Langpreneur Podcast – Episode 84
What is the secret to juggling multiple YouTube channels and two small children during a pandemic? If anyone knows that, it’s Anna Tyrie. English Like A Native maybe Anna’s most business-like channel, but she has others that speak to her passion as a mother and adventurer.
So, what advice does Anna have for running a thriving YouTube and Langpreneur business around her children’s needs? Let’s find out.
What you’ll learn in this interview:
- Start with a business mindset
- Lessons for growing on YouTube
- Pros and cons of batch-producing content
- Should you upload videos daily or weekly?
- Be efficient: have a team and delegate time-consuming tasks
- How to find and work with a video editor
- Anna’s tips for Langpreneurs
Anna’s story
Anna’s first love has always been acting and music – particularly singing. Armed with a degree in drama, a master’s, and a teaching degree from the Royal Academy of Music, she started teaching children to sing, and then adults who wanted to speak clearly and confidently.
After those successful classes, Anna started a YouTube channel called Elocution Online along with a companion pronunciation course. But as more English language learners found it and started asking questions, she decided to rebrand the channel as a business called English Like a Native.
Anna’s had plenty of experience in growing on YouTube. With her English business, two family-oriented vlogs, children’s channel Bella and Beans TV, plus Verba Vocal Technique, she’s learned a thing or two about what works in the YouTube game.
Start with a business mindset
While most of Anna’s channels began as passion projects, English Like a Native had business goals right from the start. Unlike the others, this channel provided a service to her viewers and required a business mindset and strategies. These included:
- Researching other creators in the niche
- Understanding what worked and what didn’t
- Having a content strategy
- A regular upload schedule
- Focusing on her audience and their needs
- Understanding which tasks require her attention and what she can delegate to her team
- Working efficiently
Lessons for growing on YouTube
It takes time to grow a channel on YouTube, so the first prerequisite is patience, and the second is stickability. Anna says you should expect snail-paced growth in the first twelve months. But, when you do start growing, it is usually exponential.
Videos that work well on YouTube are often instantly gratifying. People tend to want “snacky” contents and quick wins. Serious grammar lessons get fewer views than entertaining videos like “7 Sexy English Words” or helpful videos such as “Best Interview Speaking Practice.” At one time, Anna felt that she needed to produce content as an episodic series. Now, she tends to keep those videos for her students.
Working with other YouTubers can benefit your business and theirs, so look for collaborations in your niche. Anna worked with Lucy (English With Lucy) in her first year of business, and when Lucy’s channel took off, that growth helped English Like A Native too.
“You only need one video to get things going,” says Anna. It can be disheartening to put out great work and receive only a few views. Be flexible and responsive. Remember, when one video does finally succeed, people will see the rest of your content too.
“I always encourage you to keep playing the game because it’s a numbers game. The more stuff you get out there – as long as it’s good and you’re listening to your audience – at some point, one of them is going to take off and it will take your whole channel with it.”
Pros and cons of batch-producing your content
Batch or bulk filming is a time-saving technique that allows you to film multiple videos in one time period.
Pros:
Batch filming helps you to build a bank of content. That allows you to take holidays or maternity leave when you need to.
It’s more efficient to set everything up for several videos than just for one.
You can schedule it in your timetable. Anna has one morning per week, which is dedicated to filming. With two children to care for, time is precious, so she makes between five and eight videos back-to-back and uploads them straight to her video editor.
Cons:
The problem with batch filming is that the content isn’t responsive. If someone asks for topical content — which would do well because people would be interested in it — you can’t respond to those triggers if everything is batched.
“Sometimes it’s better to have a few ideas, go with them and see what the response is. See what’s trending and what your peers are doing in your niche. If you see something start to fly, do something similar. Do a response to that – a reaction video or something along the same lines but that adds to it, or does it in your style. Being responsive is a really great way to grow.”
Should you upload videos daily or weekly?
