2012-2014 2014-2017 2018-Present

Mr. Beast
Creator Breakdown By LowKeyJude & Buzzy
 Who is MrBeast? (if you live under a rock)

-Most Subscribed Creator On YouTube

-36,186,653,474+ Views Across his Channels

-A Business Empire evaluated at $1.5 Billion

 But How Did He Achieve This?
-Anyone can have spurts of massive growth, but it takes a YouTube genius to
continuously grow over a long period

-This means if we breakdown MrBeast’s video process, we can understand how to go

viral

His video process contains 5 key steps (in order):

1. Creating Viral Ideas

2. Making a Clickable Thumbnail
3. Making a Clear Title
4. Getting People to Watch Longer
5. Having Strong Branding
 And The Final Question…
What did MrBeast learn in the 10 years on the platform to
gain his massive success,
And can we learn this “secret” too?

Source Source Source

 Well, MrBeast’s First Viral Video “I Counted
to 100,000” paints a very interesting story

-So let’s break down how this video shaped his entire viral
idea criteria

-But first, let's analyze how external factors influenced

MrBeast to come up with this idea
Part One: A viral idea machine

-6.6 Million Views in 7 days

-Media Attention

-Led to 258,000 subs in the next two

months
Limitations MrBeast Faced
MrBeast faced many limitations in 2017 that forced
him to think outside of the box.

For example:

1. Bad equipment - MrBeast could only record in

480p

2. Family Pressure - MrBeast’s mother wanted

him to go to college

3. Broke - He had no job and barely any money so

couldn’t do YouTube full time

4. Time was against him - If his mom found out

he was skipping all his classes, he’ll be kicked
out of his house
 Some Early Success on YouTube

MrBeast found success by finding ideas that a lot of people were interested in. He
found out that if people clicked the video and enjoyed themselves, his videos got
more views.

However, something in 2017 would propel his YouTube channel growth

What We Know About The YT Algorithm
Link to full Document and
YouTube Video Explaining it
Back in 2016, YouTube realised a White Paper
about the algorithm
A white paper is a report or guide that informs
readers concisely about a complex issue
What is important though, is that the document
outlined that:
“The final determination of the effectiveness of
an algorithm or model, we
rely on A/B testing via live experiments. In a
live experiment, we can measure subtle
changes in click-through rate,
watch time, and many other metrics that
measure user engagement”
 In Simple Terms, this means*:
Keeping that
Catching your
Success on YouTube attention for a long
audience’s Attention
time

Or in more technical YouTube Terms

Average View
Views Click Through Rate Duration / Average
Percentage viewed

*Viewer Satisfaction is also a known factor that affects the recommendation

This is why I use this criterion in the breakdown

Idea

Packaging
Because Algorithmically these
Retention are the known elements of
what makes a banger video
Satisfaction

Wanting More
An idea that gets people to Click
MrBeast found a viral video idea criteria by
studying viral content and his videos.

This includes:

1. Having a remarkable idea

2. Doubling down on what works
3. Combining Viral Ideas/Topics
4. Making it 3% different
5. Keeping it primal

Let’s zoom into what these mean and use

the “Counting to 100,000” video as an
example
 But, What does remarkable mean?
Remark
+
Able
=
Remarkable 1. Having the power, skill, means, or
opportunity to get someone to regard
something with their attention
The Remarkability Test (with MrBeast Videos)
❌ ✔ If you used your idea as
an ice breaker with a
I Counted to stranger, would they:
I spoke about
100,000!
cereal!
1. Not care, or
What? Why would you
That’s crazy…
do that? You must be
anyway 2. Would they ask a
lying!
Click my Video to follow-up question?
see Click my Video to
see In terms of YouTube, a
Please stop
follow up question is the
talking to me Hmm, ok sure same as someone
clicking the video, as in
both examples, they
want to know more about
the topic.
Remarkability with Sections of Views
To get the most amount of views
possible, MrBeast makes the
Superfans broadest video ideas

MrBeast makes shows that a casual

viewer would find his videos
remarkable
Active

There are 3 types of YouTube

audience:

Superfans: People that click for Beast

“who?”
Casual Active: People that watch for a trend

Casual: Anyone can watch

 Double Down on What Works

MrBeast had a Viral video of counting to 10,000 before 100,000. He doubled down on what
made this video viral in his next few uploads as shown above
 What is Doubling Down and why is it Important
Doubling down is when you remake an
idea that was previously viral/popular
First Viral idea
either:

-On your YouTube channel

-On another person’s YouTube channel
-Outside of YouTube

And add a unique twist to the idea

Doubled Down
This means you can take the viral
element of the video and apply it to your
videos

☝ The unique twist was to escalate the challenge

 The Common Mistakes of Doubling Down
Mistake #1: Milking it dry Mistake #2: Doubling down on the Mistake #3: Not innovating the
wrong thing idea
1st Time 2nd Time 3rd Time
Double Double
down down

Every time you remake an idea,

Doubling Down too much can
make the remarkability of an idea
decrease
If your audience gets too familiar
with an idea, it can lead to:
-The audience becoming bored
-Trapping yourself in one format
-Result in a plateau or dip in views based on your gut and what the
This is when you double down
without a good understanding of
what made your video go viral
Make a theory of why it was viral
data shows
you try and one up the last video.
The way I view it, the more you
double down on an idea, the more
polished it should become, like a
diamond.
You can improve:
-Packaging
-Retention
-Viewer Satisfaction
There are Two Types of Innovation
Sustaining innovation is improving an
already existing format

Whereas Disruptive innovation is trying

out something completely new

Disruptive innovation is more likely to

fail, but if it succeeds, it yields better
results

Think of Sustaining as jumping on an

already existing trend, and disruptive as
creating the trend
Finding Viral Elements
There are two viral elements in this video idea:

1. A hard challenge

-Challenges on YouTube have always been a viral

topic.

