into it, maybe even through editing like chopping stuff up like just the whole point is when you do a reaction style video, you want to make

[15:20] it different and make it fair use, right? is like the term where you're comment and you you're trying to do this for an educational reason, for a >> So, I think that's important. I think you have a really good setup for doing

[15:33] >> Thanks, man. And and just kind of a side note, uh so you know, copyright and all that. Um I know that Sean just recently I saw he came out with something that I saw he came out with something that talked about the just uh just enormous

[15:46] right? >> Yeah. So, [clears throat] a little bit but even more kind of affirmation in this direction for anyone who's interested in this route. Um, this week I actually hit my monetization

[15:58] >> And so, yeah. So, not only so, so it was like the opposite, you know. So, YouTube you're good. We do approve you." You know, so awesome. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Have you gotten the uh

[16:11] waiting to hear back the >> I submitted. I heard back, got approved, and now I'm like >> I think within 100 maybe 140 hours from just about there. >> Oh my man, I'm stoked for you. Come on.

[16:27] >> Yeah, [laughter] dude. >> That's awesome. Okay, so what has happened? You shifted. You tried new content and that definitely started to, you know, have things kind of unfold for you. Views, new stuff. But what was cool

[16:42] of a few weeks, man. We were just talking about this before we were call. It was like the or whatever the this other video now is doing really well, but this is in a totally different

[16:54] >> Can you talk about what you teased a little bit ago? >> What is this next video, this tutorial you did with software? How'd that happen?" Well, uh, so first of all, just, uh, you know, shout out to you and

[17:07] your Thursday morning meetings are always really great or your cohort, you >> because [clears throat] I feel like a lot of these have come out of that where three or four of them a week pretty consistently and everyone's kind of got

[17:22] their little space where they're encouraging. I feel like I feel like I and and so [laughter] then fair enough. And I would be like Jack and I'd go, you how it went and I'd come back and report it. Let me look back at the timeline.

[17:37] video. >> Okay. talking head. Then I did another reaction video and both reaction videos >> Wow. >> So, I'm starting to kind of think, okay,

[17:52] clues, right? >> And so, um, >> Sean heard you, where is he, you know? Yeah. Hey, [laughter] did you notice my >> Yes, I see it. Shout out YouTube secrets. And I see that is that a dragon

[18:06] >> Yeah. Eagle. >> And then I like to keep an extra copy if I ever have like a [laughter] like an itch I need to scratch or something just to >> I like it to just I like to just be

[18:19] >> Oh, man. Totally immersed. >> So, anyway, like I'm kind of in this I'm like, "Okay, this there's something here." like it >> it's different. People like it. I thought it was a lot more fun, too, cuz

[18:32] >> It's like having a conversation with somebody. I mean, they're not there. >> But I'm but I'm hearing them and I'm responding to them and I I just am much more comfortable and natural with like a back and forth

[18:45] >> and so which was really really cool. So then um the I reached back out to I'd been talking to Logos about doing like a demo of some new AI features that >> Okay. >> That that like hadn't been released yet.

[19:03] And so, so then I'm so I find myself on a call just like this with uh a uh executive director of Logos and he's telling me about these AI features that

[19:15] are uh I think two or three of them had had just come out and one hadn't come out yet. >> Okay. [snorts] And so, so then I taking all that I had learned from the reaction videos, I pieced that into a similar

[19:29] style, you know, >> demo type video. >> That they then collaborated with. And then that when I posted that, I was able >> "Hey, there's like this secret AI feature that Logos just revealed."

[19:43] >> And um all the Bible nerds went crazy over it. So, [laughter] and that one that one became like to that point it was easily the most successful one. I had some affiliate links in there where that was the first

[19:56] time I I like made where I was like, "Oh, so this is how people like generate a pretty a pretty like decent income from this kind of stuff." That was the >> So, yeah, really cool. >> I love that story. And it's cool looking

[20:12] see the Steo video and you just see this big uptick and then just a couple videos later well you got some more reaction stuff and then then there's this video and I remember you talking to me about this in that call. So he here's what's

[20:26] interesting to me. Like how would you because you just went through this process, you know what I mean? And you're like just in it. You just got is why I love your story. It's like so fresh. It's happening right now. Like

[20:38] >> Change. >> If I can do it, you can do it. That's literally why we're talking. And so when you think about Okay. How did you how would you encourage someone to go find an affiliate link? I don't know.

