Darryl Rentz
Marketing Manager
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.
Posts Written By Darryl Rentz
Updated May 15, 2026
5 min read
AI for YouTube Growth: vidIQ AI Coach + ChatGPT App + Claude MCP
Use AI to grow your YouTube channel with vidIQ AI Coach, vidIQ's ChatGPT app, or Claude MCP. Each one connects your channel data to smarter advice.
Updated May 27, 2026
9 min read
YouTube SEO in 2026: How to Rank Higher and Get More Views
Learn how to optimize your videos for YouTube search in 2026. A complete guide to keyword research, tags, thumbnails, and higher rankings.
Updated May 14, 2026
4 min read
What Is a YouTube Handle? How to Find and Change Yours
A YouTube handle is your channel's @username (youtube.com/@yourhandle). Learn how to find, change, and pick a strong YouTube handle in 2026.
Updated Jun 17, 2026
6 min read
Why Are My YouTube Videos Not Getting Views?
Not getting views on YouTube? Learn what counts as a view, how impressions turn into views, and the 4 most common culprits, with a fix for each.
Updated Jun 29, 2026
8 min read
YouTube Audience Retention: What's a Good Rate and How to Improve It?
A good YouTube retention rate is about 30% average percentage viewed, or 60% past the first 30 seconds. See vidIQ’s channel benchmark and how to lift yours.
Updated Oct 5, 2026
2 min read
How to See Your Real-Time YouTube Subscriber Count
See your real-time YouTube subscriber count in YouTube Studio, check growth over time, and understand why public counts are abbreviated.
Updated Oct 6, 2026
2 min read
How to Track Returning Viewers on YouTube
Track returning viewers on YouTube and learn what that audience signal says about loyalty, content quality, and repeat watch behavior.
Updated May 20, 2026
5 min read
How to Get Full YouTube Monetization for Gaming Videos
Gaming creators face extra YouTube monetization rules. Learn how publisher policies, in-game music copyright, loot boxes, and M-rated content affect ad revenue.
Updated May 11, 2026
8 min read
What Is YouTube AdSense? How It Works & How to Earn
YouTube AdSense pays creators 55% of ad revenue. Learn how Google AdSense works on YouTube, how to set it up, and how much you can earn per 1,000 views.
Updated May 11, 2026
8 min read
YouTube Mid-Roll Ads: The 8-Minute Minimum and How to Use Them
YouTube videos need to be 8 minutes or longer for mid-roll ads. Learn placement rules, how many to add, and the manual vs automatic settings that boost revenue.
Updated Apr 29, 2026
9 min read
How to Make Money with a Gaming Channel on YouTube
Gaming channels can earn through AdSense, sponsors, affiliates, memberships, and Super Chats. See CPM benchmarks and earning ranges by subscriber tier.
Updated May 12, 2026
8 min read
How Pet Creators Make Money on YouTube
How pet YouTubers make money in 2026: CPMs, pet brand sponsorships, affiliate programs, Shorts growth strategy, and the full pet channel monetization stack.