Outscal: Scaling to 100M+ Views
Problem Statement
Outscal, an early-stage EdTech startup, required rapid organic traction to establish its market presence. To address this, I initially distributed engaging game development narratives across multiple platforms: LinkedIn, Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Discord, while closely observing audience engagement patterns. Among these, YouTube Shorts consistently demonstrated superior performance in terms of discovery velocity, audience retention, and the clarity of analytic feedback loops. Recognizing this advantage, I subsequently adopted a product-oriented approach to the channel, emphasizing iterative cycles of experimentation, measurement, and refinement.
A slice of the Shorts wall that consistently found new audiences.
What I Built
- A repeatable Shorts engine: hooks library, script templates, pacing rules, caption presets, and a thumbnail system.
- An AI‑assisted pipeline: ideation prompts, auto‑cut helpers, and QC checklists to move from idea → edit → publish quickly.
- An experiment log: topic × hook × format matrix; tracked watch time, CTR, AVD, and retention inflection points.
- Cross‑platform lift: mirrored learnings to LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Discord to keep the brand present where the audience hangs out.
Method
Find the Signal
Rapid multi‑platform testing to identify the fastest discovery + strongest retention combo. Shorts won; everything else became support.
Productize the Process
Turn intuition into checklists and templates. Keep the voice human, the edits tight, and the first 3 seconds undeniable.
Experiment Relentlessly
Hooks, topics, thumbnails, length, pacing, posting windows. Small changes, clean reads, quick roll‑backs when they missed.
Close the Loop
Tie content back to outcomes: views → session starts → signups. Keep what moves users to the platform; shelve what doesn’t.
Results
- Substantial Subscriber Growth: 0 → 50,000+ YouTube subscribers.
- Massive Viewership: 100M+ total views, with Shorts leading discovery.
- Platform Traffic: 30,000+ unique users driven to Outscal’s platform.
- High Engagement: peak 7.2% CTR on top‑performing content.