
You don’t have to grow your YouTube channel the same way everyone else does. Just ask animation creator 

. He’s forging a new path on YouTube, one where making unconventional videos results in thousands of new subscribers.

How to Get Your First 1,000 YouTube Subscribers

, we chat with JONK about how he went from 500 subscribers to more than 30,000 in two weeks. His videos feature “talking stick men” who share their opinion about everything imaginable – company logos, Netflix, scam calls, and more. But it was one video in particular, which we discuss below, that put JONK's channel on the map.

Need some fresh tips to grow your channel? Here’s what JONK did to gain thousands of subscribers in record time.

1. Start Your YouTube Channel as a Learner, Not as an Expert

Plenty of creators join YouTube to share their expertise, but you don’t have to follow the same path. In fact, you can do whatever you want – skydiving, cooking, fashion design, 

. On YouTube, it’s not about being an expert on day one. All you need in the beginning is passion. That’s why 

, and simply learning as you go, is golden.

Take JONK, for example. He isn’t an artist by trade, but he loves making animated storytime videos.

“I was known in school as an infamously bad drawer…. If you go back to my first videos, you can tell that the stick men were awful,” JONK says. “The bodies didn’t even line up with the heads.”

One of those early uploads is called “Embarrassing Videos.” It has 250 views, way less than the 4,000 he averages on newer videos.

JONK is getting more views now because he never stopped improving his content. The animations are better, the transitions are seamless, and the storytelling is tight. Just watch his latest video, “

anyone can grow a YouTube channel from zero subscribers.

 And you can do it as a learner and not as a seasoned expert in your niche.

This one sounds scary, right? Why would someone shoot a video clip in one take instead of recording a few times to be safe?

 New creators need to make lots of videos before the YouTube algorithm “notices” their channel. Once that happens, YouTube will (hopefully) 

. The odds are better if a creator focuses on quantity though, not quality.

Quantity Over Quality – The One Thing New YouTubers Should Focus On

In general, here’s the fastest way to grow a new YouTube channel:

Create 30 or more videos in your first three months.

Make videos that are passable, not perfect.

“I speak to creators that write scripts, and some of their scripts can take hours to write,” JONK says. "I feel like if you write a script, and you record the same thing over and over again...it’s just not going to sound like you’re excited about it. So that’s why everything you hear in my videos, whether it’s doing a reaction to a fan or a video, every reaction you see is my first reaction.”

 four perfect videos or 30 good videos that give you some algorithm juice? If you want the latter, you’ll need to work smart and overlook those initial hiccups.

3. Be the First Person (Literally) to Cover Timely Events

Just a few weeks ago, JONK had 400 subscribers. So what on Earth pushed his channel to 30,000 in just two weeks?

Apparently, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. JONK made a viral video about rapper and YouTube creator 

JONK’s video is about The KSI Show, a pay-per-view event chronicling KSI’s life. While watching the hour-long event, JONK decided to make a “stick man” video about the show. It took less than two hours. He made a thumbnail and immediately posted the video below, which has more than 800,000 views.

“I think in the first 10 minutes, it gained about 2,000 views, and I was just saying, ‘What is going on?’” JONK says. "The thing that shocked me was the majority of views, they were coming from YouTube search. So people were 100% searching for The KSI Show.”

Other than that, why did JONK get so many views? Here are two reasons:

He was the first person to post a video about The KSI Show after the stream ended.

He knew KSI fans who didn’t watch the event would look for recaps.

Essentially, JONK covered a trending topic before it started trending.

 Then he amassed nearly 1 million views! If you want to grow your YouTube channel quickly, keep an eye out for events that have the power to trend.

Want to grow your YouTube channel with even more tips? Here are five solid ways to attract new viewers and subscribers.

Tube Talk logo with colorful play button and a cartoon figure wearing a gray top hat

You know the “normal” tips for growing a YouTube channel, so let’s switch things up. Here are 3 uncommon ways to get thousands of subscribers in record time.

3 Uncommon Ways to Grow Your YouTube Channel

Why do YouTube videos get demonetized? It’s a valid question, especially when someone takes the time to film, edit, and upload a video. Most creators try their best to make positive, original content for viewers around the world. What are they doing wrong in terms of making money and staying monetized on YouTube?

Google AdSense 101 - How to Benefit from Ad Revenue on YouTube

Most of the time, it's a lack of information. Creators know the basics of YouTube's rules, but they don't always know the fine details. And overall, people are just ready to record!