[20:52] encourage someone to think through what's something in your niche, your industry, what like that you could make a video about have a link to and then potentially like you have income coming in from a YouTube video even before the

[21:05] effect, you know? >> Yeah. The it's it's pretty wild now that into it, you start realizing like, oh, I feel like everyone's got affiliate like >> Man, I wish I could remember. I literally just saw an email and it was

[21:21] this is not what it was, but it was almost like Walmart had said like, "Hey, like so random and I was like, "Oh my gosh, like everybody's doing affiliates now." >> And uh so yeah, I think if you're if

[21:33] you're hearing this, I would kind of start with um >> like the the things that you frequent that are in your niche. So for me, I'm a pastor. I study the Bible. I was already using logos and then now they happen to

[21:48] reach out to me, but I bet I bet I could have looked into like some affiliate >> Right. >> And so it could be if you're in um like fashion design, maybe you kind of look around there or

[22:01] don't know, like you know, like maybe website tools or something, but maybe those are, see what their like requirements are. And then um when I I

[22:14] found that when you uh they they connect it to a video, you sure that that link's like right there. >> There we go. >> Above the fold so that they can click on it and uh that would be some I would

[22:27] just say like do it and try it again and try it again and see what happens. the gem right there. So I just want to repeat it for for our listeners like repeat it for for our listeners like okay it's one thing to to do all of this

[22:40] and find an affiliate and actually have a link you can drop that's great that and there's a few other things we need to do is the second thing is like make the video make a good video [laughter] right but then also this is huge a lot

[22:54] hear it all the time oh I have the links in my description but like I'm not no clicking and it's like I look at the description and it's buried. It's like I ask, >> what are you talk? Did you talk about it

[23:09] in the video? No. So, it's like and and I'm laughing things, but you also need to think through then this whole other skill set of how do I make it so easy for people?

[23:23] And I think the word we've used in calls before is like frictionless. Like so easy using the tools that YouTube gives me. like how do I just make it easy for people to click the thing, you know? So, I think again you're a great case study

[23:36] to go check out some of your videos um with the Logos Bible software just descriptions with how you're talking about it in your videos. Um any teaching points there just because it's fresh for you? Like what have you learned about

[23:48] click a link and how you how do you talk about it in a video without feeling salesy or something? I don't know. >> Well, it helps to really be like to >> okay, >> this is a really valuable thing and I

[24:02] think it's really going to add value to your life. So, that helps. [clears throat] >> really make sure that your video delivers the value before you're asking them to do something. So, uh, so, so

[24:16] you're making a promise and you're like thumbnail, title, hook, you're introducing this video. You know, you're promising something like give that to them >> in the video. Then come back around and

[24:28] here's something that, you know, if you that's really great. >> Now, let's get back to the video. That's kind of how I'm try I try to approach it. Um, so and then what I've noticed is

[24:44] there's another thing Sean says about um, uh, if something something make a sequel or make a second one or >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. success leaves clues. Make part twos. >> Make part twos. Yeah. And so, something

[24:58] I've noticed is >> I've gotten a lot of questions, questions, a lot of know about that. maybe they're a little skeptical about AI and Bible software.

[25:12] >> So then I I just have started kind of making a list of that and then I'm going to reach back out to the um director and just say, "Hey, can we do a followup? Would you be willing to address some of these answers?" And um so so I've I've

[25:26] a part two look like, you know? >> Oh my goodness. Success does leave it's cool to see like looking at your channel too. It's just fun, you know, seeing that, wow, some the main like main pillars of your long form content

[25:41] now are definitely like reaction style videos and we're doing tutorials talking like you've probably created pillars on your channel that you might just keep time, >> honestly. Yeah. I just a little secret,

[25:54] >> honestly. Yeah. I just a little secret, too. I a week or two ago, I took the original video, I edited it down, I cleaned some stuff up, I re like packaged it and actually reposted it and it's gonna I think it might end up doing

[26:07] better than the first one. So, >> wait, which Okay, which video >> wait, which Okay, which video >> the So, if you back in November is when I first posted that Logos video. >> Oh, I got you. And so I actually cut it

[26:20] >> Oh, I got you. And so I actually cut it down a little bit and then repackaged it all like I I mean I significantly change it's the same thing but I significantly changed it and I've I think it might end up outperforming it not too in not too

[26:33] >> Okay. So we'll just we'll anchor here for a quick second before we move on. >> Because I'm sure someone's listening is like you can do that. >> Yes. Like you wait what did you what did you And it is crazy to see here. Okay.