It can be tempting to increase your content by uploading videos every day. In some niches, that’s worked in the past, but the YouTube algorithm has changed since then. Anna recommends you upload weekly because of how the algorithm works now.
YouTube learns by slowly introducing each video to a group of people. For example, if you have 100 subscribers, the algorithm won’t show all of them your newest video straight away. Instead, it will notify a percentage and then see if they click on it and how much of it they view. If everyone clicks and watches, the algorithm will show the video to all your subscribers.
Then it will test the content with a new group who’ve indicated they like that sort of thing. Each time it depends on how the audience reacts. So, if you put out content every day, the algorithm doesn’t have a chance to learn from one video before the next comes out.
“Give the algorithm time to place the video. I have a video every Sunday. If I upload a video on the Monday, that Sunday video won’t perform as well, because it’s been pushed out of the new, “fresh” spot. So I recommend (uploading) weekly.”
Be efficient: have a team and delegate time-consuming tasks
You can’t do it all on your own, and it makes such a difference to have help when you have children.
Anna says she couldn’t run her channels without her core team. The secret is knowing which tasks to delegate and which to keep for yourself. Anna plans and researches video topics and keywords then sends the notes to a scriptwriter. She films her videos but uploads them to an editor who specializes in that time-consuming task.
The website has one course on offer now, and two more are ‘coming soon,’ so Anna has a team of expert course creators and teachers working on those jobs.
Of course, it’s essential to keep your finger on the pulse. Some of Anna’s time each week is spent reviewing the tasks, giving feedback and asking for corrections when necessary.
“When YouTubers are… starting to see some ROI… then the next step is definitely to get help if you really want to grow. There’s a lot of work in even a five-minute video.“
How to find and work with a video editor
It can be challenging to find the right editor for your style and genre. Anna explains that you might have to go through several people before you find one who fits.
To find the right editor, try:
- Hiring sites, e.g. Upwork – go for the best your budget allows.
- Asking for recommendations in Facebook groups for video creators and YouTubers.
- A specialist company that offers editing services for YouTubers – Anna uses Vidchops.
To filter applicants:
- Ask to see their portfolio
- Specify what you need and look for people with those skills
Working together:
- Even the best editor won’t make it unforgettable straight away. You have to communicate with them to get them used to your style. No one is perfect, so there will be mistakes, and you have to check the final effort.
- Give unambiguous instructions and feedback.
- Pull them up if they make mistakes.
- Be brave enough to cut them loose if it still isn’t working. (Anna gives it about a month.)
“You have to expect there will be a learning time for your editor.”
Anna’s tips for Langpreneurs
Autocues streamline the process
Anna’s autocue system is the best purchase she’s made in a long time. She says having the whole thing scripted makes every step of the production faster, including uploading script and filming without errors. It’s easier on the editor and faster when making accurate subtitles.
Use YouTube end cards strategically
An End Screen or Card appears in the last 5-20 seconds of a video. You can use it to promote videos, playlists, merchandise and external websites.
Anna includes a best-view end card, the latest upload, and another video related to the content.
Quality wins over quantity
“If you have the time to make a video every day, exchange that time for making a smaller amount of videos really good.”
Diversify your income streams
If you rely on one platform for all your income, you are vulnerable to algorithm and rule changes. Anna’s children’s channels lost a big chunk of their revenue overnight when new US laws forced YouTube to change the rules around child-focused videos.
Don’t be scared
Everyone has something of value to impart. Go for it, and don’t listen to trolls.
Don’t wait; just start!
You’ll learn a lot of lessons by getting going. It’s better to be reactive and create a product based on your audience’s needs than what you think they want. Learn as you go.
Love what you do
It is tempting to chase the numbers, but it won’t amount to much if you don’t love what you do.
“It has to be something you’re passionate about because you’re going to do lots of it. And you’ve got to be genuine. Your audience can smell a rat and they’ll know if you’re not being genuine. As long as you’re passionate I think anyone can make anything successful.”
