Pivot on YouTube; Lean Into What's Working

Ever wonder how a business can land new clients from just 30 YouTube views?

What you’re about to hear is, I think, a really unique perspective on approaching YouTube.

I sat down with Matthew, a retired truck driver turned YouTube editor, to talk about building authority, learning from mistakes, and why long-form content is the secret sauce.

I picked Matthew’s brain about exactly how it is that the YouTube channel for the company he’s working with is generating new clients for every 30 views on their channel.

If you thought that you had to go big and have millions of viewers in order to just grow your business…

Matthew’s channel (with less than 1,000 subscribers) proves it’s not quite like that…

We cover practical strategies and the power of niche videos…

Ready to rethink your YouTube strategy?

VIDEO: Pivot on YouTube; Lean Into What’s Working

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When Your Original Business Plan Isn’t Working

Matthew is a retired truck driver who became involved in his son Courtney’s app development business, Opichi. His original role was supposed to involve customer service, sales, and following up with potential customers.

The business started with the idea of creating and selling apps. One was Sports Sage AI, a sports betting app. Another was Venue QR, designed for venues in Branson, Missouri.

They tried marketing these products, including experimenting with TikTok videos, but the results weren’t what they hoped for.

Meanwhile, people were discovering their work through YouTube.

They would see the apps and the development process and reach out with a different kind of request.

Could the team fix an app they had already built, improve something that wasn’t working, or help create a custom app for a business?

The consulting side of the business began taking off, even though it wasn’t the original plan.

Matthew recognized what was happening and encouraged the team to lean into it.

I love that lesson because it’s so easy to become attached to the business we thought we were supposed to build. We invest time, money, and energy into an offer, and then we feel like we have to keep pushing it even when something else is showing more promise.

But what if the better opportunity is already right in front of you?

You don’t have to abandon your original idea the moment something changes. You do, however, need to pay attention when your audience starts responding to something different.

How Long-Form YouTube Videos Started Bringing in Clients

The turning point for Opichi was realizing that its long-form YouTube videos were creating business opportunities.

The team had started publishing live app-building sessions. Courtney would work through a build, and Matthew would edit the recordings afterward.

As Matthew learned more about YouTube and took over the channel, he began to see how the videos were contributing to the business.

When he took over the channel in November, it had 268 subscribers. By the time of our conversation, it had grown to 857.

The subscriber growth was encouraging, but the bigger opportunity was what happened beyond the views.

The videos demonstrated the team’s ability to build apps, solve problems, and work through technical challenges. Potential clients could see that expertise in action instead of simply reading a list of services on a website.

One example was a construction company in England that discovered the team through a YouTube live build. That connection eventually led to a substantial project.

The videos were also helping the business connect with educational institutions and larger companies.

This is why I don’t want you to focus only on how many subscribers you have when you’re building a YouTube channel for your business.

A smaller audience can still be valuable when your videos attract people who need your services.

If you want to get clients from YouTube, consider whether your content is reaching the people who have the problems you can solve. A video that attracts the right potential customer can be more valuable to your business than one that gets lots of views from people who will never need what you offer.

Show Your Work, Including the Mistakes

One thing I find particularly interesting about Opichi’s content is that the videos don’t simply show a finished app.

They demonstrate the process of building it, including the mistakes that happen along the way.

These videos often run for 12 to 15 minutes or longer because the team needs time to explain what they’re doing and show the results.

That level of detail matters when you’re teaching something technical.

Someone using an AI tool to build an app might get a beautiful-looking screen, only to discover that some of the features don’t actually work. The design may look finished, but the functionality behind it isn’t there yet.

Opichi’s videos show viewers how the team approaches these kinds of problems and what can go wrong during development.

That gives potential clients an opportunity to see how the business thinks and works.

It’s also a great reminder that you don’t have to hide every detail of your process to make your services valuable.

At first, Matthew worried that Courtney was giving away too much by showing people how to build apps step by step. Why would someone hire the business if they could watch a tutorial and try to do it themselves?

But here’s what can happen: a viewer watches the tutorial, understands the process, and realizes they’d rather pay someone else to handle it.

They might have the ability to do the work, but their time is worth more when they focus on something else.

This applies to many kinds of businesses, not just app development.

If you’re a consultant, coach, designer, or service provider, your videos can show people how you solve problems. Some viewers will use that information themselves. Others will recognize that they would rather have your help.

You don’t need to make your content less useful to protect your business. You need to show the right people why your expertise is worth paying for.

Why Long-Form Videos Were the Better Fit

Opichi experimented with TikTok and YouTube Shorts, but long-form YouTube videos were what helped create the business opportunities Matthew described.

He made a comparison that stuck with me: YouTube is like a book or magazine, while TikTok is more like a daily newspaper.

Different formats can serve different purposes, but the long-form format gave Opichi the room to demonstrate complicated processes and explain the details.

When your business involves solving a specific problem, that extra time can be valuable.

A short clip might introduce someone to your work. A longer tutorial can show how you approach a problem, what you know, and whether you might be the right person to hire.

