It’s been four months since we all gushed over MrBeast’s most famous video: “

We’re checking in to announce that everyone, including MrBeast fans and general viewers, 

 stop watching this elaborate challenge. Here are some statistics for the video, according to vidIQ data:

If today’s viewing rate holds steady (12,200 VPH), the video will gain 292,800 views every 24 hours.

That’s just speculation, of course. We’re not saying those numbers will materialize in the future, but it’s an intriguing theory.

: If MrBeast can achieve all of this with 

 video, how can you (or any creator) replicate his success?

Why People Watch MrBeast’s “Squid Game” 4 Months Later

“Squid Game” is MrBeast’s most-viewed video on his main channel. Give it a watch if you haven’t seen the video, then we’ll explain its awesomeness.

MrBeast explains the challenge immediately and quickens the pace with jump cuts and multiple camera angles.

With 456 competitors, there’s plenty of action to enjoy. And if there’s a TV audience for “Ninja Warrior” and “The Amazing Race,” MrBeast proves there’s a similar YouTube audience.

 Netflix subscribers have watched more than 

 of “Squid Game” since November 2021. All of that buzz is sending MrBeast’s YouTube spin-off to the moon.

 The prize in the original show is $45.6 billion, but MrBeast’s offering is nothing to sneeze at. When money is involved, viewers stick around to see who wins it.

 on his "Squid Game" video. No YouTuber has done that, so it’s worth a second, third, and fourth watch.

Hats off to MrBeast. It makes sense that the video averages 74,400 views per hour on YouTube.

How to Make a MrBeast-Style Video For Less Money

Want to get steady YouTube views on one video for a long time? Here’s how to make a stripped-down version of the typical MrBeast video:

 Get to know creators in your area and pitch the idea of group challenges and collaborations.

 Make it $100, $200 – whatever’s reasonable. Or even better, get a brand to supply the cash reward via YouTube sponsorship.

Spend almost nothing by using the great outdoors.

 Make it an outdoor challenge with just a few props, and your bank account won’t crumble.

Encourage everyone in the video to promote it.

 You might not be as famous as MrBeast, but your network can boost the video significantly.

Think about competitions like Netflix’s “Is It Cake?” That was a meme on social media before it became a show.

If you’re looking for easy ways to boost your views, check out this post with seven awesome tips.

Four months later, MrBeast is still getting massive views from his “Squid Game” video. Here’s what makes it unique and how you can repeat his success on YouTube.

MrBeast’s ‘Squid Game’ Video Still Averages 74k VPH – Here’s Why

A question we receive from creators all the time is, "

How long to get 100 subscribers on YouTube?"

Well, we won’t keep you in suspense. Our answer is roughly two months or 

How did we get this number? By asking you, of course.

, we asked creators how long it took them to gain 100 subscribers on YouTube. More than 13,000 people responded to our poll, and here are the anecdotal results:

As you can see, 58% of respondents haven’t reached 100 subscribers yet. That left 5,500 creators we could get some kind of data from.

If we only include those respondents, here are the new percentages of how long it took some creators to get 100 subscribers:

Before we go any further, we need to add a quick disclaimer. The poll results above are purely anecdotal and don’t represent official vidIQ data.

Nonetheless, we did some extra math to see if our results 

 believable. With basic addition, we know that 45% of respondents got 100 subscribers in less than 50 days. And 55% of respondents accomplished the same goal in less than 365 days. With extra calculating and extrapolations (all speculative, really), that's how we reached our magic number of 61 days to reach 100 subscribers.

To see how we arrived at that number, watch the video below:

Also, if you’re way better at math, tweet us your answer at @vidIQ.

We’re answering the 100-subscriber question anecdotally, so here’s a fun theory. 

If it takes 61 days on average to get 100 subs, you'd need:

Does YouTube Get Easier After 100 Subscribers?

Not substantially. With 100 subs, you're still in the small creator club. YouTube is difficult at this point, but you'll feel more confident with 100 strangers believing in your channel.

YouTube gets easier once you have 1,000 subscribers

. That's the number you need to enter the YouTube Partner Program and monetize your channel. You also need 

How to Monetize Your YouTube Channel - A Beginner's Guide

Combine those two milestones, and you'll unlock the best YouTube has to offer: 

, Super Chats, Channel Memberships, and more.

