Hey friend 👋

Welcome to Creator Bullets #5.

Today's topic is creating a viral YouTube video and Shorts without spending too much on production costs. We will learn from Jenny Hoyos, a rising star YouTuber with 3M+ subscribers, how to master idea generation, viral videos, storytelling, and more.

Jenny Hoyos is crushing at YouTube!

Her videos have been watched over 1.5B views

✅ Averaging 10M / video.

✅ She's known as anti-Mr. Beast! Because her videos are considered low-budget to produce.

✅ She has learned from thousands of videos and thumbnails to make videos go viral, yet she's only 18.

Here are her 7 secrets to making 10M view videos each on YouTube (without spending too much $$$):

1. Criteria for a good idea

Every video starts from an idea. But what makes a good idea that has the potential to go viral?

There are four secrets to making a good idea:

1. Novelty (I show you something new and unique)

2. Uncertainty (I do something with an unknown outcome)

3. Knowledge Gap (I know something that you don't)

4. Complexity (I easily explain something complicated)

Use these frameworks as a checklist to ensure your ideas are worthy of being viral videos. You have little chance of going viral if your ideas differ from these frameworks.

Here's an example of Shorts with strong Novelty and Uncertainty frameworks.

2. The secret formula for viral videos

Going to each of Jenny's YouTube videos, you will see one thing in common.

Yes, all of them are her personal stories. There's a good science behind why people love personal stories. They want to get to know and understand you as a human being.

They want to see you laugh, scared, sad, angry, and happy.

The personal story is also relatable. It's easier to consume as there's no gap between the creator and the viewers.

Here's an example of making a headline using personal stories:

Use a personal story that is uniquely yours that no one can duplicate.

3. Mastering the hook

You don't need a complex tool to find a great hook. All you need is a "power" word.

Power words (or powerful words) are persuasive words copywriters use to trigger a psychological or emotional response. It is hard to resist words as if you are tricked into clicking on them.

What are examples of "power" words?

Here's an example a power word is used on her video:

Use "power" words to get your viewers hooked and watch your video instantly.

4. Foreshadowing

It is a technique for creating an expectation at the end of the video so viewers will bother to wait. Simply put, foreshadowing makes viewers stay longer and watch the video until the end.

Here's an example:

Your job is to make viewers want to learn or work towards something. The video above tells you to wait and watch for what $10 gets you in Miami. This kind of selling will trick viewers into staying and watching the video to the end.

5. The secret of storytelling is a progression

Understanding storytelling techniques is crucial to making a viral video. Without it, your video will feel empty, plain, and boring. Storytelling is like adding a secret sauce that makes your cook tasty; people can't get enough of it. To do it, you need a progression.

As a creator, your job makes viewers want to learn or build towards something. Additionally, people don't want stagnancy. It is the last thing you want in your videos.

Here's an example of a video that accumulates more than 100 Million views:

The video explains how Jenny takes her viewers on a journey to build a secret room. You can feel how intriguing it is to wait and see what her secret room looks like. People would stay and watch this video longer and till the end.

So, what are you waiting for? Build your secret room!

6. Building stakes

The stake is why people need to watch your video till the end. It's about how to make viewers stay longer.

The higher the stake, the longer viewers will stay.

Here's an example:

The video's stake is how her family will react if she sells some of their stuff. This triggers an emotional response of curiosity to discover what will happen to her, making viewers stick to watching the video.

7. Crafting the close

How do you end the video? Do you deliver the conclusion or leave your viewers hanging?

Here's an example:

Jenny believes you must deliver your promise because it will satisfy your viewers, make you trustworthy, and ensure you do not leave them hanging. People who trust you will come back to watch your videos.

Give your viewers a proper payoff, even if it's short on the ending.

The key is the more satisfied your viewers are, the more they will return.

And that's how you make a viral video! 🔥

All the recipes above are easy to do if you just sit and think about them. You don't need a big budget like Mr. Beast to make viral videos. You just have to understand the science of viral videos a bit better.

That's all for today. 

I look forward to seeing you again next week when we discuss more interesting topics about how the top 1% of creators and solopreneurs make their money.