5 Surprising Facts About MKBHD’s YouTube Success (ft. Marques Brownlee)

TL;DR

Pat Flynn interviews Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) to uncover surprising facts about how he started on YouTube.

Transcript

• Hey what's up Team Flynn, Pat here. Now the other day I had the amazing opportunity to interview Marques Brownlee, also known as MKBHD, somebody who I really look up to. So that was really exciting. But, more than that I was able to dissect and understand exactly how he got his start on YouTube. If you don't know who Marques is, he has an amazing... Read More

Key Insights

• 🛩️ Starting with a small audience shouldn't deter creators from pursuing their passion on YouTube.
• 🥺 Discovering what people are searching for can lead to significant growth and viewership.
• 🈸 The YouTube Partnership Program is challenging to get into, requiring perseverance and multiple application attempts.
• 😤 Building a team isn't necessary in the early stages of YouTube success, but eventually becomes important for scaling and efficiency.
• 👤 Evaluating products based on personal interest and user experience is crucial when considering sponsorship opportunities.
• 🖐️ Pat Flynn and his community played a role in helping MKBHD gain attention for the interview.
• 🥹 Limiting beliefs about value and audience size should not hold creators back from pursuing valuable content.

Questions & Answers

Q: How many people was MKBHD creating videos for initially, and why?

MKBHD created his first 100 videos for less than 100 people because he viewed YouTube as a hobby and enjoyed the process without the pressure of gaining a large audience.

Q: What was MKBHD's breakthrough moment?

MKBHD's breakthrough moment was when he uploaded a video about the Safari web browser on Windows, which unexpectedly gained thousands of views overnight, highlighting the audience's interest in timely and informational content.

Q: How difficult was it for MKBHD to gain acceptance into the YouTube Partnership Program?

MKBHD faced multiple rejections from the YouTube Partnership Program, waiting six months between each application. After a long process, he was eventually invited to join.

Q: How long did MKBHD operate his YouTube channel alone before building a team?

MKBHD operated his YouTube channel alone for the first eight years, handling everything from editing to production. It wasn't until later that he started building a team.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• MKBHD created his first 100 videos for less than 100 people, viewing YouTube as a hobby rather than a sustainable career.

• His breakthrough moment came when he uploaded a video about the Safari web browser on Windows, which received thousands of views overnight.

• MKBHD faced multiple rejections before getting accepted into the YouTube Partnership Program, which allowed him to earn money through advertisements.