The Think Media Podcast – Episode 471: “YouTube Views Are Crashing… Do This Now”

Date: December 16, 2025
Host: Sean Cannell (and co-host Nathan S. Wine)
Main Theme: How creators can thrive—even as YouTube views decrease—through mindset shifts, systems, audience ownership, diversified income, and multi-platform strategies.

Episode Overview

In this value-packed episode, Sean Cannell and the Think Media team address a current reality for online creators: YouTube views are down across the board. Rather than panicking, they present five essential strategic shifts for sustainable YouTube and creator business growth in 2026 and beyond. The discussion blends hands-on creator advice, real-world examples, and motivational mindset reframes to help creators not just survive, but thrive, despite changing algorithms and audience behavior.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Views Are Down, But Income Can Still Be Up

Timestamp: 01:33–08:56

• Shift in Mindset:
  Don’t equate lower views with less income; sustainable revenue is possible from smaller, more loyal audiences.
  • “You don't need the biggest audience possible. You need the right audience possible for you. And if your views are down, your income can still be up.” – Sean Cannell (01:33)
• The “pandemic view boom” is over, but opportunities persist if you focus on turning views into trust, leads, and revenue.
• Examples:
  • Creators with large past viewerships (100,000+ per video) are now seeing 10,000, yet still maintain significant influence and income.
  • Relatable analogy: a local church or music gig with 80–120 people can sustain a vibrant community, just as a channel can with smaller view counts.
• Frameworks Referenced:
  • Seth Godin’s Long Tail – Niche audiences can sustain a creator business.
  • Kevin Kelly’s 1,000 True Fans – Sustainable growth comes from the depth of relationship, not volume.
• Practical Takeaway:
  • Focus on the quality of your audience and how you serve them, not chasing viral spikes or volume for its own sake.
• Memorable Quote:
  • “Depth beats width and a smaller loyal audience can drive more business growth than viral spikes ever could.” – Sean Cannell (02:15)
• Entrepreneurial Reframe:
  Creators must think like entrepreneurs—considering products, services, or unique offers beyond AdSense to monetize their audiences in new ways.

2. Scattered Effort No Longer Scales; Only Systems Do

Timestamp: 10:47–16:37

• Sustainability through Systems:
  Hustle leads to burnout; systems make growth sustainable.
  • “You don't rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems.” – Quoting James Clear, Sean Cannell (11:04)
• Behind-the-Scenes Example:
  Think Media batches podcast episodes, plans content meticulously, and even systemizes recovery after intense production days.
• Relatable Creator Story:
  A car YouTuber found making news/reaction videos more sustainable and scalable compared to high-cost, high-effort modifications and productions.
• Key Lesson:
  Consistent, repeatable formats drive reliable growth. Don’t treat YouTube like a slot machine; build with intention.
• Call to Action:
  "This is reinvention time. Level up, adapt, pivot, and develop a new skillset for a new season." – Sean Cannell (15:25)

3. Owning Your Audience is Non-Negotiable

Timestamp: 22:28–28:46

• Email Lists & Direct Community:
  Build direct communication channels (email, SMS, private groups) to insulate your business from platform changes.
  • “Owning a direct line, that's your unfair advantage in a world where algorithms change and attention shifts.” – Sean Cannell (22:47)
• Levels of Email Ownership:
  1. Just signed up for an email service provider.
  2. Ineffective, sporadic newsletter sending.
  3. Consistent weekly emails, but no clear strategy.
  4. Strategic, value-driven, regularly-tended email list—top creator/business move.
• Stat Highlight:
  Email marketing remains highly profitable; for every $1 spent, creators see $36–$42 in return (26:05).
• Practical Example:
  Guest Jackie Bernardi uses her newsletter effectively to drive video views, boosting her launch traction (“this mom got monetized in 28 days”).

