Roberto Blake Presentation from VIDSUMMIT 2019 This is the slide deck presentation I delivered at VIDSUMMIT 2019 a video marketing conference focused on serious content creators who want to build their brand and business online. This deck focuses on the lessons we can all learn from the most successful content creators on the YouTube platform.

1. SECRETS OF HIGHLY
SUCCESSFUL
CONTENT CREATORS
Presented by Roberto Blake of Awesome Creator Academy

2. SESSION
BREAKDOWN
● INTRODUCTION
● BE KNOWN
● UNDERSTAND CULTURE
● HACK ATTENTION
● TOO GOOD TO IGNORE
● THE AVERAGE CONSUMER
● VALUE VS QUALITY VS QUANTITY
● FORMAT AND FORMULA
● IT’S NOT A JOB
● COMMUNITY
● THE LAST SECRET
● Q&A

3. Creative Entrepreneur
Roberto Blake
● Over 1400 Videos on YouTube
● Over 2000 Live streams across
other platforms: FB, Insta, Twitter
● Community of 400K on YouTube
● Over 75 Speaking Presentations
Across more than 60 Events
● Featured in Forbes, USA Today
Entrepreneur, Black Enterprise
● Host of a Popular Podcast

4. YOUTUBE IS WHAT YOU
MAKE OF IT
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR CONTENT
YOUTUBE is the most powerful social media platform right
now for a few reasons: it’s search engine, Google backing,
ad revenue sharing, creator awards, 2 BILLION MONTHLY
USERS, and it’s brand recognition and status.
It’s also the most challenging and intimidating platform.
You have to take responsibility for what you create and
what happens beyond that. It’s not perfect, but it also is
the best game in town.
Nobody is entitled to an audience but most of us have the
opportunity to earn one if we take responsibility..

5. “If You Have the Audacity
to Want an Exceptional
Life, Have the Guts to Do
Exceptional Things.”
ROBERTO BLAKE

6. CASEY NEISTAT: BE
KNOWN FOR SOMETHING
● You can’t stand out just doing what is
popular, MAKE IT YOUR OWN
● Become BEST IN CLASS
● Take a Risk, and Take Your Lumps
● Be Willing to Be Weird
● Stake Your Claim
● Find Your Voice, Ignore the Crowd
● Be Willing to PIVOT to GROW
● PASSION + PURPOSE (Feeling + Intent)
● No Half Measures, Commit
● What Do Want to Be Known For?

7. “Culture Always Wins.
It Drives Everything.
Hack the Culture, Hack the
World. Period.”
ROBERTO BLAKE

8. JARVIS JOHNSON:
UNDERSTAND CULTURE
● Thoughtful commentary w/o punching
down or bullying
● Likable Personality and Presentation Style
● Covers Well Known Names and Brands
● Respects the Culture of the Platform and
Community
● Engages and Interacts with the Community
● Does Great Research
● Crafts Thumbnails to Get the Click
● Writes Headlines You Can’t Ignore
● Well Produced, Well Scripted Videos
● Combines Multiple Styles in a Hybrid
Format

10. NERD CITY: UNDERSTAND
AND HACK CULTURE
● Makes Content Relevant to the Community
● Understands Community Frustrations and
Concerns
● Coordinates Massive Collaborations
● EXTREMELY INVENTIVE AND
INNOVATIVE IN CREATIVITY
● Creates Content For the Internet News
Cycle
● Has Built Its OWN CULTURE
● Established a Recognizable Brand
● Creates UNIQUE FORMATS
● Releases Content that COUNTERS Trends
● Literally Plays “Devil’s Advocate”

11. “JUST GET THE DAMN
CLICK AND DELIVER.”
ROBERTO BLAKE

12. GRAHAM STEPHAN:
COMPELLING HEADLINES
● Makes Otherwise BORING TOPICS
interesting to the average person
● Doesn’t Shy Away From ATTENTION
Grabbing Headlines
● Makes Accessible Content
● Clear Ideas in the Title and Thumbnail
● Delivers on the Promise of the Title Quick
● Titles Have a Consistent Value Proposition
● Sets Clear Expectations for the Video
● Uses Both Either Positive and Negative
Reinforcement in Titles
● Strong Calls to Action in Titles

13. GRAHAM STEPHAN: PERSONAL FINANCE AND REAL ESTATE

14. “Don’t Worry About Being
Relevant…
Become Undeniable and
Then Inevitable...”
ROBERTO BLAKE