: A set of rules to ensure everyone’s safety on YouTube

 An explanation of which videos are suitable for advertisers

: A set of terms and conditions for placing ads on YouTube videos

: A set of terms and conditions for how viewers and creators operate on YouTube

Violating any of the four could lead to demonetization. Here's how to avoid that outcome.

What Does ‘Demonetized’ Mean on YouTube?

If YouTube demonetized a video, that means it restricted 

 ads from appearing. That includes every type of ad available to creators: display ads, overlay ads, sponsored cards, and skippable and non-skippable video ads. You won’t earn Google AdSense revenue for demonetized content.

Turning off ads is just one form of demonetization.

. This option bars you from all the money-making features: Google AdSense, Super Chats and Stickers, Super Thanks, merchandise shelves, Channel Memberships, and YouTube Premium revenue. It’s like being kicked out of the 

How to Tell If a YouTube Video Is Demonetized

After uploading a video, you can see its monetization status in less than an hour. It takes a while because YouTube is making sure the video is suitable for ads.

In the YouTube Studio, there are seven monetization icons

. Each one tells you the status of a video’s earning power.

 YouTube is checking your video for ad suitability.

 Monetization is on, and your video is eligible for most ads.

 Monetization is on for a song cover, but a music publisher claimed the revenue.

 Monetization is on, but YouTube is still determining who will get paid.

 Monetization is on, but ads are limited.

 You turned on monetization for the video, but YouTube won’t show ads.

 You turned off monetization for the video.

 means your video is demonetized, as shown below.

How to Check a Video’s Monetization Status:

Log into YouTube and click your profile icon in the top right corner. Select 

Find the video in question using the search bar at the top of the page.

. You’ll see one of the seven icons (shown above) indicating your video’s status.

Videos that aren't advertiser-friendly won’t earn much revenue. Here are 14 ways to avoid demonetization on YouTube.

? One of the requirements for monetizing your content is to avoid being repetitious. That means you shouldn't post videos with no recognizable differences on your channel. Your content needs a healthy dose of variety, from the audio tracks you use to the topics you cover.

That doesn’t mean you can’t explore one topic in depth. You can create similar videos as long as the bulk of each one is different. Take a look at the 

, for example. We share tips for gaining 1,000 subscribers all the time. But the advice changes as we discover new methods, which means we’re always talking about something new within the context of gaining subscribers.

2. Add Something Valuable to Repurposed Content

Using another creator’s intellectual property, such as songs, video clips, and images, could lead to one or more 

 on your channel. You’ll get these alerts when your video contains media that doesn’t belong to you. Copyright claims aren’t the end of the world, but YouTube might demonetize the video(s) in question or only give you partial revenue.

Can I Still Monetize My YouTube Channel If I have a Copyright Claim?

 happens when you reuse someone’s content without adding something new or transformative. If you’re posting a reaction video, for example, add some commentary that brings a fresh perspective to the original event, opinion, or narrative.

YouTube says it's OK to monetize reused content when:

You’re using brief clips for a critical review.

You’re adding original commentary to an event (movies, sporting events, etc.).

You’re adding an original storyline to edited footage from other creators.

Your best bet, of course, is to use your own content. But at the same time, YouTube understands that there are thousands of reaction channels out there. And guess what? Lots of creators are making money with that format.

3. Don’t Be Spammy, Deceptive, or Participate In Scams

YouTube wants every viewer to have a positive experience. And no user can do that while being tricked or misled by deceptive videos and comments. If you’re on the platform for the wrong reasons – like running scams and leading people to shady websites – YouTube might demonetize your content.

To stay on YouTube’s good side, don’t:

Repeatedly post content about making fast cash.

Lead viewers to websites with harmful software (viruses, information theft, etc.)

Use misleading thumbnails, video descriptions, and titles to “trick” viewer into clicking.

Promote “get rich quick” content or pyramid schemes.

Sell engagement metrics, like views, comments, and subscribers. That includes Sub4Sub, a type of spam where creators ask people to subscribe to their channels.

Post comments to gather information from viewers or drive them off of YouTube.

Live stream content that doesn’t belong to you.

Check out the image below to see an example of comment spam. Notice how the circled comment is impersonating the owner of the video, finance creator Graham Stephan. If you look closely, you can tell that “Replied_by Graham Stephan” is a bogus account.

This user is trying to drive people away from YouTube. Practices like this will get you demonetized.

