​sponsored by 1of10.com​

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Hey Creators,

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Sometimes you can feel discouraged. We've all been there, and when you hear a lot of what is going on, whether it's disappointing news about your favorite creator, massive platform changes, or even just having content under perform, you can get overwhelmed and struggle to want to make content.

But today I want to focus this issue of the newsletter on why the future looks bright and how you can make sure that you're authentically delivering for your audience in a world where you see more and more people leaning on the quick and easy path.

Here are 4 of the most important things going forward if you want to not just survive but THRIVE as a content creator:

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• Personal Brand with Authenticity and Authority
• Proof of Human and Audience Connection
• Private Paid Communities with Curation
• Personalized Experiences

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These 4 things will be crucial in a world that will become more saturated with AI content. I feel that LIVE STREAMING experiences and live call-in-shows help with MOST of this and it's a powerful format opportunity for creators that doesn't get enough credit.
Streaming is taking off precisely because of a counter-culture to AI content and faceless content, not that either of those things are bad. But they are helping people value human connection with creators more.

By streaming you can interact with your audience and create personalized experiences and shout them out by name, or even have them call in to interact beyond the chat. You also are literally providing "proof of human" going live, and it is the most authentic format you can produce. It also creates the level of emotional connection that makes people want more access to you as a creator and to join a private paid community of like-minded people. This has been one of the key reasons people have joined Awesome Creator Academy in the Pro Group.​

The Truth About YouTube's Monetization Update and AI Content

​Recently YouTube Updated their Monetization Policies around AI Content as well as unoriginal content, and this sent creators making faceless channels as well as channels using AI narration into a panic. Many creators immediately capitalized on the panic by spreading misinformation and fear in the community.

The truth is this will NOT effect most content creators and the main target of this policy clarification and crackdown, is channels that mass produce content that most would consider spam, and content that is not edited or barely edited at all to add new context or value.

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If you're simply using AI to narrate otherwise original content, you have nothing to worry about.

If you're doing legitimate commentary and reaction videos that have added context and are not just reposts, you have nothing to worry about. The same for gaming content.

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As long as you are playing by the same rules that you have been playing by up until now you should be fine.

The most overall uncertainty that people are facing, are new content creators who are trying to use AI tools to breakthrough. Many of them use AI to overcome issues like their appearance or their voice and otherwise would lack the confidence to create. Many know their weakness is thumbnails and use AI to overcome the barriers and biases that would keep them from getting those early views and leave them discouraged.

Smaller content creators just starting out, often give up and get discouraged very easily by sweeping platform changes, or the sense that they can't compete and the barrier to entry is too high. YouTube and Google embracing AI allows many of them to feel like they can overcome what is holding the back and still have a chance to be seen and acknowledged.

My take on this, is that YouTube is trying to create a balanced if not even playing field. It's trying to ensure that quality content that viewers enjoy is core of the platform, but also trying desperately to make space for new creators who have real limitations, are just getting started and still want a seat at the table.

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This is a tough balancing act but if new creators don't feel they have a shot, then the platform will stagnate.

YouTube Advice Feels Confusing and Hard to Follow - Let's Fix That...

You Don't Know Where to Start or Who To Listen To, What Advice Works and What Advice Doesn't.

This is something I'm hearing more and more from content creators who struggle when it comes to getting started on YouTube. As a creator you can feel overwhelmed by the information and by the conflicting advice and opinions.
I spend quite a bit of time answering direct 1-on-1 questions from creators. Not just through my private coaching, but I answer not less than 20-30 individual questions PUBLICLY on X every single day from struggling creators who have unique problems that go beyond general advice.
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I'm challenged about the "generalized" advice, and its limitations or where it falls short. And while some of that is valid, I have a response that has nearly always silenced the critics...

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Generalized advice DOES WORK, for most people in most situations, and that's its purpose. To help everyone have a foundation of basic knowledge to work with. For anyone who doesn't know where to start I've created several resources include the new FREE YouTube Creator Baby Steps, that is for anyone who just feels overwhelmed.

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Watch our 12 FREE Week Creator Foundations Workshop on YouTube for Creators under 20,000 Subscribers. You can also join the FREE Creator Foundations Course (6+ Hours of Content) and join the Free Creator Foundations Discord (1000+ Members)
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Comment sections exist for people whose situation falls outside of that, and people have to have the courage to seek answers if they matter to them.

If you can't afford coaching the simplest things is to ASK ME A QUESTION ON X. I tend to reply to nearly everyone was long as you ask a question in good faith and are specific. I also do weekly AMA sessions now on Instagram.