4. One Income Stream is a Recipe for Collapse

Timestamp: 28:46–34:42

• Diversification Case Study:
  Even major creators like Mr. Beast, who reportedly lost over $100 million on production in 2024, survived and thrived due to diversified revenue streams (chocolate bars, burgers, toys).
  • “Fragile creators depend on one income stream, and antifragile creators diversify.” – Sean Cannell (28:46)
• Think Bigger, Start Small:
  • New creators should focus first on a sustainable core, but always look to add revenue streams when capacity grows.
  • Use early YouTube income to fund further growth, like covering software subscriptions, rather than aiming for instant replacement income.
• Actionable Mindset:
  • “Maybe stay at your job longer than you thought you should because you're building systems and you're reinvesting the money that YouTube is making you.” – Sean Cannell (33:44)

5. Multi-Platform is the New Insurance Policy

Timestamp: 35:25–41:26

• Don’t Go All-in Everywhere at Once:
  Start with one core platform and format—especially as a beginner—but plan to expand intelligently as your team and systems mature.
  • “Expanding smartly across multiple platforms is the new insurance policy. It widens reach, it protects against algorithm shocks, it future proofs your brand, it makes you more valuable.” – Sean Cannell (36:39)
• Practical Multi-Platform Formats:
  Video podcasting recommended—content can be distributed across YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.
• AI as a Team Member:
  Leveraging AI tools and agents can make multi-platform distribution and content creation more accessible and scalable.
• Caution Against Premature Expansion:
  “Going multi-platform without excellence just creates mediocre noise… Let’s not just export a pile of poop everywhere.” – Sean Cannell (40:44)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Mindset Shifts:
  "If you depend on one income stream, you're one algorithm change away from disaster." – Sean Cannell (01:33)
• Relating Small Audiences to Pastoral/Performance Roles:
  "The average church size in America is 80 people. And you think about the influence… You're pastoring 80 people." – Sean Cannell (03:53)
• On Being Coachable:
  “Over 50% of people listening to this podcast, you’re not coachable. And that’s why you’re gonna lose…what I want you to do is make my old content format and my old level of thinking work. That’s right. And it’s like, you can’t.” – Sean Cannell (16:37)
• On Opportunities Amidst Change:
  "A growth mindset sees opportunities in every problem." – Sean Cannell (21:50)
• Growth and Excellence Over Mere Expansion:
  "When do you expand? When you can expand with excellence… Going multi-platform without excellence just creates mediocre noise." – Sean Cannell (41:14)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:33] – The reality: Creator views are down. How to reframe your approach.
• [03:53] – Relatable analogy: Small but mighty audiences (church and music gigs).
• [10:47] – The importance of systems, not hustle, for long-term consistency.
• [14:25] – Creator case study: Changing format to scale content efficiently.
• [22:47] – Why owning your audience (email) beats sole reliance on platforms.
• [28:46] – Mr. Beast’s secret: Surviving massive losses with diversified revenue.
• [33:44] – Actionable advice: Build, reinvest, aim bigger.
• [36:39] – Thoughtful multi-platform expansion as an “insurance policy.”
• [40:44] – Quote on not exporting low-quality content to multiple platforms.
• [41:26] – Encouragement to embrace the process, not instant mastery.

Summary & Takeaways

This episode is an essential listen for YouTube creators and online business owners facing dropping view counts and increased competition. With actionable shifts—mental, strategic, and technical—Sean and the Think Media team move listeners away from stress toward resilience and growth. The core message: creators must adapt, think entrepreneurially, and step up both systems and mindset for the creator economy of 2026.

Action Steps for Creators:

• Focus on serving your current audience deeply, not just chasing bigger numbers.
• Install systems to make content production and growth sustainable.
• Own your audience through email, not just social and platform followers.
• Strategically add new sources of income as capacity allows.
• Expand to new platforms only when you can do so with excellence.

Final Encouragement:
“YouTube is both a skill set and it’s a long game. You don’t have to master everything overnight…think about, okay, where do you need to hunker down on? Pick a few. Start there.” – Nathan S. Wine (41:26)

Recommended Further Listening:

• Parts one and two of this “five shifts” series (linked in show notes)
• “This Mom Got Monetized in 28 Days” with Jackie Bernardi

Stay Connected:
Think Media Podcast releases weekly episodes to help you navigate the rapidly-changing creator landscape.