Read more about spam, deception, and scams on YouTube’s support page

YouTube doesn’t tolerate hate speech of any kind. If you want to successfully monetize your videos, don't say (or type) harmful, offensive things. YouTube will demonetize your content if you're inciting violence or hate against specific groups.

Avoiding hate speech is easy. Think of all the ways people discriminate against others, and simply avoid saying those things in your videos. 

The most egregious hate speech revolves around age, sexual orientation, gender, race, disabilities, religion, immigration status, and veteran status.

Are there certain “demonetized words” on YouTube? Is it possible to say the wrong thing and lose all your ad revenue?

YouTube won’t demonetize a video for containing words like “hell” or “damn.” That’s considered light profanity, and most people aren’t offended by those terms. It’s the vulgar words that will get you into trouble, like repeatedly dropping F-bombs or constantly saying “b*tch.”

Can You Swear on YouTube and Still Make Money?

Here is a list of words that lead to demonetization:

Even when misspelled, adding these words to any element of a video (titles, thumbnails, etc.) is against the rules.

Our advice? Minimize the profanity in your videos. It's an easy way to get full monetization.

6. Don’t Show Dangerous or Illegal Activities

Want to make sure YouTube doesn’t demonetize your video? Avoid showing clips or images of bodily harm, gruesome injuries, and death. These themes are disturbing to viewers and scare advertisers away.

Logan Paul’s 2017 “suicide forest” video

. This was a huge scandal. Paul uploaded a YouTube video showing a dead body, and people around the world were deeply disturbed. He later shared a video of himself tasering dead rats. Eventually, 

YouTube temporarily demonetized his channel

Posting illegal activities is a bad idea too. You’ll have a better chance of monetizing your videos if you don't show:

glorifying dangerous acts results in demonetization or worse.

 If you can expect certain injury or death from an activity, it’s not suitable for YouTube.

7. Avoid Posting Sexually Explicit Content

YouTube will demonetize any video that gratifies sex. This type of content focuses on nudity, sex scenes, and pornography. If that’s the creator’s intent – indulging in sexual scenes – the next step is a no-brainer for YouTube. There will be no ads on the video, zero AdSense revenue, and (possibly) a channel termination.

Clothed or unclothed, YouTube states that showing genitals, breasts, or buttocks in an indulgent way violates its monetization policies. Also, sexual fetishes of any kind and in various formats (video, text, images, audio) are not allowed.

Read more about nudity and sexual content on YouTube’s support page.

8. Use Royalty-Free Music From the YouTube Library

Music copyright is a deep subject on YouTube. But for the purpose of monetizing videos, you only need to know two things:

Never use someone’s music without their written permission.

Smartphone displaying YouTube logo overlaid on US hundred dollar bills representing earning.

Did YouTube demonetize your video? Here are 14 ways to make positive content that stays monetized no matter what.

14 Ways to Avoid YouTube Demonetization

Are you looking to start and grow a YouTube business? If so, you need more than click-worthy videos to make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality. If you want to eventually sell products of your own, such as ebooks, PDF guides, or merchandise, uploading videos is just the beginning.

5 Tips to Start a YouTube Channel for Your Business

, we chat with creator and business owner Steve Dotto about why YouTube is just 

 part of a business. Dotto got his start on television during the 1990’s. Since then, he started the 

 YouTube channel, where he teaches people how to use innovative technology, like Zoom, Rev, and Slack. In the grand scheme of his business, Dotto shows people how to promote their products and services online.

Need some ideas to grow your YouTube business? Here are three recommendations from Dotto himself.

1. Jumpstart Your YouTube Business with an Email List

Like YouTube, email lists are for offering value. You get to go beyond the shiny appeal of video-making and show people 

 they need your services. For example, if you have a graphic design channel, your email newsletter might include design tips you haven’t shared on YouTube. If you’ve developed a product (which we recommend!), you can advertise that too. You might sell design templates or ebooks to help people learn graphic design.

Making Money on YouTube - 7 Tips to Start a Successful Business

You don’t need thousands of YouTube subscribers to start a successful newsletter.

, social media marketer and YouTube creator, said anyone can start from zero.

“The first video you make, have an opt-in to get people’s email address…. When your video shows up as the answer to someone’s question, they won’t care how many videos you’ve done before that to qualify what you’re doing,” Martinez says.

Ready to build your email list? Use any of these services to create a value-driven newsletter:

2. Create Webinars to Share Valuable Content and Capture Emails

We know what you’re thinking about this next tip. Hosting webinars is an old internet practice that few YouTube creators embrace. 

