How Does YouTube Sensation Doctor Mike Keep His 4 Million Subscribers Happy?

Mike Varshavski has not missed a single posting day since he launched the channel in 2017, and says the key is consistency and figuring out what content appeals to a wider audience, writes Amanda Perelli



Varshavski said he realised the key to growing an audience was consistency (he’s never missed a single posting day) and figuring out what content would appeal to a wider audience.

From hospital to filming studio, how Varshavski does it

In his second year of YouTube, while keeping up with his career as a doctor, Varshavski started posting videos twice a week instead of once.

“The first half of the week I am making YouTube videos,” he said. “The second half of the week I’m in the hospital actually doing the things I’m talking about.”

His videos gain an average 500,000 views to around 4 million views, depending on if a video is picked up by YouTube’s algorithm and recommended to viewers.

He puts his own spin on concepts like PewDiePie’s popular Meme Review, where Varshavski reacts to medical memes, or shows like Grey’s Anatomy.

To keep track of his growing online business, Varshavski signed with the digital talent agency, Abrams Artists Agency three years ago. His agent works to build up the business aspects of his social media, like landing public speaking appearances and producing a line of products, which is expected to come out soon.

With the help of his videographer, Dan, Varshavski films a batch of videos during filming days, which Dan will later edit throughout the week.

Most people think Varshavski has a large team helping him out, he said. But he really only has Dan and his agent.

Business Insider spent a day with Doctor Mike to see the process of filming his YouTube videos:

Doctor Mike lives in New York City and films videos for his 4.47 million subscribers in a spare room in his apartment. Here’s the view:



View from Doctor Mike’s apartment

When you walk inside his filming room, you are greeted by medical books and filming equipment



Doctor Mike’s filming room

Doctor Mike’s editor Dan films and edits the YouTube videos from Mike’s desk, and uses high-end equipment



Doctor Mike’s desk

The equipment:

• Camera: Canon 1DX Mark II
• Tripod: Manfrotto
• Monitor: SmallHD 501
• Lights: Aputure 120dII (x3)
• Light reflectors
• Mic: Rode Videomic Pro+
• Post Production: Adobe Premiere

Mike hired Dan in 2017 when Mike started his YouTube channel



Dan, Doctor Mike’s editor

While Dan set up to shoot, Mike showed us some of the gifts his fans and YouTube had sent him, like these pillows featuring his dogs Roxy and Bear.



Doctor Mike’s pillows featuring his dogs Roxy and Bear

Mike's dog Bear, a Newfoundland, lives with him, and his other dog Roxy lives with his dad. Bear is regularly featured on his Instagram.



Mike's dog Bear

As soon as Mike sat down, he went straight into filming, only stopping occasionally for a loud train to pass by, and to fix equipment.



Doctor Mike during filming

Mike recorded a few videos. The first one he filmed was a Doctor vs Google video, a new series on his channel where he responds to Google autocomplete medical questions.




Many YouTube creators use their smartphone to film videos, and little equipment. But Mike said he wanted to create something that was high quality in terms of production.



Doctor Mike uses professional equipment to ensure high quality production.

What has led to success on YouTube? “I realised I just had to be consistent,” Mike said. He posts videos twice a week.



Consistency is key, says Doctor Mike.

And that’s how he does it. After finding initial fame from Instagram, YouTube is now his main focus, he said.



After finding initial fame from Instagram, YouTube is now Doctor Mike’s main focus.

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