Every week I host LIVE Workshops on Wednesdays on a specific aspect of content creation that isn't covered in depth by 10 minute videos on YouTube, and we do Q&A afterwards to answer any and all questions attendees have.

Each week I also try to provide YouTube Channel Reviews for those who want direct feedback on their strategy and their packaging. And for those who want it, private paid channel reviews 1-on-1, or more affordable paid recorded channel reviews.

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Most general advice is going to help you when it comes to the following goals:

• Reaching your first 1000 subscribers
• Understanding YouTube Features & Policies
• Improving your workflows and learning basic editing
• Joining YPP, passing approval and getting monetized
• Reaching your first 5000-10,000 subscribers
• Breaking the 1000 view video barrier

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For most people this is challenging enough, 90% of creators NEVER reach 1000 subscribers on YouTube, and 97% never get to 10,000 subscribers.

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Your niche, your desired content format, none of those things are particularly special when you are not even at 10,000 subscribers and more often than not, while you want SPECIALIZED and personalized advice, what you ACTUALLY NEED is to master the basics and get through the 10,000 barrier, and as a creator, your biggest obstacle is usually yourself and your expectations and not respecting your real limitations.

JUST FOCUS ON FUNDAMENTALS.

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Here is where generalized advice falls short or is frustrating:

• You're making artistic and/or esoteric content (original art, video essays, personal journey/transformation)
• You're a "niche of one", trying to get attention while building in public, around a new/original idea, with no proven market
• You're goal is not to monetize but to express yourself in a pure way, but you also want audience growth and attention
• You're in a country that has language barriers and limitations not addressed by Western-focused Creator Advice
• You insist on only making content that you feel is of the maximum quality you are capable of at all times, but aren't a full-time creator, but have that standard.
• You consider your content to be a "portfolio" rather than a product for the audience to consume.

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There is no one way to approach content creation, however there are mental models and approaches that make it easier or harder depending on your goals and what you want to achieve. I don't think my advice is one-size fits all or that I have all the answers to content creation.

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What I do know after working with over 700 creators, and helping them generate billions of views and most likely tens of millions of dollars, is that most people have blind spots they are not always willing or able to see.

And that sometimes the biggest obstacle to your goals or desires, comes down to being to stuck on how you go about getting there, and not being willing to pivot if it means succeeding.

If you get past 10,000 Subscribers, unique and specific advice about your situation becomes more practical and useful since it's more rare than you think, and at that point you have actually built a real community and have proven the demand not only for the content, but for you as a creator. Very few people reward a creator, even one they like watching, with the public acknowledgement of subscribing to them.

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While subscribers doesn't help you in the algorithm (at this point literally doesn't help you at all...), what it shows is that you have real people who can vouch for you content and for you as a creator. It's status and social proof.

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Where specific advice is the most helpful overall usually comes down to (but is not limited to) the following areas:

• Packaging - content for the psychology of specific audience avatar with unique preferences, priorities, and prejudices. Advice for this will come down to not only ideation but specific knowledge of graphic design and photography, as well as copy writing and A/B Testing.
• Time Freedom - limitations for high effort content that requires either deep research, long production hours, or is dependent on complex editing. Advice for this focuses on workflow, streamlining and outsourcing.
• High Views Low Subscriber Growth - this happens more often than you think. Advice around this usually requires studying the format as well as the audience psychology and refining appropriate and targeted calls to action for long form and short form individually.
• Struggling with Ideation - when you don't know what content to make or are trying to pivot your brand in a new direction, having specific advice that is unique to you can be vital. This will heavily require understanding the audience avatar.
• Overwhelmed by Analytics - in the event of not understanding analytics and not being able to parse it despite watching tutorials on the subject, having someone else interpret your analytics directly can be helpful and convert meaningless data into actionable advice.
• Revenue Generation and Expansion - when trying to increase revenue, direct and specific advise on brand deals or even working with a particular sponsors can be very important and keep a creator from undervaluing themselves or taking a bad deal. This is also helpful when it comes to exploring new monetization methods if you're unfamiliar with them.
• Technology and Workflows - often one larger constraint can be hardware and software limitations or the inability to use them effectively or efficiently. Advice in this area can mean the difference between a task taking 2 hours or 8 hours or not being able to be accomplished at all.
• Hiring and Outsourcing - one of the most difficult tasks for creators is hiring freelancers and full-time team members. If one has never done this before or gotten direct help with it, the experience can be incredibly painful and costly. This advice goes beyond basic questions and his tasks specific and might also include referrals and recommendations for individuals and vendors to consider and to avoid.
• Business Development and Logistics - many creators do not have formal corporate work experience, have never been in management or never run a business before. Understanding how to properly establish a business, find accountants and insurance as well as other formalities can have unique challenges not covered by general advice or a tutorial. Often this advice can include quality referrals to specialist that are needed in specific areas.

