The best way to get more views on YouTube is to optimize your videos so they show up in search and recommendations
— and keep viewers engaged once they click. That means mastering clickable thumbnails, compelling titles, and content that delivers on its promise.


With 10+ billion views tracked through coaching and tools, vidIQ provides data-backed insights into what drives video discovery.


In this section, we will break down strategies, examples, and case studies so you can consistently grow your views.

More Views

How To Get More Views on YouTube

The fastest way to get more YouTube subscribers is to publish videos that keep viewers watching and make it easy for them to subscribe.
That means using strong titles and thumbnails, clear calls to action, and building content around topics people are already searching for.


At vidIQ, we analyze millions of channels to see what actually drives subscriber growth, from doubling down on high-retention videos
to packaging content in ways that hook new audiences. Explore our guides and case studies to learn proven tactics that will
help you grow your subscribers faster.

Get Subscribers

How to Get More YouTube Subscribers

To make money on YouTube, creators start by qualifying for the YouTube Partner Program and enabling ads, but that’s just the beginning. Real income comes from combining multiple streams: sponsorships, channel memberships, affiliate marketing, and selling your own products or services. 

At vidIQ, we’ve studied how creators unlock monetization
milestones and scale beyond ad revenue. Here you will learn practical strategies to diversify income and build
a sustainable business from your YouTube channel.

Make Money

How To Make Money on YouTube

YouTube Analytics reveal which videos are working and why, but not all metrics matter equally. Watch time, retention, CTR, and revenue are the numbers that drive real growth. 

At vidIQ, we break down these metrics with examples so you can spot trends, identify weak points, and make smarter decisions for your channel. Here you’ll learn how to use analytics as a growth engine, not just a dashboard.

Data Insights

YouTube Analytics Explained: Metrics That Matter

Watch Time is arguably THE most important metric on YouTube right now, and creators won’t be able to monetize their content without 4000 hours of it. But what is it and how can creators increase the amount of Watch Time their videos attract? We keep you updated on the best practices around Watch Time, and how you can increase how much your video content generates.

Watch Time

YouTube Watch Time

YouTube Shorts are one of the fastest ways to reach new viewers and grow your channel.


With millions of Shorts analyzed, vidIQ has tracked the formats and strategies that help creators break through. Here you’ll learn how to make Shorts that stand out, and how to use them to boost your long-form videos.

YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts: Tips and Strategies

The best YouTube tips save time and make your videos perform better. From thumbnail tweaks to hidden features in YouTube Studio, small changes can drive big results. 

At vidIQ, we’ve tested countless tactics across millions of videos to see what really works. Here you’ll find quick wins and practical shortcuts you can use right now to grow faster and work smarter.

Quick Tips

YouTube Tips for Creators

The fastest way to grow on YouTube is to create content around trending topics while viewers are searching for them. 

With vidIQ’s data, we track the keywords, niches, and formats that are taking off across millions of channels. Here you’ll find insights into what’s working now, including creator case studies and examples, so you can publish videos that ride the wave of demand and stay ahead of competitors.

Trending Now

YouTube Trends and Insights

Your In-Depth Guide to Building a Successful YouTube Channel

If you’re not taking the time to clip YouTube videos, you’re missing one of the easiest ways to boost reach, re-engage your audience, and grow without recording anything new.

Clipping lets you quickly turn one long-form YouTube video into multiple short, shareable clips. 

 perform well because they’re easier to watch, share, and surface in YouTube’s algorithm.

In short, clipping a YouTube video is the fastest way to go from a long video to short video that performs better in YouTube’s recommendation system.

Clipping a YouTube video means taking the most engaging moments from a long video and creating short clips that are easier to watch, share, and discover.

Think of it as repurposing your best content into sharable, high-impact moments. One 30-minute tutorial or one hour podcast can become multiple YouTube Shorts, each attracting new viewers and reminding your existing audience why they subscribed.

To clip a YouTube video, you can use YouTube’s native 

 feature or a YouTube video clip cutter like 

. The biggest advantage of clipping is that you don’t need to start from scratch. It’s far easier than creating brand-new videos, and with a tool like vidIQ’s, even the editing is automated. Just upload your video and let AI instantly transform your YouTube long video to short video clips that are ready to share.

infographic showing the process of clipping a YouTube video: upload long video, AI scans highlights, short clips generated, and shared as YouTube Shorts.