15. MR BEAST: THUMBNAILS
TOO GOOD TO IGNORE
● Make a Thumbnail that Stops Us Dead in
Our Tracks (on Mobile)
● Plan Your Thumbnail, Don’t Make It An
Afterthought
● A/B Test Multiple Thumbnails for CTR
● Make Your Thumbnails Tell a Story
● Create Curiosity or Excitement
● Learn Photography and/or Photoshop
● Thumbnails and Titles Go Hand and Hand
● Don’t Do Things Halfway
● Be Willing to Take Risk

16. GRAHAM STEPHAN: PERSONAL FINANCE AND REAL ESTATE

17. “Million Dollar Companies
Sell Rich People. Trillion
Dollar Companies Fight for
the Average Consumer.”
ROBERTO BLAKE

18. MKBHD: REACH THE
AVERAGE CONSUMER
● Clicking the video doesn’t depend on being
KNOWN.
● Almost anyone could get value from the
video or be interested in it.
● Usually focuses on products or current
events that most people consume
● Takes advantages of known names, places,
celebrities or brands
● Experiences that are desirable to most
consumers (events, trips, escapism).

21. "A QUALITY VIDEO IS
ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE
THE VIEWER HAD
WATCHING IT.”
ROBERTO BLAKE

22. QUALITY VS VALUE
You’ve been told over and over that
quality content is the secret to success
with online video.
But that is only half true. Plenty of
quality content is overlooked because
it fails to align to what the viewers
value. A great product nobody
understands is a failure no matter how
good of a product it is. Value FIRST.

23. GARY VEE: QUALITY OVER
QUANTITY ISN’T REAL
● Lead with VALUE First
● Attention Matters More Than Quality
● Quality is About What People Feel
● Find the Threshold of Acceptable Quality
● Not ALL Quality is Subjective
● Quantity Isn’t Subjective
● Quality Has to Be Sustainable
● Quantity Scales, Quality Doesn’t
● Attention is About Value, Retention is
About Quality, Growth is About Quantity
● Quantity Scales Opportunity
● Presentation Quality > Production Quality
● Quantity Produces Quality and Speed

25. WHAT DO VIEWERS VALUE?
Engaging
Subjects that hit an
emotional trigger and are
likely to get the viewer to
commit to some form of
participation.
Interesting
Driving or arousing curiosity.
Compelling headlines that
make people want to learn
more, or are provocative in
some way.
Relevant
Timely content that is
appropriate to the current
state of affairs or is on trend.
The content has to be
pertinent to the viewer.
VALUE IS WHAT DRIVES A VIEW AND A CLICK. QUALITY IS ABOUT HOW YOU DELIVER ON THE PROMISE OF AT TITLE.

26. PRODUCTION QUALITY IS:
EDITING QUALITY
Quality editing eliminates
mistakes, dead air, and uses
appropriate color correction
and grading, and visual
graphics to add context if
necessary.
VIDEO QUALITY
Quality video is well lit,
eliminates distractions, has
the subject in focus, and is
stabilized appropriately.
AUDIO QUALITY
Quality audio allows you to
hear the presenter clearly,
eliminates unnecessary
background noise, and
utilizes good mixing and
sound design.
PRODUCTION VALUE IS LESS SUBJECTIVE. IT’S MEASURABLE IN A VERY REAL WAY.

27. PRESENTATION QUALITY IS:
CONNECTION
The overall likability of the
presenter is going to be
what builds an emotional
connection and trust with
the audience. It’s about
what they feel.
CHARISMA
Confidence and on-camera
presence resonate and
command authority and
keep viewers watching and
drives them to take action
through engagement.
CLARITY
Being a great presenter is
about clarity of
communication and the
ability to convey and
articulate your thoughts in a
way viewers understand.
PRESENTATION VALUE IS MORE SUBJECTIVE. IT’S ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN MAKE THEM FEEL THROUGH THE SCREEN.

28. "BECOME THE NETFLIX
OF YOUR NICHE TO
DOMINATE THE MARKET.”
ROBERTO BLAKE

29. THE NETFLIX OF
YOUR NICHE:
● Use show formats to make the
industry more entertaining
● Create high quality content in
seasons and release and market it
● Promote your content with
exciting movie/show trailers
● Create documentary film content
about your industry
● Make Content Platform Agnostic

30. ONLINE SHOW
FORMATS & TACTICS
● Theme based videos
● Branded shows with custom
graphics and packaging
● Creating a host/personality
around specific content
● Consistent upload schedule
● Promotion and marketing of
upcoming episodes

