His business is fueled by YouTube videos, blog posts, and email content—all created by Cochrane from his home studio. What strategy advice does he have for brands and businesses trying to grow their business with YouTube? What advice would you give a new artist or brand looking to build an audience on YouTube? The BEST thing you can do with YouTube (or any content creation for that matter) is to make a lot of content and make it consistently. I’ve just made content that I know my audience wants and needs and I’ve put it out where people will find it (Google search and YouTube). YouTube publishing and promotion tips What software do you use to record your YouTube videos? Developing your YouTube strategy You create a lot of YouTube content—but I think that the true source of your success is the fact that every piece of content you create connects back to ONE simple message: you don’t need a lot of expensive gear to create good music. I don’t try to create content for EVERYONE. Do you have any final tips for brands and businesses trying to find success on YouTube? Now the goal of a YouTube channel is to create LOTS of content and LONG content that people really want to watch.
In 2009, Graham Cochrane was unemployed. The startup he worked at had gone out of business. And with a wife and newborn daughter, he needed to find a new way to make money.
With little left in his savings, Cochrane began writing articles about his passion: music recording and mixing. While he was trained as an audio engineer, he faced steep competition. From global publishers like Guitar World and Modern Drummer to household brands like Fender and Roland, there’s no shortage of experts offering online tutorials and tips.
Today, he makes between $35,000 to $75,000 per month from his website, The Recording Revolution.
On his site and YouTube channel, he offers free content and premium courses to help musicians record and mix music at home. He doesn’t have a marketing team. His business is fueled by YouTube videos, blog posts, and email content—all created by Cochrane from his home studio.
I personally discovered Cochrane on YouTube a few years ago. I was teaching myself how to mix and record music. I recently reached out to him for an interview about his YouTube strategy.
How did he get started? What strategy advice does he have for brands and businesses trying to grow their business with YouTube?
What you’ll learn in this interview:
- The core principle in Cochrane’s YouTube strategy that helped him grow from zero to 23 million YouTube views.
- His simple system for coming up with new YouTube videos.
- Why he doesn’t focus on video launches or worry about complex promotional plans.
You can find out more about Cochrane’s story on The Recording Revolution website or by visiting his YouTube channel. Read the Q&A below for insight into how he’s built such a successful business using YouTube.
Starting with 0 YouTube subscribers
Millions of musicians watch your YouTube videos, read your blog, and subscribe to your emails. What advice would you give a new artist or brand looking to build an audience on YouTube?
The BEST thing you can do with YouTube (or any content creation for that matter) is to make a lot of content and make it consistently. I’ve made at least one video a week for seven years. People come to expect your content. You create a dependable rhythm like your favorite TV show. You know it comes on every week.
Plus, when you create more content you increase the number of places people find you online. Instead of seeing your brand for one or two YouTube searches, you start to appear again and again in search results.
What’s the No. 1 mistake you see other businesses or artists making with YouTube?
The biggest mistake is this: not having an email list and not focusing on growing it.
The goal isn’t to gain a massive YouTube following. The goal is to grow your business (i.e. sell). In order to do that, you need an engaged email list. It is still THE best way to sell your product or services these days.
Too many people want a massive YouTube following with lots of comments and engagement. I care more about those YouTube viewers clicking over to my site to join my email list so I can give them even MORE free content and, of course, offer them something to purchase should they so choose.
Tracking the ROI of YouTube
You create a lot of content on YouTube. But you also have a blog, email list, Facebook Page, and Twitter account. Do you spend a lot of time analyzing where your traffic comes from and tracking the ROI of social media?
I honestly have never paid attention to where my traffic comes from. I’ve just made content that I know my audience wants and needs and I’ve put it out where people will find it (Google search and YouTube).
My written articles get picked up by Google. My videos get…
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