-The Ice bucket challenge; Ghost Pepper challenge;

as well as Cinnamon Challenge are all examples of
old viral challenges

2. 24 Hour videos

-10 and 24 hour videos are also a viral topic, and

algorithmically longer videos perform better on
average

-Also 24 hour long videos were very rare to see on

your homepage, increasing the remarkability of it
 Making Your Videos 3% Different
☝ Google Searches for Ice Bucket
Challenge
Magic Trick Discovered
People Start to understand the pattern
People fully understand the pattern
Humans are creatures of habit, and we don’t like
straying too far from the norm
However, humans are good at spotting patterns and
can become bored with overused themes
That's why you should think of a YouTuber as being
like a magician
All magic tricks are innovations of the old and tried
rules of magic like misdirection.
Learn from the old magic tricks, but don’t copy
them… otherwise, the trick would be boring because
it has been seen many times before
Making Videos 3% Different for Branding
Being known as an innovator by
your audience creates longevity
in the space

For example, Morgz copied a lot of

MrBeast’s thumbnails and topics
and got branded as a copier
Views

In the short term, copying

benefits the creator however, this
is at cost for your long term
reputation

This degrades the trust between a

Time YouTuber and their audience

Innovator VS Copier
Keeping it Primal
Primal videos are relatable, so anyone can
watch them

But what does “keeping it primal” mean?

It means if you boil down your idea, could you

explain it to a caveman or does it appeal to
our fundamental Psychology?

For example, cavemen have primal fears

such as:

-Being Trapped
-Being in a life-or-death situation
-Being rejected

If you told a caveman you counted to

100,000, he would also think you’re insane
 Examples of Keeping it Primal

Being Buried alive combines two very common primal fears,

Claustrophobia and Thanatophobia (fear of death) 👉

Being in solitary confinement combines; Claustrophobia, the

fear of isolation from a tribe, and the fear of being trapped 👉

Being surrounded by snakes is a fear that affects 1/10 American

adults because of the primal feeling of potential death 👉
 MrBeast Continued to use the Criteria
This very simple viral idea criterion continued
to be used and expanded on

This meant that MrBeast could consistently

produce remarkable ideas that grabbed the
attention of the market

In addition, it made it possible for him to focus

on his video quality as he knew his ideas would
gather interest.

Think of focusing on quality like shooting a

sniper rifle at a target, you spend more time on
the shot so that you are more accurate.

Whereas, most YouTubers focus on quantity

Quality Quantity without regard for aiming, just like a minigun
👆 (A bullet = one upload in this example)
Mistakes Creators Make When Choosing Quality
MrBeast has drilled home to create quality
videos, but many creators make mistakes
when using this content strategy

Back to the example on the left, a sniper

shoots left often, which means every bullet
you fire is important

Whereas, you can afford to miss more often

with a quantity approach

Another factor to consider is newer creators

are new to firing a gun so need more practice

This means I would advise creating quality

videos consistently, EG: posting a video every
week and improving on it for the next upload
Quality Quantity
So What Can You Learn From Section One?
-Viral Ideas are the backbone of a viral video as it gets the
audience’s attention

-To get their attention you need to be remarkable

-Once you get a successful video idea, study why it went viral
and remake it

-When remaking it, you need to escalate your idea and make
it different, but not too different

-If your idea can be explained to a caveman, or is based on an

impulsive relatable thought, it will get more attention

-You must focus on consistent quality to innovate fast and

beat the market
 But Viral Ideas Are Pointless without good execution

-Having a good idea is the first step towards

a successful channel with longevity

-BUT Successful channels not only have

great ideas but great Execution

-MrBeast could create raw diamonds, but as

mentioned previously, polished diamonds are
☝ Example of a good video idea with
bad packaging
worth more

-MrBeast had to find a way to consistently

create raw diamonds and polish them…

-And that’s why he came up with 23

techniques to create amazing thumbnails
Part Two: Executing a Viral Idea

-23 Thumbnail Techniques

-How His Thumbnails Catch our

Attention

-Influences us to Click
MrBeast’s Thumbnail Strategies
MrBeast’s thumbnails started to
improve with more uploads

He started using certain composition

techniques to make his thumbnails
easier to understand

He also added more psychological

reasons for viewers to click

This would increase the reach of his

videos as more people would click on
them

So, Let’s break down these techniques

with examples from his channel
But first, you have to learn these keywords
Focus/ Focal point
The focus point is the main
element of the thumbnail
In the example above, MrBeast is
the focus
To easily find the focus, close and
open your eyes as fast as you can
What you remember first is usually
the focus
Element Composition vs Psychology
1
2
Composition is how the thumbnail
An Element is a part of the looks and psychology is why you
thumbnail that needs the click
attention of the audience
In the example above:
In the example above, there are
two elements: Composition - the thumbnail is
easy to process, which catches
1. MrBeast the attention
2. The Shark
Psychology - I want to see the
Lamborghini crushed so I click
 Technique One: Leading Line
A leading line is when a line of objects leads
the audience's eyes to a certain place in the
Objects 👉 thumbnail

This could be (but not limited to) a line of

objects, a room’s walls, or a gesture

These are some thumbnails that use leading

Walls 👉 lines, and I’ve use a red arrow to show the
direction of the leading line

The reason it gets more clicks isn’t just

because it looks nice

Gesturing 👉 Leading lines are great for a few reasons, so

let’s zoom into two thumbnails that use
leading lines in different ways
 Uses of Leading Lines and its effects
To Focus on an Element To Show Scale

This technique angles the line toward the This technique angles the line away from
main element of the thumbnail the main element of the thumbnail

This creates visual clarity and makes the This creates an effect to visualize how
thumbnail easier to understand many objects you are using
Psychology
Technique Two: Curiosity Gap
MrBeast gives you enough context to
understand the situation he is in

However, he withholds the information you

want to know the most:

1. What DID he find

2. Why is it yellow?
3. Why was it Abandoned?

To get these questions answered, you

must click the video

This is known as the Curiosity Gap, which

is curiosity that can only be filled with
certain information
Psychology
Common Mistakes with Curiosity
This technique requires you to withhold
information, which means newer creators
can make two mistakes very easily

1. They can withhold too much

information, which confuses the
viewer so they don’t click

2. You can give away too much

Confusing information, which makes them
^ bored so they don’t click

The perfect balance can be learned

through practice and asking for feedback
Boring
^
Psychology
Technique Three: Organized Clutter
Showing a lot of objects in a thumbnail can be
risky for three reasons:

1. They can distract from the focus of the

thumbnail

2. It can become cluttered and hard to

understand quickly

3. Not putting enough objects makes it look

unimpressive

To overcome these problems, MrBeast uses a

technique called organized clutter

This groups up all of the objects into one cluster,

making it easier to understand by combining
them into one element
Composition
 Technique Four: Matching Expectations
When you see these old MrBeast thumbnails,
they look very different from his current
Thumbnail 👉 thumbnails.