Clipped videos aren’t just a time-saver, they’re a growth tool. Here’s where they shine:

: Put fresh content in their feed without starting from scratch.

: Shorts get pushed to a wider audience which is perfect for getting in front of people who haven’t found your long videos yet.

: Pull out the funniest line, the most jaw-dropping fact, or the moment the big reveal happens.

: Post those clips on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn to hit audiences outside YouTube.

Not all long videos make great clips. When deciding which content to turn from a YouTube long video to short video, focus on formats that naturally break into high-impact moments that make sense on their own.

Step-by-step content works well for clipping because each tip, step, or demonstration can stand alone. A 20-minute “How to Grow Tomatoes” guide might yield individual clips for “Choosing the Right Soil,” “Watering Tips,” and “Preventing Pests.” Each one delivers quick value and can link back to the full tutorial.

These are rich sources for bite-sized content. Pull the most thought-provoking questions, surprising reactions, or memorable quotes. A single guest appearance can give you a week of Shorts that tease viewers into watching the full conversation.

Highlight the biggest moments such as a keynote speaker’s one-liner, the most exciting part of a performance, or behind-the-scenes footage. These clips give viewers a taste of the event’s energy and can drive them to explore your longer recap.

Showcase one feature, reaction, or problem solved at a time. Instead of watching a 15-minute review, a viewer might click on a 30-second clip showing “How This Camera Handles Low Light” and then decide to check out the full review.

Live sessions often contain valuable, unscripted moments that can be clipped into short, engaging videos. This might include Q&A segments, funny interactions, or key announcements that deserve a second life outside the full stream.

Educational talks are perfect for pulling out single insights, statistics, or action steps. These shorter clips work well for reminding viewers of the value in attending the full presentation or watching the replay.

If your long-form video is structured as a list or countdown, each item can stand on its own as a quick, satisfying short. For example, “Top 5 Editing Hacks” can become five separate Shorts that each highlight one hack.

If you already have a library of long videos, you are sitting on weeks or even months of short-form content waiting to be repurposed.

man holding a smartphone, symbolizing mobile-first video engagement.

Should You Clip YouTube Videos from Other Creators?

 clip other creators’ videos on YouTube using the platform’s built-in Clip feature, but that’s different from downloading their content or re-uploading it, which can violate copyright.

For growth, the safest (and smartest) play is to 

. That way you own the rights, control the narrative, and build your channel’s library.

From YouTube Long Video to Short Video in Seconds

Repurposing content can be a time-consuming process, but 

 removes nearly all of the manual work. It’s the fastest way to create Shorts from YouTube video content you’ve already published. Here’s how it works from start to finish:

Choose any video you’ve already published or recorded. This could be a tutorial, livestream, interview, or any format with strong moments worth highlighting.

Let AI scan it for the most engaging moments: 

The tool uses AI to analyze your content for sections with high engagement potential. It looks for natural hooks, memorable lines, and visually interesting segments that will translate well into short form.

In just a few minutes, you’ll have a batch of polished clips sized perfectly for YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Instagram Reels, or other vertical platforms.

Traditionally, turning a YouTube long video to short video format required watching the full recording, marking timestamps, manually cutting footage, and reformatting it for vertical platforms. This process could take hours for a single clip. Clipping a YouTube video with vidIQ’s 

No manual searching. No guesswork. Just high-impact, shareable content pulled straight from your existing videos so you can spend more time creating and less time editing.

Log in to vidIQ and clip your YouTube videos into shareable Shorts instantly.

illustration of a long horizontal YouTube video being sliced into multiple smaller vertical YouTube Shorts stacked like a feed.

Clip YouTube videos into short, shareable clips to grow your channel faster with less effort.

Clip YouTube Videos: From Long Video to Short Video

If you want to grow as a Creator, mastering YouTube watch time is essential. 

This metric measures how long viewers actually watch your videos, and it’s the key to unlocking monetization. To qualify you’ll need 

in a 12 month period, a milestone many creators spend a year or more chasing, but it's ultimately worth it. Achieving this goal means you can monetize your videos with advertisements through the 

. It's a hands-off way to boost your income!

Before we get into tactics, let’s explain what watch time means. It is also important to know how YouTube sums these hours for monetization.

Watch time is the cumulative duration that individuals spend watching a video. Each YouTube video has a watch time count, which contributes to your channel's overall count.

