Okay hey guys. I started using tube toolbox about two months ago, luckily I found it around the same time I started uploading my videos. Which was charlie sheen style winning if you ask me.
I am going to write a comprehensive guide on how I went from 0 subs, 0 friends, and 0 views to 4500 subs, 2500 friends, and 43,000 views (and counting, at well over a thousand views a day) in just two months.
What I want from you guys first is your main questions so that I don't have to write the guide twice, and/or keep modifying it every time a new question arises.
Please keep the questions specific, and not too general. Also please no questions that are covered in the basic guides provided by TTB, we are not broken records here. Which is also something we will be discussing.
I'm going to start writing this tonight, and will give you guys 3 days to provide any questions you want to be implemented before I release the first draft.
The guide will also have analytical screenshots so you can see the progress, and since I am sort of OCD organized I also wrote down what I did with TTB on any given day.
Keep your eyes peeled.
http://www.youtube.com/user/grandmoren1Welcome to the Tube Toolbox Advanced Guide. (TTBAG for short, and because its awesomesauce.)
We will be learning how to maximize your efforts in TTB with systems that I have perfected using trial and error.
The ways that I have gauged what works best and what doesn't work (or do not provide better results than other more efficient ways) are solely through data, and at no point are these or ever will be guesstimates.
TTBAG PT. 1: Your Channel
We will be comparing your channel to a Cereal Box. For that is what it is.
A Cereal box gives you the basic information you need to know, the nutritional value, where it is made, that it is FDA approved, etc. Same goes with our channel. It displays what we do, and how many people view what we do, where we are from, etc.
The main point of a cereal box is to look appealing, and draw the consumer in. In our case, we want to draw in the viewer. Same concepts apply. Make it stand out on the shelf. Use colors, graphics, eye catching things. But do not do this just because you want it to look pretty.
There is a reason behind every graphical thing, it has a purpose. Make a flash graphic next to the subscribe button. Doesn't even have to say or point to the sub button, but the fact that the eye is drawn up there makes people look at the sub button. Think about stuff like this.
The point isn't to make people look at the background while they should be looking at your video, so keep it minimal.
Your YT channel must be presentable. That means get a little savvy in Photoshop. I have attached a PSD template so that you have the basic layout to work off of. This is not a photoshop tutorial so I will let you figure out what to do with it on your own.
Make sure that it clearly states WHO you are on your youtube channel. You want people to remember you, and the more times you say your name, the more they will remember it. If a person sees something 50 times, he will never forget it. TRY to forget the nike symbol. Just try. Just do it ;)
You can also add your facebook and twitter URLS somewhere in the background until you make partner and have the ability to add buttons. I added my facebook as my website though so that people can click it. Lots of people are too lazy to copy paste.
COMMENTS ON OR OFF: Leave the comments on by all means. If people want to interact, you definitely WANT them to interact. That being said, you don't want bad interactions. You may either set it as approval only, or weed them out after them come in, but don't leave too many bad comments on ANYthing. Not your videos, and not your channel. The more good comments people see, the more they will post. The more bad comments people see, the more they will post. Got it?
Just to reinforce this a bit. If you turn off comments on your videos or your channel, you are an idiot.
That is as blunt as I can put it, no disrespect, only influencing.
Make a logo for your channel. Look around google, type in LOGOS. See how they are all simple, and memorable?
"KISS" Keep It Simple Stupid - Something to live by, especially when considering logo design. Once again, look at Nike. Its a friggin' swoosh. They had to invent an onomatopoeia just to define it. Rediculous, yet glorious.
Use that logo in EVERY thing youtube channel related. That means on your facebook page, your twitter, your Youtube, everywhere. Get that brand out there, because that's what your channel is. Your brand.
TTBAG Pt. 2: The YOU part.
First off, save your self some headache. Get a good camera, get some lights, a good mic, put some effort into your channel. If you don't have good content TTB can't help you.
The biggest thing I can say, is DO NOT BE LAZY.
Get out a fat marker, a huge piece of paper, and write this on it and stick it to your wall. "The ones who make it, are the ones who make it happen."
That saying holds volumes when it comes to youtube, and anything like it. I utilize it as a musician, but as a marketer and business man it holds its own in every day life as well.
With no exception (sadly yes, even justin bieber) every single person who has ever accomplished anything in this world has wanted and wanted and wanted it. However it is not enough to want something. You need to make an opportunity and take it.
Tube Toolbox is all about being social, even though you don't realize it yet.