31. The PERFECT “Show”

32. WHY HOT ONES IS A
PERFECT SHOW!
● Charasmastic Host Sean Evans
● Trending/Celebrity Guest
● Interview Format w/ Unique
Twist of a “Challenge”
● Releases Weekly Episodes
● Content Could Live on Any
Platform (Agnostic)
● High Production/Performance
Quality
● Simple Value Proposition for
Casual Viewers

34. PHILIP DEFRANCO:
SIMPLIFIED FORMAT
● Commentary Format: Direct to
Camera Speaking to the Audience
● Single Camera Angle
● Established Show Segments
● Show Name and Branding
● Clearly Branded Thumbnails
● Established Title Formats
● Multiple Uploads a Week
● Consistent Regular Uploads
● Brand Insertions are Part of the
Show Format

35. PHILIP DEFRANCO: INTERNET NEWS, WORLD NEWS, POLITICS

36. FRONT PAGE TECH: JON PROSSER, TECH NEWS SHOW

37. "YouTubers Become
Accidental Entrepreneurs,
Often without The Benefits
of a Business.”
ROBERTO BLAKE

38. BUILD AN ACTUAL
BUSINESS AROUND
YOUR BRAND:
● Multiple Streams of Income via Products
and Services
● Recurring Passive/Residual Income
● Direct Access to the Customer
● Businesses Are Built to SCALE
● Structure, Resources and Legal Protection
● Independent of a Single Platform or System
● Stable Predictable Income
● Team of Contractors or Staff of Employees
● Exit Strategy for the CEO or Founder

39. SARA DIETSCHY: TREAT IT
LIKE BUSINESS
● Built Diversity with Instagram and
a Popular Podcast
● Works Directly with Brands
● Considered an Exit Strategy
Working In the Industry
● Incorporated Her Business
● Hired a Small Team
● Collaborates for Help on Projects
● Considers Work/Life Balance
● Multiple Revenue Streams

41. “Power Comes from a
Community Discovering
and Sharing What it Cares
About the Most.”
ROBERTO BLAKE

42. DAN MACE: BUILD UP
COMMUNITY
● Engage with the community
● Be authentic and accessible
● Become a DOPE Human
● Spend Time with Great People
● Develop Extreme Empathy
● Give More than You Take
● Elevate Other People
● Take Chances on Yourself and
Others Often
● Tell Stories Even if They Aren’t
Your Own
● Learn Active Listening

44. “BE RELENTLESS IN THE
PURSUIT OF PERSONAL
DEVELOPMENT AND SELF
EDUCATION.”
ROBERTO BLAKE

45. ROBERTO’S SECRETS
● Make Content You Respect
● Do Meaningful Work
● Learn From EVERYONE You Can
● Get Your Hands Dirty
● Learn the Power of NO
● Protect Your Reputation and Body of Work
● Be Ruthless with Your Time, But Generous
with Your Care
● Build Something Bigger Than Yourself
● Respect Your Standards
● Take Responsibility For Everything
● Don’t Abuse Yourself, Treat Yourself Like
Someone You Love and Care For
● Find Something Respectable in People You
Don’t Even Like
● Be a Dope Human

46. Quality content,
produces watch time and
engagement
QUALITY CONTENT
Use your content to
generate revenue and
leads for your brand
MONETIZE
Make a thumbnail that
they cannot ignore, and
that grabs attention
STUNNING THUMBNAIL
Write headlines that
trigger curiosity, or the
viewer can identify with
COMPELLING HEADLINE
Understand your target
audience, and the trends
they give attention
RESEARCH THE VALUE
Focus your channel
around core content
pillars and formats
NICHE DOWN
Analyze the data around
your content, then adjust
or adapt accordingly
STUDY ANALYTICS
Have a publishing
strategy and distribution
strategy
PUBLISH FOR IMPACT
Use metadata to classify
your videos for search
and discovery
OPTIMIZE FOR SEARCH
Have a practical content
strategy for achieving
your goals
CONTENT STRATEGY
THE VIDEO SUCCESS SYSTEM
THE 10 STEPS FOR VIDEO SUCCESS

47. 1O STEPS TO VIDEO SUCCESS
ROBERTOBLAKE.COM/10STEPS
Free Downloadable E-Book
To Help You Improve Your Content

48. ROBERTO BLAKE
Creative Entrepreneur, Public Speaker
and YouTube Certified Educator
WEBSITES
CONTACT ME
http://robertoblake.com
http://awesomecreatoracademy.com
http://youtube.com/robertoblake2
Connect with me via social media
@robertoblake or via email at:
info@robertoblake.com