
YouTube is a tough gig to balance with everyday life. It takes time to make quality videos, and that clashes with so many things: working full-time, going to school, connecting with family and friends. The list goes on.

Creators who last the longest always have a plan

. They audit their daily schedules to find pockets of free time for shooting and editing. Then they ask themselves, 

What kind of YouTube workflow fits my lifestyle?

, we speak with someone who has the answer: 

. He’s a tech creator who makes unboxing videos, gear reviews, and tech tutorials for more than 40,000 subscribers. He also has a traditional job and a family, so 

was necessary. Now he’s super productive, uploading content to his YouTube channel almost daily.


“It took me about a year and a half [to figure it out] because I’ve been going hard like this for maybe about four, five months now,” TechnicallyTee says. “And that’s because I’ve found [this YouTube setup], and I’m taking advantage of the time I have with this workflow.”

Do you wish you were more organized as a YouTube creator? More consistent with your content? Here’s your roadmap to a better workflow, courtesy of TechnicallyTee.

Many people overlook the power of planning when they start a YouTube channel. It’s easier to do something more exciting, like shopping for cameras or researching the 

. But in reality, nothing is more important than brainstorming video ideas. It’s how you grow a thriving channel, so you’ll feel lost without frequent planning sessions.

7 Tips to Craft Irresistible Video Ideas on YouTube

TechnicallyTee recommends four steps to get started:

 of video ideas, preferably on a whiteboard.

 of which ideas you’ll film during the week.

For example, TechnicallyTee does all of his planning on Sundays. That’s when he sits down to brainstorm video ideas, write them on a whiteboard, and determine which videos get filmed that week.

When Monday arrives, he’s ready to produce a video. TechnicallyTee starts shooting at 7:30 a.m., and he spends the next three hours recording, editing, and 

. He finishes by 10:30 a.m. and prepares to start his regular job soon after – a schedule that repeats Monday through Friday.

If waking up at 6 a.m. isn’t your thing, that’s OK. But like TechnicallyTee, try to find your 

shooting videos, whether that’s the morning, afternoon, or evening.

To post as many YouTube videos as possible, you need a dedicated recording space. It should be large enough to fit all of your equipment – tripods, camera bodies, and microphones – and quiet enough to block out extra noise.

“The room itself [is] a tremendous help because there’s no way I would be able to pump out as many videos if I had to constantly put up equipment and take it down,”  TechnicallyTee says. “It would just be tiring.”

3. Buy YouTube Equipment That Saves You Time

We always say creators don’t need expensive gear to grow on YouTube, and that’s still true. 

Despite that, there are benefits to having 

For example, a fast laptop won’t freeze and shut down when you’re editing 4K videos. The right lighting saves you from having to do a color correction job on an otherwise perfect video. Even having multiple camera bodies – which TechnicallyTee swears by – saves time. You don’t need transitions because you have multiple angles in the video.

“Now I have so much gear – and I have the right gear – to where I can sit down, stuff is automated, and boom: It [turns] on…. For me, I feel like that’s where the gear does matter,” TechnicallyTee says.

productive on YouTube, you need a collection of gear: lights, audio, multiple cameras, tripods, etc. Nothing has to be expensive, but each purchase should enhance your workflow.

Batch-recording is the oldest trick in the YouTube book. Everyone swears by it because you end up with three or more videos in just a few hours of work. But it’s not for everyone, and that’s what many creators discover when they batch for a long time.

TechnicallyTee stopped batching when his videos lost their spunk. He could hear the fatigue in his voice while editing, and he didn’t want to release sub-par content.

“If I got a new iPhone or Samsung or something like that [to review], I would literally be batch recording for like three hours…. It got overwhelming, and I didn’t need to [do it],” he says.

 If you decide to batch record, make sure it’s the right method for your content and overall workflow. And remember to take plenty of breaks when you’re tired.

Want to perfect your workflow even more? Try these six digital tools that make YouTube so much easier.

If you aren’t as productive as you want to be on YouTube, it’s time to improve your content workflow. These four tips will help you create more videos in less time.

Create More YouTube Videos in Less Time With These 4 Productivity Tips

YouTube banners are a vital part of any creator’s channel. Size-wise, they’re bigger than 

That means people will notice your banner before seeing anything else on your channel homepage. If you want viewers to scroll down and click on your videos, you need a banner that entices them to do so.

