The Ghost Town Phase: Staying Motivated At 0 Views

The Ghost Town Phase Is Normal (Even For Winners)

If your Shorts, Reels, or TikToks are getting 0 views, you are not failing. You are in the ghost town phase.

It feels like this:

You post, refresh, and see nothing
No views, no comments, no likes
You start to wonder if the platform is broken
You ask yourself, “Is any of this worth it?”

Here is the truth no one likes to talk about:

Every creator who looks “overnight successful” pushed through a ghost town phase. It might have been their first 20 uploads or their first 200. You just did not see it.

The goal is not to avoid this phase. The goal is to survive it, learn faster than most people, and come out with skills that actually give you a shot at going viral.

ShortsFire exists for this exact reason: to help creators treat content like a game they can learn, not a lottery they hope to win.

Let’s turn your ghost town into a training ground.

Step 1: Redefine “Winning” When No One Is Watching

When you have 0 views, the usual metrics are useless. You can’t judge success by likes or watch time if there are no viewers.

So you need a different scoreboard.

Instead of asking:

“Why is no one watching me?”

Ask:

“What skill am I building with this video?”

Here are better “wins” during the ghost town phase:

You wrote a punchy hook in the first 2 seconds
You trimmed out dead space and awkward pauses
You tested a new angle, format, or style
You posted 5 times this week, even when you felt like quitting
You learned one new editing trick and applied it

When you define success only as views and virality, you burn out fast. When you define success as skill reps, every upload pays you in experience.

Your views might be at 0. Your skills definitely are not.

Step 2: Use a Simple 10-Video Challenge

You don’t need a 90-day plan right now. You need a short challenge that pulls you out of your head and into action.

Try this:

The 10-Video Ghost Town Challenge

Over the next 10 videos, focus on:

One topic
- Example: “Fitness for busy parents”
- Example: “Short editing tips for beginners”
- Example: “Relatable student life skits”
One main format
- Talking head with captions
- Green screen reaction
- POV comedy skits
- Before/after transformations
One clear improvement goal per video
- Video 1: Test 3 different hooks
- Video 2: Add big bold captions
- Video 3: Cut your pacing 20 percent faster
- Video 4: Add pattern interrupt visuals every 2 to 3 seconds
- Video 5: Sharpen your call to action
- Video 6 to 10: Mix and stack what worked

Your only rule: you finish all 10 videos, even if every single one gets 0 views.

By video 10, you will:

Talk to camera more comfortably
Edit faster
Understand what feels natural for you
Have data, even if small, on which hooks or ideas feel strongest

Most people quit at video 3. If you can push to 10 with intention, you are already in a different category.

Step 3: Fix the “Invisible” Problem: Hook and Topic

A lot of 0-view content is not “bad.” It is just invisible.

You can be charismatic, funny, or helpful, but if your first 2 seconds and your topic idea do not grab attention, the algorithm has no reason to test you with more people.

Focus on these two questions:

Is my topic something people already care about?
Be honest. “My day at the park” is not a viral topic.
“3 camera angles that make you look more attractive on video” is.
Does my opening line create curiosity or tension in 2 seconds?
Weak: “Hey guys, welcome back to my channel…”
Stronger:
- “You’re editing your shorts wrong. Here’s why they flop.”
- “Most creators quit in this exact phase. Watch this before you do.”
- “I posted 37 shorts that got almost 0 views. Then this happened.”

You do not need a perfect hook. You just need a hook that makes a stranger curious enough to not swipe away instantly.

Practical exercise:

Write 10 hooks for the same video idea
Say them out loud
Pick the one that feels the most direct and specific
Use that on your next post

Step 4: Treat Your First 50 Videos Like Scrimmage Games

Athletes do not wait for game day to touch the ball. They scrimmage.

Your first 50 videos are scrimmage.

