I Tried YouTube for a Month (This is what happened)

Alright I got tired of overthinking it and just started my YouTube channel. No professional equipment, no background in it, just me, my phone and a try this out attitude.

And you know what, the results? Not what I thought.

Why I Even Started

I have to admit I was sick of that "made $10K in my first month” video. For real? But at the same time I had to question, what if they aren’t all full of it?

So I did it out of curiosity. No secrets here, no magic solutions just put out content for 30 days to see if YouTube is really what they say it is.

What I Posted (Spoiler: It was a mess).

I didn\'t have a focus, I went off on what I felt like discussing at the time.

First time around? I did a 3 min rant on my Fiverr success which was only $50. Very awkward moments, bad lighting, no edit at all. Now I cringe when I watch it.

Side gig reports, work at home advice, day in the life segments and also some lazy “anonymous” videos which use stock footage.

Some did well enough. As for the rest? Very poor. One video got 4 views in a week and I’m sure two of those were me checking if it uploaded.

The Raw Numbers After 30 Days

Here’s the unfiltered breakdown: Here is the full report:.

• Videos posted: Twelve.
• Subscribers: Started at 0 out of 87.
• Total views: 1,586.
• Watch hours: Eighty nine.
• Money made: $0 (also we’re not making money off this yet).

But here is the wild part I have 1,700+ people that watched my simple home grown videos. That blew my mind.

What Worked (And What Absolutely Flopped)

Talking in to the camera for my faceless videos it went like this I may have come off as awkward but the viewers stayed longer which is what I wanted.

Clickable titles which is the key -- “In One Day I Made $82 (No BS) got 400+ views with zero promotion. At the same time “Online Work Tips for Beginners” got 13 views (wow).

Bad thumbnails don’t work mine were so dull that even I didn’t click on them. Lesson learned.

The Hardest Part?

Not the sets. Not the cuts. Going the distance when no one was watching.

There were times that I asked myself why do I do this? But then also out of the blue someone would leave a note that my work had helped them and at once it was worth it.

What I’d Do Differently

Pick a theme I was jumping around between topics which confused YouTube’s algorithm (and probably my 87 subscribers).

Stop thinking too much into thumbnails Simple, bold, and clear is better than complex and hard to see.

Batch film as a responsible adult Going out to film, edit, and post at the drop of a hat? Not any more.

Am I Quitting? Heck No.

No I didn’t go viral. Also I am not making money. But something weird happened I got hooked.

Seeing these slow but sure results (comments, returning viewers, that tiny growth) is a different kind of motivation. YouTube is a long game and now I get what they mean by “just keep uploading.

Final Takeaway: Begin Now.

If you are the type of person that is thinking “I need better gear” or “I’ll wait until I am ready’ stop. Your first videos will be poor. You may get 6 views. You will feel awkward.

But also you will see growth. Each video we put out has a lesson in it. Also each view is a person which has engaged with your material. And that, that is pretty cool.

Sure, I gave YouTube a month. Didn’t see any life changing results. but I’m not out. Will report back. .

Thinking to take that step? Do it. In the comments what’s holding you back?