what makes or breaks a youtube video

the bread and butter

May 27, 2025

Hey!

I attended Ali Abdaal’s Part-time Youtube Academy’s Creator Week, which featured a talk with Nischa a former investment banker and accountant turned content creator.

She shared how she uploaded the same video twice: same content, same structure.

The first version got 500 views. The second? Over 10 million and is now the most popular video on her channel. The only difference? Two words in the title: “Accountant Explains”.

This reminded me of Colin and Samir’s video with Paddy Galloway that I watched recently where he talks about the importance of titles and thumbnails.

You should definitely watch the entire video, but here is a brief recap if you are short on time:

1. Spending 20–30% of your time on ideation, titles, and thumbnails can multiply views far more than boosting production value. Small tweaks deliver exponential results.

2. Emphasize titles and thumbnails because YouTube demands a click before a view. Without strong packaging, videos won’t be seen, no matter how good the content or production.

3. To stand out, brands need a clear, repeatable show format instead of dumping corporate promos on YouTube. Viewers remember branded content that feels like a TV series.

Here is a video by Aprilynne Alter talking about making a killer thumbnail if you are looking to level up your Youtube game ✨ 

So if you are a Youtube creator, spending an extra ten minutes on your video can make all the difference.

PS: Are you a Youtube creator or know of someone interested in growing their newsletter base? Sign up for Kawara’s waitlist to monetize through your newsletters.