You are not trying to build a brand “masterpiece” yet. You are trying to:

Get comfortable on camera
Test different backgrounds and lighting
Try pacing styles
See what topics you can talk about endlessly

This mindset shift helps:

“These are my practice games in public.”

That removes the pressure to be perfect and keeps you making moves instead of endlessly “planning your brand.”

Try setting this rule for yourself:

Videos 1-50: Volume and comfort
Videos 51-100: Systems and consistency
After 100: Deeper optimization and brand shaping

You can absolutely go viral before 100 videos, but this mental model keeps you grounded.

Step 5: Build a Tiny Feedback Loop

The ghost town phase feels brutal because you post into silence. No comments, no DMs, no feedback.

You can fix that by creating your own micro feedback loop.

Here are ideas:

Share your videos in 1-3 small creator communities
- Ask very specific questions:
  - “Is the hook clear?”
  - “Where did you get bored?”
  - “Would you watch this to the end?”
Ask 3 real-life friends to be honest testers
- Send them a video and ask:
  - “Pause when you’d normally swipe away and send me a screenshot.”
Use your own watch reaction
- Watch your video 24 hours later
- As soon as you feel bored or tempted to skip, cut that part

You’re not begging for validation here. You’re collecting data. You’re building faster awareness of what’s actually happening on screen.

Step 6: Protect Your Headspace Like Your Views Depend On It

Because they do.

Nothing kills a creator faster than comparing their 0 views to someone else’s viral content.

Here are low-drama ways to protect your mind:

Limit scrolling before you create
Make your video first. Then scroll if you want.
Consumption kills creativity when it comes first.
Mute or hide metrics for a while
Some platforms let you hide like counts.
You can also check analytics only once per day, not every 5 minutes.
Use a simple mantra
When you post and feel anxiety rise, repeat:
“My job is to make the video. Their job is to react. I control my job.”
Create a small “wins log”
Keep a note on your phone. After each upload, write one thing you improved:
- “Today I finally spoke without a script.”
- “My jump cuts were much cleaner.”
- “Tried a new color style that felt more like me.”

Your brain needs proof that things are moving forward. Give it evidence that is not tied to virality.

Step 7: Use Data Without Letting It Beat You Up

Once you start getting more than 0 views, you’ll see:

Retention graphs
Click-through rates
Average view duration

Those are helpful, but in the ghost town phase you have limited data. So keep it simple.

Ask only:

Did people drop off in the first 3 seconds?
If yes, your hook is weak or confusing.
Did anyone watch to the end?
Even a few full plays tell you the core idea is interesting.
Which video got relatively more views than the others?
That video contains a clue. What was different?
- Topic?
- Hook?
- Thumbnail or text on screen?
- Energy level?

Treat the algorithm like a brutally honest focus group. If something performs slightly better, lean into it for your next 3 to 5 uploads.

Step 8: Create Like Someone Who’s Going To Be Here In 3 Years

Most people create like this is their only month to succeed. That pressure crushes motivation during the ghost town phase.

Try this long-term mindset instead:

“What if I gave myself 3 years to get really good at vertical video?”
“If I stay consistent, how good could my hooks be 12 months from now?”
“What if this ghost town phase is just my training montage no one sees?”

You do not need to go viral this week to become a serious creator. You need to outlast your own doubt.

Imagine your future self who has:

300 videos posted
A small but real audience
A clear style and topic niche
Confidence on camera

That creator only exists if this version of you survives the 0-view weeks.

Final Thoughts: Your Next Move

You are not behind. You are not invisible forever. You are just early.

Here is a simple action plan for the next few days:

Pick one topic lane you care about
Plan a 10-video ghost town challenge
Write 10 hooks for your first video and pick the strongest
Film and post, even if it feels rough
Log one thing you improved as soon as you hit publish

Keep creating. Treat every upload as a rep. Your ghost town phase is not a verdict on your potential. It is your training ground.

When the views finally come, you will be glad you kept going when no one was watching.