At Promolta we do a lot of case studies about successful creators and share key lessons.
Today’s subject is Kendrick Lamar. He has 13.8M YouTube subscribers, 6B lifetime views and a $75M net worth.
Here are 4 important lessons from his success.
1. Be so good they can’t ignore you
One important aspect of YouTube is to create really good content. This usually takes a lot of practice and years of work. BUT, the point is to be SO GOOD that when the right person meets you or watches your video, they will recognize your talent.
For example when Kendrick Lamar auditioned for some label execs he freestyled for 2 HOURS. One of the execs was bewildered that Kendrick can freestyle for so long and signed him to the TDE record label.
Photo by KennyySun
2. Change up if things aren’t working
If you’ve been pushing for a long time and things are not working, don’t be afraid to change up. For example Kendrick Lamar used to be called K-Dot and he rebranded himself in 2009. He started going by his birth name again and the rebrand helped him find his VOICE and STYLE.
Photo by Kmeron
3. Don’t rush the creative process
Sometimes you can create great videos quickly and sometimes things can take a long time. For example Charlie Puth wrote his part for the viral hit song “See You Again” in 10 minutes while Kendrick Lamar spent more than a YEAR to finish one of his songs for the “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City” album. BUT, this is the album which blew up and made Kendrick famous.
Photo by BatisteSafont
4. Collaborate outside your niche
Many creators collaborate with folks who produce similar content but you can greatly benefit by going outside your niche. Kendrick skyrocketed his fan base by creating a video with Taylor Swift (see here). Meaning Kendrick is a rap artist and Taylor is a country/pop singer but their video blew up to 1.6 BILLION views. Thus, the most viral video Kendrick has ever created was this unique collaboration.
Never give up.
Photo by KennyySun
If you are interested in having your YouTube channel and videos discovered by A LOT more fans, then start your campaign on Promolta now. We will distribute your video on blogs, games, apps, and websites. Over 100,000 paying customers have used Promolta since 2012 and we would love to help you get noticed.
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