Uploaded December 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago

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Hayden Hillier-Smith is an industry leader in online editing.

He has edited for top-name talents like Logan Paul, Sam & Colby, Alex Wassabi and many more. In 2020, he won the Streamy for best editing. Today, Hayden is also the cohost of The Editing Podcast, publishing weekly videos about film editing.

In this episode, you’ll learn where YouTube is heading, how to keep an audience’s attention, how to hire an editor, and why Hayden doesn’t believe in creating videos for the YouTube algorithm.

Episode webpage: https://creativeelements.fm/hayden-hillier-smith/

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - YouTube Content Is Shifting
01:27 - INTRO
01:43 - Hardest Thing About Working For Logan Paul
03:25 - We Are Entering The Next Era Of YouTube
06:33 - Why You Shouldn’t Copy Big YouTubers
08:05 - Why Hayden Went Solo
09:41 - How Do You Reconcile Niching Down?
10:57 - Hayden Doesn’t View Data Like Other YouTubers
12:14 - How Hayden Approaches Making Videos
14:43 - Importance of Early Retention
16:34 - What Creates High Energy?
17:46 - Sign Up For Creator Science!
18:21 - Importance Of Sound Design In Videos
20:39 - How To Choose What Sounds To Use
21:28 - How Does Being An Editor Affect Personal Viewing Experiences
23:00 - Why Start A Podcast?
24:15 - Hayden’s Rules For The Editing Podcast
26:12 - The Editing Podcast Intros Are Insane
27:13 - What’s Been Surprising Since Going Solo?
29:15 - Drama and Negativity Get Views
31:02 - Thinking About Growth Oriented Content
32:29 - Hayden Wants To Improve Life For YouTube Editors
33:46 - Listen to the Audio Podcast
35:01 - How To Hire A Great Video Editor
38:30 - What Should A New YouTuber Be Doing?
39:41 - What To Think About YouTube Shorts
40:37 - The Community Tab Is SUPER Underrated
42:06 - We Love Colin and Samir
44:25 - Why YOUR Perspective Is Important In Content
46:04 - Hayden’s YouTube Predictions
47:43 - Start Investing In Your Audience NOW
47:56 - OUTRO

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CONNECT WITH HAYDEN HILLIER-SMITH
🌐 Website: haydenhilliersmith.com
🐦 Twitter: twitter.com/HHillierSmith
📹 Hayden's Channel: @HillierSmith
📹 The Editing Podcast: @EditingPodcast

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CONNECT WITH JAY
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🐦 Twitter: twitter.com/jayclouse
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TEAM
Host + Producer // Jay Clouse: jayclouse.com/links
Editor // Conor Conaboy: twitter.com/conorconaboy
Audio Engineer // Nathan Todhunter: nathantodhunter.com
Thumbnail Artist // Neaux: twitter.com/NeauxArt

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