[26:46] Like that first one you posted in 3 months is about 15,000 views. This saying is the same thing. You changed some stuff. In nine days, it's at is pacing to outperform the first one, but it's the same video. How did you

[27:00] change this? And when did you get this idea? This is even news to me. I'm pumped. Well, here's another thing I got out of one of your calls was you can actually >> look at where people dropped off and you

[27:13] man, >> which was probably not good for me to with that now. >> Oh, no. [laughter] >> But what you can also I mean it it it you so you can trim that fat away and

[27:26] maybe make your video even more higher performing. >> But you can also look at that and go you can you can go back to the video. You can you can have that over here and then over here you can trim that stuff out.

[27:39] >> Save it again, repost it. And uh so what I did was I like I really trimmed down the intro. I took like all the stuff at the end. I like lost all the stuff at the end. I really trimmed it down and I kind of represented it as more of like

[27:53] >> yeah, >> here was the whole interview. Now here's just like the the meat, you know, >> meat. And uh it's still like a 20 minute >> yeah. >> Yeah, it it kind of after like maybe a

[28:07] week, you know, the thing where it'll say like one of 10 or two of 10, it's up shooting past it. I was like, "Oh my other one. >> Keep going." Okay, so a couple clarity

[28:20] fire. Just as a coach, I know someone's and re-uploading." So this that's not exactly what you're doing here. like there's some significant changes to this the whole structure of the video. You

[28:33] are reusing footage you already shot, right? But you're saying even maybe change the sequence and stuff but the reason you made those changes >> is because of the analytics like the retention curve from that first video.

[28:47] >> Yeah. Because if it was like if I lost like 15% of my viewers in the first like of like 10 of those seconds. [laughter] >> That's right. Let's see if we can keep >> Let's fix that. Okay, that's a power up right there.

[29:01] have Can you coach me right now? >> Live coaching. Let's do it. >> So then what what would you say about uh creating like later like creating clips

[29:13] >> out of this this second one that you've made? >> Either one of them, but but even smaller clips of the original video or videos >> for sure. I actually think that could be a really strong strategy and I think

[29:25] what you think in like five, six, seven minute segments instead of like 20 again, what you could do is use the retention curve and be like, okay, what topics or comments even what are people interested in from this video and then

[29:39] what would be worth isolating as its own thing. I think in a pinch too or just to >> Yeah, >> under underrated move, you know, if kind of back up that play. Yeah. >> I like it. Yeah.

[29:52] gonna be, you know, [laughter] gonna be doing. >> That's awesome. Okay. >> Yeah, that's right. All right. I'd love to kind of fast forward to We've talked about like kind of how you got unstuck,

[30:04] lessons learned. I'd love to jump into like present day. We kind of already talked about this now, which is fun, but you you definitely have more momentum exciting. How are you handling it? You know, like

[30:16] point. A lot of people don't know what to do actually when things start going well. It's like views come in or affiliate links are being clicked. And affiliate links are being clicked. And I'd love to hear about your process now.

[30:30] you want because things can be helpful. But maybe like, okay, after you uploaded a video or when uploading a video, what are you looking at now? What metrics are checking based on the stuff you've learned the last few months?

[30:42] >> Yeah, it really helps to have So, I told you niche was a big one. Like figuring that out, really just solidifying it. And then format takes a lot of pressure >> Wow. >> Uh but I still it's funny. I I mean I

[30:55] still feel stuck often. [laughter] You know it's you still I feel like I don't you still kind of will you'll hit you'll have that post that gets like a thousand like 2,000 12,000 15,000 and then the next week you post one and it's like 50.

