I recently sat down with Chistian on the very first episode of his brand new podcast "AI in Austin" - and we went DEEP.

This was one of those conversations where we covered a LOT of ground - from my journey starting YouTube at age 12, to building AdOutreach into an 8-figure business, to brand new data from our AI video ad testing that I haven't shared publicly before.

Cristian is a sharp young entrepreneur with incredible energy - and honestly, he reminded me a lot of myself when I was starting out. I was honored to be his first guest on the podcast, and I wanted to share some of the best insights from our conversation with all of you!

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Alright, let's Dive In...

One of the things I shared in this podcast interview was brand new data from a study we ran with our clients on AI video ads - and the results might surprise you.

Here's what we tested:

So which one performed the best?

If you guessed AI-only, you'd be wrong. In fact, AI-only ads with no human in them performed the WORST.

The second best performer was our human-only control ads - the ones we've been running for a long time.

But the WINNER? The hybrid approach - an AI hook at the beginning followed by a human talking head.

Here's my hypothesis on why this works:

AI is incredible at capturing attention. Think about those Google Veo 3 clips - me walking down a medieval street as a king, me as an astronaut, me as a Lego man - they're attention-grabbing and scroll-stopping.

But here's the thing - a video of yourself, naturally recorded, builds trust and actually converts.

When you combine both in the same video - AI captures attention in the first 8 seconds, then YOU build trust and make the sale - that's where the magic happens.

This is a game-changer for your video ad strategy because it means you can now test a variety of different AI hooks at scale - while still maintaining the authentic human connection that actually converts viewers into clients.

During the interview, I shared something that I think is incredibly important for anyone building a video marketing strategy:

YouTube is the only platform where you post a video today and it can get views a year from now, two years from now, even five years from now.

Why does this matter?

Because YouTube channels are actually sellable assets. Private equity is buying YouTube channels. Channels are exchanging hands for millions of dollars. You can look this up - it's all true.

The reason? The back catalog.

On TikTok or Instagram, you might actually get MORE views up front than YouTube. That's why people think YouTube is "harder."

But here's the reality - that TikTok video is going to die out in a day, a week, maybe a month if it goes viral.

On YouTube, a video can be getting views years into the future - because it's not just about the algorithm. It's also about videos that pop up based on search intent.

I have videos on my original channel AppFind that I filmed a DECADE ago that are still getting views and earning me revenue today.

I created a video on the original Apple Watch - and the last time I checked, it was still earning me around $7-8 per day in residual income. From a video I made over 10 years ago.

That's the power of YouTube as a long-term asset. Every video you create becomes part of your back catalog - working for you 24/7, even while you sleep.

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Cristian asked me about how we're using AI inside our businesses, and I broke down exactly how our team leverages different platforms - because they each have different strengths:

Gemini (Google's AI): This is my go-to for image generation, video generation, and deep research. We're all-in on Google's ecosystem, especially with Google Veo 3 for AI ad hooks.

ChatGPT: This is more of a sounding board and assistant. It has great context and memory, making it perfect for bouncing ideas off of and using as a second brain.

Claude: Hands down the best writer. When it comes to creating marketing copy and written content, Claude is where it's at.

We use different platforms for different things - and I encourage my entire team to leverage all of them to maximize productivity.

Here's the mindset shift I shared about AI:

You can either look at AI and say "this is going to eliminate jobs and replace people" - OR you can say "this is going to help me double or triple my output with my existing team."

Glass half full vs half empty.

If you can 10x your productivity (or more realistically double or triple your output) with your existing team - why would you cut costs to do the same thing? Why not just double or triple your business?

That's the opportunity in front of all of us right now.

We also got deep into mindset during this interview - and I shared something that has been absolutely fundamental to my success.

The Entrepreneur's Mindset is simple: You either Win or you Learn.

There's no such thing as failure when you adopt this perspective. Every outcome is either a success or a learning lesson that leads to future success.

Here's the key insight:

A mistake that you learn from is actually MORE valuable than a success you don't learn from.

Why? Because if you don't learn from a success, you can't repeat it. But when you learn from a mistake, you know exactly what not to do - and you can course correct.

Theodore Roosevelt said it best: "In any moment of decision, the best thing you can make is the right one. The second best is the wrong one. The worst decision is to do nothing."

That last part is what gets most people stuck. It's not actually making the wrong decision that holds people back - it's making NO decision at all.

I also shared a story that I think is incredibly valuable for anyone who struggles with confidence on camera.

About seven years ago, I filmed an ad for my business. I hit all the right notes - the hook, educate, call to action - all the components of a great ad.

But I almost didn't publish it because I was embarrassed with how I looked. At the time, I was about 50 pounds heavier and was really self-conscious about being on camera.

I had that video sitting there and I was debating whether to just delete it and pretend it never existed.

But I remembered my own advice - the advice I give to all my clients:

It doesn't matter what you look like or sound like on camera. All that matters is that you show up as an Authentic Authority.

So I published it anyway.

And that video became the first ad to make me over a million dollars in my business.

Seriously - the ad I was self-conscious about was the first ad to propel my business to 7 figures.

Your viewers don't want some flawless, idealized version of you. They want YOU - authentic, real, sharing your expertise.

You already ARE authentic. You just need to allow yourself to be seen for who you are.

I covered a LOT more in this conversation - including my journey from starting YouTube at age 12, the mentors who shaped my path, how I got started with YouTube ads from my college dorm room, and specific strategies you can use to leverage AI in your marketing today.

Most podcasts I've gone on don't go quite this deep - so it was great to dive in and share some of these insights that I haven't talked about publicly before.

If you want to hear the full conversation, I highly recommend checking it out!

Watch the Full "AI in Austin" Podcast Interview Here!

Are you looking to Scale your Business with Video Marketing?

I want to invite you to a 1-1 Strategy call with my Team to map out a YouTube Ads & Video Marketing Strategy specifically for your Business!

This is a 45-minute call where we’ll dive into your Business, your Goals & map out a Custom Strategy to help you Achieve them through YouTube!

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I hope you found this breakdown valuable! These are the kinds of insights that can genuinely move the needle in your business when you implement them

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I’ll see you in the next one!

To Your Success,

- Aleric Heck | Founder & CEO of AdOutreach