Tanmay Reveals 0 to 1 Million Content Creator Path | Advanced Content Creation

Youtube URL: https://youtu.be/75tkthAzZog

Host(s): Varun Maya

Guest(s): Tanmay Bhat

Podcast Overview and Key Segments

Overall Summary

This episode kicks off OnePlus Open Conversations with Varun Maya and Tanmay Bhat. They break down how to grow from zero to a million as a creator. Tanmay shares his journey from TV writing at 19 to building AIB and multiple content verticals. The duo cover writing discipline, feedback loops, and why short-form is the best start. They explain why long-form is the “holy grail” for depth and community. You will learn the anatomy of a high-retention video, how platforms reward content, and how to price brand deals. The episode also gives a realistic view of creator income, team structure, and the path to creator-led businesses. Tanmay closes with clear advice for brands: start with shorts, hire a creator in residence, and think like a media company.

Reference

• PMF (Product-Market Fit): When a product or format matches what an audience wants.
• Asymmetric returns: Small actions that can lead to very large outcomes.
• Feedback loop: Create, publish, get audience response, iterate fast.
• RPM (Revenue Per Mille): Ad revenue earned per 1,000 monetized views on YouTube.
• Monetized playbacks: Views where an ad was shown.
• YouTube Premium: Paid users who do not see ads; they pay more per view to creators.
• AVD/Watch time: Average minutes a viewer watches a video.
• Top of Funnel: The first touch point that brings new users or viewers.
• NPS (Net Promoter Score): A measure of user or employee advocacy.
• Variable rewards: Unpredictable wins that keep creators motivated.
• “Oven moment”: The promised payoff at the end of a video that drives retention.

Key Topics

Tanmay’s Early Journey and Money Milestones

Tanmay began as a TV writer at 18–19. He earned 12,000 INR per script component and soon hit monthly cheques of 3–3.5 lakhs. That early windfall funded his move to stand-up, where he earned 2,000 INR per night. AIB’s early live shows sold 2,000-seat auditoriums. This brought meaningful income in 2012. It took 3–4 years to match his TV writing pay, but savings gave him runway. Takeaway: Build savings, test new formats while employed, and switch full-time once you can sustain a year.

PMF for Passion Before Business

Tanmay stresses enjoyment before monetization. If you do not like the craft, you will quit when views lag. He urges creators to find PMF for passion first, then PMF for business. Start while in a job. Produce enough for three years. Only then go full-time. This mindset reduces risk and builds resilience. Confidence matters more than talent early on. It attracts luck and momentum.

Writing, Craft, and Fast Feedback Loops

Writing underpins Tanmay’s work across TV, film, radio, ads, sketches, and YouTube. He outputs the equivalent of 1,000 pages a year, even if only 5–10% is usable. His core rule: shorten feedback loops. Make something, publish, learn, repeat. Thousands of cycles sharpen judgment. He calls it “chewing the craft.” The result is faster iteration, better structure, and instinct for what works.

Why Make Content: Asymmetric Bets and Serendipity

Content has asymmetric outcomes. One post can change your life. It can bring new fans, jobs, partners, or press. Tanmay gives examples: A column led to Karan Johar seeing a video, which led to star access and AIB Knockout. Tweets led to co-founders and jobs. Creators should publish often to increase luck surface area. You cannot plan the route. You can only ship more signals.

Long-Form vs Short-Form: What to Start With and Why

Long-form is the holy grail. It builds depth, trust, and community. But it is hard to start with. Short-form is best for beginners. It is lower effort and has faster feedback. Short videos help you get early traction and confidence. Later, shift that audience into long-form. Use shorts to take many shots. Optimize for retention and repeat consumption on long-form to build a moat.

Anatomy of a High-Retention Video (The “Oven Moment”)

Retention is everything. Promise a payoff early and deliver it late. Tanmay cites BuzzFeed Tasty. You see the pizza build, then the final cheese pull. That is the “oven moment.” Overpowered switched from AI theory to live tool demos for the same reason. Most trends follow this pattern: build anticipation and pay it off. Use hooks, clear stakes, and visible progress. Always keep the viewer waiting for the closing moment.

Algorithms, Packaging, and the Rise of Shorts

Subscriber count matters less now. YouTube shows what you watch, not just who you subscribe to. Packaging (title, thumbnail, hook) drives clicks. Watch time drives continued distribution. YouTube now supports shorts, podcasts, and long-form on one channel, which helps brand consistency. Platforms use variable rewards, so outcomes are uneven. Expect some hits and many misses. Keep shipping.

Monetization Reality: RPMs, Brand Deals, and $1M Path

Shorts ad revenue is tiny. Even 10M shorts views can pay in the low thousands of INR. Long-form RPMs range roughly 50–150 INR per 1,000 monetized views, depending on genre and audience. Podcasts and finance often pay more. A 1M-view video can earn ~30k–100k INR from ads. Brand deals usually pay more. Reels can fetch 15–40 lakhs for top creators. A top 0.1% long-form creator doing ~30M monthly views with strong watch time can hit $1M/year from ads + brands.

From Creator to Business: Models That Work

The cleanest path is creator + operator. The creator builds distribution and trust. The operator runs the business. Services are easier than D2C, which needs heavy execution. Top-of-funnel from the creator is powerful but not endless. You need ongoing discovery or broad topics to keep new audiences coming. Options include courses, services, D2C, or multiple ventures with different co-founders.

How Brands Should Do Content

Start with shorts. The feedback loop is faster. Appoint an in-house creator-in-residence or producer as the brand custodian. Outsource production early through a pilot. Hire creators to guide judgment. Content improves hiring, culture, and employee pride. Comments and community lift NPS. Performance ads cannot buy that feeling. Make content an always-on function, not a seasonal campaign.