[31:10] >> Yes. >> I just still happens. And so I think I'm just trying to >> well one one thing I've learned is >> again this is so different than short form like your videos are not like

[31:25] either make or break in the first 24 hours you know it it could take weeks it could take months. >> Yep. Uh, so an example is I did a back in um December I made a video and it was just a reaction to like James Vanderbeek

[31:40] it didn't like it didn't get any it didn't like it didn't get any traction and then maybe last week I checked it and there all of a sudden it had like seven almost 800 views. Well,

[31:53] it's because he passed away >> and people were now like looking for stuff about him. >> Wow. Which one that was interesting because it got a huge boost just because people were searching for it. So like I

[32:06] >> Yes. >> But then for me personally I was just really thankful that I had done it in a way where I wasn't like it wasn't like like I was grabbing for views. I was just trying to make something quality

[32:22] >> so that like when the guy passes away I'm not going to feel like gross about know what I mean? >> Of course. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, I learned a lot through that. And so, yeah, even when you feel stuck,

[32:34] trying to think long term, trying to be consistent. Um, knowing like, hey, this I've seen this work. I can keep >> uh keep at it, you know? And so, that's >> I love it. Um, it's it's also really cool, too. It's this is an interesting

[32:50] thing that I'm picking up more on just as like it's been longer that I've been coaching and helping people out. And there's some crazy stat which I I should get the actual stat so I am intentionally paraphrasing and someone

[33:03] can go back it up. Okay, I'm aware of that now. But there's the like some there's some crazy correlation between people who are net worth millionaires or even like beyond that like just crazy high net worths. there's some

[33:16] correlation between that number that people get to and like their level of integrity actually of values and stuff like that. millionaires or something. >> But um it's and it's just interesting.

[33:30] I'm just noticing this more with um people I've been coaching now and just seeing channels get their silver play buttons, seeing channels getting doing well. And just about all these people I I'm picturing in my head right

[33:44] having a high level of integrity and what kind of what you just articulated people can articulate which is like >> knowing just to even have the thought process and awareness of how I would want a video to be perceived because I

[33:59] published it is actually it's a values thing right like you know what you're do you know what you're going to stand for you know what you're not going to to lean and maybe I'm I'm just inviting the inner pastor [laughter] into the

[34:13] >> You know what I mean? But like that's obviously part of your world in your in your day-to-day work. But how do you Yeah. Anything there like thinking out? We have significant portion of people who could be listening to this

[34:26] who is a faith-based creator and just trying to navigate content and doing it well. Any thoughts [laughter] >> Here we go.

[34:38] So, I mean it is such a potentially tricky thing to navigate. I I mean just >> Yeah. >> I was just this morning uh you know like studying, praying, you know, and uh and just talking to the

[34:54] Lord about this thing in my heart that pops up on occasion that just wants to be made much of. M >> and um and man, like you have like if you want to feel like people are making much of you, go go make stuff that they

[35:09] like on social or like YouTube or whatever. And so yeah, I think but I think the but you know, the reason I was talking to the Lord about it was because I personally believe um you know that he's

[35:22] my God, that Jesus is my Lord. my I ultimately want my life to honor him >> and he you know I do that by like loving other people and that that reflects him

[35:34] >> Yeah. >> And so uh that's a that is a a lens that >> And so uh that's a that is a a lens that I'm regularly trying to think through and create through. I appreciate you just being honest and like kind of being

[35:48] would even admit yourself like working towards this imperfectly, right? because a cool model and there's several other people I can think of too of like you're doing reaction content which is typically it can't it's it's I feel like

[36:03] you're reacting to and choosing to engage with and choosing to attach your name to like wow like it's a great views accelerator. That's why it's one of our right? And it works. You're living proof. But I I like that it's working

[36:17] for you. And I think that's something if you're listening, don't forget if you hear a YouTube tactic, a strategy, a thing to do, >> it doesn't necessarily mean that, you know, you can't do that specific

[36:31] strategy your own way. Like a good question is what would it look like for you to do a reaction video if you're listening, right? Or like you, how would Josh do a reaction video? Okay, this thing happened or the or even take it to

[36:44] partnering with, you know, companies. My goodness, it's just I think it's really important to have these guard rails in place, right? just reach for things. I just want the views. I just want the money. I just say

[36:57] yes really quick >> and there's nothing keeping us intact. there's a lot of gems in what you just said. Um, awesome. on what what the next chapter looks like for you. What do you see? You know, what

[37:11] do you see in the next few months in when it comes to your content strategy, income streams, how you're using YouTube, how you want to use YouTube to, or Yeah. What do you think? >> It's interesting how how this has turned

[37:24] >> Wow. >> Uh, and I literally teaching. So I'm a adjunct professor at a seminary here in Fort Worth and uh I have actually for about maybe six months now been in conversations with