What Happens When You Get 100 Subscribers on YouTube?

The main perk you receive is the ability to 

. So if you're interested in starting a business, reaching 100 subscribers is good for your online brand.

Also, you need at least 50 subscribers to live stream on YouTube using a mobile device. One hundred subscribers is twice that amount, so naturally, you'll unlock the ability to go live anywhere there's internet access.

Gaining YouTube Subscribers Is About More Than Numbers

The data above is what many creators want to see. They want to know how long it takes to get a certain amount of views or subscribers on YouTube, because there's so much uncertainty from the start.

The problem with trying to come up with a solid answer is that the math doesn’t make sense. It’s hard to calculate on-camera likability, the quality of your keywords, or how attractive your thumbnails look. But somehow, you need to measure those things because they help your YouTube channel grow.

Keyword research for dominating YouTube search results

A tool that compares your thumbnails to your competitor’s

A channel audit tool that shows which videos attract the most subscribers

What You Should Actually Focus on as a New Creator

When you start your YouTube journey, it won’t be easy or feasible to follow 

. Most likely, you won’t post two videos each week and earn exactly 100 subscribers in 61 days. You’ll probably try new things to see what works best, which could mean posting five videos one week and three videos the next.

Also, the distribution of views and subscribers doesn’t adhere to a strict formula. Some videos will get less than 10 views and earn you no subscribers; next week, a video may get hundreds of views and attract 25 subscribers.

When you’re just starting out on YouTube, take care of the basics:

Create eye-catching thumbnails for your videos

That will earn you more subscribers than any YouTube posting formula.

Have you reached 100 subscribers on YouTube? Here are 10 tips to get your first 1,000 this year.

The time it takes to gain 100 YouTube subscribers depends on many factors. But if you're looking for an exact number, here's our honest guess.

How Long Does It Take to Reach 100 Subscribers on YouTube?

Two weeks ago, we discovered some shocking news. It appears that small YouTube channels prefer to collaborate with other small channels – and not the big, prominent ones that get millions of views.

We discovered this insight after posting a question on the YouTube Community tab. We asked, “

Would you rather seek a collab with a bigger creator or accept one from a smaller creator?”

Out of 14,000 respondents, roughly 10,000 said they would accept a “small collab” before reaching out to a prominent creator.

 shares a different perspective. He believes one of the biggest YouTube myths is people thinking small creators can’t work with larger ones. As a customer success manager at vidIQ, McPherson has coached enough creators to know that's a huge misconception.

“I never really let that stop me,” McPherson says. “My first year [on YouTube], I was collaborating with channels with millions of subscribers. So it’s not true.”

But no matter what, you need a solid plan to attract video partners. Here’s how to approach popular creators with a collaboration idea.

1. Offer Your Expertise to Large YouTube Creators

Sometimes the best way to secure a video collab is by taking things slowly. Instead of contacting dozens of people, build a genuine relationship with one creator. Find out what they like, dislike, and struggle with on YouTube.

Once you know all of that, McPherson says you should 

Large YouTubers are busy people, so they might need help with:

The key is to give without asking for anything in return. That’s the easiest way to befriend large creators who are open to collaborating.

2. Make Sure the Creator Is in Your YouTube Niche

Partnering with successful creators is wise, but don’t forget to consider your audience. Every week, they come to your channel to 

 – a topic so exciting they’ve decided to become regular viewers. The last thing they want to watch is a wildly off-topic video.

Let’s say you have a cooking channel, and you want to collaborate with a music creator because they have 100,000 subscribers. That might 

 tempting, but it wouldn’t benefit you or the other creator. So few of those "music" viewers are interested in cooking content.

“Is your niche completely left of center from theirs? If so, what’s the point?” McPherson says.

﻿To create the best collaboration, work with a creator in your niche who understands your content and whose audience overlaps yours.  This guarantees you'll stay on topic and continue to satisfy your subscribers.

The only exception to this rule is when you find someone 

. If you both cover the same broad niche but different aspects of it, that makes for a great collab, too.

Some people think you need thousands of subscribers to engage with famous creators, but that’s not true. All you need is a solid YouTube resume to put you in the running.

Think of it like this: It’s better to have 200 videos uploaded than have 1,000 subscribers and only 10 videos.

