🏆 Living as an artist among algorithms

NEW POST: How to create in a world that wants you to be like everyone else                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 May 24, 2023 | [Read Online]( Living As An Artist Among Algorithms How to create in a world that wants you to be like everyone else [Rob Allen]( [fb]( [tw]( [in]( [email](mailto:?subject=Post%20from%20How%20To%20Win&body=Living%20As%20An%20Artist%20Among%20Algorithms%3A%20How%20to%20create%20in%20a%20world%20that%20wants%20you%20to%20be%20like%20everyone%20else%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fhowtowin.beehiiv.com%2Fp%2Fartists-among-algorithms) I LOVE YouTube. In fact, if you pressed me to delete every app on my phone right now, YouTube would be the last one I’d ever want to give up. Yes, including camera, safari and messages. Because there’s arguably nothing that’s had a greater impact on me as a person than the content I’ve found by clicking that little red play button. - I learned to change a tire on YouTube (while I had a flat on the side of the interstate and cars buzzed by at 80 mph). - I got better at my job because of YouTube (learning key skills like advertising, copywriting and critical thinking from the best of the best at those things). - Heck I even transformed my body because of YouTube (I used to be 98lbs soaking wet with 2 cans of chili beans in each of my pockets. And then I learned how to put on muscle thanks to YouTube) But really when I say, “I love YouTube” what I mean is “I love the creators” that make up the platform. Because without them, it’d be a ghost town. They’re the ones creating content that’s kept me coming back. And one thing I’ve witnessed through years of being a “super user” of the platform is just how much of a toll all that “making” can have on the people on the side of the camera. I’ve seen creators delete their channels, release countless “I’m sorry for not posting” videos, and, in some cases, even disappear altogether. For example, one of my favorite YouTubers of all time is [Jennelle Eliana](. In 2019, she burst onto the YouTube scene with one of the most unique channels I’d ever seen. She had no home to speak of … and documented her life from inside a van… while cruising around the coast of California … with her pet albino snake Alfredo. I KNOW. The channel’s concept was amazing. But what made her content really “sticky” was how she mixed pure authenticity with a quality you might expect from an HBO series with a $10 million budget. Anyone watching just knew “this is different.” And it showed in her results, too. Starting from zero, Jennelle created one of the fastest growing channels of all time, eclipsing 1 million subs in just 3 weeks. Take that Logan Paul It was INSANE. But fans of the channel will remember that after a few months of this, things took a turn. In her first 6 months on YouTube, Jennelle made 21 videos. A pace of 3 videos per month — and something that the algorithm clearly loved as shown in her subscriber count. Then, in her second full year, she made just 11 videos that whole year (or just shy of 1 per month). And then in year 3, she just stopped posting. Not just on YouTube. But on her IG, too. And her fans didn’t know what to think… Was she taking a break? Was she done with YouTube? Was she… dead? Thankfully, she was not. But when she finally emerged, she opened up candidly about how much pressure she’d been under to create under a cadence set by “what she should do” … Even when her life circumstances just didn’t allow for it. Saying, ❝ “My vans kept breaking down… I didn't have a stable place to live with Alfredo … I was just going insane. And I know a lot of you guys are wondering, ‘Janelle why didn't you just tell us? Why didn't you just give us an update? Just say that you're taking a break? … I definitely should have shared something … but I didn't know what to say and that just kind of added to the stress… I did not log into my socials for a majority of last year. I just didn't even look. I was like ‘I need to figure out what I'm doing before I come back to this platform.’” What she experienced is part of a much larger issue that creators face today more than ever… Living As An Artist Among Algorithms Creators today get access to an unprecedented amount of data. Not just how many people clicked this or how many people liked that. But where your fans are located, what devices they tune in from, and when — down to the minute — people are most likely to engage with the content you put out. It’s led to a whole “science of creating” that aims to find the optimal colors that catch your eyes, headlines that suck you in, ideal release times, and transitions that keep you glued to a piece without being able to look away. You might have even seen [this new trend]( where clips of highly addictive video games get stitched to videos so you can’t stop watching… In many ways, these insights are invaluable to creators. Particularly as they develop early reps with content they share. For example: Imagine how helpful it would be to know that if you just had a little bit better thumbnail for your video, your retention is actually good enough for views to surge. And these things matter. Because a small 3% increase in CTR could be the difference between a video — and ultimately a channel — that blows up and one that forever remains undiscovered. But one question that’s become increasingly hard for creators to answer is… How much optimization is too much? We know algorithms pick “winners” and ignore “losers” based on a complex combination of how people engage with a piece of content and how long the user stays on the apps. But one thing that’s not so obvious are the consequences of everyone trying to play “the content lottery” and win the “algorithmic jackpot” — where instead of a big check (although it can be that too) the reward is viral reach. But I can assure you the effects are there. And they are very real. And in some cases destructive to how people make. For example, I’ve been lucky to stumble upon smaller creators at the start of their journey and see a distinct “it factor” that keeps me glued to their unique voice and style. And then, watched as those same creators started making adjustments to what they released — doing things they clearly believed would appease the algorithms. Like getting more aggressive with thumbnails, choosing crazier titles, changing the pace of their editing style (to optimize for an even lower attention spans), and, always, pushing for more and more uploads. At times, I’ve even clicked on videos where I had to double check whether I was watching the creator or a spoof of another huge channel. On YouTube, there’s even a name for this phenomenon: “[MrBeast-ification](” — where over the last few years, there’s been a massive boom in