For your watch time to count toward monetization, you must gain 4,000 hours of video views in 12 consecutive months. The videos don't have to be published in the last 12 months, as long as viewers watched them over the previous year. To put it in perspective, 4,000 watch hours equals 

 of viewing. Every minute contributes to your monetization goal.

Do all watch hours count toward the 4,000-hour goal?

 count. Time from unlisted, private, or deleted videos won’t help you qualify for monetization.

Are Shorts and long-form videos treated differently?

Watch time from long-form videos and live streams

 counts toward the 4,000-hour requirement for ads. 

 add to your channel’s overall watch time but don’t count toward the 4,000-hour goal. Instead, Shorts can qualify you through their own rule: 1,000 subscribers plus 10 million Shorts views in 90 days.

How Many Watch Hours Do You Need to Monetize YouTube?

Notably, you don't need 4,000 hours to get into the YPP. 

 and then monetize your videos through fan funding instead of ads. These include Super Chats, Super Thanks, channel memberships, and more. Below are the minimum requirements to join the YPP, but remember that 

you'll still need 4,000 hours to earn from YouTube ads

YouTube Partner Program requirements showing 3,000 watch hours option for monetization

Is There a YouTube 4000 Hours Watch Time Hack?

Any method claiming to deliver free watch time hacks usually involves fake engagement, bots, or tricks that YouTube’s system will detect and remove. At best, these don’t help your channel grow; at worst, they put your monetization eligibility at risk.

Instead of wasting time on shortcuts, focus on the proven ways to grow your watch time. That’s why we’ve outlined 10 strategies below that will actually move you toward monetization the right way.

How many watch hours have you collected so far? Knowing this number is extremely helpful, especially when building a strategy to keep viewers' attention.

How to find the Earn option in YouTube Studio to check watch time progress

2. On the Become a Partner page, scroll down to 

. And there, you'll see how much watch time your channel has.

YouTube Studio's monetization progress tracker showing watch hours accumulation

How to Get More Watch Time on YouTube: 10 Powerful Tips

Now that you know where you stand, use these powerful tips to increase your watch time on YouTube.

Content types and their watch time potential

1. Master the Art of YouTube Storytelling

 is crucial for keeping viewers engaged, and thus, boosting your watch hours on YouTube. In every video, you want to grab viewers' attention, take them on a journey, and create emotional scenes that hook them along the way.

To do this effectively, master three areas of YouTube storytelling:

The title and thumbnail (convince people to click)

The video introduction (persuade people to keep watching)

Emotional connectivity (keep viewers invested in the story)

Your title and thumbnail are like two sides of the same coin. They should give viewers a snapshot of what the video is about and communicate how it will 

to watch it. For example, notice how the creator's dread in this thumbnail reinforces the video's title: "

Big Mistakes Small YouTubers Still Make."

How To Make Attention Grabbing Custom Thumbnails on YouTube with vidIQ

Emotional thumbnail showing creator's reaction to YouTube mistakes that affect watch time

get straight to the point by mentioning what viewers care about in the first three seconds. If you're struggling to 

, study the best–performing YouTube Shorts and the introductions they have. Introductory phrases like "They don't want you to know this secret" or "I never do this, and here's why" are effective curiosity drivers.

Emotion makes your content 10 times more relatable. Try using 

 like fear, nostalgia, novelty, and scarcity to make your videos seem urgent and relevant to the viewer's life.

Need help pulling these storytelling elements together? 

 can help you draft scripts that combine strong hooks, emotional triggers, and a clear flow, making it easier to hold attention and boost watch time.

2. Increase Engagement with Pattern Interrupters

A good story may pique viewers' interest, but knowing how to edit that story is the real watch-time booster.

 are your secret weapon for this. They turn a good video into a great one by adding variety to what's already there. On YouTube, a pattern interrupter is any visual or auditory element that changes someone's thought pattern. 

is one thought you want to interrupt in a viewer's mind!

Some examples of pattern interrupts include:

YouTube video with captions to increase watch time and accessibility

Getting more YouTube watch hours is much easier 

. Think about it: "Reading along" takes pressure off of viewers who don't want to listen to a video or have some degree of hearing loss. Plus, viewers in crowded, noisy areas benefit from reading captions versus listening to audio.

Additionally, subtitles should be your go-to if you have a multicultural audience on YouTube. They translate your audio into multiple languages so people in faraway regions understand you better!