This is because your thumbnail gives the

audience a taste of what the video will be like.

At this time, the production of MrBeast videos

was very low.
First frame 👉 Therefore, the thumbnail sets the tone of the
video. It’s a little scuffed, but it’s fun, which is
what you get when you click the video

Psychology
Technique Five: Mid Action
Having a thumbnail in the middle of the action
does two things:

1. It teases the audience about what is in the

video

2. It doesn’t resolve the situation that is

presented in the thumbnail

This creates an incentive to watch as you want to

conclude the situation in the thumbnail. It’s
similar to the feeling of stopping watching a good
movie

This means the only way to find the conclusion of

the video is to click

Psychology
Technique Six: Trend Jacking
By having bigger content creators in the
video, it allows you to tap into a bigger
audience

This is a great way for smaller YouTubers to

increase their viewership

MrBeast did this to creators including:

- H3H3
- Ninja
- Pewdiepie
- Tfue

As well as using viral trends like; Squid

Game

Psychology
 Technique Seven: Symmetry / Shapes
MrBeast uses symmetry to attract
Symmetry 👉 your attention because it is
satisfying and appealing

Also, it gives balance and harmony

to the composition of the thumbnail

Similarly, having geometric shapes

does the same thing

MrBeast’s most viral videos usually

involve shapes in the thumbnail like
Shapes 👉 his “Last to Leave the Circle” format

Composition
 Technique Eight: Color Theory
Color theory makes the focus of the
thumbnail contrast against the background
or other elements

The contrast in thumbnails creates focus,

making the audience focus on the red circle
first, then the people inside it

Having one clear focus in the thumbnail

reduces the processing time of the image

To see if your thumbnail Colors contrast,

This type of Color plot them on a Color wheel, and the further
theory is called apart they are the more they contrast.
complementary 👉

Composition
Four Main Color Schemes on Thumbnails
Complementary Split-Complementary

Triad Tetradic

Composition
Technique Nine: Contrasting Luminosity
Contrasting Luminosity also makes the
focus of the thumbnail contrast more.

Contrast Creates focus, as mentioned

previously

To see how much the luminosity

contrasts, plot them on a grayscale, the
further apart they are the more they
contrast

Composition
Technique Ten: Color Blocking
Color blocking is when the background of a
thumbnail is all one Color

This simplifies the background of the

thumbnail which makes the focus of the
thumbnail stand out more

The Colors don’t need to be exactly the

same, but a similar shade of Colors or being
close on the Color wheel also works

For example, the penny thumbnail on the left

varies slightly in Color

Composition
 Combining Color Blocking With Other Techniques
Organised Clutter Color Theory

The blue of the

This shows the impressive spectacle of the
water color blocks
challenge while simplifying the background
contrasts with his
so that it’s easy to process what is
red boxers
happening in the thumbnail

Composition
 Technique Eleven: 2 or 3 Elements
3 Having fewer elements means it’s easier for an
audience to process the thumbnail

2 Therefore, having 2 or 3 elements that clearly

1 show the premise of the video is better for
simplicity's sake

This isn’t a concrete rule, but more of a pattern

to help new creators understand that less is
more in thumbnails

2
1

Composition
Technique Twelve: Clear Through Line
This technique doesn’t have a proper name, so I
call it having a through line.

This is where the audience clearly understands

what is the focus, secondary element, and the
third element

This makes the thumbnail easy for a audience to

process in a smaller amount of time

1 2 You can do this with the other techniques that

make contrast, then use a leading line towards
your secondary element.

3
Composition
 Using Psychology to create Clear Through Lines
Audience’s read from left to right Audience’s scans in a F shape Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds is a rough guide

to show where our eyes track
Because we are taught to read This is an eye track test that information
from left to right, we also look at shows where we look on websites
thumbnails the same way This means we track a thumbnail
The conclusion of this data is that on the red lines, especially where
This means the focus point should we scan for information in an F they cross over
be on the left side of the thumbnail shape.
The main points you want your
This means the main points of a audience to see should be near
thumbnail should be in an F shape these lines
Psychology
 Why Clear Through Line is Important
Kuleshov effect is when you draw meaning out of a
sequence of shots/effects

Even though it’s mostly talked about in editing, the

sequence of images you see will change the interpretation
of the thumbnail

For example, since the video on the left is trend jacking of

Tfue, you want to see him first.

His surprised reaction draws your attention, then his eye

line makes you look at MrBeast

You then see the LIVE symbol in the bottom left

The interpretation of these events is that TFue is being

☝Example of the Kuleshov effect in editing
surprised by MrBeast whilst live
Psychology
 Technique Thirteen: Unbelievability
In thumbnails, it’s commonly believed that the
more unbelievable a video/ thumbnail is, the
better it will perform

However, it’s more accurate to think of the

relationship between clickability and
Clickability

unbelievability with the graph on the left:

The Idea is too safe, so it’s boring

This is Remarkable
Best Range
This is Very Remarkable
This is Unbelievable / Clickbait
Unbelievability

Psychology
 Examples of Believability
Boring Remarkable Unbelievable

This idea is too boring and
safe
Therefore less people will
click on the video
This idea is remarkable,
realistic and attention
grabbing
Therefore is very clickable
This idea is too remarkable
and no one believes it
Therefore less people will
click on the video
Psychology
 Technique Fourteen: Scale
Scale is when you compare heights or
sizes by using a known object as a
comparison

By using an object that we know as a

reference, it exaggerates the size of
another object in the thumbnail

For example, MrBeast uses a person to

exaggerate the size of the mystery box

This makes us want to click as the box is

This Thing extreme and we want to know what the
box will contain

Exaggerates This Thing

Composition
Technique Fifteen: Rule of Odds
The Rule of Odds is a photography technique
to make a thumbnail more satisfying and/or
exciting to look at