"I’ve jumped on channels and done interviews and collabs with channels with 100 subscribers,” McPherson says. “It’s nothing to me because I saw the work ethic. I saw that they’re really trying to do something, and I liked the content.”

Collabs on YouTube work best when they’re beneficial for both creators. So if you haven’t uploaded in six months, don’t expect a well-known creator to help launch your comeback video. Work on 

4. Brainstorm Collab Ideas Before You Start Pitching

, you know how important good video ideas are. They’re even 

 critical when reaching out to prominent creators who’ve reached some level of success.

7 Tips to Craft Irresistible Video Ideas on YouTube

Your initial pitch email should do three things:

Describe your video collab idea in great detail.

“When you give someone an idea of what they’re getting into, what they need to do for you, and why it makes sense, people are more likely to say yes than you might think,” McPherson says.

. If all you need is a one-minute clip from the creator, let them know so they don’t expect more work than the collab requires. Overall, just make it easy for the person to say 

It’s easy to assume that popular YouTubers avoid lesser-known creators, but that’s not true. A lot is happening behind the scenes that people don’t see. Large creators are working on sponsored content, producing their own videos, getting interviewed, and brainstorming future content. They're just busy.

It’s easy to lose track of emails when you’re working hard

. If you haven’t heard from a creator in a long time, it's time to send a follow-up message.

“The thing I’ve seen people do is, they’ll ask [for a collab], and then they’ll get shy later on if they haven’t heard back in three or four days,” McPherson says. “Or five days. Or six days. And the longer the time is from the last time you talked to them, the more likely it is they’ve forgotten.”

So don’t be discouraged. Sometimes it takes an extra email (or two) to reach the best creators.

But when you do start working on a collab, these six tips will help you produce a successful video project for YouTube.

Despite what most people think, small YouTube channels can collaborate with big ones. Here’s how to approach someone with more subscribers than you.

How to Collab with Big Creators as a Small YouTube Channel

Do you need a break from books, courses, and videos about growing a YouTube channel?

If so, let your eyes rest for a bit and listen to the material instead. There are plenty of podcasts for learning the best YouTube tips from virtually anywhere – the park, the grocery store, and even on the bus.

To grow on YouTube, you need the right advice from trusted experts.

The core growth topics: views, subscribers, Watch Time, audience, etc.

Here are eight podcasts living up to those standards.

Hosts: Heather Torres (COO, Think Media) and Sean Cannell (founder, Think Media)

Think Media is more than a podcast. Headed by longtime creator Cannell, Think Media is an education business with video courses and an expansive YouTube channel showing tech reviews, camera guides, and YouTube growth tips.

 is a bit more focused. You’ll learn how to get videos noticed on YouTube and scale a business with online video. Plus, there are always interesting guests on the show, such as legal commentator Emily D. Baker and entrepreneur Peter Voogd.

Hosts: Colin Rosenblum and Samir Chaudry, news and culture creators

If you’re looking for one of the best YouTube podcasts, check out 

. This dynamic duo interviews the biggest YouTube stars, such as tech expert Marques Brownlee and philanthropist MrBeast.

Each week, Rosenblum and Chaudry share the fascinating perspective of video creators: how they think, why they create, and how listeners can repeat their success. They also share news about the creator economy, including TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch updates.

Host: Desiree Martinez, social media expert

Are you looking for female YouTubers with podcasts? Tune in to 

, an empowering show hosted by Desiree Martinez. Each week, female creators talk about their growth on YouTube and how they beat tough challenges – especially as women centering themselves on the internet.

When listening to Women of YouTube, you get it all: the motivation to keep creating, tips to go full-time on YouTube, and moving creator stories.

Host: Vyyyper, tech creator and vidIQ executive producer

Growing a YouTube channel is hard, but it gets easier the more you listen to 

. Powered by vidIQ, this podcast tackles questions serious creators are asking. You’ll learn how to get more views and subscribers, monetize your channel, and start a thriving online business.

vidIQ is a trusted brand with a YouTube education channel and digital tools for growing your audience. You’re in good hands with this podcast, so don’t forget to tune in each week.

Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor of Vsauce2

There are plenty of YouTubers with podcasts, but none quite as “deep” as Lieber and Tabor. Listening to 

 just feels right, mainly because the hosts weave smart commentary with fun jokes.