Team Structure and Execution Pods

Tanmay runs small, focused pods: two editors and one producer per show or channel. Producers own curation, scripting, and production setup. Editors execute fast. Pods avoid context switching and keep output high. Outsource heavy shoots if needed. Keep a single owner for brand voice and quality.

Key Themes

Retention Is King

Retention drives distribution and loyalty. Promise a clear payoff and deliver it at the end. Show progress. Cut the fluff. Use the “oven moment” to keep viewers. This applies to shorts and long-form. High AVD multiplies your ad revenue and brand value. Quotes:

• “At the heart of it… can I retain the viewer till the end.”
• “There was a promise that something cool is going to happen in the end.”

Short-Form as the On-Ramp, Long-Form as the Moat

Short-form builds early traction and confidence. Long-form builds depth, community, and higher earnings. Start with shorts to find PMF and speed up learning. Migrate attention to long-form series for compounding. Quotes:

• “Being successful at long form content is the Holy Grail.”
• “Start short form… and then pivot that audience into long form.”

Craft, Writing, and Fast Iteration

Writing is the backbone. Volume matters. Most of what you write will not ship, but it sharpens skills. Short feedback loops build judgment. Publish, read comments, iterate. Quotes:

• “Your ability to exercise judgment only gets stronger if your feedback loops are shorter and faster.”
• “I would be outputting a thousand pages a year… maybe 50–100 would be usable.”

Asymmetric Opportunities and Compounding

Content creates luck. One post can unlock partners, press, or large deals. Keep putting signals into the world. Algorithms are the arteries that carry your content to the right person. Quotes:

• “Every piece of media that you output online could have asymmetric returns.”
• “You couldn’t have planned it… but it wouldn’t have happened if we didn’t output.”

Monetization Stack and Pricing Reality

Ads pay modestly outside premium niches. Brand deals pay more and vary by perception and genre. Finance and podcasts often command higher RPMs and rates. Top creators can make CEO-level income from long-form alone. Quotes:

• “If you get a million views… on the higher end you’ll make one lakh rupees.”
• “If you’re a top-tier YouTuber, you’re making more money than most actors.”

Brands as Media Companies

Content boosts hiring, culture, and pride. It deepens customer love and raises employee NPS. Hire creators in-house or as consultants. Start with shorts and an internal custodian. Quotes:

• “Your best hires could come from your content.”
• “Making content is an always-on job.”

Variable Rewards and Creator Psychology

Platforms deliver uneven wins. One hit keeps you in the game for months. Expect volatility. Build systems and routines to ship through droughts. Quotes:

• “Variable rewards… is what makes the rat continue running.”
• “You just need to see one 10K views and then you’re like… I’m there.”

Key Actionable Advise

• Key Problem: No traction when starting.
• • Solution: Start with shorts to speed up feedback.
  • How to Implement: Make 3–5 shorts per week. Seed with friends’ shares. Track hook, AVD, saves.
  • Risks to be aware of: Chasing trends that do not fit your brand.
• Key Problem: Weak retention and low watch time.
• • Solution: Design an “oven moment.”
  • How to Implement: Tease the payoff in the first 5–10 seconds. Show progress. Deliver the reveal at the end.
  • Risks to be aware of: Empty clickbait erodes trust.
• Key Problem: Hard to build community.
• • Solution: Launch a long-form series.
  • How to Implement: Weekly 15–45 minute episodes with recurring segments. Clip each into shorts.
  • Risks to be aware of: Higher effort. Slow early growth.
• Key Problem: Unclear monetization.
• • Solution: Blend AdSense with brand deals.
  • How to Implement: Track RPM by video. Build a rate card by genre and average views. Package integrations cleanly.
  • Risks to be aware of: Over-reliance on brands. Income volatility.
• Key Problem: Who to hire first for a brand channel.
• • Solution: A creator-in-residence or producer as brand custodian.
  • How to Implement: Hire 1 producer + 1–2 editors. Outsource production via a pilot. Keep a single owner of voice.
  • Risks to be aware of: Fragmented tone if too many vendors lead.
• Key Problem: Burnout and slow iteration.
• • Solution: Small pods and tight loops.
  • How to Implement: Form 3–4 person pods per show. Weekly review cycles. Clear KPIs: AVD, retention, saves.
  • Risks to be aware of: Single point-of-failure if a key producer leaves.
• Key Problem: Want to build a business beyond ads.
• • Solution: Partner with an operator.
  • How to Implement: Creator focuses on content and trust. Operator runs P&L, ops, and product. Align incentives.
  • Risks to be aware of: Distraction from core channel. Brand dilution.

Noteworthy Observations and Unique Perspective

• Subscriber count matters less than behavior-based recommendations. Quote: “Subscribe count has stopped mattering as much.”
• Content lifts hiring and culture in ways ads cannot. Quote: “Money can’t buy that… performance advertising can’t buy that kind of in.”
• Short-form revenue is tiny. Long-form drives durable income. Quote: “Short video revenue… next to nothing.”
• Writing volume is the hidden edge. Quote: “A decade of non-stop output… writing all kinds of stuff.”
• Creators can out-earn actors at the top. Quote: “If you’re a top-tier YouTuber, you’re making more money than most actors.”

Companies, Tool and Entities Mentioned

• YouTube, YouTube Shorts, YouTube Premium
• Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X
• AIB (All India Bakchod)
• Disney
• Zomato
• CRED
• The Whole Truth
• WTF with Marc Maron (podcast)
• BeerBiceps (podcast)
• OnePlus, OnePlus AI Music Studio
• Overpowered (show)
• Moonshot (agency)
• Hindustan Times
• Weirdass (Vir Das’ company)
• Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Karan Johar (references)
• The Obesity Code by Jason Fung