
Luca MartiniFounder & CEO
How I built a YouTube marketing agency from scratch and scaled to a team of 15 through SEO and content marketing.
Founder Stats
- Marketing, Agencies, SEO, eCommerce, Production
- Started 2015
- $10K–$50K/mo
- 6–20 team
- Italy
About Luca Martini
Luca Martini started his journey on YouTube in 2015, eventually turning his expertise into a successful marketing agency. After experiencing frustration with existing YouTube growth services, he created Lenostube to provide authentic growth strategies for content creators. With a focus on SEO and quality service delivery, he's grown from a solo founder to leading a team of 15 specialists.
Interview
What made you start a YouTube marketing agency?

I got into YouTube back in 2015 and started earning from it early on. I even launched a few channels myself. Over time, though, YouTube growth got harder. That's when I started looking into growth services—but most of them were disappointing. Either they used fake traffic or they clearly didn't understand how YouTube really works. That's what pushed me to create something better.
How did you land your first client?

After I built the agency website, I ran a small Google Ads campaign—just €20. And honestly, within a day, I got my first client. The site worked like an e-commerce store where people could buy growth services directly from the shop page. That made the process super easy for first-time buyers.
How did you grow from solo to building a team?

Eventually, managing everything—especially customer support—became too much. I realized I had to bring someone in or I'd burn out. It was tough at first because I was hesitant to trust others with access to tools and sensitive info. But hiring was one of the best decisions I made. Over time, I outsourced more and more, and it's what really allowed the business to scale.
Who were your first hires?

The first person I hired handled customer support. Later, they also took care of SEO tasks and processing orders. I also brought on a full-time developer to build out our tools and improve the platform. That helped speed up service delivery and unlock new features.
How big is your team now, and how do you split roles?

We're a team of 15. Four developers, two content writers, two customer support reps, one SEO specialist, and the rest are flexible—virtual assistants who jump into different tasks depending on what's needed. We also have a tier system where team members check each other's work. That's been crucial. Without proper monitoring, performance tends to drop.
How did you reach five figures in monthly revenue?

Our main website was originally only in Italian. One day, we launched the English version, and organic traffic started pouring in. That was the turning point. We went from making €3K–5K per month to hitting five figures consistently. It all came down to better exposure and solid SEO.
What's your best way to get new clients—ads, outreach, or referrals?

For me, SEO is king. It brings in long-term results and also increases the value of your domain—turning it into a real asset. That's huge if you ever want to sell the business or flip the site. I also use content marketing, like YouTube Shorts, and email campaigns. I used to rely on paid ads, but now I focus almost entirely on SEO.
What SEO tactics help your site rank?

Start with the basics: fast loading speeds, solid internal linking, no broken pages. Then come backlinks—they're essential, especially in competitive niches. On-page SEO matters too. That means writing in-depth content with good keyword usage. Basically, every page should be built around a keyword you actually want to rank for.
Do you target service keywords or problem-based ones?

Service keywords are the most valuable. In my niche, just one click from a service-related term can be worth close to $2. But they're highly competitive. That's why I also target problem-based keywords and blog-style content. They bring in traffic too, but the conversion rate is way lower.
What really helps a site rank high on Google?

Backlinks still carry the most weight—especially in tough niches. After that, it's your on-page content: proper keyword density, internal linking, and anchor text strategy. Site speed and health matter a lot too. Even if you've nailed the content and backlinks, a slow site won't rank. And to be honest, there's also some randomness to it—sometimes you just hope the next Google update works in your favor.
What's the biggest mistake creators make on YouTube?

Quitting too early. YouTube takes time—even if you're making great content. MrBeast uploaded over 300 videos before he hit 1,000 subs. That was back when things were less competitive! If you're not ready to upload 200 videos before seeing major results, YouTube might not be your game. It rewards consistency and patience.
If you had to start a channel today, how would you reach 10K subscribers?

First, I'd research the right niche. Then, I'd focus on making high-retention videos—ones that hook viewers fast and keep the pacing tight. I'd also promote those videos off-platform, like sharing them on social media. I might even run some YouTube ads—not for ROI, but to gain early exposure and credibility. You need that first boost to start rolling.
How important is short-form content for long-term growth?

Short-form and long-form are two different beasts. The audience you gain from Shorts won't always care about your long-form content. So it's not a must-have, but it's a good bonus. Shorts can bring in subscribers fast and create momentum. But if you're focused on long-form, those subscribers might not stick around. So it depends—do you want quick reach, or deeper engagement with fewer people? Ideally, you balance both, but know what you're aiming for.
Table Of Questions
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