the number of channels that look eerily similar to MrBeast’s because they’re trying to replicate his complete command of the algorithm and go viral. A little HEAVY on the “inspiration” there… And it’s not just YouTube. Every platform that depends on algorithms is subject to this gravitational pull. On Twitter, the current trend is for everyone to have a thread on the best AI tools (even when many of these people have never used AI to do any “work” in their life). On IG, there’s been a huge surge in people making black and white stop motion animation videos with voiceovers because a few big accounts used them to grow fast. To be clear: there are bad actors to be called out here. But I’m not talking about actual content thieves. What I’m focusing on is the pressure that mounts on creators to bend, adjust and modify their style to match what some algorithm says will do well. Specifically, how it can put a muzzle on creators’ unique voices. And even stop some from being able to create altogether. When — very often — their own style, the things that make them unique, the blemishes the algorithm will try to filter out, are very often the things that make big channels succeed, blow up and do well. For example: Take [Derek from More Plates More Dates](. He’s a fitness YouTuber, known for his “Natty or Not” series where he breaks down in very scientific terms whether or not notable people are on or off steroids. Compared to other channels, Derek channel breaks a ton of rules. - His videos are pretty much as long as he wants (over 1 hour in some cases!) - He gets DEEP into the nitty gritty scientific details (and never “dumbs things down” for a broader audience) - All his videos open with a 5 second legal disclaimer about health advice (screw retention) - He has practically zero upload schedule (just releases when he wants) - And when he does publish the videos, they’re often little more than him screensharing on his laptop while he sits in front of his famous wood panel background. In other words, he holds a giant middle finger up to the algorithm and best practices. But his content provides genuine value. He continues to grow a base of diehard fans that LOVE the authenticity of everything he shares. By all metrics, his community is thriving. And you couldn’t copy what he does if you tried. (Fun fact: Derek was so adamant about not changing things and making videos the way he wanted, that he’s moved a couple times since his first videos with that famous wood panel background. So he had that reconstructed as a background in his new place) Another creator who does this well is [Dan Koe](. Compared to others in the self-development niche who shove 16 jumpcuts into the first 30 seconds of their content in the name of ReTeNtIoN, Dan breaks all the rules, too. He basically sits in what I presume to be his office for 45 minutes of straight value. No fluff. Barely any edits or quick scenes to pander to broader viewer numbers. And yet, his channel couldn’t be in a better spot. I could keep going through example after example. But the point is: Many of the creators who actually catch their stride do things that are distinctly anti-algorithm. And I’d argue that’s a key reason why they succeed. Where many others cede their voice to what they think they should do and give up after only a short while, these creators are winning because they’re making what they want to make. Because there’s nothing more soul-sucking than becoming a puppet who performatively makes videos on “the top 10 side hustles to start in 2023” just because that’s what the algorithm predicts will do well. Make your art and the audience will appear. We don’t need more courses on growth hacking, we need more people willing to encourage others how to find their voice The creator economy is booming. More and more people are waking up to the idea that they can start one-person businesses from their living room. And so naturally, more people than ever are seeking to learn social media growth strategies and techniques to get their content out in the world. But I worry that too many of the lessons today are focused on teaching people growth hacks and not enough people are being taught how to find their unique perspective and share it unabashedly. Because while contorting, exploiting and bending to what the algorithm says you should make can get the ball rolling and even give you a predictable level of growth, it’s very often the pieces that algorithms don’t account for — truly novel work — that reaps the biggest and most sustainable rewards of all. In other words, you don’t have to sand down your ideas until there’s nothing left of you in a piece but a thin twig. You don’t have to remove every little mistake. In art, it’s the imperfections that make it interesting. And you most certainly don’t have to act as a sponge for the algorithm’s insights. Because one day, it will drain you to the very last drop and leave you out to dry. So if you feel called to create, maybe it’s time to tune the crowd out. And unplug yourself from the algorithms in the name of making your own art. When you do this, suddenly the search for content ideas becomes easier. You get to make what you want to make. The tendency to over edit and redo fades to black. And you will catch your content stride. I promise you, people can tell when creators find this inflection point because suddenly their content comes alive. Because inner-joy becomes the guide. I’ll end with this quote from Rick Rubin, the music producing legend behind artists & bands like the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Eminem and more, which I think sums it up nicely. He says: [source: The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, pg 252-253]( In other words, forget the algorithm. Make your art. That’s how you — and the audience — win. Rob “An artist doing his best to live among algorithms” Allen How was today's piece? - [⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolute banger 🤩 🤘]( - [⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ You brought the heat 🔥]( - [⭐️⭐️⭐️ It was alright 👍🏼]( - [⭐️⭐️ Not your best work 🙃]( - [⭐️ This wasted 5 minutes of my life 🤮]( P.S. Enjoy this piece? [Share it with a fellow creator who could use this advice]([.]((Pssst! Tag me on twitter and I’ll retweet you 🙂) P.P.S. Interested in sponsoring this newsletter and getting your ideas and products featured in front of an engaged audience of business-minded folks who want to win? Hit reply to this email. I’m looking to take on my first few sponsors for upcoming editions. And am happy to share deets on reach, perks, etc. P.P.P.S. - Can you even do that many postscripts? 😂 But seriously, this is the first email I’m sending from my new site. I hope it landed in your inbox? 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