Lets get something clear here, this is not a bot. This is a door into the ability to actually be able to converse and convert thousands of people you don't know into thousands of people you do, and who know you.
Logical statistic (proven by marketing research over the years):
1 person who you have never talked to = 1 person you have never talked to.
vs.
1 person you HAVE talked to = 1 person who introduces 1+ person to you.
This is how viral videos work. Its called viral, like an epidemic. Lets define an epidemic. An epidemic is a virus which has a +1 ability. That means that for every person who gets it, they infect 2+ (themselves and another) this goes on and on.
If you do not talk back to the people leaving comment on your channel, you are taking everything TTB is doing for you, and raping it in the eye. (sorry for the way I put things, I'm very extreme. It's to get the message across) These people who are
communicating with you are people, they do not want to be answered with a bot. You can FIND them with a bot, but if you answer them with a bot too much, they will notice, get offended, and unsubscribe. I would too, and so would you. Its called human nature, ego, and feelings.
Sadly we all have them. Except for me, i'm a sociopath :) Juuust kidding. (hide your loved ones!)
You need to find out who YOU are. Are you a band, a comedian, a product, a masochist? You need to find similar people in your niche and bond with them.
And by bond with them i mean steal their subscribers. Find people that are doing something or another like what you are doing and take their subs and comments. Try to find the
big ones, because they have the most recent (hence most active) users.
TTBAG Pt 3: Tube Toolbox
Lets start with the fun part. This is going to be a lot of material, but I promise you that it is worth the read.
Tube Toolbox has to be one of the best marketing tools i've seen on the web, and i've been doing this for a very long time. And yes ttb, you can quote me on that.
So no more introductions, lets dive in.
How many Tube Toolboxes do you run at once?
To answer this, we need to ask another question.
How many things do you do?
I try to get everything essential done on a 24/7 basis. Though it doesn't always pan out that way.
There have been days where i did nothing.
Heres your arsenal:
Subscribers:
Channel comments
Private Messages
Friend adds
Video Shares
Comments on videos ( i dont use this one because its too fake looking for me, sorry )
If you look at the list, then it means I have 5 TTBs running at the same time.
Lets delve deeper.
Subscribers:
This is an easy one, find your potential subs, and sub to them. Also click "Browse" on youtube, and go to the most viewed videos.
Subscribe to the commenters in those videos. They are the most active users on youtube.
People who you subscribe to, generally take a look at your page, and if it is good enough, will subscribe.
Channel comments:
Heres where we can start to get creative. I ran a channel commenting campaign where I took the latest commenters from nigahiga (one of the biggest youtube comedians) & DeStrorm (A youtube rapper of sorts) and posted these comments on their channels (around 15 thousand users)
Hey, how would you describe destorm in 5 words?
Hey, How would you describe DeStorm in 3 words?
Hi! What do you think makes DeStorm interesting?
What would you say to DeStorm if you met him in real life?
Hey how would you describe nigahiga in 3 words?
Hey how would you describe nigahiga in 5 words?
Hey what do you think makes nigahiga interesting/funny?
What would you say to nigahiga if you met him in real life?
I'm running an episode soon on the answers. Needless to say, i got TONS of comments and lots of material to work on. Youtubers WANT to be active, so give them a reason to be. Ask them a question. Don't just send these out
Hey there! Just stopping by to check out your channel! :)
Hey! Liking the channel!
Hellloooo, I hope you're having a good day! Like your channel :)
Howdy! Just stopping by to check out your channel :)
Hey #UN# loving the chan! :)
Find ways to make things stand out. Some people have lots of comments a day on youtube, make yours one they want to answer.
Private Messages:
Same idea goes along with this. Try to get the most recent users (Logged in within a week) and send them the same as channel comment. Try to use different lists so you don't send the same people
things twice, and always set the "send to people i've never sent before". theres millions of people on youtube, don't worry you don't need to bother the same ones twice. If they sub, add you as a friend or comment that's game on though.
REPLYING:
The general rule of thumb here is always reply within 2 days. I have a human issue, I hate being social sometimes (for days) and then i'm like a social god for a while. It's just who I am, and it happens on youtube as well. When I don't reply for a while, people stop repeat watching my videos, and commenting, and keeping they're eyes open. You should always be replying to your subs as quickly as possible, and always be uploading new stuff too. They need something else to watch/listen to.
Friend Adds:
2 ways to do this now. My job is made easy for me, I do covers. I go to the highest viewed/commented on video of the same song, grab all the commenting users, and add them as friends. Same
concept works for anything. Got videos of your bike? look up your bike with the highest views. Rinse, repeat. Afterwards, go to the bigger concept. Look for the bands/products/comedians themselves, grab their subscribers, add them as friends.