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As you can see, specific advice for creators can be very involved, and that is why it can be hard to come by for FREE, but also why its usually not necessary when you're at a stage where it would need to be FREE... the exceptions most likely being ideation and packaging, since those struggles can happen fairly early in your creator journey.

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In those situations the largest difficulties can still usually be overcome by best practices and general advice for the majority of creators. Or by using tools like 1of10.com to help with ideation and packaging. In general, the problems that specific advice requires are more costly to have as a struggle, than they would be if one pays for a solution. Many creators resist this, but it's common in every other career, and a step one has to take to move beyond being a hobby a creator in many cases.

There are unique creators who aside from hiring a great team, have the knowledge or instincts to do everything on their own. In fact some creators can even achieve millions of subscribers with no help from a team and no outsourcing or advice whatsoever.

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Something to consider though, is that if 97% of creators can't even break through 10,000 subscribers and 88% of al videos never get 1000 views, then a creator who can manage to get to over 100,000 or 1 Million subscribers with no help, no advice and no team, is not just in the 1%, they are most likely in the .001%, and not someone you can emulate or duplicate by sheer will alone or brute force.

​Sponsored by 1of10​ The Top Creator Tool for YouTube Strategy and Packaging ​ ​ Over and over we have seen that what most creators struggle with is TOPIC, TITLES, THUMBNAILS and TIMING. 1of10 is a great creator tool that will help you finally stop struggling with these and start getting results. ​ TOPICS - 1of10's search tools around outliers and finding what is working in your niche makes research easier and faster than you can do on your own. You can see what is already working and what your audience wants from you without guessing. TITLES - the PRO version of 1of10 and it's title generator is truly impressive and if you struggle with coming up with titles or even alternative titles (important now that YouTube is offering Title A/B Testing), you'll want to take advantage of this tool. THUMBNAILS - Packaging great thumbnails can decide the fate of your video at a glance. With 1of10 you can research the best thumbnails performing in your niche or across YouTube and collect them for inspiration. Or you can use 1of10's thumbnail generator if crafting thumbnails is your weakness. TIMING - Knowing what is working right now, and what audiences are responding to is important and that's why using 1of10's research tool for outliers matters if you want to make relevant content that resonates. ​ 1of10 is offering our readers 20% OFF your account FOR LIFE. Just use promo code ROBERTO when creating your account and you're all set! ​ Get 1of10 with 20% OFF

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Why YouTube Shorts RPM's are Increasing in 2025 and Beyond

Many creators have a negative view of YouTube Shorts, particularly with how they have taken over the platform earning 200 Billion Daily Views on average.

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The main reason for the resentment of Shorts is the low revenue per 1000 views compared to traditional long form videos. This originally was also my main area of frustration with the format.

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However it should be noted that Short form content tends to be much easier to produce in most content styles than long form and the effort to earnings ration is more than justified when you also factor in shorts viral view potential and that shorts are now becoming evergreen.

The interesting thing about YouTube Short's RPM's is that they are the lowest they will ever be as of right now. Short form content is getting more traction with not only viewers but with advertisers as well. Many of them are increasing their adoption of the new format and are moving their budgets away from traditional media.

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Many are speculating that YouTube Short's RPM's could reach as high as $0.50 per 1000 views within 2-3 years, which given Short's capacity to earn 10x to 100x the views of long form and the ability to produce them more quickly already being a fact or 1:3 if not 1:10 makes them currently and in the future, just as profitable as the average long-form YouTube video in most niches.

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This doesn't even take into account that this content can be repurposed and distributed across platforms, using tools like OpusClip.

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The profitability of Short-form content may feel like a far cry from what we see in long-form content today, but even YouTube ad revenue was sparse in it's early days and had much lower RPM's than we see now with the platform maturing at 20 years old.

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YouTube shorts by comparison has just turned 5, and has only been monetized for roughly the past 2 years as far as ad revenue, so it's still very early days for its earning potential, and so far the future looks bright!

Take the Next Step in Your Creator Journey

It's time for you to take the next step in your creator journey, and you don't need to go it all alone.

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Being a content creator has unique challenges that only other creators understand, and that's why I built the Awesome Creator Academy Pro Group. We are a community of over 100 creators giving each other feedback and sharing direct information and insights each week and we meet 2x per week on live private group calls, and meet up in person at creator events.

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​Learn More About the Pro Group Here ​

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Remember, this is an offer, not an obligation, there is no pressure if you don't feel ready yet, and you can also consider our Basic Membership to access to all of our resources.