This is where instead of having an even

amount of objects you have an odd amount

It is better to have an odd amount because

your focus will be drawn to the centre of the
odd objects

👈For example, the bottom thumbnail feels

less balance and doesn’t have a clear focus
point because it breaks the rule of odds

Composition
Technique Sixteen: Negative Space
Negative space is when you have a more
empty background so that the foreground is
clear

Having negative space makes the background

less distracting, therefore making the focus of
the thumbnail more understandable

This reduces processing time for the audience

to understand the thumbnail

Composition
Technique Seventeen: Branding
When MrBeast started gaining more trust with his
audience, he started adding his own branding

This can be:

-Your Face
-Your Name
-Your Logo
-Your Custom Font
-Your Unique Thumbnail Style

This makes the audience conditioned to click as

you build more trust and start to associate
MrBeast’s brand and channel with high quality
videos

It also builds a habit. When you see his branding,

you click Psychology
The Psychology of Habit forming
MrBeast uses the science of building habit forming
products which were outlined in the book Hooked.

Contextually, these steps are:

External Trigger: The algorithm recommends the video

and you click because of the idea

Action: The Viewer Clicks the video

Variable Reward: Dopamine and satisfaction

Investment: The viewer Invests more time into your

video by watching another video

Internal Trigger: The algorithm recommends the video

and you click because of the person
Psychology
 Technique Eighteen: Text for Context
When MrBeast uses text in thumbnails, it is
only to add context that is needed

For example, the thumbnail on the left uses

Context 👉 “Day #2” to show that MrBeast has been in
prison for 2 days

This increases the spectacle of the

challenge while confirming the premise of
the video

Whereas the remade thumbnail repeats

Unneeded information because you can visually see
Info 👉 he is in prison

Unneeded and too much text is one of the

biggest mistakes new creators make
Psychology
 Technique Nineteen: Color Association
MrBeast uses Colors that you associate
with certain feelings or things

For Example:

Purple is Associated With

Royalty, Luxury, and riches

Gold is Associated With Wealth,

☝ MrBeast is also wearing a suit which is
associated with rich people. This further reflects
the idea
Prestige, and expensive items
And this reflects the premise of the
video, MrBeast trying something super
expensive

Psychology
Technique Twenty: Framing
MrBeast frames himself in shapes and
objects in multiple of his thumbnails

He does this for three reasons:

-To create a clear focus

-To Direct the viewer's attention
-To satisfy the viewer

He also has tight framing so viewers can

clearly see all the elements in the thumbnail

Composition
Technique Twenty One: Emotion
Why does MrBeast use intense emotions in
his thumbnails:

1. His target audience is children, which

means more exaggerated emotions are
easier for them to interpret

2. It is a good tone indicator for the video

3. In the book contagious, products with

high emotion are more likely to go viral

These 3 key points help MrBeast’s videos

reach the broadest audience possible

Psychology
Technique Twenty Two : Mobile
Since 40.9% of watch time happens on a
mobile device, it is important to have
thumbnails that are clear on mobile

For example, the thumbnail on the left is

about the average size for a thumbnail on
mobile

Even in lower quality, it’s still very easy to

understand what is happening in the
thumbnail

In addition, it's important to test your

thumbnails on dark mode as 80% of users
use it on mobile

Composition
 Technique Twenty Three: Thumbnail Formats
MrBeast uses repeatable thumbnail formats,
then optimises them

Old 👉 For example, both thumbnails are first person

shot of a shocked person receiving money

However, the bottom one is a big improvement:

- The eyes of Franklin on the $100 bill are

covered, so you don’t get distracted by his
eyes. This is because humans are drawn to
other people’s eyes
- The lockers in the background are leading
New 👉 lines to transfer the focus form the child to
the money
- The 4 stacks of notes are more visible which
makes it clearer that there is a lot of money
being given out Composition
So What Can You Learn From Section Two?
Your thumbnails should be easy to process and understand

Your thumbnails should have contrast to create a clear focus

That clear focus should be the main selling point of the video

Create curiosity in your thumbnails so the audience is more

likely to click

Have good composition in your thumbnails that grab the

audience’s attention

Learn from previous successful thumbnails and improve on

them
 But with a bad title, fewer people will click
☝ Example of a good idea and
thumbnail without a clear title
-Having a good idea and thumbnail is the
second step to a viral video
-But without clear communication the
concept of the video in the title, less people
will click
-They are also good to help hook your
viewers and build interest
-Titles are usually rushed in the process, so
let’s zoom into some specific examples of
MrBeast’s titles
-We will break down why his title formats
work, how they hook us and why we click
Part 3: Making a Clickable Title

-Words that make you want to click

-How to frame titles to get people to

click

-Why Title Formats Work

Power Words in Titles
A power word is what marketers use to trigger
an emotional or psychological response in the
viewer

Generally, these triggers create curiosity,

emphasizes emotions, and influences your
audience to click

These power words can:

-Build Trust
-Create Urgency
-Emphasis the Extreme
-Create Curiosity
-Personalise the Content
-Create Tension
-Show Value
Power Words That Build Trust
Power words that build trust make the video idea more
believable, resulting in more clicks (as seen in slide 48)

This is seen in marketing when companies give out free

items which increase the likelihood of you engaging
with the product

Also, having a brand image of philanthropy will increase

the trustworthiness of MrBeast and increase your
marketing as others will report on your good deeds

This is not to suggest that MrBeast only donates to

charity for his brand image, but it definitely helps his
image
Power Words That Create Urgency
Creating Urgency in your titles makes people want to
click to not miss out

This is known as the Fear of Missing Out in marketing

(FOMO)

This is why Amazon gives you a discount for a limited

time, as it creates the urgency to click

In addition, urgency can make you want to be part of a

movement or part of history

For example, in the egg video, you will directly contribute

to this egg is the most liked YouTube video

This is primal thinking again, as you want to be involved

because you want to be part of a tribe.
Power Words That Emphasis the Extreme
Emphasising the extreme makes your viewer focus on
the Unique selling point of the video

It also makes us curious:

-What does Extreme Tag look like?