Filming a long outro feels natural, but did you know there are better ways to close out a video? Most viewers click away when they hear goodbye phrases, such as:

Instead of announcing the end of a video, leave before anyone knows what's happening. Your video views and watch time will improve when you don't signal that a video is ending.

Evergreen content is popular year-round, so you need those types of videos to get watch time fast. Evergreen topics like how to change careers, how to cook brown rice, and tips for making friends in your 30s have a high search volume from January to December.

As you can see, many evergreen videos are 

and offer steady watch time through sheer popularity.

If you're struggling to find evergreen video ideas, ask yourself a question:

What do my viewers care about more than anything else?

For example, vidIQ subscribers love to hear growth tips for small channels. One of our videos on the subject has over 78,000 watch hours since it was published six months ago. And the hours are 

YouTube analytics showing high watch time accumulation from an evergreen video

Live streaming is a smart way to boost your watch time. Every minute your viewers spend on a live session counts toward those 4,000 hours. Even a two-hour stream with a small audience can make a big difference. It’s a straightforward method to build up your hours quickly.

When we started our live stream journey, 50-100 people showed up. Now we get hundreds of concurrent viewers, and with that boost in viewership comes plenty of additional watch time.

For example, check out the watch time from this two-hour live stream:

YouTube analytics showing substantial watch hours gained from a single live stream

Give streaming a chance when you have about 12 months of YouTube experience. By then you should have 100 or more subscribers who may show up to watch your streams.

Why do people binge videos for hours on Netflix? Simply put, it's because their shows are organized with the help of 

. Viewers don't have to keep selecting episodes when they want to watch a romantic comedy or learn about nature through a documentary. They click on a show, and Netflix plays the episodes automatically.

Using this method on your channel can boost your YouTube watch hours fast. Serialized content is expected to be a top performer soon. Pick topics your viewers love and create playlists with 10 or more videos on each one. When one video ends, the next starts automatically, multiplying your total watch time.

How to Grow Your Channel with YouTube Playlists

In the current age becoming a successful creator often indicates holistic growth in the content ecosystem. While some social media platforms might appeal to you more than others, it is important to spread your content as far as possible.

Cross-platform promotion strategy showing YouTube content being shared across multiple social media platforms

Some of the best places to promote your YouTube channel are outside the platform itself. A few of those apps and websites include:

These are the best apps to promote a YouTube channel, but it helps to know the flavor of each community. What type of discussions do they have there, and better yet, how do the conversations take shape? Once you know that, you can create content in the best style for those users. Eventually, some of these viewers might trickle into your YouTube channel and consistently give you watch time!

 Promote Your YouTube Channel: 17 Tips for Small Creators

9. Use End Screens to Build YouTube Watch Time

YouTube end screens are interactive outros that appear in the last 5-20 seconds of a video. You can add all sorts of clickable elements to them, such as website links, a subscribe button, or even a YouTube channel you want to promote. But it's wise to "send" viewers to the rest of your content if you want more watch hours.

So, instead of creating an "outro," make your last point, then quickly transition to an end screen. Now you can recommend one more video to viewers!

YouTube End Screens — How to Make Cool Video Outros

Woman filming vlog holding fan of hundred-dollar bills outdoors with camera on tripod

A good watch time on YouTube depends on your content length, but strong channels often see

For monetization, aim for videos that hold attention long enough to consistently build toward 

 of consistent uploads. The timeline depends on content type, video length, audience retention, and how well you promote your channel.

of watch time. Every minute your audience spends on a public, long-form video contributes to this total, whether it’s a long live stream or a short tutorial.

To monetize through ads, YouTube requires 

 in the past 12 months, plus at least 1,000 subscribers. Some fan-funding features unlock earlier, but ads always require hitting the 4,000-hour mark.

Learn how to reach 4,000 YouTube watch hours with proven strategies including live streams, storytelling, and evergreen content to monetize your channel faster.

YouTube Watch Time: How to Reach 4,000 Hours and Monetize Your YouTube Channel

In the video content sphere, the two unquestionable behemoths are YouTube and Instagram. Both offer real potential in terms of discoverability and growth, but today, we are going to talk about money.

In the video above, Dan breaks it all down for you to watch. From his breakdown, we can see that it's ultimately about the goal of the creator and what they want to achieve. 

This entire idea hinges on two simple ideas:

 – How deeply your audience connects with your content.