All that aside, you’re still learning about YouTube. The hosts interview people like iDubbbz, Casey Neistat, and iJustine to learn how they succeed with online video. From the background music to the podcast art, you’ll revisit a curious ‘80s vibe that imagines creators as “space cowboys” in the content universe.

Do you enjoy watching Tati Westbrook put on makeup? Would you spend a Sunday evening listening to Kiva Brent talk about interior design? If so, you’ll enjoy 

. This show celebrates beauty, fashion, fitness, and lifestyle creators worldwide.

Best of all, those celebrations come with a healthy dose of education. The podcast explores what most creators want to know, including entrepreneur hacks, YouTube growth tips, and content creation advice.

Host: Dusty Porter, longtime tech creator

Whether you want to grow a YouTube channel for business or pleasure, 

 is an excellent resource. The episodes cover the best YouTube tips and strategies, and you’ll also discover some great tutorials.

If you prefer to hear from creators themselves, listen to Porter interview experts like Matt Gielen of Electric Monster Media and Andrew Kan, master storyteller and video manager at Salesforce. The episodes are brief at just 30 minutes long, so you'll learn a lot in a short amount of time.

Hosts: Tim Schmoyer (YouTube consultant) and the Video Creators team

 is more than a podcast. More accurately, it’s  a YouTube growth agency headed by Schmoyer, a respected video expert. According to the podcast description on iTunes, Video Creators helped clients attract more than 17 billion views on YouTube.

Unsurprisingly, this podcast is all about YouTube strategy. You'll learn which videos to post, how to find the perfect video length, and other valuable tactics. Give it a listen if you plan to dominate YouTube with a brainy approach.

Now that you know the best podcasts to grow your channel, let’s take your video skills to the next level.

Here are five powerful tips to boost your channel’s Watch Time.

Podcasts are an excellent resource for learning how YouTube works. Soak up advice from other creators and grow your channel with these eight fascinating shows.

8 YouTube Podcasts to Help Grow Your Channel

We’re sure you’ve heard the news by now: There’s a devastating crisis unfolding in Ukraine, one that’s been brewing since 2014 and causing widespread suffering for millions of people – especially children.

 have become refugees already, according to the United Nations Children's Fund. Every day, another 

. Let’s unite to support Ukraine with a global movement called 

#CreatorsForPeace is partnering with creators worldwide to raise money and awareness for Ukrainian children.

Creators on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms will spark the movement by talking about what’s happening in Ukraine.

who may be traumatized, in danger, or separated from their families.

This video explains more about the #CreatorsForPeace mission and how you can help beyond donating.

Here’s how you’ll support Ukraine through #CreatorsForPeace:

 about the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and ask your followers to donate to UNICEF.

 on your social media using the #CreatorsForPeace hashtag.

Ukrainians are our friends and a significant portion of the vidIQ team. It saddens us to see them suffer as tensions escalate in Europe. They deserve better.

We’re doing everything we can to support our Ukrainian colleagues from afar. With your help, we hope to support even more people through #CreatorsForPeace. That includes Ukrainians, refugees of all backgrounds, and anyone displaced by the war.

Collectively, many of you have platforms that reach millions of people. Let’s mobilize those followers, subscribers, and viewers to 

As a creator, you have the power to help millions of people in Ukraine by mobilizing your audience. It's time to create, advocate, and raise funds for world peace.

Join #CreatorsForPeace to Support Humanitarian Efforts In Ukraine

It’s hard to understand YouTube sometimes. If you’re a creator, you probably have tons of questions that all start with the word “why.”

Why does YouTube get rid of features we love?

You’ve heard this phrase elsewhere, but it applies here too: 

. YouTube may be built on the foundation of “cool” creators, but it's still a for-profit business. It has to make tough decisions to survive, even while supporting the vloggers, teachers, and entertainers who make YouTube what it is.

 tells us how YouTube operates. As a former YouTube liaison, he listened to creators’ grievances and shared them with YouTube executives. Koval also showed creators how to thrive on the platform with in-depth video tutorials. Before that, he was a creator himself back in 2008.

Ready to learn some things you don’t know about YouTube? Here’s what Koval had to say about the platform.

1. YouTube Wants to Do What’s Best for Creators

You might see YouTube as this big, faceless entity, but real humans work there and want you to succeed. They worry about everything, from how new tools affect creators to grievances surrounding monetization.

