Mistakes
What I’d Do If I Had to Start Again From Zero
No audience, no reputation, no hype. Just the lessons I learned after wasting months. This is the plan I’d follow if I had to start again today.
Step 1: Pick a tight audience
I’d choose a narrow audience with a clear problem. Broad channels grow slower. Small channels need a tight promise to earn clicks. The goal is to be obvious, not clever.
Step 2: Build 20 topic ideas before uploading
If I can’t list 20 topics in the same lane, the niche is too broad or too vague. This list becomes the first content sprint. It keeps the channel cohesive and gives YouTube a clear signal.
Step 3: Run packaging tests early
I’d test thumbnails and titles from the first upload. CTR is the first gate. If the click doesn’t happen, the video doesn’t matter. Read Why Your Click-Through Rate Is Killing Your Channel for the full breakdown.
Step 4: Optimize retention fast
If viewers leave early, the video dies. I’d obsess over the first 60 seconds and tighten scripts. Watch time still wins, so I’d read Why Watch Time Beats Everything and apply it from day one.
Step 5: Accept the timeline
Growth takes longer than you want. I’d plan for 12–18 months of slow progress and treat early uploads as experiments. If you want the full timeline reality, read How Long It Really Takes to Grow a YouTube Channel.
Starting from zero isn’t impossible. It’s just slower than you hope. The goal is to learn fast without burning out.