I’m not saying short-form video can never bring in clients. The point is to look at what is actually working for your business instead of assuming you need to be everywhere.

If long-form videos are attracting qualified prospects and leading to projects, that is a reason to keep creating them.

You don’t need to copy every content strategy you see other creators using. Find the format that allows you to demonstrate your expertise and serve your ideal audience.

Keep Your Path From YouTube to Your Offer Simple

Creating useful videos is one part of the process. You also need to make it easy for interested viewers to take the next step.

Opichi keeps its YouTube descriptions short, with a simple invitation to book a session or get help with a project. The link takes viewers to a booking page where they can see the pricing and schedule a brief introductory call.

That is a straightforward path from watching a video to exploring a service.

The business also learned something important about showing pricing upfront.

Initially, the booking link offered an introductory call without displaying the service price. Once the pricing became visible, fewer people clicked through. However, the people who booked were better qualified, and a high proportion went on to become projects.

That makes sense to me.

You don’t necessarily want every viewer to book a call. You want people who understand what you offer and have a reasonable idea of whether it fits their needs and budget.

A simple funnel can be enough to get started. You don’t automatically need a complicated sequence of pages, webinars, and emails.

If you provide a service, think about the simplest way someone can move from discovering your content to understanding how you can help.

Make the next step clear, and make it easy for the right people to take it.

Your Audience Can Guide Your Next Move

One of the biggest mistakes I see creators make is trying to figure out their entire YouTube strategy before publishing anything.

They brainstorm dozens of ideas, debate which topics might work, and worry about choosing the wrong niche.

Meanwhile, the channel still has zero videos.

You can spend a long time guessing what your audience wants, or you can start creating useful content and learn from the response.

Matthew talked about using YouTube analytics to see which videos were getting views, gaining subscribers, and attracting comments. He also used my free YouTube Visibility Report to review the channel and share recommendations with the team.

Those insights gave them a clearer idea of where they could improve and what to focus on next.

I encourage you to approach your channel the same way.

Pay attention to which topics attract interest. Look for videos that bring in the kinds of viewers you want to reach. Notice the questions people ask and the problems they seem most interested in solving.

Then use what you learn to guide your next videos.

You don’t have to get everything right before you begin. Your first videos can help you discover what your audience responds to, and your later videos can build on those lessons.

Your strategy can evolve as your channel grows.

You Don’t Need Perfect Equipment to Get Started

Matthew also learned that he didn’t need an expensive setup to keep creating videos.

He had spent around $2,800 on equipment, including cameras and lighting, but eventually found that he could do the work with a laptop he already owned and a cell phone.

That’s a lesson I wish more new creators would take to heart.

It’s easy to believe that better equipment will make you more successful on YouTube. But equipment doesn’t replace a clear topic, useful information, or a reason for the right people to watch.

Matthew started learning video editing and YouTube by doing the work. He didn’t have to become an expert before he could contribute to the business.

He learned along the way, made mistakes, and kept going.

You can do the same thing.

Start with what you have. Focus on making content that helps your audience. Improve your production as you learn what you need, rather than buying equipment in the hope that it will solve a strategy problem.

And please, don’t let perfectionism keep you from publishing your first video.

Let Your Business Evolve With Your Channel

What I love most about this story is that the business didn’t have to stay exactly as it was originally planned.

Opichi began by creating apps to sell. Through YouTube, the team discovered that people also needed help building and improving their own apps. The business leaned into that demand, and consulting became an important source of opportunity.

Matthew’s role evolved, too. Instead of focusing on the customer service and sales work he originally expected to do, he became the person editing videos and helping the business grow through YouTube.

That flexibility matters.

You might start your channel thinking you’ll sell a course, only to discover that viewers want consulting. Perhaps you plan to attract one kind of client, but the questions people ask reveal another opportunity. Or maybe a topic you didn’t expect to become important turns out to be the one that attracts the right people.

You won’t know until you start.

As you publish, pay attention to what your audience is telling you and what the results show. You can adjust your topics, refine your offer, and even change the direction of your channel when it makes sense. There’s no need for a crystal ball, just a willingness to learn and adapt.

Conclusion

If you want to get clients from YouTube, you don’t need to predict exactly how your business will grow before you publish your first video.

Opichi’s experience is a great example of what can happen when you start creating content, pay attention to the response, and stay open to opportunities you didn’t originally plan for.

The business set out to sell apps, but its long-form YouTube videos began attracting people who needed help with their own projects. By leaning into that demand, the team found a path that was a better fit for what customers were already asking for.

So start with what you know. Create videos that solve real problems. Make it easy for viewers to learn more about your services, and pay attention to which topics attract the right people.

Most importantly, don’t get so attached to your original plan that you miss a better opportunity.

YouTube gives you a way to share your expertise, learn from your audience, and build a business over time. You don’t have to get everything perfect from the beginning.

Start creating, learn from your mistakes, and when you discover what’s working, be willing to lean into it.

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