“I think creators often see this giant machine owned by Google – owned by Alphabet – and they don’t realize it's full of hundreds of caring, super nice, intelligent people who are trying to do the right thing,” Koval says.

 from videos, creators were upset because they lost a signal for gauging value. They could no longer wonder, 

Should I watch this video? A lot of people dislike it.

YouTube had to look past that and think of creators first.

 For example, some viewers weaponized the dislike button to punish channels they didn’t like. YouTube removed the button to eliminate mob mentality and keep everyone safe.

: Trust YouTube, and have some empathy for the platform. YouTube is looking out for creators, even if that’s not always apparent.

2. YouTube Doesn’t ‘Promote’ Big Creators Exclusively

In his YouTube liaison days, Koval heard some complaints more than others. Sitting snugly at the top of that list was creators’ perception of mega channels. People with small audiences felt like YouTube favored the big stars, such as Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert.

“The reality is that the more YouTube became legitimized in the world, those professional studios and networks and entities wanted to use it….You had professional comedians out there who’ve been doing comedy for years and are really funny,” Koval says. “You gotta give it to ‘em. Their videos would oftentimes outperform my videos as a comedian.”

6 YouTube Myths That Won’t Help Your Channel Grow

YouTube doesn’t push big creators. Instead, 

viewers “vote” for what they feel are the best videos

 by watching them at higher rates. YouTube tracks those trends, and then it shares satisfying videos with people who might be interested. It’s really about viewer satisfaction.

: Figure out your video format. Post your “rough draft” videos, analyze the results, and tweak your content to satisfy viewers.

3. The Most Important YouTube Metric Isn’t a Metric at All

 all the time. They’re great for analyzing your performance and making better videos, but did you know there’s something even 

According to Koval, this precious “thing” isn’t a metric at all. 

 – the broad topic you address in your content.

“You’ve got to pick something you are still going to love talking about five years from now,” Koval says.

How to Choose the Best Niche for Your YouTube Channe

Gaming is a popular niche, but that doesn’t mean you should start a Roblox channel to get more views. Before you do that, ask yourself if you even care about video games. Do you spend much time playing Fortnite, Roblox, Call of Duty – anything?

: Don’t take the shortcut to channel growth. YouTube doesn’t work that way, and people can tell when your heart’s not in it.

4. It’s True: YouTube Caters to Those in the Partner Program

Don’t take this one personally, folks. YouTube is a business, and businesses survive when they have enough money. Since advertising dollars are a large chunk of that revenue, monetized creators – such as those in the 

The advertising split on YouTube is 55/45, meaning creators get 55% of the revenue, and YouTube takes 45%. In 2021, YouTube made 

. The company might not be able to prioritize them on a large scale, but it tries to address their needs.

 if you need a question answered. This team of real humans is highly responsive, and they work hard to demystify YouTube.

“Some people complain that some of the replies are canned responses, but keep in mind, they respond in 40 different languages around the world,” Koval says. “It’s a huge challenge, but they’re doing a great job.”

: Try to understand that YouTube has to survive for creators to be there. No one wants creators to win more than YouTube because it’s the company’s entire business model.

Want to learn more about YouTube and how it works?

Former YouTube liaison Matt Koval helped creators succeed for almost a decade. Now he’s sharing years of advice for budding creators, plus the inner workings of YouTube itself.

Posts Written By Lydia Sweatt

MrBeast’s ‘Squid Game’ Video Still Averages 74k VPH – Here’s Why

How Long Does It Take to Reach 100 Subscribers on YouTube?

How to Collab with Big Creators as a Small YouTube Channel

8 YouTube Podcasts to Help Grow Your Channel

Join #CreatorsForPeace to Support Humanitarian Efforts In Ukraine

Matt Koval Shares More Creator Advice After Nearly a Decade at YouTube

Getting Sponsored by Brands: 5 Things Companies Wish Creators Knew

3 Good Reasons to Make YouTube Thumbnails Before You Film

How to Report a YouTube Channel In 5 Easy Steps

4 Tips to Conquer Your Fear of Starting a YouTube Channel

What Is it Like Being a Full-Time YouTube Creator?

A YouTube Viewer Describes Which Videos They Click, Ignore, or Flee