What makes a good YouTube banner image? We believe the best ones are balanced, eye-catching, and complement the profile pictures beside them.

Here are five tips for creating a banner that intrigues anyone who lands on your channel.

1. Start with the Correct YouTube Banner Size

Good YouTube banners look sharp no matter where you view them: mobile devices, laptops, tablets, and even giant computer monitors.

To make a sharp banner image for your channel:

YouTube banner dimensions: 2048 x 1152 pixels.

Place banner text within the pixel area of 1235 x 338. That's the safe area where text doesn't get cut off.

2. Create a Banner That Matches Your YouTube Niche

Whether you’re into Minecraft gaming or finding lost puppies (yes, it’s a thing), your YouTube channel banner should reflect that. Viewers should look at your banner and think, 

It looks like this channel is about [insert topic here]. I’m in the right place.

If someone wants to learn Microsoft Excel, for example, the imagery in your banner has to match that desire. You might add a tiny spreadsheet to the design or make the banner forest green to match the Excel colors.

Some viewers will understand your banner without text, but others won’t be as fortunate.

That’s why it’s best to add a few words to the design. If someone doesn’t realize you’re a 

 after seeing your banner, they won’t spend more than a second guessing. They’ll see the answer on your YouTube header: 

add your channel’s value proposition to the banner too

. It’s an easy way to show people what your channel is about and what they’ll gain from being there. Our value proposition at vidIQ is “creator obsessed YouTube education,” and you know that instantly by reading our banner.

The typical advice we give for YouTube channel art is to keep it simple. Just like YouTube thumbnails, you want your banner to be understandable within seconds. That means adding just enough design elements to get your point across – some text, 1-2 images representing your niche, and a robust background. Stay away from designs that look congested or have too many colors for someone to process.

Banners are fun and artsy, but they’re more than a stylish billboard for your channel. They’re also a place to 

, from Twitter to Facebook to Instagram. You can display 

 on a banner, so use those spots wisely. We recommend putting the most important link in position one.

Also, consider placing a call to action on your banner. It could be an arrow pointing to the first banner link or a glowing box that encapsulates all links. Test different strategies to see what brings in the most clicks.

It’s easy to come up with YouTube banner ideas once you’ve seen a few examples. Here are five good ones to inspire your YouTube banner design.

Now that you’ve seen some quality banners, you’re probably wondering 

. After all, a good graphic is nothing without attractive imagery. If you’re going to design something that truly stands out, you’ll need quality banner images for YouTube.

Don’t worry: You don’t need to pay for a Shutterstock account or anything like that.

Plenty of websites will supply both the channel art and the editing tools you need to build a banner:

Do you have an old banner you’re dying to switch out? Here’s a step-by-step guide to upload your fresh header:

Scroll down to the banner section and click 

Select a new banner image, crop it, and click 

Are you ready to take your channel art to the next level? 

Learn how to make YouTube end screens and increase your video views

Every channel needs a stylish YouTube banner to attract new viewers. Here are five tips to make the best header possible for your channel.

How to Make a YouTube Banner That Attracts New Viewers

is a welcome change after making videos by yourself. It’s not just the extra company that makes you feel happier and lighter. There’s an assurance that you'll never run out of good ideas. Someone will always be there to say, “What if we do 

Overall, it’s nice to work with someone who loves filming, editing, and posting on YouTube too.

Have we inspired you to find collab partners, collect email addresses, and pitch a themed YouTube video?

Before you send a flurry of emails, learn 

Audience size is the first thing to consider when planning great collabs. Don't worry: 

You don’t need thousands of subscribers for a video project

. You just need a collaborator whose channel size is close to your own.

 for a video collab. His largest channel has more than 80 million subscribers, and even if you have 1 million, that’s not an equivalent partnership. You would gain millions of views and subscribers, but MrBeast wouldn’t get much from the deal. He’s already 

So if you have 1,000 subscribers, for example, look for creators who have between 500 and 5,000. That levels the playing field so you both benefit from a collab.

