Steven He shares the story of how a major project caused his YouTube channel to drop by over 80%, the lessons he learned about audience expectations, and how he now approaches content creation with small, strategic pivots to maintain his brand identity while exploring new ideas.
Steven He, a popular content creator known for his Asian dad sketches, experienced a significant setback when a major project he invested two years and a substantial amount of money into caused his YouTube channel to drop by over 80%. This experience became a pivotal lesson in his career, reshaping his approach to content creation and business strategy.
Steven describes this as possibly the single biggest lesson he has learned in content creation. The project was a show that he had poured two years of work and a lot of personal money into. Despite his confidence and the scale of the production, the show did not perform well. In fact, it not only failed to meet expectations but also dragged down the performance of his entire channel.
He explains that before this project, his channel was on a huge run, with his Asian dad sketches consistently hitting over 10 million views per long-form upload. This momentum gave him the confidence to aim big and invest heavily in a new project, expecting it to become huge.
The show was different from his usual content. Instead of the familiar three-minute comedy sketches featuring his favorite characters and punchlines, it was a 12-minute scripted narrative with different characters and a different comedic style. This new format was untested and unfamiliar to his audience.
After the upload, the show performed at only about 10% of the views his regular uploads received. More alarmingly, it caused the entire channel’s performance to drop to about 20% of its previous levels. This was a disaster not just for the project but for the whole company.
Steven spent six months studying why the project failed. He consulted other YouTubers, his audience, and professionals to gain insight. The key realization was that his audience subscribed for the specific type of content he was known for — the short, three-minute Stevy comedy sketches. By delivering a completely different product, he lost the connection with his core audience.
He uses a metaphor to illustrate this: Imagine Apple, known for its iPhones, suddenly selling avocado toast instead. The loyal customers who lined up for the iPhone would be confused and uninterested in the new product, leading to a drop in sales. Similarly, Steven’s audience expected his usual content, not a new format.
Despite the setback, Steven does not regret the experience. He views the failure as an essential part of his growth and identity as a creator. However, he has adjusted his approach to branching out into new content.
Instead of making drastic changes, Steven now believes in making 10% pivots — small, incremental changes that still retain the core elements of his brand and content style. This approach is inspired by lessons from major companies like Microsoft and Apple, which have learned to innovate gradually rather than making abrupt shifts that alienate their customers.
For example, if he wants to explore longer episodes or new themes, he will add about 10% new elements while keeping the essence of what his audience loves. This method allows for experimentation without risking the entire channel’s performance.
Steven He’s experience highlights the importance of understanding your audience and the risks of drastic changes in content creation. His story serves as a valuable lesson for creators who want to innovate while maintaining their brand identity. By embracing failure and learning from it, Steven has developed a more sustainable and strategic approach to growing his channel and exploring new creative directions.
His journey underscores that success in content creation is not just about big leaps but also about thoughtful, incremental progress that respects the expectations and loyalty of your audience.
