Want to grow your YouTube channel in 2025? In this episode, I sit down with Aprilynne Alter to break down the biggest mistakes YouTubers make—and how to fix them. From optimizing your titles and thumbnails to crafting the perfect video intro, Aprilynne shares expert-level strategies to increase your clicks, retention, and engagement.

She also reveals storytelling frameworks, how to structure your content for maximum watch time, and why authenticity is the key to success in an AI-driven world.

Subscribe for more creator insights → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZb8AYdbC9k_TXyQ3jpt2Jw

Join my newsletter for exclusive content → https://heycreator.com/newsletter/

Check out Aprilynne’s YouTube Channel → https://www.youtube.com/@AprilynneAlter

Key Takeaways:

• Packaging (Title & Thumbnail) is Everything – Your title and thumbnail set the expectation and determine whether someone clicks. The best creators think about these before scripting or filming.

• The First 5 Seconds Matter – Reinforce your title’s promise immediately. Start with “So…” or “This…” to quickly establish relevance and curiosity.

• Shorten Your Intros – Keep it under 25 seconds. People want value fast, so don’t lose them with unnecessary context.

• Think in “Promise, Progress, Payoff” – Every section of your video should set up curiosity (Promise), provide insight (Progress), and deliver value (Payoff).

• Consistency in Format & Experience – If you’re mixing formats (tutorials, interviews, vlogs), make sure they provide a consistent experience to your audience.

• Authenticity Wins in an AI World – Viewers crave real humans, real stories, and unscripted moments. Don’t over-polish—lean into personality, mistakes, and humor.

• Your Outro Should Have Purpose – Don’t just sign off—guide your audience to the next step (watch another video, subscribe, join a community, etc.).

Timestamps & Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:30 Biggest Mistake Creators Make: Packaging (Title & Thumbnail)

07:01 Why You Need to Think About Titles/Thumbnails First

10:11 When to Prioritize Quality vs. Just Publishing Videos

12:50 The First 5 Seconds Rule: Hooking Viewers Instantly

13:57 How to Start a Video: The “So” or “This” Hack

20:05 Shorten Your Intros! Keep it Under 25 Seconds

22:38 The Power of “Promise, Progress, Payoff” Storytelling

27:48 How to Improve Engagement & Retention

29:24 The Best Way to End a YouTube Video

34:53 Should You Separate Your Podcast from Your Main Channel?

41:30 The Biggest YouTube Trends for 2025 (Storytelling & Authenticity)

46:15 Why AI Won’t Replace Real Creators & How to Stand Out

49:04 Aprilynne’s YouTube Journey & Growing a Sustainable Business

55:28 High-Ticket Communities vs. Consulting: The Future of Creator Businesses

1:02:24 Final Thoughts & Where to Find Aprilynne

Next Steps:

Subscribe for more creator insights → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZb8AYdbC9k_TXyQ3jpt2Jw

Join my newsletter for exclusive content → https://heycreator.com/newsletter/

Check out Aprilynne’s YouTube Channel → https://www.youtube.com/@AprilynneAlter

Think you need a huge audience to land brand deals? Think again! In this episode, Justin Moore, creator of Sponsor Magnet and founder of Creator Wizard, shares actionable strategies for landing sponsorships, standing out with brands, and building revenue—no matter your follower count. Don’t miss it!

🧲 Get Sponsor Magnet today!

📧 Join Justin's Creator Wizard newsletter

00:00 - Introduction

Discover why follower count isn’t everything in sponsorships and meet Justin Moore, creator of Sponsor Magnet.

01:20 - Debunking the Follower Myth

Justin explains why you don’t need a massive audience to land sponsorships.

04:30 - Common Mistakes in Sponsorships

Why traditional pitching methods fail and how to stand out.

08:15 - The Sponsorship Continuum Framework

Justin introduces a roadmap for creators at any stage to secure brand deals.

13:00 - Real-Life Examples of Niche Success

Case studies of creators thriving with small but engaged audiences.

18:40 - Building a Sponsorship Pitching Habit

How consistency and proactive outreach can unlock opportunities.

24:00 - The R.O.P.E. Method for Pitching

Justin’s step-by-step formula for crafting compelling pitches.