How to Find Small YouTubers to Collab With

Are you an up-and-coming content creator? Despite what others may think, now is the time to collaborate with fellow YouTubers. All you need is a firm understanding of your 

 to find small YouTubers to collaborate with. This website lets you search channels by category, subscriber size, total videos, and more.

 room on Clubhouse is another option. Creators gather there to network and learn YouTube tips, so you’re bound to find YouTubers looking to collab.

2. Collaborate with Creators in Your YouTube Niche

Don’t forget about your channel’s theme when seeking collaborations. Even if a creator shares your channel size, that doesn’t mean they fit your YouTube niche. Find someone who covers the same topics as you, whether that's beauty, gaming, real estate, or something else.

 If your channel is about personal finance, and you collaborate with a salsa dancer, that’s going to confuse your viewers; they might even unsubscribe from your channel.

3. Brainstorm Video Ideas Before You Send Collab Emails

Many YouTubers are looking for partners, but they don’t have unlimited time to search for one. People are busy filming, editing, and spending extra time on their YouTube thumbnails. The worst thing anyone could do is ask for a collab without sharing YouTube collab ideas.

Before you email creators, come up with three to five video ideas. Explain how the partnership would benefit their channel, and overall, just make it easy for the person to say 

 agree to collaborate with you, the next step is nailing a video style.

There are four ways to do a YouTube collab:

 and film two different videos. The first video will go on creator A’s channel, and the second video will go on creator B’s channel. However, both creators appear in each video.

Both creators film their scenes separately

 and send clips back and forth to create a single video.

 on each other’s channels. So, for example, creator A makes a video that 

 include creator B, but the video gets published on creator B’s channel. Then they do the same thing for creator A. This is best for popular YouTube channels of 500,00 or more subscribers.

. For this idea, creator A appears in the first half of the video, and creator B appears in the second half. For example, in a video titled “6 Ways to Get Free Airline Tickets,” the creators each present three tips within the same video.

5. Set a Realistic Date to Publish Video Collabs

YouTube collaborations are fun, but they take time to plan and execute. That’s why you need realistic deadlines for everything: when to film collabs, when to edit them, and when to push them live.

The first two deadlines are up to you, but we have some advice on when to publish. 

If you’re doing a collab where separate videos go on each partner’s channel, 

. That way, you can ask viewers to watch part one or part two at the end of whichever video they’re watching. It only works if both videos are available from the start.

A YouTube collaboration isn't done when the content is published. The next step is promoting the video on social media to a wider audience.

Planning a collaboration with other YouTubers doesn’t have to be complicated. You just need three things to make it work:

A like-minded partner who wants to grow on YouTube

Now that you’re an expert on video collabs, learn five tips to grow your channel faster.

YouTube collaborations are a brilliant way to grow your channel. Here are six tips to find the right video partners, choose ideas, and execute collabs flawlessly.

YouTube Collabs: 6 Tips for an Awesome Video Project

Almost no one watches a YouTube video from start to finish. If the title teases a “juicy” segment, it’s hard not to fast forward or rewind to the good stuff.

Of course, doing all of that with your cursor is a pain. Hovering over the video player to boost the volume is time consuming, as well as skimming frame by frame or searching for YouTube's full-screen mode.

YouTube keyboard shortcuts for Mac and PC

. These 30 functions create a better viewing experience and make YouTube accessible for everyone.

YouTube Keyboard Shortcuts You Need to Know

 to see a list of (most) YouTube keyboard controls.

These YouTube hotkeys will help you view content faster, and we’ve listed them below for convenience.

 to watch the next video in a playlist or the next suggested video.

 to go back to the last video in a playlist.

YouTube frame advance (forward): Pause the video and press “

YouTube frame advance (backward): Pause the video and press “

 to advance by 10% increments. Example: Press nine to go 90% into the video.

Go back to the beginning of a video: Press 

 to increase video volume by 5%, and press the 

Turn captions and subtitles on/off: Press 

Change the transparency of caption backgrounds: Press 

YouTube Spherical Video Controls (360 VR)

Watch the video below to see these shortcuts in real-time.

Most people aren't aware of these YouTube video hotkeys. How does it feel to join the 10% of people who browse faster and easier on YouTube?

Want to learn more YouTube tips and tricks? Visit this page to read our best guideposts.

