Validating Video Ideas

Before investing hours in creating a video, use data to validate that your idea has real audience demand. Here's how to use Subscribr's Intel to make confident decisions.

Validating Individual Video Ideas

Use Outlier Scores as Validation

Search for videos related to your topic in Intel and check their outlier scores:

• Strong potential (>5x) - Multiple videos with high outlier scores validate strong viewer interest
• Good potential (2-5x) - Some successful videos indicate a viable topic
• Questionable potential (<1.5x) - Most videos underperforming suggests weak demand

Assess the Competition

Evaluate the competitive landscape:

1. Search for your topic in Intel
2. Count how many videos exist on this exact angle
3. Check their performance - Are any outliers, or do they all underperform?
4. Look for gaps - What questions aren't being answered well?

Validation Checklist

Before committing to a video idea, ask:

1. Has this exact topic generated outlier videos recently?
2. Do similar videos consistently perform well?
3. Does my angle offer something different from existing content?
4. Can I improve on the format of successful videos?
5. Would my specific audience want this?

When to Proceed or Pivot

Proceed when you find:

• Multiple videos with high outlier scores on your topic
• Clear patterns you can adopt and improve upon
• Specific angles that aren't overdone
• Evidence of strong viewer interest

Pivot when you see:

• Few or no outlier videos on your topic
• Consistently low view counts across similar videos
• Highly saturated coverage with no clear way to stand out
• Negative sentiment in comments about similar content

Validating Channel and Niche Ideas

Starting a new channel? Validate your niche before committing time and effort:

Check Growth Potential

1. Search for channels in your intended niche using Intel

2. Look for velocity scores:

   • Strong potential - Multiple channels with velocity >2x
   • Moderate potential - A few channels with velocity >1.5x
   • Questionable - Most channels with velocity <1x

3. Filter by creation date to find new channels:

   • Search: [your niche] channels created past 6 months
   • Several new channels with good velocity = growing niche

Study What's Working

For 3-5 successful channels in your target niche, analyze:

• Subscriber count and growth rate
• Views/Sub ratio (high = strong audience interest)
• Content categories and formats
• What content performs best for them

Find Your Unique Angle

Look for opportunities others are missing:

• Topics that are overdone vs. underserved
• Sub-audiences being ignored
• Format gaps (everyone doing long-form when short-form might work)
• Content style gaps (all serious when humor might stand out)

Create a Concept Scorecard

Rate your channel idea on these factors (1-10 each):

A strong channel concept should score at least 40 out of 70.

Next Steps

Once you've validated your ideas:

• Finding Your Next Video Ideas
• Building an Idea Pipeline