31:30 - How to Find the Right Contact at Brands

Tips for identifying decision-makers and ensuring your pitch lands with the right person.

36:45 - Tools for Managing Sponsorships

Justin shares his Notion template and other tips for staying organized.

42:15 - Justin’s Creator Journey and Business Model

How Justin evolved his business to support creators through coaching and resources.

49:30 - Adapting to Platform Changes

Insights on staying ahead of shifts in content trends and algorithms.

54:00 - Sponsor Magnet: The Ultimate Guide

Learn about Justin’s book and why it’s a must-read for creators.

57:40 - Closing Thoughts

Justin’s advice for creators aiming to build sustainable, successful businesses.

Get Jonathan's new book, The Obvious Choice at your favorite bookseller. Learn more here.

0:00 – Introduction
1:47 – Self-Publishing vs Traditional
3:19 – Finding Your Niche for Success
6:49 – The Power of a Back Catalog
11:25 – Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing
16:09 – The Content Hamster Wheel Myth
19:11 – Focus on Real-World Impact
23:15 – The Games of Influence vs. Business
42:25 – The Four-Step Content Creation Framework
53:05 – Thought Leadership vs. Influencership
1:01:11 – Final Thoughts & How to Connect with Jon

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In today’s episode of The HeyCreator Show, Matt Ragland (⁠@mattragland⁠) and Tim Forkin (⁠@timforkindotcom⁠) make their annual 2025 predictions for the creator economy — including content trends, the importance of relationships, hard work, and, of course, AI.

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In today's special episode, we're running through the best HeyCreator moments & advice from 2024 — featuring incredible creators such as Justin Welsh, Amanda Goetz, Jay Clouse, Justin Moore, Gina Bianchini, Corey Wilks Psy.D., Cam Houser, Jason Levin, Cody & Cole Hock, Nat Eliason, Khe Hy, Tim Stoddart, Darrell Vesterfelt, Tim Grahl, Bryan Harris, Rachel Rodgers, Clifton Sellers, Alexis Teichmiller, and our very own Matt Ragland & Tim Forkin.

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Today, I talked to my friend Dan Shipper (Co-founder and CEO of Every) about the future of creativity — specifically, how and why to use AI to get the most out of our creative work.

This one's a bit deeper than a lot of surface-level AI conversations. We went in on how to use AI as a copilot on creative projects, what it teaches you about yourself as a creator, and the not-so-obvious possibilities coming in the future.

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The New Year is your chance to make a big impact — not just for your business, but for your audience. Your customers are motivated to start fresh, and you have the tools to help them succeed.

I’ve seen how a clear, well-executed New Year promotion can transform lives and businesses. Last year, this exact strategy helped creators like you double their revenue while helping their audiences achieve their goals.

Today, I’ll share a step-by-step plan you can implement immediately: how to position your product as the solution, build excitement, and execute a high-converting email campaign.

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In today’s episode of The HeyCreator Show, Matt Ragland (⁠@mattragland⁠) and Tim Forkin (⁠@timforkindotcom⁠) talk about content formats — specifically, why and how to choose the one kind of content you should focus on for the next few years, along with examples of creators succeeding with a signature format.

Examples include Casey Neistat, Daniel Dalen, @bymaximise, Tyler Bruno, Seth Godin and more.

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In today’s episode of The HeyCreator Show, Matt Ragland (⁠@mattragland⁠) works with John Meese on finding his own 10X Promise framework — your one-sentence selling point to display the massive outcome you’ll get for your customers.

John isn’t your typical modern creator — he has no social media, and sells his programs and books almost exclusively through email… so you might want to pay extra close attention to how he’s able to clearly demonstrate his value. 

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In today’s episode of The HeyCreator Show, Matt Ragland (⁠@mattragland⁠) and Tim Forkin (⁠@timforkindotcom⁠) are joined by Clifton Sellers (@LegacyBuilder__) to discuss how to grow on social media, finding your unique positioning, the value of content for founders, and much more.

(0:00) — Intro

(3:26) — Finding your unique positioning

(8:24) — Everything is content

(22:34) — How to write like a founder

(33:43) — The move into YouTube

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In today’s episode of The HeyCreator Show, we’re running an audio-only version of Darrell Vesterfelt’s presentation at the HeyCreator Summit.

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