-What is the World’s Most Dangerous Escape Room?

Additionally, extremities make it more interesting and

unique as a YouTube video

Being the World’s best means you are the most

remarkable, meaning people want to see it more
Power Words That Create Curiosity
Like what was discussed on slides 32 and 33, this
creates a curiosity gap:

-Why could he not upload these videos?

-What shouldn’t be sold on Amazon?

These types of titles double down on the curiosity loop

as it emphasises the information you want to know

Basically, you want to click the video to have your

internal question answered
Power Words That Personalise the Content
Having these videos use the word you directly calls out
to the viewer

This makes them start questioning:

-Would I actually sit in snakes for 10k?

-Would could I fit in the circle?

This makes you want to see what actually happens in the

video, does the person choose a different option?

It also makes us feel special and involved with the video

which gives the viewer additional value
Power Words That Create Tension
Both video titles create tension, they do this in two
different ways:

1. A challenge that creates competition

a. This creates tension as you want to know who
will win the video and the cash prize

2. A challenge with a time limit

a. Tension can be artificially made by having a
time limit, a stake, and uncertainty.

This is why action movies will have a bomb with a timer, it

makes you think:

-When will it blow up?

-Will it Explode?
-Will they save the day?
Power Words That Show Value
MrBeast uses the amount of money he spends on the
video to show that his videos are:

-High Quality
-High Value
-And High Satisfaction

Similarly to slide 35, he matches the expectations of the

thumbnail and title

This is another hook point for the audience to click

Additionally, it is a risky strategy that makes it hard to

replicate. This means MrBeast can create his own niche
with very little competition
Psychology in Titles
MrBeast also uses cognitive biases and human
psychology in his titles to make you want to click

Cognitive biases sound very complex but are

very easy to understand when you start to break
them down

Let’s use some MrBeast titles again to show as an

example

And show how in traditional marketing they are

used
FOMO
Fear of missing out was mentioned on slide 65,
but it’s important to dive deeper into it

Your title should present the idea in a way that if

a viewer scrolls to the next video, they would feel
like they are missing out on a great video

Psychologically, people are willing to take more

risks if it avoids a loss

Meaning, people are more likely to take a chance

clicking on your video if they could lose
something rather than gain

For example, MrBeast squid game was a viral

phenomenon and many people wanted to see
what it was like. Not clicking would miss out on
what people call ‘MrBeast’s best video’
Cognitive Load
Cognitive Load is the theory that our working memory
can only hold a limited amount of information at any
one time

Basically, if you put too much information in the title,

people will be confused and it’s harder to understand
the premise

This means, your titles should be at max 1-2 pieces of

information

For example, the concept of this video is that if you

press this button, you will get random punishment until
when someone presses the button they win $100,000

This is too complicated to explain in a title, so you use

the most interesting hook of the video
Progressive Disclosure
Progressive Disclosure is when more complex
information is withheld until later

Even though most talk about progressive disclosure in

terms of simplifying information so the viewer can
focus on the Unique Selling Point of the video, you can
also use it in a more interesting way

Combining the curiosity gap with progressive

disclosure makes us question how they did something,
which makes us more curious

For example, when MrBeast was buried alive it makes

us curious about how he was able to do this feat:

-How did he sleep? -How did he survive? -How did he

go to the toilet?
The Halo Effect (Branding Wise)
The Halo effect is the cognitive bias that when
someone does an impressive feat, we are more
susceptible to liking them

In YouTube terms, this can create a faster connection

with the viewer, making them a super fan in a shorter
amount of time

This is important as a superfan is more likely to:

-Spread your channel through word of mouth

-Watch and click your videos more often
-Buy your products
Authority Bias
The Authority Bias is when you are more influenced by
a figure that has credibility in the niche

This makes MrBeast’s content in the long run more

trustworthy as you are associated with another notable
figure on YouTube

For example, when MrBeast was less well known he

used notable names and then used a stat that makes
the video trustworthy

This is why MrBeast commonly adds stats in the titles

because it makes the video seem more believable

Also, as MrBeast started gaining more trust on

YouTube, his title and thumbnail format became the
authority, as well as his logo and face
Contrast Effect
The contrast effect is when you pair two opposite
words to create curiosity

What makes it interesting is that you twist the idea, and

contradict the norms you think would exist

This makes a topic very remarkable as you wouldn’t

expect it to happen

The contrast effect can also be used in a competition

For example, “Boys vs Girls” and “Kids vs Adults”

☝ These are common debates among children, which

feels like it settles the debate as there is now a
definitive answer
Reward Super-Response Tendency
This sounds complicated but is very simple.

This is when you give an incentive to complete

a task.

In YouTube terms, it’s to give an incentive for

the viewer to click on a video

This can be monetary like a lot of MrBeast

videos, but the best angle is emotions:

-” Minecraft’s Morph Mod Is Very Funny” < The

value is that the video will make you laugh
 Doubt-Avoidance Tendency
This bias is when you’re under stress and you are more
likely to make faster decisions

This is important because after thinking for about 1-2

seconds, your mind can talk yourself out of making the
decision to click on a video

Therefore, the longer people don’t click, the less likely

they will click

It is important for your viewer to impulsivity click on your

video, hence most thumbnail techniques are about
Time

decreasing the time someone can process your thumbnail

Having a good idea and packing puts stress on the viewer,

increasing the likelihood of an impulsive decision
Likelihood to Click
Envy-Jealousy Tendency
This is the theory that most entertainment comes from the
fact that we feel Envy or Jealous of someone's position.

