Darryl covers YouTube growth and creator tools at vidIQ, helping creators understand how to grow their channels. 

When not writing, he’s tending to his farm surrounded by horses, chickens, dogs, and somehow cramming more plants into his garden than it could ever reasonably hold.

Darryl Rentz

Add a watermark in YouTube Studio > Customization > Profile using a square image of at least 150 × 150 pixels and less than 1 MB. Viewers can use it to subscribe on desktop; it is not clickable on mobile.

How to Add a YouTube Video Watermark

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To start a YouTube channel, sign in to YouTube with a Google Account, create your channel, choose a name and handle, verify your phone number, and complete the basic setup. Then choose one audience and one primary video format, make your first video with a phone, and publish it. Treat your first 10 videos as a learning cycle: test related topics, openings, titles, and thumbnails, then use your results to decide what to make next.

How to Start a YouTube Channel in 2026: Beginner's Guide

In addition to being an avid movie and gaming enthusiast, Uttaran Samaddar is an experienced writer who has lent his creativity and unique perspective to various publications. He loves hearing and telling stories.

Uttaran Samaddar  

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The biggest YouTube trends to watch in 2026 are:
1. AI becoming a bigger part of creator workflows
2. More long-form viewing on TVs
3. Continued growth of video podcasts
4. Livestreaming becoming more important
5. More testing and optimization of titles and thumbnails
6. Greater focus on community-driven revenue
7. Creators using multiple formats across the same channel

YouTube Trends Creators Need to Watch in 2026!

Lydia Sweatt is a writer who loves balancing her article/blog time indoors with a healthy dose of nature. She bikes, hikes, and identifies edible plants along the way.

Lydia Sweatt

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The best apps to promote your YouTube channel are Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), Pinterest, and Twitch. These platforms have millions of active users, support visual content, and include features that direct traffic back to YouTube. Use Stories, teaser clips, and bio links to drive viewers from these apps to your YouTube videos.

6 Best Free Apps to Promote Your YouTube Channel in 2026

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The best YouTube gaming niches for 2026 include speedrunning, Let's Play videos, gameplay walkthroughs, gaming video essays, tutorials and guides, livestreaming, and gaming reviews or news. Each niche offers unique growth opportunities depending on your skills, personality, and content creation style.

7 Best YouTube Gaming Niches to Grow Your Channel in 2026

YouTube's Collab feature lets you tag up to 10 creators on one video, and the posting channel keeps all the revenue. Here's how to invite and accept collaborators, plus how to find the right partner and format.

YouTube Collaboration: How to Collab with Other YouTubers

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Use YouTube Studio’s upload defaults, comment controls, Video Groups, A/B testing, and subtitles to manage uploads and compare performance. Upload defaults apply to browser uploads, and A/B tests use watch time rather than CTR to choose a winner.

5 Advanced YouTube Studio Tips

Discover how to choose the perfect YouTube niche with tips on passion, research, monetization, and staying authentic.

Ideas for a YouTube Channel: How to Choose the Right Focus

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The best way to win within YouTube's algorithm is to stop chasing tricks and instead focus on authentic content, a clear brand identity, and consistent engagement and collaboration within your community.

How to Beat the YouTube Algorithm

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The YouTube algorithm predicts which videos each viewer will enjoy by analyzing three ranking signals: engagement (CTR and watch time), satisfaction (likes and shares), and relevance (keywords and topic match). YouTube prioritizes viewer satisfaction over raw watch time, test small channels faster, and reward series formats that keep viewers coming back.

How the YouTube Algorithm Works in 2026: Updates & Tips

llustration showing how a vidIQ Podcast episode transforms into multiple YouTube Shorts, with the vidIQ Podcast logo and glowing vertical video previews flowing from a full-length podcast video.

Turn long podcast episodes into Shorts that boost discovery. vidIQ’s Travis shares how to grow faster with clips and AI tools.

How to Promote Your Podcast Using YouTube Shorts

YouTube creator live streaming and title Level Up Your YouTube Live Stream

Growing a live stream channel comes down to eight things: pairing streams with long-form YouTube videos, using automation tools, diversifying your income, picking two platforms and committing, understanding multistreaming tradeoffs, adapting for vertical, mastering storytelling, and building camera confidence gradually.