Case · Media & content
A YouTube network of 5 kids’ channels with 2M+ subscribers
What started as a three-person start-up became a network of five children’s channels with 2M+ subscribers combined and more than 800M views – fully organic, with no paid reach.
- Role
- Founder & lead
- Period
- 2016–2018
- Scope
- 5 channels · 1,200+ videos
- Tools
- After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, vidIQ
The beginning
We launched our small YouTube start-up as a team of three. It began with buying and setting up powerful machines for video editing in After Effects. In parallel we started working with a composer from Kyiv who produced original arrangements with vocals – the well-known children’s song “Daddy Finger” in three different variations.
After a few weeks we brought in an After Effects specialist. His job was not only to build the first templates, but also to teach us how to create more templates independently.
From template to a brand of its own
After about two months we created a template we called “Cinema” – a movie theatre in the background where our characters moved around. It became hugely popular with the young audience and the foundation of an entire series.
From there we went further: away from pure templates, towards fully original videos – produced from start to finish ourselves.
Live-action & team
After about a year and a half, the idea came to work not only with animated characters but with real people. We rented an office, filmed in costumes – including as superheroes – and danced to our own songs. An animation pipeline turned into a real small production studio.
Growth through data
Growth was data-driven. With vidIQ and SocialBlade I consistently optimised tags, titles and thumbnails for a high click-through rate (CTR). Over the whole period I reviewed and reworked more than 1,200 videos and led the production of original children’s songs with the composer.
- Keyword, tag and title optimisation for maximum discoverability
- High-CTR thumbnail design (Photoshop)
- Building and running template pipelines in After Effects & Premiere Pro
- Team leadership, outsourcing and process building
The channels of the network
Little Kitten Songs – still online
One of the network’s channels is still online: English children’s songs from 2018, seven videos with over 1.4 million views in total. Idea, script and filming – including the live-action scenes in costumes – were my part; I led and approved the editing. View the channel
Gummy Bear Finger Family
Finger family song with performers in costumes – the channel’s most-watched video.
Five Little Monkeys
The well-known nursery rhyme, played by five performers in monkey costumes.
Baby Shark Dance
The Baby Shark dance with performers as the shark family.
Evidence & archive
Real screenshots and photos from that time. Tap an image to enlarge it.
What I bring
- Content strategy at scale – planned, not accidental.
- CTR and thumbnail optimisation – essentially the same creative optimisation as in advertising.
- Data-driven iteration with analytics instead of gut feeling.
- Team leadership and repeatable production processes.
Open to a new position
Let’s talk.
I am looking for a permanent role in AI automation, development or AI video production – remote or on site in my region.
I usually reply within 24 h