However, it’s not an resentment towards that person, more

that you would want to be that person at that moment

The feeling is of annoyance when you watch a game show,

the contestant makes a mistake you wouldn’t

In that annoyance, you don’t become disinterested, it

actually rehooks you and makes you more engaged

When combined with greed (EG: the money prize in

MrBeast’s videos), envy and jealousy can cloud your
judgement, making you want to see the people in the video
you are subconsciously jealous of and click
Word association
Depending on the word you use, the audience
can derive different associations with it, even
if the definition is the same

What this means is that even with the same

thumbnail, one change can change the appeal
of the video

👈 Saying you got hunted by the FBI makes it

more interesting as the associations with:

-Prey and Predators

-Danger
-It also sounds like a manhunt, which fits the
theme of the video better
 Why Does MrBeast Use Title Formats?
MrBeast uses 7 title formats in his videos

He does this for 3 reasons:

Extreme/
I Survived
World’s First
-Algorithmically, the videos with similar titles will be
suggested from each other. This will increase the
session time from one viewer

-Having a similar format is more bingeable as a

Would You Do This, Win This viewer, as viewers will consume similar content

-It is easier for MrBeast to create new ideas, double

down on his successful videos and expand his
library of content

VS $ Event Last To This is what’s known as making buckets on your

channel, as well as having a variety of content for
the viewers
 Why is the “I Survived” Title Format so Successful?

The I survived title format is successful

because:

-The verb gives an excitement to the title

-It is in past tense building trust as it has
already been done
-Using I mean the focus is more on the latter
of the title, which means the spectacle is the
focus of the sentence

Most of these titles use “I survive” which

makes it a life or death stake

☝ I Survived is basically any video that This taps into primal feelings
starts with “I [Past Tense Verb]”
 Why is “I Survived” Title Format so Successful?
Charles Weill found that YouTube Titles
get more views in browse and
suggested that they are shorter than
53 characters. This is because the title
gets cut off at 54 characters!

You can see that MrBeast’s most

recent 25 videos are all under this
threshold, with an average of 34.32
characters

There is no 100% set optimal title

☝ Line in Blue is the average length length, but having it too long on
average results in fewer clicks
So What Can You Learn From Section Three?
Use Power Words to trigger emotions in your audience so that
they click more

Understanding human psychology can get people to click on

your videos more

Curiosity and FOMO are the biggest reasons people click

Don’t overload people’s processing with too much

information

Title formats can algorithmically and psychologically increase

clicks

Have your titles under 53 characters

 But if people don’t watch, you won’t get views
-Having good retention on your videos is the
third step for a viral video

-There are 4 main parts of retention:

1. The format / Skeleton

2. The Intro
3. Storytelling
☝ Example of a good idea and 4. The Payoff
packaging with bad watch time
So let’s break down some of MrBeast’s most
viewed videos

And find out why certain retention patterns

exist on his channel
Part 4: Holding Viewers’ Attention

-Intro Script Format

-Breakdown of the Intro of

MrBeast Squid Game

-How to use Storytelling

 Intro Script Breakdown
Every MrBeast intro contains 3 key elements in
the script:

- Premise > What is the goal of the video

- Stakes > What is on the line?

- Twist > How is it unique?

“Everyday He Survives In This This format clearly and concisely communicates

the value of the video in under 10 seconds
Room, I Give Him $10,000”
But, each of these components has a specific
reason for its usage in the intro
 Why The Premise is Important
The Premise is you clearly saying the goal of the video and
the value of watching to the end
You Should invest your time
because I recreated every This makes it clear that there is a dopamine hit at the end
of the video
single set from ‘Squid Game’
This will incentivise people to watch to the end by
rewarding them, exchanging their time for dopamine

As mentioned in slide 54, this will create habits of

watching MrBeast

Basically, this is the pitch to your viewers why they should

invest their time into your video, instead of anyone else’s

Furthermore, because they are investing their time, keep it

as concise as possible to not waste it
 The Premise also Confirms the Click
☝ Confirms the Click
Does Not Confirm the Click👇
Confirming the click is when you show the
audience that your video packaging wasn’t
clickbait
It is also important as most YouTube viewers
would have been hit with 12 seconds of ads, so
it reminds them of what they are watching
This stops people from leaving the video,
reducing the drop at the start of the video as
much as possible
These dips show the difference
between confirming and not confirming
the click
 Why Stakes are Important
Stakes is what is on the line for someone in the
video
And If you win, you win
For example, in MrBeast videos a lot of money is
$500,000! on the line

People naturally want to see the conclusion to a

conflict, so will watch more

Stakes create tension in a video and

psychologically get more invested in the story

When viewers become invested in a story, they

become absorbed in the content and will watch
longer
The Three Types of Stakes

Most Stakes fall into three categories:

1. Gain > if you win the challenge you gain

something

2. Tribal > if you win or lose, you will feel a

positive or negative emotion

3. Time > you have a certain amount of time to

do an objective

You can also double or triple up on stakes

For example, the video on the left combines all

three. Gain ($500,000), Tribal (Competition), and
time (Last To Leave)
 Why Twist is Important

The Twist is what makes the video unique, and is

a hook that is unique to just your channel
No other creator will spend
millions of dollars on
In the book Tribes by Seth Godin, he says
production
“Innovation builds a tribe”

In YouTube terms, being different builds an

audience

This is because when your content is unique, your

audience can only find those videos on your
channel
 And MrBeast Has Used this Format for Years
“Everyday He Survives In This Room, I Newer
“I Built The World’s Most Dangerous
Give Him $10,000” Escape Room and if this contestant can
finish it in one hour, He Wins $100,000”
Apr 9, 2022 - 37M - 4s Jan 29, 2022 - 83M - 6s

“That Helicopter is carrying a military “I Grabbed 50 random people and a

squad. It’s going to land, right over brand new Lamborghini. Everyone put
there. If that squad hunts before the your Right Hand on the Lamborghini.
end of the day, they win $100,000” Whoever Takes their hand off first, wins
Dec 10, 2021 - 64M - 8s
Oct 23, 2021 - 72M - 12s it”
“I Put 100 people inside of a giant I tied up a FBI agent, and if he steals this
circle and whoever leaves the circle $100,000 from me before midnight, he
last, wins $500,000, but if you touch keeps it.
the red line, it’s game over”
Aug 31, 2021 - 133M - 10s Aug 8, 2021 - 86M - 5s

This is a giant $100,000 diamond, and

This is a Real prison, and me and the protecting it is the most advanced
boys are going to try and survive 50 security system in the world. And these
hours locked up here. guys are each gonna be trying to steal
Jun 26, 2021 - 99M - 5s Nov 28, 2020 - 86M - 9s
the diamond.

