How to talk on YouTube like someone people actually want to listen to
You’ve probably seen it before.
A creator looks smart. Sounds polished. Says all the right things.
And still… you don’t trust them.
It’s not that they’re lying. It’s that something feels off. Too rehearsed. Too stiff. Too corporate.
And the wild part? That same person might be hilarious, engaging, and super helpful in real life—but the second they hit record on a YouTube video, they become the “per my last email” version of themselves.
This happens to business owners all the time.
They’ve got the knowledge. The skill. The results.
But the delivery?
Dead on arrival.
Why this matters more than ever
YouTube viewers are 71% more likely to follow advice from creators they feel personally connected to.
That connection doesn’t come from bullet points or perfectly polished takes. It comes from how you sound. How you show up. How you make someone feel.
And here’s the truth:
People don’t hire experts.
They hire people they trust.
So if you’re trying to use YouTube to grow your business and attract clients, you need to tap into something way more powerful than just “good information.”
You need to unlock The Happy Hour Effect.
What is The Happy Hour Effect?
You know that one co-worker who’s all business during the day?
Email threads full of “circling back” and “per my previous.”
But then… you go to the team happy hour.
And suddenly they’re relaxed, telling stories about their hiking disaster, laughing at themselves, and actually enjoyable to be around.
That version of them?
That’s the one you trust.
That’s the one you’d actually take advice from.
That’s the version you need to bring to your YouTube channel.
YouTube is not a boardroom
You’re not presenting to a panel of execs.
You’re talking to someone watching in bed. On a lunch break. While folding laundry.
If your tone screams “corporate keynote,” you’re creating distance. You’re making it harder to connect.
Because people aren’t looking for perfection. They’re looking for a person.
A person who gets it.
A person who sounds like them.
A person who actually seems like they give a sh*t.
So how do you do it?
Let’s break it down.
1. Talk to a small group not one person
You’ve probably heard the classic advice: “Talk to the camera like it’s just one person.”
That works… to a point.
But what actually works better?
Imagine talking to a small group of friends.
Three or four people you genuinely like. People you’re excited to share something with.
It naturally boosts your energy, expression, and delivery—without making you feel like you’re performing.
Because here’s a little secret:
The camera drains 50% of your personality.
So if you don’t bring a little extra, you’ll sound flat.
2. Write how you speak
Your YouTube script isn’t a sales email. It’s not a pitch deck.
Stop trying to sound smart and start sounding like you.
Use:
- Contractions (“don’t” instead of “do not”)
- Casual phrases (“you know,” “actually,” “basically”)
- Sentence starters like “And” or “But”
- Words your audience actually uses
Read it out loud. If it sounds weird, change it.
(If you wouldn’t say “optimize your conversion flow” at dinner with a friend, maybe skip it in your video.)
3. Smile… even just a little
You don’t need to force a grin. But a small, real smile changes your entire tone.
It makes your voice warmer. It makes you more approachable. It makes people feel like you’re talking with them not at them.
Even creators who keep strict boundaries, like Amy Porterfield, sound like your best friend in your earbuds.
It’s all in the tone.
And if you struggle with this?
Warm up your voice by chatting with someone before you record. Get out of your head and into your natural energy.
4. Embrace your imperfections
Here’s a psychological hack:
It’s called the Prattfall Effect.
Research shows that people like you more when you’re not perfect.
The occasional “um,” the stumble over a word, the laugh when you mess something up… all of it makes you more relatable. More trustworthy. More human.
So stop over-editing.
Leave in the little flaws. Tell the story about the client disaster. Share the dumb mistake you made last year.
That’s the stuff people remember.
5. You can still use a teleprompter
You don’t need to wing it.
Wes (the creator of the original video this post is based on) uses a teleprompter in almost every video. The trick?
He writes the script exactly how he speaks.
Then adds little formatting tricks like CAPITALIZING words he wants to emphasize.
That way, it sounds like a conversation. Not a presentation.
6. Look outside your niche
The best YouTube communicators aren’t just in business, marketing, or coaching.
They’re in entertainment.
These creators:
- Start with energy
- Share strong opinions
- React to things in real time
- Use simple language
- Talk like friends not experts
You can steal their tone and still be an authority.
Smart + friendly is a killer combo.
Here’s the real takeaway
You don’t need to “act professional” to be taken seriously on YouTube.
You need to act like someone your audience actually wants to listen to. Trust is built through tone, not titles.
So stop trying to be perfect.
Start trying to be real.
Because people don’t hire polished performers.
They hire people who feel like friends.
And YouTube?
It’s the best happy hour networking event in the world.
Want help unlocking your own Happy Hour Effect?
I’d love to work with you to transform your content strategy and turn your YouTube channel into a client-generating machine.
Let’s chat.
Theory of YouTube 