About The Episode‍

Scott Millard is the Founder at Videospark, one of the first digital media agencies to specialize in motion video services for SaaS, App, Platform, and Web3 technology companies.

If you have been creating content or even considered creating content online, you have probably thought about posting videos on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube.

Creating video content is one of the fastest ways to grow your audience.

That is why today we’re talking with Scott Millard. He is the founder of Videospark an Online animation studio specializing in creating short videos for independent and VC-backed SaaS companies.

He basically helps companies make more money by creating videos for them.

We wanted to talk with Scott so we could get the inside scoop on how his agency works and how content creators could leverage similar video tactics to skyrocket their growth.

Today, we'll cover:
- The strategic impact of incorporating intentional video content in your marketing efforts.
- The pivotal role of narrative and scripting in producing standout videos amidst a saturated digital landscape.
- Tactics for audience building and its significance beyond mere financial gain.
- Insights on transitioning from Twitter engagement to sustainable YouTube growth for long-lasting personal brand relationships.
- The correlation between niche-specific video content creation and the expansion of Scott's agency and personal influence.
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2 IDEAS FROM THE PODCAST

Idea #1: Why you should go all in on YouTube.

After 2 years of posting on Twitter, Scott hit his first viral tweet thread. 👇

Although this single tweet changed the trajectory of his career (He booked over 50 calls in a couple of days), he is still going all in on YouTube.

This decision makes more sense when considering the nature of both platforms.

On X, the chances of your tweet going viral are very small. And since the feed is chronological, your tweet will be buried over time. The algorithm will stop pushing it at some point.

On YouTube, the video will live forever. If a video goes viral, it will basically never stop receiving views. The algorithm keeps putting it in front of more people.

Which one do you use the most?

YouTube 📹 |  Twitter / X ✍🏼

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Not only that, but you also develop a parasocial relationship with your audience. Instead of having people scroll your thread for a minute, your face will be on the screen for 8 to 15 minutes. The audience starts to feel like they know you. They are more likely to trust you, work with you, buy from you, or whatever your goal is.

Another advantage lies in its data. YouTube has more analytics. You can see when people are dropping off, who's watching, why and what they care about.

Last but not least, community and feedback. People are truly engaging with the content and giving valuable feedback. Rather than the typical @SaveToNotion #thread on X, YouTube viewers are comment things like:

_{“You landed on my recommendation feed. I love the raw video and already subscribed for more, Scott! It solidified some of my thoughts and brand new aspects to others. One concept I'd love you to dive into a little further would be the business partner side. What to look for in an operator business partner, where to find them, how to find out if you match and can actually do business long-term together.”}

Play Segment (14:06-16:30)

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Idea #2: Short Form vs Long Form

There are pros and cons to both. It depends on the platform and your goals / intentionality.

A bold idea: The purpose of short form is to make people stop watching your short form as soon as possible.

You want them to take the action you want them to take. You want them to convert, not to have them just binge watch your content.

“You're using the short form to basically increase the chances of virality and then take that virality and that attention and convert it into something that's more meaningful.”

When someone in your audience ends up watching 20 of your short clips, you’re doing something wrong. They should’ve downloaded your guide or taken the next step in your funnel.

Play Segment (17:21-19:14)

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1 KEY LEARNING

How does building an audience help you grow your business?

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If someone has 100,000 followers on Twitter, they can earn a lot of money, and even with just 10,000 followers, they can still make a good income

You do not need a big audience at all.

If you have a newsletter of 10,000 people, that's like a full side income right there.”

Play Segment (26:20-27:30)

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Timestamps‍

00:00 Creating videos for online growth and profit.
04:04 Marketing success hinges on clear intention and messaging.
08:43 Focusing on niche, using video to grow.
13:35 YouTube provides lasting content; Twitter is ephemeral.
14:39 YouTube offers personal connection, builds trust effectively.
19:52 UGC builds trust, suitable for e-commerce.
24:39 Creating tutorials and launching a video podcast.
26:21 Audience size matters less than audience engagement.
29:29 YouTube strategy: mix of tutorials, stories, tips.

The Importance of Intention in Marketing: "Yeah, I mean, really, intention should be in front of everything you do marketing wise."
— Scott Millard [00:04:04 → 00:04:08]

Product-Led Strategy: "So yeah, it's really showing these are product led companies. So what is relevant in their product for the problem they're solving? If it's like a sales led strategy or something like that, then it would be less about features and more about really digging into the pain points of the customers."
— Scott Millard [00:08:07 → 00:08:28]

Building a Personal Brand: "I tweeted something a year ago and it was like my first viral thing. And that's when I really saw the potential of just building a personal brand and putting stuff out there, because we tweeted a thread and we booked 50 calls in like two days and that was for free."
— Scott Millard [00:10:50 → 00:11:59]

The Power of YouTube Over Twitter: "If a video goes viral on YouTube, it does not stop almost ever. The algorithm just keeps putting it in front of more and more and more people."
— Scott Millard [00:14:27 → 00:14:37]

The Power of YouTube in Building Relationships: "And so you're building what's called a parasocial relationship, where they're starting to feel like they know you as a person and then they are more likely to trust you, work with you, buy from you, learn from you, like, whatever your goal is."
— Scott Millard [00:15:10 → 00:15:25]

The Strategy Behind Short-Form Content: "The purpose of short form is to get people to take the next step and stop watching your short form as fast as possible."
— Scott Millard [00:18:28 → 00:18:37]

The Power of User-Generated Content: "The reason UGC works and is so popular is because it's very trusted by the audience. Because it's like someone who is like them using selfie mode on an iPhone and promoting a product, but not really promoting it."
— Scott Millard [00:20:18 → 00:20:33]

The Importance of Content Strategy and Editing: "So the very scripted and strategic stuff, that's what's going to go viral. But when that goes viral, people are going to click on your profile and be like, who is this? What are they talking about? All this stuff? And that's where kind of, this kind of content comes in, where it's like the longer form stuff that's clipped up, because the intention of that is not to go viral. The intention of that is to take a little bit of that rapport building and put it into a clip."
— Scott Millard [00:22:35 → 00:23:01]

Emerging Content Creator Strategies: "And then another thing I'm starting in the next, basically, week is pretty much a podcast, like an in person thing, where I'm going to be going around and interviewing industry leaders in the video space and really asking them about what their journey was, how they got started, how they're monetizing video as a skill and as a service so that I can just bring this information to the public."
— Scott Millard [00:25:09 → 00:25:38]

The Value of Audience Building: "Because it's like pouring jet fuel on a fire is really what it is comparative to. If someone has 100,000 followers on Twitter, I mean, you can make a lot of money, even 10,000. You do not need a big audience at all. [...] So my perspective has actually shifted from two years ago, where I kind of ignored the audience building thing, and I was doing it because I thought I could make a quick bag in my business. But now I've flipped it to where the real asset is not the money you're making from the audience, it's the audience themselves. Because that will really take care of the rest."
— Scott Millard [00:27:00 → 00:27:27]

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