Premise Stakes Twist Older

 He Also Over Delivers,
Overdelivering is when you go above
and beyond for the viewer in the intro
so that they become hooked

And you should overdeliver in the video

This gives the audience a dopamine

hit, which builds the association of
happiness/satisfaction with your
Shot #1 Shot #2 Shot #3
content

And dopamine builds the association

of the release of Serotonin with your
videos, making your audience want to
☝ This is ☝ But you ☝ And this watch more videos
what you click also get this
for
 Integrates his intros,
👈Watch this example, and see how MrBeast
seamlessly goes from intro to red light green light

He does this as viewers are likely to leave between

sections, which is called segmentation loss.

The points at which the viewers leave are called exit

points as many viewers exit the video

This is when viewers will likely leave the video,

resulting in a sharp drop in the retention graph

What an exit Therefore to stop this, you create a seamless

point looks like transition and re-hook the audience

In this example, MrBeast re-hooks you by eliminating

a contestant by simulating them being shot
Foreshadows what’s to come,
MrBeast previews what's to come in the video
to keep you watching for those moments

He foreshadows these future events, which

insentivies you to watch

Sometimes, he doesn’t do it in the intro as

there would be too much context, but would
usually happen between segments to re-hook
the audience

Foreshadowing is the most used retention

technique because it is very effective
And Uses a Spectacle Hook
MrBeast hooks the viewer with a camera shot
of a massive spectacle

This could be a drone shot, a large object, or

anything extreme

He also uses a film technique called “In Medias

Res” which means in action

This technique starts the footage in an

extreme situation so it’s impossible to leave
before the conflict is resolved

Basically, starting in the middle of the story

Case Study: The First 34s of Squid Game
To show the attention to detail in MrBeast
intros, I’m going to breakdown some
retention techniques that were used in just
the first 34 seconds of his most popular
video

👈Watch the intro to get a feel for the video

The way you know if videos are edited well,

you should be able to listen to just the video
and understand what is going on.

As well as understanding it on mute

Technique 1: Luminosity Contrast in Scenes
0:00-0:01 = Light Scene
0:01-0:02 = Dark Scene
0:02-0:03 = Light Scene
0:03-0:04 = Dark Scene
0:04-0:05 = Light Scene

The dark and light scenes build contrast which

focuses your attention on these scenes

MrBeast does this so that he can show you the

insane sets he has made which:

-Serves as a hook
-Foreshadows the content in the video
-Shows the viewer he has made all the squid
game sets which reinforces the premise
-It’s satisfying and has variation
 Technique 2: Varying Pacing Speed
When MrBeast has a high intensity moment, he
increases the video’s pacing to reflect the
tension

Video pacing is just the rhythm of the editing,

similar to the BPM of music

☝ Fast Pace Alternatively, when MrBeast is explaining

information the video pacing slows down
Slow Pace👇
It is important to give the audience time to
process new information or you will overload
their working memory

When you overload viewers working memory, it

results in confusion becoming an exit point for
the viewer
Technique 3: Drawing Focus
Before an important moment in the story,
MrBeast’s editing will clearly draw your focus to an
impactful section of the story

This helps the rules feel more clear, as they are

demonstrated

Confusion in a video is one of the most harmful

things to retention

This is because a confused viewer will stop being

absorbed in the content and click off the video
Technique 4: Giving Context
Whenever MrBeast says something, he gives visual
context to what he’s saying

This makes giving context to the audience more

fun and more easy to understand

It is important to show the viewers instead of just

telling them the context

This makes it easy to follow the information and

can give context in a variety of ways
Technique 5: Tension
Tension is a storytelling technique that naturally
increases retention

To build tension, MrBeast outlines the money, then

eliminates someone

Within 17 seconds of the video, someone has been

eliminated resulting in losing $456,000, which
amplifies the stakes, thus increasing tension

MrBeast also uses a cinematic riser before

eliminating people and uses music that builds
towards their elimination

This builds tension, then releases it in quick bursts,

which then results in dopamine
Technique 6: Transitions
MrBeast uses a lot of transitions, but they have
more uses than just looking fancy

MrBeast uses these transitions to refocus your

attention on where he will be in the next shot

This means the pacing of the video is smoother as

you don’t need to scan the video to try and find Mr
Beast

This creates a very easy watching experience that

makes the viewer absorbed in the content,
becoming a passive viewer

A passive viewer is more absorbed in the content,

meaning they watch longer
Technique 7: Sound Effects
MrBeast uses sounds effects to:

-Emphasise movements
-Reflect payoffs
-Reflect building tension

These are subconscious bits of sound design that

make us more engaged in the content

This is because they have become immersed in the

story as it feels more realistic with these added
sound effects
Technique 8: Pattern Interrupts
MrBeast uses patterns of three in his editing,
which makes the content more satisfying

For example, the first seven shots are cut after 1

second of being played, creating a nicer viewing
pattern

MrBeast then breaks this pattern by cutting after 2

seconds instead of 1

Breaking patterns are used to emphasize a certain

moment EG: when MrBeast talked about the cash
prize of the video

It takes 3 sequenced shots to create a pattern in

the editing, and once broken, it re-engages the
audience
Technique 9: Sandwich Context
MrBeast sandwiches his context with reactions which gives
the audience a mental break from the context of the video

0:00-0:09 > Explains Premise of the Video

0:09-0:10 > Reaction to the money
0:11-0:18> Explains the first challenge
0:18-0:25 > The first person gets eliminated
0:25-0:30 > Explains what happens when you get eliminated
0:30-0:32 > Let Chris have the spotlight
0:32-0:34> Someone gets eliminated
0:34-0:35 > Reaction

Context
Breathing Room

Audience’s hate context but it’s needed. So hiding it with

high energy and fun scenes is the best way
Technique 10: J & L Cuts
J and L cuts is an editing technique where the
audio and visuals are cut at different times

They are the best way to make the video feel

smoother through visual continuity

This is one of the easiest and most commonly used

audio techniques in editing

If you don’t know what J and L cuts are, click the

video in the bottom left for a clear-cut example
Technique 10: Progression Counters
By keeping track of exactly how many players are
eliminated, it creates a feeling of progression in the
video