[37:39] the dean of missions who who knows what I do and we've been who who knows what I do and we've been developing a uh a class that seminary >> whoa >> for sharing the gospel online. And so

[37:55] it's a lot of what we've been talking about like understanding how it works having those kind of guard rails. Um >> you know so how you know maybe instead of like thinking of being a missionary in a different continent like what would

[38:09] it look like to be a missionary online and um so that's like >> super exciting. Um, and then [clears throat] so that's not necessarily like what kind of videos am I going to be making, but

[38:23] >> But yeah, it's like like I would have never I would have never thought like, >> Yeah. >> Um, and then just some like coaching opportunities with uh some people who they love the Lord. They're trying to

[38:39] thing. >> Yes. I mean, these are these are like a couple of gals that have, you know, they've got books with publishing houses coming out this year and I'm helping them think through like online presence

[38:52] >> Wow. So already just passing on kind of what you've been learning. [snorts] >> Yeah. And that's my favorite. Yeah. And then and then I think that the So then like what am I doing on YouTube that that hands-on it helps shape that

[39:05] that with you. I >> experienced this. I can empathize with you. And so, uh, yeah, I would love to see, um, I've I've gone back and forth that if I don't know that they're going to be

[39:19] like, "Yeah, great." But if they were, it could be really cool avenues to go down. >> Yeah. Um, like if I were to incorporate logos in some of these reaction videos, like is that something that to see like

[39:33] it in that context, you know, because >> uh or um you know, I have some lead magnets that I've developed for spiritual growth and like, you know, is somebody? Do they want to be kind of part of my weekly like encouragement

[39:49] those things. >> I love this. What I'm really what I'm hearing you say is well there's a lot [laughter] know that you what six months ago or whatever it is like would have

[40:01] necessarily seen any of that you know what I mean so the other side of getting unstuck and trying new things and like everything you walked us through in this episode so far from getting clear in your niche trying new formats I you know

[40:13] setting up values and guard rails like >> now all these other things are on the table that weren't just there you know >> absolutely well and I'll say this So some of them I did.

[40:26] >> And after and I spent a long time trying to figure out like I was like okay I can only really put all my effort and energy into one thing. And then you know it really became clear that that thing needed to be YouTube

[40:39] and if I was going to like learn how to do that Yeah. >> then I needed to like connect with Think Media. I needed to join VRA. I mean that >> it was a while. It was a while to get there, like several months. But

[40:52] >> last July, I was like, "Okay, this is what I need to do and I'm I'm gonna invest in this and I'm gonna I'm gonna be all in." And um and it's great decision for sure, >> man. I'm so pumped and and just like so

[41:07] time to take this YouTube thing seriously. Let's go. Let's get help." Um are you're showing up to all the calls, man. You know what I mean? Like you're doing the the homework. It's just cool to see what's happened in such a short

[41:21] which is why I wanted to just, hey, like let's hang out in front of our audience insights because you're doing really cool stuff in the midst of a, you know, would say YouTube, it's just it's impossible to grow. You're never going

[41:35] to get ahead. Um, it's it's over for small channels or, you know, it's not truth there, but there are strategies in place and you're someone who's just yeah, I had to change some things, had to learn some things, but here's what

[41:48] >> So, I >> there's gonna be a lot of people that are like, "Oh, it doesn't work because it looks like it's working for me." You know, [laughter] >> we get to be those people. Oh, it's not

[42:00] it's working. >> That's exactly I know. It's what it is. It's like, "Yep, it is. It's working for me." But it's true, right? And you just walked us through all of that. And so, hey, would you, you know, if you're

[42:12] >> someone who could be listening, >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> and Okay. What would you tell a stalled Josh from a year ago? >> Dude, my I tell you I still I need to

[42:25] tell myself this more often, but it is so tempting to just like quit. Um, and and the thing is is like I'm not talking about so for me and and

[42:38] like my Christian perspective, if I felt like the Lord was leading me towards a that's one thing. >> Sure. But if it's if you're like if you're just if you're discouraged, if you're like burnt or whatever, there's

[42:52] you're like burnt or whatever, there's there's a handful of other options that can kind of keep keep you going other than just like quitting, you know. other than just like quitting, you know. And so part of part of my stall was just

[43:05] out of like kind of >> uh discouragement, I just kind of was something else. Well, then I was like, no, YouTube was the right thing. So then when I came back, I almost had to like it was like worse than starting over. It