Did you know there are several YouTube keyboard shortcuts? Whether you’re a video creator or casual viewer, you need these game changers in your life. Keep reading for a list of handy shortcuts.

30 YouTube Keyboard Shortcuts to Save Yourself Some Time

Choosing a YouTube niche is a big decision. Viewers look at the overall theme of your channel and ask one question: 

But that’s just one end of the spectrum; after that, you have to think about 

. It will analyze your channel’s genre and attempt to serve your videos to people with similar interests. If your content is all over the place, you might get fewer recommendations than someone with a focused channel.

 about how to choose a niche for YouTube. On his channel, Jeff transitioned from general tech videos to reviewing personal audio, such as earbuds, headphones, and speakers. That strategy was a huge success, and now Jeff has more than 80,000 subscribers.

A creator's niche refers to the genre or subgenre they explore in their content.

There are many types of niches on YouTube:

Ready to find the right niche for you? Here are five ways to pick a topic that speaks to you creatively and grows your channel.

On YouTube, the more specific your content is, the better.

Let’s say you plan to launch a comedy channel. That's a tricky task because while everyone loves to laugh, people are amused by different things. So it's not enough tell jokes or create skits that appeal to a broad audience. You need to reach your ideal viewer by niching down to specific moments that 

 be funny: being the new employee, leash-training a hyper dog, working in customer service, etc.

El Jefe Reviews takes this concept to the next level. He has a niche within a niche 

 a niche. There are three levels to his content that get narrower the closer you look.

A tech channel that reviews personal audio.

A tech channel that reviews personal audio, specifically wireless earbuds, headphones, and speakers.

“I thought general tech was the way to go until somebody sort of educated me and let me know, like, ‘Hey, that isn’t it. You need to laser-focus on a niche, and if you can find a niche within that niche, then that’s really going to be where you find your people,” Jeff says.

To find a focused niche, ask yourself two questions:

Does my niche have an interesting subgenre?

Is there an underserved subgenre I could make content for?

2. Choose a Niche That Gives You the Most YouTube Views

Why does El Jefe Reviews focus on personal audio instead of general tech? It’s simple: One topic got more views than the other. 

More importantly, Jeff didn't dismiss that phenomenon as fluke. 

 and realized his audience was interested in personal audio, not general tech.

“When I did my first headphone video, it outperformed my other content,” Jeff says. “I was lucky to get 50 or 60 views on a video before that, but this headphone video was pushing 300, 400, 500 views. Maybe two videos later, I did a video on a set of earbuds that had just been released. That video ended up pushing 1,000 in the first week…. I noticed a pattern there.”

The moral of the story? Don’t be afraid to experiment. It's OK to make a bunch of different videos and see what works best.

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

3. Check Out the Competition for Your Niche

Choosing a niche isn't as easy as picking up a weekend hobby. What if millions of other creators are getting billions of views for the same topic? You'll be starting from zero, which makes it hard to stand out on YouTube.

Now you have a tough decision to make. Do you fight your way through the crowd or choose a niche with less competition?

We’re not saying the first option is impossible. But it’s easier to 

 when you choose the road less traveled. 

A small creator should never try to compete (at least not directly) with an influencer pushing 1 million subscribers. Making videos about topics your competitors 

“There weren’t that many [channels doing personal audio] when I was doing it at first,” Jeff says about his own competitors. “At the time, there were maybe three or four of us back in 2017, 2018. Now there are 40 or 50.”

The lesson? If you have a unique idea, take it seriously before someone else does. The best YouTube channel niche is one no one's paying attention to, but you know viewers want to see.

4. Choose a Niche that Provides Endless Video Work

In this podcast episode, our co-host Dan asked Jeff an interesting question.

“Do you ever feel like there are only so many headphones, and you’ve reviewed all of them?” Dan asked.

“No,” Jeff answered. “There has been a tidal wave – a tsunami if you will – of wireless headphones and earbuds since 2016-2017, and it has not slowed down. Even the [computer] chip shortage [during the pandemic] barely made a dent in what’s going on here…. If anything, I have too much work.”

