YouTube growth is full of myths. Here are the 6 biggest ones you must stop believing if you want to succeed.
Have you ever felt like you are doing everything right on YouTube, but the views still don’t come? Maybe it’s not you. Perhaps it’s a few myths we all continue to believe.
So, in this blog post, I’m going to bust 6 common YouTube myths and show you what to do instead.
Myth 1 – Better Editing Can Save A Weak Video
The first myth that many YouTubers, especially beginners, believe is that better editing can save a weak video.
They think that if they throw in a bunch of effects or use fancy retention hacks, viewers will stay hooked. But that’s not true at all.
The reality is – if your video idea is boring, no amount of editing tricks can save it.
On YouTube, people click on your video because of the thumbnail and title. But they’ll only keep watching if the idea is solid, clear, and the start of the video is strong enough to hook them within the first 10 seconds.
What I’m trying to say is, if the core idea of your video is weak, you might get clicks with a good thumbnail and an attractive title, but you won’t be able to retain viewers.
So spend more time on the idea. Put as much effort as you can into crafting a strong hook.
Start with something direct, something that makes it instantly clear in the first 10 seconds what the viewer can expect from your video. Most of the time, if viewers stick around for the first 10 to 20 seconds, chances are they’ll watch your video till the end.
Myth 2 – Longer Videos Mean More Watch Time
Another very common myth that YouTubers believe is that the longer the video, the more watch time it will generate, and the more ads will play, which means more ad revenue. But again, that’s just a myth.
The reality is – you don’t win by making your videos long. You win by keeping people watching.
It’s really simple: a 6-minute video that people watch till the very end is 100 times better than a 15-minute video that viewers abandon halfway through. Even if both videos technically generate the same watch time, YouTube’s algorithm will always favor the one that people actually finish watching.
And because of that, YouTube will push that video even more, which means in the long run, the 6-minute video can easily outperform the 15-minute one.
Here’s a tip for you: After you’ve locked your final cut, trim it down by at least another 10 to 20%. Wherever you feel any information is being repeated, or there are unnecessary pauses, cut them out.
Also, make sure your video ends without giving viewers any obvious clue that it’s about to finish. Avoid saying lines like “If you liked this video, give it a thumbs up and subscribe to the channel” – especially in the early days of your YouTube career.
Because the moment viewers realize the video is ending, most of them just close it right there. That sudden drop in retention at the end isn’t good for your video’s overall performance.
Shorter and sharper beats longer and slower – EVERYTIME.
Myth 3 – Music Fixes Everything
Not every YouTube video needs music. It’s completely optional, and it really depends on the type of video you’re making.
When I first started making videos, I thought background music made everything feel more professional. But after creating more than 100 videos, I’ve realized that music isn’t really necessary.
Most of the time, it just competes with your voice, and your message ends up getting lost.
That being said, if you still want to use music, you need to balance the volume of your voice and the soundtrack correctly.
Another option is to use music only in the first few seconds of your video, right where your main intro or hook is. This way, you grab the viewer’s attention early on, but they don’t get distracted for the rest of the video.
Also, pick music that matches the pacing of your content. And if you’re not sure what to use, just go with simple lo-fi beats. They sound great and work well with almost any kind of video.
Myth 4 – You Need Expensive Equipment To Grow
Big and successful YouTubers have fancy studios, expensive cinema cameras, and high-end microphones. And when we look at them, we often think they’re successful because they have all that expensive gear.
But the truth is that almost every YouTuber started with just a simple camcorder or a phone camera. The expensive equipment only came after success.
And that’s the reality: All you really need is clear audio, decent lighting, and most importantly, a strong idea.
Most of the time, viewers don’t care as much about fancy visuals as they do about bad audio. So before you spend a lot of money on a professional DSLR or lenses, invest in a good microphone.
Even a basic budget mic is more than enough. Just avoid using your phone’s or camera’s built-in mic.
Also, make sure the room you’re filming in has some soft furnishings, like a sofa, curtains, or a carpet. These help absorb sound and reduce echo.
Next, focus on simple lighting. If you don’t have the budget for lights, just use natural window light. To make it softer, you can hang a white curtain over the window. And then, as your channel grows, you can continue to upgrade your setup step by step.
Myth 5 – Posting At The Perfect Time Will Blow Your Channel
If you go into YouTube Analytics and check the Audience tab, there’s a section called “When Your Viewers Are on YouTube.” This shows you the days of the week and the times when most of your viewers are active.
Now, many people believe that if they publish their videos exactly at the time when most of their viewers are active, their videos will grow faster. But that’s just another myth.
It’s clearly written right there: “Publish time is not known to directly affect the long-term performance of a video.” So don’t get stuck chasing the “PERFECT” upload time.
Instead, focus on your video’s packaging – Thumbnail and title. If your thumbnail is good, your title is good, and your content itself is good, your video will get clicks, views, and eventually grow.
“When Your Viewers Are on YouTube” section can be used as a guide, but there’s no rule that says you must publish at a specific time.
Myth 6 – If A Video Underperforms In 24 Hours, It’s Dead
One last very common myth is that if a video doesn’t perform well in the first 24 hours, it flatlines and YouTube will stop promoting it.
Well, here’s how it actually works: whenever you upload a video, YouTube first shows it to a small test group of viewers. If people click on it, then YouTube promotes it further.
Now, usually when a channel is new, YouTube doesn’t have enough accurate data about your target audience. That’s why it often tests your videos on random viewers in the beginning. And because of that, many videos seem to “flatline” after the first 24 hours.
But that does not mean your video is dead.
As you keep uploading more videos, YouTube gradually collects better data about your audience. And once it has enough, it can start promoting your older “flatlined” videos again.
I’ve personally noticed this on my own channel. Some of my old videos from one or even two years ago have recently started getting views again.
The main point is: Your focus should only be on consistently making good content. Everything else will follow. YouTube will reward you fairly, if not today, then tomorrow.