YouTube lessons

One random Thursday, my dad quietly bought a whole entire farm in another state and didn’t tell anyone (yes, we made many We Bought A Zoo jokes)

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That was 2 years ago. So, now I spend every Easter and Christmas at my parents’ farm.

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It’s not the house I was raised in, and, as much as I love nature, I don’t think I’m a farm girl (yet)

Still, every time I’m there, I always revert right back to my teenage self.

An overgrown, comatose snack pit that moves from the sofa only at meal times and eats fallen Lays off her chest

It makes me feel safe, and makes my parents deeply concerned.

They can’t believe that this rat of a child, who watches YouTube vlogs all day, is an actual functioning member of society.

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And so it was, during my Easter weekend YouTube marathon, languidly browsing after eating a massive lunch, that I came across a video, “Only Reading Pink Books for a Week”.

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The title didn’t make me stop, but the name of the creator did.

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Maybe lounging at my parents' home regressed my YouTube algorithm too, because suddenly there was Haley Pham again– former YouTube It Girl.

Seeing her name pop up with a video about books felt like I found my dad sitting on the floor, painting his toenails with my sister's blue nail polish.

Decidedly odd but not entirely unpleasant.

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Haley in 2016 meant viral, viral, viral– her video on trying to train as a dancer again, her engagement video, her collaborations with other YouTube It Girlies (Kendall Jenner included).

Then, in 2020, a huge wedding scandal, and it seemed like she was removed from YouTube’s Algorithm Pet List.

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Until I see her now in 2025, a fully married woman, eyelash extensions removed, and hair back to its original black, talking about books. A booktuber.
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Influencers don’t just shift their entire content niche overnight, right?

That’s like waking up one morning and deciding that your baking blog will now be a crypto investment tipsheet.

But somehow, she’s moved from talking about $200 gel nails to Goodreads Books of the Year, and her audience is happy to follow along wherever the journey takes her.

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I can't imagine how someone could just abandon a niche that built them 3M subscribers.

Couldn't be me, I still use my old tattered college wallet, even when I leave flakes of disintegrating fake leather everywhere I go. Friends plead, waiters cringe, but I still won’t switch out my decaying wallet.

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But Haley threw herself from lifestyle vlogger to booktuber. Gently coaxing her own audience into believing and accepting her into this new niche. To such success that she’s even managed to snag a book deal of her own (bet with 3M subs she'll be an instant bestseller too)​
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Watching her felt like secretly looking at not just a masterclass in pivoting, but also personal branding, niching, and seizing the damn opportunity whenever it presents itself.

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But pivots shouldn’t just be reserved for YouTube stars and dads who spontaneously buy farms.

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Maybe I'll embrace a small pivot myself. Nothing drastic– I won’t come on here next week with 1000 words on the erosion of topsoil. Just something small- like a new wallet, but knowing my genetic predisposition, don’t be surprised if I impulsively buy a camel farm next month 🐪

Audience Listening.

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The big truth is that none of Haley’s pivots would have become successful if she were just flying off her latest whims.

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When lifestyle content and vlogging started to saturate and diminish in returns, she listened to her growing audience’s changing interests and carefully aligned one of her smaller hobbies to grow into her primary niche.
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While her adaptability seems random, when you look closer, you can see the intention and the careful construction of her new identity.
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Speaking about audience awareness, some bloggers do make the mistake of thinking that their email audience is static, but audience interests naturally evolve, and so should we.

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Being able to sense what your core audience is shifting towards is an unbeatable business advantage.
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Adaptation doesn't always mean losing your authenticity —it's about refining your message based on what your readers care about most, without sacrificing your voice.

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Ask your audience one simple question this week, then email me what surprised you most. And I will share 3 ideas of how you can use this information in your next few emails.

Keeping this FYI here in case anybody missed it.

If you have questions or want more clarity on any of our services, we offer a no-strings-attached free 20-minute discovery call to go through any doubts you have about our process!

You will get both Shyla and me on every call— always.

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More on how to speak with us

• Do you need quick and custom email setup to grow your list and increase clicks back to your website? book a call to get started.

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