Choose a niche that gives you plenty of videos to make. There's nothing worse than 

5. Pick a YouTube Niche You’re Passionate About

Does your niche motivate you to wake up, film videos, and actually be excited about the process? It takes time to build a YouTube channel, so that passion has to come from you and only you. Make sure you’re on YouTube for the right reasons, which should be a combination of passion, community building, and, yes, even 

Once you've found the right niche, it's time to think about money. Are you trying to earn more 

 revenue or build an income through brand deals, affiliate marketing, and products? 

If the answer is AdSense, it helps to know which YouTube niches have a high CPM (cost per mille, or in other words, the cost advertisers pay per 1,000 views).

How to Make $200K a Month From YouTube AdSense

Here are the lucrative niches to look out for:

All of these niches have CPMs between $14 and $21, as shown in the graph below. This data is from a global study by 

So how does this affect your revenue? If you're from Australia and have an investing channel, for example, you could

 just by allowing video ads on your content. 

Now, let's say you have a goal to make $100 per video. With a CPM of $21 per 1,000 views, you would only need 5,000 views per upload to meet your goal – which is totally doable.

CPM rates fluctuate with market demand, seasonality, and even your audience type on YouTube.

To learn more about CPMs and how they affect your revenue, read this post outlining the major factors.

The best niche for you is one you’re passionate about and builds a following on YouTube. Here are some tips to find your channel’s focus once and for all.

How to Choose the Best Niche for Your YouTube Channel


Growing a YouTube channel is frustratingly difficult. It’s easy to create a channel, customize it, and make your first video. But everything that comes next is an extreme test of willpower.

Imagine posting for an audience of zero while earning 50 views at best. Or gaining one subscriber per video. That’s the kind of slow burn that makes creators give up before they’ve started.

But here’s the good news: Plenty of people 

making it on YouTube. Small creators grow their channels from zero subscribers to several thousand every year.

7 Beliefs You Need to Have to Grow a YouTube Channel

Rene Ritchie, a tech journalist who’s now a full-time YouTuber, says there are two keys to achieving this goal. First, you must understand how YouTube works. And second, you have to adopt the creator mentality.

, Rene shares powerful tips that helped him grow 

 to nearly 300,000 subscribers. Some of his advice will sound familiar to budding creators. But there are lesser-known tips – strategies people don’t explicitly think about – that make or break a YouTube channel.


When your channel isn’t growing, here are five things to remind you of what it takes to win on YouTube.

1. You Must Honor the Promise You've Made to Subscribers

When a viewer subscribes to your channel, they do so for two reasons:

They’re interested in your channel’s topic.

Gaining a new subscriber is exciting, but the real work begins after that. Viewers expect similar content of the same value, and it’s up to you to deliver that promise. That means you can’t go 

 or suddenly become less entertaining. If you do, viewers will abandon your channel for a new one.

“You’re nurturing and creating an audience, and that audience is nurturing and creating your channel at the same time,” Rene says. “It’s like a symbiotic relationship. And once you understand that, you’re not thinking about what’s algorithmically good – because that can lead you down all sorts of dark paths – but what’s good for your audience.”

Don’t think of viewers as an obstacle between you and more views. Instead, focus on 

. And when you create something your audience loves, ask yourself, 

2. It’s OK to Recreate an Existing Video

When your YouTube channel stops growing – or never even started – it’s time to identify your problem areas. Here are five things you could be overlooking on your channel.

YouTube Tips & Tricks

Create More YouTube Videos in Less Time With These 4 Productivity Tips

Published

How to Make a YouTube Banner That Attracts New Viewers

Published

YouTube Collabs: 6 Tips for an Awesome Video Project

Published

30 YouTube Keyboard Shortcuts to Save Yourself Some Time

Published

How to Choose the Best Niche for Your YouTube Channel

Published

5 Things to Remember When Your YouTube Channel Isn’t Growing

Published

How to Unlock All the Free YouTube Creator Tools on Your Channel

Published

Need a YouTube Camera? 5 Reasons to Use Your Smartphone

Published

YouTube End Screens: How to Make Cool Video Outros

Published

7 Tips to Craft Irresistible Video Ideas on YouTube

Published

4 Honest Reasons Why You're Running Out of YouTube Video Ideas

Published

How to Turn YouTube Comments On or Off: Mobile Device Guide

Published