The answer has to do with our first tip. Creating a value-driven newsletter is great for your YouTube business. But convincing people to subscribe to a newsletter without some kind of incentive is tough.

Fortunately, a webinar solves that problem.

“A big part of my business is a series of webinars that we do,” Dotto says. “As big of a fan as I am of YouTube and [how] it allowed me to recreate what I did on television, I’m also a huge fan of the live formats. Not necessarily live streaming on YouTube, [but] webinars…. When I saw with a webinar that you could reach an unlimited sized audience with real engagement, and where you can capture their email address, [I knew] you could bring them in if you deliver value.”

The process is straightforward: Create a free, one-hour “training” about anything your audience wants to learn in exchange for viewers’ emails.

Establish a value promise – a short explanation of what you will teach or cover.

Make sure the webinar fulfills that promise.

Dotto prefers webinars to YouTube live streams because there’s no way to collect emails using the latter. But he still acknowledges the power of a well-planned live stream. Both have their place within a YouTube business.

“Live streaming’s big benefit is viral sharing – the opportunity to bring new people in,” Dotto says. Webinars’ big strength is accountability. I get your email address, and I get permission to talk to you.”

Hosting a webinar doesn’t have to be complicated. Software like 

 provides an easy setup that skips the super technical stuff. It lets you stream directly to YouTube, create custom registration pages, offer a live chat to viewers, and more.

3. Create Online Courses for Your YouTube Business

Building a business on YouTube is easier when you have courses to sell. Imagine creating a digital course on bitcoin mining that costs $100. If just 10 of your YouTube subscribers sign-up, that’s an easy $1,000. And because the course is static and replayable, you’re collecting passive income without doing extra work.

Starting a YouTube Career - 7 Steps to Monetize Your Passion

Digital courses are powerful. But before you start pumping out video tutorials, consider your audience. A helpful course to you might be an unnecessary course for your subscribers. On the flip side, what you see as unnecessary might be beneficial for subscribers.

Dotto can attest to this. He says his business model comes from listening to his audience and creating solutions for their problems. That’s how he built a successful course around Evernote, a popular note-taking app.

“I loved Evernote,” Dotto says. “I was just sharing on it, so I thought, ‘They probably want a course on this.’ So I asked them, ‘If I did a course, would you buy it?’ They said, ‘Yeah.’”

The course was wildly successful. Dotto created something he knew people would buy because he had the foresight to ask what they wanted.

As you can see, growing a business on YouTube requires diversification. Here are 

seven steps to build new streams of income on YouTube

Middle-aged man with beard and glasses beside colorful Tube Talk logo on black background

It takes more than exciting, click-worthy videos to grow a YouTube business. Here are 3 ways to make more money outside of your YouTube channel.

3 Ways to Grow Your YouTube Business

If you’re still working toward 1,000 YouTube subscribers, here’s some good news. Unlike creators with large audiences, you still have the freedom to try new things. You aren’t stuck in a niche where viewers expect hyperfocused videos. And you still have time to find your audience and learn how YouTube works.

Gaining 1,000 subscribers is still the dream.

 Once you meet that goal, you’re one step closer to applying to the 

The Easiest Way to Get 1,000 Subscribers on YouTube

, we chat with Alan Spicer, YouTube consultant and blogger, about gaining 1,000 subscribers and beyond. His YouTube growth channel, 

, has 34,000 subscribers. He also has thousands of subscribers on other YouTube channels, and books clients on his website, 

Spicer reviews lots of channels and has noticed a pattern with successful creators. Typically, channels with over 1,000 subscribers have three things in common.

1. The Content Is Hyperfocused and Entertaining

. The first option is making focused content that caters to one audience. But if you don’t know what your niche should be, you can explore different topics to see what gets more views. Be warned, though: The results for this option are unpredictable. You’re letting the numbers decide what your niche should be, even if you aren’t passionate about the topic. That’s why we recommend option one – finding a topic you love and sticking to it.

Is your YouTube niche worth pursuing? Ask yourself three questions to find out:

Are video ideas coming to me effortlessly?

If your answer to all three questions is “yes,” you have a niche worth exploring. Whether that’s cooking, baseball highlights, makeup, or something else, embrace your newfound topic!

 is the fastest way to get 1,000 subscribers on YouTube. The deeper you dive into a subject, the better your chances of attracting like-minded viewers. If you’re a 

, for example, viewers will subscribe to watch hundreds of gaming tutorials.