Grab ALL of your subscribers, ad them as friends as well. It will get them to come back for a second serving of you as well.
Now that they implemented this glorious new "for the lazy" friend adder, it's even better.
3 ways to do this.
Users who have subbed to a specific channel; (They just made our job easy by not having to gather lists, go ttb)
Users who have commented on a particular video; (Same as above)
And TTBs glorious moment without them even knowing it, a goldmine.
Users who have uploaded a video related to a keyword or topic.
This gives us something we actually didnt have before in a way. A super simple way to find all our niche-brothers.
I now have a thousand people to collab with and grow my social network through this. Simply type in what YOU do, and BAM. You are good to go with tons of friends who will help
you accomplish your goals. Follow up with these people, try to find ways to work together.
Video Shares:
Possibly the best way to do things. Gather your users, from the videos/channels you selected. Now I used to write messages with my shares, but I don't anymore. I seem to get more views this way. I might even write a "?" solely for added curiousity.
However, I do have 5 accounts with "girl" names who are sending out messages saying "this is my boyfriend check him out" and the same would work if you were a girl comedian "hey this is my girlfriend check her out". Sales teaches us there is nothing like a personal third person recommendation. Now as I upload multiple videos a day and then none for a few, the question was which video do I promote the most? Do your research. Look at which videos of the similar thing had more views. Did one have 37 million and one 14 million? Now I usually use my own account, because I want my shares affiliated with me, and I use 4 others, randomly, i have 10 on page. Don't just send from 1 account, take the time to open at least 4 more. It's worth it.
GENERAL SETTINGS
Most of the time I will filter out everyone that hasn't been on in over a week. I don't like wasting my time, and neither should you.
All of the Send Delays are what is proposed by TTB. Let me let you in on a worldwide secret. People who make something, know what the fuck they are doing. Don't fuck with the system, abuse it.
Automatically sub to each channel? NO! waste of time.
How many messages to use? 10+ You will get tagged if you don't. This means that if you post the same ones over and over it will say sent, but wont really send.
options/settings/faulireattempts: 100 ! Sometimes netlag happens and I get an error, cutting off my sends in the middle. Did this, and it didn't happen. Might fix some problems for some people. Gives it just enough time to reconnect, screw the 100 users :)
I have started using two accounts now, we will see how it goes with 10 instead of 5 users to send from. I have a laptop at home running TTB all the time, I suggest you do the same. I seem to be doing final on the legal side of it, but I will let you know if running it 24/7 becomes a problem. I think youtube wants to see your effort as well (in your videos not your "botting") and know that you deserve a place in youtube. If you are just trying to promote your products on youtube, you might not be in the same category as us youtube musicians, comedians, and entertainers as we offer something beyond that to youtube, and you should realize that. Most of the people who excessively use TTB and get banned from YT are the ones promoting products. Think about that. Maybe don't even show your product in your video. Guerrilla marketing is an amazing tactic, look it up.
Random Q&A
How many vids do you upload daily:
Its an issue, you can look at my channel and go through the video list it says it there but I wish I could say I uploaded more. I work 16 hours a day sometimes, so uploading isn't always an option.
How many unique messages do you use:
I use about 70, I have multiple schemes/themes i've come up with and use. I'm always switching themes out too, but never less than that. I just want the variety of comment more than anything. Comments are important, people comment according to comments, so if they see 10 people who have seen the same message sent to them (why's nigahiga funny?) they will be pissed they got fooled by spam.
How do you get so many subscribers/views:
First, if you have less than 1000 subscribers on youtube, you are going to be in a problem anyway. People follow people right? Go to enhanceviews.com and get some subscribers. It's pretty self explanatory there. I wouldn't say use it for anything else because its all bullshit. Fakeviews and friends and subs are WRONG. You don't want to waste your space on them, and they actually might get you banned. I don't condone the use of those websites for anything other than giving the look on your CHANNEL of activity. People don't care if a video has 50 views or 5000 views, you will never be able to give it a million and thats when views start mattering. Only real people can do that. You need to think viral. Go research viral videos, find the patterns. Funny, amazing, astonishing, shocking, new, not the same old bullshit. Always be changing your channel's video, don't keep it the same one, unless you make an introduction to your channel video (im working on one now, again, no time -_-;)
I will be editing in pictures and additions to this, I just wanted to release it, i'm bored :)