 – How quickly your content spreads and generates reactions.

YouTube gives you more paths to earn and more control over those paths. The key is retention and consistency.

YouTube logo on phone with currency in background

 This is the foundation. You earn based on watch time, not just views. Longer content equals more ad space, which equals more money. A 15-minute video can run multiple ad breaks, generating significantly more revenue than a 30-second clip.

 Fans pay a monthly fee for exclusive content, emojis, and perks. This creates predictable recurring revenue that grows with your subscriber base.

These are usually integrated naturally within the story of your video, not just slapped on. Audiences trust authentic recommendations, making these partnerships more valuable for brands.

 You can build external revenue streams off the attention you earn on YouTube. Many successful creators make more from their own products than from ad revenue.

 Live streaming features that let viewers pay to highlight their messages or show appreciation directly.

YouTube rewards creators who build a library of content. Your older videos still earn money. Viewers stick around, trust grows. And as your audience deepens, your monetization stacks.

A video you published two years ago can still generate revenue today. This evergreen potential means your earning capacity compounds over time. Compare this to Instagram, where posts quickly disappear from feeds and rarely generate long-term income.

 prioritizes watch time and session duration. This means the platform actively promotes content that keeps people engaged longer. When you create valuable, engaging content, YouTube becomes your distribution partner, not your obstacle.

The search functionality also works in your favor. People discover your content through search queries, making it easier to build an audience organically without relying solely on trends or hashtags.

Instagram: Monetization Powered by Velocity

Instagram is a speed game. The best monetization happens when you're riding a wave: viral Reels, trending audio, or a visual aesthetic that brands want to align with.

Instagram logo on phone with currency in background

 These are the bread and butter for many creators. Brands pay for product features in your photos or videos. Payment varies wildly based on follower count, engagement rate, and niche.

 Short-form videos with direct links can drive impulse purchases and fast conversions. The key is catching viewers in the moment of inspiration.

 Time-sensitive offers or brand shoutouts happen here, ideal for flash sales and promotions. Stories disappear after 24 hours, creating urgency.

 Direct integration with e-commerce platforms lets followers purchase products without leaving the app.

 Many early brand partnerships start with free products or co-created campaigns. While not direct payment, these relationships often lead to paid partnerships.

It's the dopamine hit. Quick validation. Fast numbers. Immediate sales. But that comes at a cost: low retention. Yesterday's viral Reel is tomorrow's scroll past.

Instagram excels at impulse purchases and visual inspiration. If you're selling lifestyle products, fashion, or anything visually appealing, Instagram's format naturally showcases your offerings.

The platform's algorithm changes frequently, and organic reach continues to decline. Many creators report needing to post multiple times daily just to maintain visibility. This creates a content treadmill that can be exhausting and unsustainable.

Additionally, Instagram's monetization heavily depends on brand partnerships. If brands cut their influencer budgets, creators have fewer alternatives compared to YouTube's diverse revenue streams.

Creator Strategy Breakdown: Three Approaches

Understanding which approach fits your goals can help focus your strategy. Below are three types of creators with different goals in content creation. Let's find out which platform suits whom.

This creator publishes 10 to 20-minute videos regularly, builds relationships rather than just reach, and stacks revenue from multiple streams. The focus is on watch time and loyalty.

Woman shooting content on high end camera

 Slow start, steady growth, high long-term potential.

 Educators, entertainers, reviewers, and anyone with expertise to share.

Who pays creators more: YouTube or Instagram? Learn how each platform monetizes, what creators earn, and which one fits your long-term goals.

Your In-Depth Guide to Building a Successful YouTube Channel

Clip YouTube Videos: From Long Video to Short Video

YouTube Watch Time: How to Reach 4,000 Hours and Monetize Your YouTube Channel

YouTube vs Instagram: Who Pays Creators More?

13 Ways to Get 1,000 YouTube Subscribers, Fast and Free

How to Get More Views on YouTube: 12 Powerful Tips

How Does Clip Farming Work?

How to Start a Gaming YouTube Channel in 2025

How to Start a Faceless YouTube Channel in 2025

How to Start a YouTube Channel in 2025: Step-by-step guide

After 10 Billion Views: What 2 Years of YouTube Coaching Taught Us

Understanding the YouTube Algorithm in 2025

How Does the YouTube Shorts Algorithm Work in 2025?

vidIQ’s Proven YouTube Strategy for Brands and Enterprises