[43:18] was like convincing the girl you broke up with to like give you another chance, >> give you another [laughter] shot. And so, so I would just say like I would just say consider that because you know maybe it's like maybe you maybe you just

[43:33] kind of ease off on how often you post or maybe you look for a format that that it's maybe a little works a little bit better with your maybe your like maybe your content or you know just kind of like I would try some other stuff

[43:48] of like I would try some other stuff because uh I I mean golly you guys Sean >> yes, >> you just never know when that thing is going to finally click and you're going to be like, "Oh, okay. I'm start. I get

[44:01] >> man, though, that's actually incredibly encouraging. How have you been able what's helped you determine the difference between knowing this is something you should stick with versus this is something I should let go? And

[44:14] experience, whatever. But I'm just curious. >> Yeah. Well, like I said, I mean, even this morning, I was I was reading the Bible. I was praying and I felt like I had to there's this great George Mueller

[44:28] quote where he's uh talking about his process and he says the first thing you got to do is get to the point where there's zero >> Wow. >> So like if you want to know you're in

[44:42] to that place where you're like there's not one ounce of selfish ambition here. Like it's I just want to know you and your will. And he said that's like 90% of it, you know? Okay. >> And so I feel like I feel like when you

[44:55] can do cuz cuz the the tendency is to selfish ambition will muddy the waters selfish ambition will muddy the waters so fast and then and then I know a lot of people in the church that would throw the baby out with the bath water

[45:09] >> instead of doing the heart work to like clear the waters, you know? clear the waters, you know? >> Yo. Yeah. And so I think that if you can do that, like if you can go to the Lord and you can like honestly, sincerely

[45:22] talk to him about the things that are distracting you from his will and you can turn from those things and you can clear those waters and you can like >> then feel good about like, well, what's the next video? That is it's so helpful.

[45:36] Um, and so did I answer your question? >> No, you did. You really did. I wanted >> yeah, that that was where my mind went. I I think that's such an important >> Yes. >> Between like because then you can then

[45:49] I'm going to try I'm going to do I'm going to try another one. I'm going to or >> 100%. No man I think you nailed it. And I think that I I appreciate you sharing because it's like okay yeah even if

[46:02] you're not you know following Jesus or or anything like that it is also just an important note to think through okay still still clear the waters. You you Where are we? what are we actually envisioning and why are we doing this

[46:14] stuff? And so anyway, I appreciate you sharing that, man. Josh, um, where could like, hey, where where can people find you? Where can they hang out with you? people? >> Yeah, I mean, obviously Dr. Josh Morgan,

[46:28] that's my YouTube handle. Um, and you can find links all over the place to like some downloads I've created or get on my email list, drmorggan.com. That's my website. It all kind of points you to

[46:41] and then you can find me on on Instagram, but I'm I really haven't been as active on Instagram. I'm I'm like camping out in YouTube world. [laughter] >> Yeah, dude. >> Man, what a rich conversation with Josh.

[46:56] If your channel feels stuck, here's the big takeaway. You don't need more effort. You just probably need a better feedback loop. Once Josh got clear on a few things, his niche, tried new content formats, and just paid attention to the

[47:10] analytics, like what YouTube was telling him to do, and he did more of it, that's when momentum started to come back and come back pretty quick. This is the because I remember like sharing this with our team and wanted to share share

[47:22] jumped that first group call that he had. He got an idea and that single idea that he took from our call became one of his best performing talking head videos about that and then literally just like the second group call that I can

[47:38] remember with him. That is where we were talking about the Logos video and this was just in a few weeks. In just a few weeks, one idea, one tweak. Sean always says, right, small tweaks lead to giant peaks. Josh is living proof of that.

[47:51] Like I am discouraged. I'm not sure what to post next and I don't want to keep doing this alone. That's exactly why we built Vra Elite. This is our intimate group coaching program that Josh is a part of where you get weekly coaching,

[48:04] strategy, accountability so you can stop guessing and you can start building see if Elite would be a good fit for you, you can go to viral videocoach.com and hop on a call with someone from our team. This is a free no strings attached

[48:18] channel and help you strategize next If you got value, let us know. Like, rate, share, review, wherever you watch or listen. [music] This is the Think Media Podcast. I'm Nathan Eswin and I

[48:31] can't wait to connect with you in a future