Leaked MrBeast Document on His YouTube Strategies

MrBeast, the most popular creator on YouTube, has cracked the code to success on the platform. In a recently leaked 36-page internal document titled "How to succeed in MrBeast production” which was intended for his team, he provides the exact strategies they use to regularly amass over 100 million views per video.

318 million subscribers don't happen by accident. In the leaked cheat sheet, Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast) reveals he spent five years studying YouTube virality—even down to the smallest details like whether better lighting at the start of a video reduces viewer drop-off (it does!). 

As a result of spending 20,000 to 30,000 hours researching YouTube, MrBeast now dominates the platform as the number one most-subscribed channel.

Here are some key insights we learned from the leaked document.

MrBeast's Formula for a Viral YouTube Video

MrBeast reveals the three most important metrics in creating a viral YouTube video. 

Click-Through Rate (CTR): To attract viewers to want to watch your video, you need a good CTR. This is a combination of an interesting video idea, a well-designed thumbnail, and an intriguing title.

Average View Duration (AVD): This measures how long, on average, a viewer watches a video. The longer they watch on average, the better the video will perform.

Average View Percentage (AVP): Measures the average percentage of a video that viewers watch. This indicates your ability to hold the viewer's attention.

How MrBeast Structures His Videos to Reduce Viewer Drop-off

MrBeast breaks down his videos into sections and reveals his strategies to keep viewers engaged right from the first minute, through the halfway point, and all the way to the end.

• First Minute of the Video: This is the most important part of the entire video, where retention is either won or lost. To minimize drop-off, match the clickbait expectations and front-load as much information about the video as possible while incorporating the maximum amount of visuals, music, effects and quick scene changes to make it as engaging as possible.
• Minutes 1-3: Instead of telling viewers what you will do, show them. MrBeast uses a technique called "crazy progression." For example, if he is making a video about a guy surviving weeks in the forest, he would cover multiple days instead of making the first 3 minutes about the first day. The intention here is to hook viewers as fast as possible and get them emotionally invested in the story.
• 3-Minute Re-Engagement: After just a few minutes, viewers will likely get bored and click off the video. To avoid this, MrBeast includes some kind of spectacle that only he can do in order to re-engage the viewer and keep them watching. Consider what makes you interesting and sets you apart from other creators.
• Minute 3 - Halfway Point: Leading up to the halfway point, it's crucial to invest viewers in the story and the people involved. MrBeast achieves this by implementing storytelling techniques and presenting the most exciting information quickly and visually stimulatingly.
• Halfway Point Re-Engagement: Around the halfway mark, include another re-engagement that provides an explanation for the next half of the video, giving them a reason to continue watching.
• Back-Half Content: Once viewers are hooked in the first half, they will likely continue watching. However, don’t lower the quality of the content. The second half should be just as engaging as the first half. Avoid signalling the video is about to end; instead, end it abruptly and keep the energy high until the very last moment.

To conclude, hook the viewer at the start of the video, transition them into a story they feel invested in, avoid dull moments, and lead the viewer to a satisfying payoff in the end.

7 Strategies MrBeast Uses to Increase Watch Time

MrBeast reveals the specific strategies his team uses to keep viewers engaged and increase the likelihood they'll watch until the end. 

Here are the 7 most important retention strategies:

• Incorporate Viral Formats: Incorporate a format that builds tension through the video and ends with a satisfying payoff. A good example is Mr. Beast's video "$1 vs $1,000,000,000 Yacht!" As the viewer progresses through the video, the stakes rise, first presenting the $1 yacht, then a $1 million yacht, then a $10 million yacht, and so on, until the payoff at the end, where he finally reveals the $1 billion yacht. You don't need to buy a billion-dollar yacht to make this work. The idea is to ensure the stakes get higher and higher as the video progresses to increase viewer interest.
• Switch Up Your Content: Even if a format goes viral, avoid reusing the same format repeatedly, as it risks your audience getting bored with the same kinds of videos. While your viewers may think they want more of the same kind of video, they actually want something different, which is why MrBeast never reuses the same format back-to-back.
• Study Storytelling Techniques: To make the most engaging videos possible, MrBeast recommends learning about storytelling and tension-building techniques to master the art of hooking viewers until the very end.
• Find Your "Wow Factor": MrBeast uses what he calls a "wow factor" to boost retention. He explains this as something no creator can do that makes you stand out. MrBeast usually does this in the form of spectacles. While you don't need to go to such extremes to stand out, one way you can engage your viewers is through music. With ProTunes One, finding the perfect track is simple; let the AI recommend music that fits your video's vibe.
• Watch Your Information Diet: The media you consume on Netflix, Instagram, or YouTube all make up this diet. The more you obsess over YouTube, the more inspiration, trends, and memes you'll have to draw from.
• Find a Mentor: Mentors are a cheat code to success, according to MrBeast. While we don't all have access to top creators, the idea is to find an expert who's doing what you want to do and learn every single thing you can from them, whether that's by watching their interviews or studying their content closely. For deep dives on creator strategies, check out YouTube strategist Paddy Galloway.
• Always Be Innovating: From camera angles to pacing to the story, the jokes, lighting, and music, you should always innovate and improve your content. MrBeast emphasizes that many creators lose viewers simply because they don't incorporate audio to help engage the audience in the story.

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