Making how-to content is a sure-fire way to stand out on YouTube. 

 Spicer sees this formula all the time as a YouTube consultant – and it works.

“You can still be educational and funny,” Spicer says. “[A fencing company] was making content about ‘how to’ this and ‘how to’ that, which was great. But then they made a video that was all about a specific building material…. It’s a nice time-lapse thing, and it’s entertaining. But it still was within their focus of them telling us how to put up that fence and the specific materials you need to use.”

Of course, the video went viral. The fencing company got views from their audience and people who enjoyed the time-lapse video.

2. The Creator Is an Expert – or Passionate About Becoming One

 to reach 1,000 YouTube subscribers? During that time, they post dozens of videos, if not hundreds.

That’s why passion is invaluable on YouTube. If you aren’t excited about your niche, it’s hard to keep going with little to no views and subscribers. Chances are, you will lose motivation.

7 Beliefs You Need to Have to Grow a YouTube Channel

There is one solution, though. You can always 

share your expertise, professional or otherwise, on YouTube.

 That gives you a topic to explore for several years. You can teach viewers an array of skills, from investing to painting to cell phone repair.

“I’ve done web development for five years prior [to YouTube],” Spicer says. “I understand search engine optimization, and now I’m SEO-certified. If I can teach those things, people then know I’m a Netflix of answers for that specific field.” 

3. The Channel Creates Long-Term Value for Viewers

Want to gain lots of subscribers quickly? Here’s the ultimate rule for succeeding on YouTube:

Create value for your viewers, and never stop giving it to them.

This rule applies to all creators, regardless of your YouTube niche. If you want viewers to subscribe to your channel, you have to give them a reason to stay.

3 Steps to Create Valuable, Highly-Watched Videos

“Whatever your goal happens to be, that’s perfectly fine," Spicer says. "But as long as you deliver the message and value to the audience first, they will keep coming back. If I’m being selfish, telling you what I want from you, taking from you, why would you want to come back to me?”

Gary Vaynerchuk, internet personality and super entrepreneur, is a great example. He succeeds on YouTube because he gives so much information away for free. 

 about entrepreneurship and personal branding help millions of subscribers achieve their goals. Plus, his advice creates long-term value. People will continue to start new businesses and tweak their personal brands for the job market.

 doesn’t mean you’ll become rich on YouTube. But it helps you make some money and grow your audience through the YouTube Partner Program. If you haven’t earned 4,000 hours of Watch Time yet – the other YPP requirement – 

Tube Talk logo with a smiling man outdoors near a river, promoting video podcast content.

YouTube channels with more than 1,000 subscribers have 3 things in common. Read this post to discover what they are and grow your audience faster.

What YouTube Channels with Over 1,000 Subscribers Have In Common

Can a YouTube creator’s CPM change for no apparent reason? By studying different channels, we know that CPMs fluctuate all the time. But increases or decreases don't happen randomly; whether your CPM soars to the moon like dogecoin or drops to the ground like a meteor, there’s a specific reason every time.

CPM (cost per millie) is the amount of money advertisers pay per 1,000 views. So for example, if one of your videos gets 100,000 views and the CPM is $8.50, the video’s total revenue is $850. That's a nice profit, but only a portion of it goes to your bank account. YouTube takes a 45% cut, which leaves you with $467.50. After that, subtract a healthy amount for taxes.

This is a best-case scenario because not every “view” on YouTube is monetized. In the YouTube Studio, there is a metric called 

 It shows how many views were actually monetized on your channel.

Your YouTube CPM can be amazingly high or shockingly low. Here are 7 reasons why.

Lydia Sweatt

Posts Written By Lydia Sweatt

3 Uncommon Ways to Grow Your YouTube Channel

14 Ways to Avoid YouTube Demonetization

3 Ways to Grow Your YouTube Business

What YouTube Channels with Over 1,000 Subscribers Have In Common

YouTube CPM: 7 Factors Affecting Your Channel's Revenue

How to Start a Successful Minecraft YouTube Channel

The Truth About Getting a Brand Deal on YouTube

How to Increase Audience Retention on Every YouTube Video

YouTube Success: 3 Steps to Create Valuable, Highly-Watched Videos

How to Double Your YouTube Watch Time by Looping Shorts

5 Mistakes That Stop Your YouTube Channel From Growing

Quantity Over Quality: The One Thing New YouTubers Should Focus On

YouTube Algorithm Guide: How Your Videos Are Recommended to Viewers