YouTuber Aprilynn Alter shared her insights after 7 days of studying MrBeast’s success—and cracking his infallible formula—on YouTube. MrBeast is an American stunt YouTuber with over 290 million subscribers across his channels. Here’s his secret:
First 5 Seconds
- First sentence matches the title
- First shot matches the thumbnail
First 20 Seconds
- Provide context: What do viewers need to know to understand?
- Introduce the stakes: Why should viewers watch until the end?
- Create a curiosity gap: Don’t give away all the information.
Video Body
- Cut to B and C cameras and employ other visual dynamics every 3 to 5 seconds.
- Incorporate side narratives and contrasting formats to keep it fresh.
- Alternate cycles of high and low energy every 2 to 4 minutes.
Video End
- Reveal the payoff.
- End on a high note: dramatic, wholesome, or funny.
Post-Production
- Ask friends for feedback.
- Watch people watch your video: When do they get bored and pick up their phones?
Intrigued? Check out the infographic and the full thread on X.