Feeling that a video is progressing makes viewers

watch more because they are engaged more in the
content

It also reminds them that there is a pay-off at the

end of the video

For example, they want to see who will be left at

the end of the video and win the money
 Technique 11: Book Ending
Bookending is where the start and the end of a
sequence is a similar scene

This is done for three reasons:

-It’s satisfying
-It creates a clear distinction between the
future and the past
-The first shot establishes the scene

This technique can also be done with the start

and the end of the video being similar

☝ First Shot ☝ Last Shot of Intro

 Technique 12: A & B Roll
A roll = Main action of the scene
B roll = Is footage that creates a sense of time,
place, variety, and/or adds layers of meaning to the
story

For example, A roll is the shots of MrBeast, B roll is

cinematics

B roll in this intro establishes:

0:01 > B Roll Showing space (establishing shot)

0:05 > B Roll Time & Re-establishing
0:06-0:08 > A Roll
0:09-0:13 > B Roll Showing cinematic of the crowd
0:13-0:17 > B Roll Showing the rules
0:17-0:18 > A Roll
☝ Clear Example
MrBeast Uses Storytelling Techniques
Using Storytelling naturally increases your
retention

MrBeast uses Storytelling:

-Formats
-Structures
-Fundamentals

Let’s breakdown these techniques with

examples
Fichten Curve
The Fichten Curve is a storytelling structure
that most MrBeast videos follow:

The first scene is action filled to grab attention

The tension gets progressively bigger

throughout the video

There are mini-crises that must be overcome

A climax / payoff at the end

The resolution is MrBeast giving away the

money

This structure is super engaging because

tension is exciting
Jenga Stakes
As the video progresses, the stakes increase, which
makes tension increase throughout the video

Similar to a game of Jenga, the longer the game

lasts, the tenser the game becomes

For example, in MrBeast videos, the longer people

last, the more they have to lose as they have spent
hours for the cash prize

They also become more tired, making them

susceptible to losing, which increases the tension
 The Formula for Tension

Time Bound Stake Uncertainty Tension

Movies use this Formula to create Tension.

MrBeast does the exact same with a time bound challenge, money on the line, and a
competition which makes you think: “Who will win?
 A and B Story
Having an A and B story is a common
storytelling technique

A Story = Main Plot

B Story = Subplot

In videos, having an A and B story means that

it’s another reason to keep watching to the end

In MrBeast videos, he usually has a challenge for

his A Story and zooms into certain characters
for his B story

However, unlike traditional media, he cuts

☝ Traditional Storytelling Structure between the A and B story, whereas traditional
does the A story as the beginning, B story as the
middle and back to the A story at the End
So What Can You Learn From Section Four?
Script your intros concisely with your Premise, a Twist and
something at Stake

Over Deliver and use a spectacle to hook your audience

Focus on how the editing affects the story

Use Storytelling structures to make your video formatted

and engaging

Use Storytelling fundamentals to naturally engage the

viewer

Retention should be looked at in terms of a story, and not a

way to manipulate your viewers into watching more
Part Five: Creating a Recognisable Brand

-Using Marketing books to make strong

Branding

-How MrBeast gets you to remember him

-How MrBeast gets no pushback from

MrBeastification
Superfans
MrBeast uses techniques outlined in the book
Superfans to create die-hard fans

One of the most obvious examples is how

MrBeast shows the behind the scenes of his
videos and discusses video production stories
on podcasts

He also gets his fans involved in the videos, by

letting subscribers and merch buyers compete
in challenges

And makes community events like his opening of

MrBeast burger
Tribes
MrBeast’s idea of “just make good videos” makes
the viewers attracted to MrBeast, and build a
tribe around his content

Tribes are formed around an individual that

wants to feel like they belong

Having a discord community helps these

viewers connect over similar interests and
become bigger fans

MrBeast is also known as a “Partisan”, someone

that challenges norms.

MrBeast constantly changed the norms of

YouTube
Primal Branding
Primal Branding is a book on how there are 7 elements
to great branding:

Creation Story: MrBeast talks about his start on

YouTube

Creed: “Quality > Quantity” “Just make good videos”

Icon: Red Circle, Squid Game, Money

Rituals: MrBeast makes you watch longer

Sacred words: $500,000

Nonbelievers: MrBeastification

The leader: MrBeast

Off-Platform Touch Points
MrBeast has many ways to get you to think
about his brand on the internet:

-Tiktok
-YouTube / YouTube Shorts
-Twitter
-Instagram

Off platform:

-Feastables
-MrBeast Burger
-Merch
-Traditional Media

And in other YouTubers’ videos (collabs and

videos on MrBeast)
Brand Associations
MrBeast uses Brand Triggers (outlined in the
book Contagious) to remind viewers of him

For example, when you think of a lot of

money, you think of MrBeast

When someone does a crazy challenge, you

think of MrBeast

When you think of massive Philanthropy, you

think of MrBeast

When you think of Squid Game, you think of

MrBeast

This keeps MrBeast’s branding strong

How Strong Branding Gets over MrBeastification
It’s because of MrBeast’s super strong branding
that he is able to make videos that optimise out
his personality

Good Branding is if you were to explain a

YouTuber to your parent, you are able to without
just describing their format

MrBeast is the crazy YouTuber who gives away too

much money

Whereas, the MrBeast copiers will just be

described by just the content they do

In addition, he has a massive backlog of videos

that show his personality
So What Can You Learn From Section Five?
If you copy Mr Beast, you will never be as big as Mr Beast

Strong branding builds a loyal audience that will last years

Use marketing books to understand how to build a strong

tribe

Try and refresh your audience about you through different

mediums

The best YouTube advice usually isn’t about YouTube, it’s

hidden in marketing books and other pieces of media
In conclusion, Mr Beast’s checklist for success is:
Idea:
-Remarkable ✅
-Broad ✅
-Primal ✅
Idea Packaging:
-Clear / Simplistic ✅
Packaging
-Contrast ✅
Retention -Less time processing ✅
-Focus on Psychology ✅
Satisfaction
Retention:
Wanting More -Tell your stories better ✅
-It’s not about being fast, it’s about being concise ✅
-Editing is a tool to tell a story better, not just add effects ✅

Satisfaction + Wanting More:

-Create a strong brand associated with these ✅
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