If you haven’t started a YouTube channel yet, now's the time. The platform has more than 2B monthly users, which means you have plenty of opportunities to find and grow your ideal audience. 

That doesn't mean it's an easy job, though. With YouTube being a free platform, millions of people have launched channels with dreams of starting a profitable business. Many creators have reached success, but you'll need a solid YouTube strategy to do the same.

You can start by prioritizing these seven powerful tasks on YouTube: 

Sharing your value proposition with viewers

Creating new content to stand out on YouTube

Seizing content opportunities, such as traffic from popular trends

Mastering each skill is easier said than done, but it's possible. If you need some motivation, watch the video below to see how seven creators used the game plan above to grow their channels.

Need more proof? Here’s an in-depth analysis of how these creators quickly grew their channels in 2020.

Becoming a YouTube Authority: How ‘100 Percent Zelda’ Dominated One Topic

. This channel teaches key survival tactics in the popular video game - how to farm superfoods, tips for finding the best weapons, how to set battle traps, everything.

100 Percent Zelda has been on YouTube for nine months. But in a short amount of time, the channel has amassed more than 30K subscribers and 4M views. That’s no easy feat, especially when you consider the competitive nature of gaming.

So what’s the secret to this channel’s success? It’s simple: 

Focus on one thing and never deviate from that.

 and taught players how to survive its biggest challenges. Instead of posting a bunch of random videos, 100 Percent Zelda made a commitment to cater to its audience.

You can accomplish the same thing on YouTube. Simply decide on a niche, then 

. Post content many viewers find useful, and never, ever, abandon your audience.

Want to know more? We filmed a case study on this channel months ago, and you can soak up all the wisdom below:

Stimulus Talk: How ‘ClearValue Tax’ Got More YouTube Views In 2020

 gave viewers the information they desperately needed: how to quickly get their stimulus checks. That prized information helped the channel grow from 200 subscribers to more than 1M.

Brian Kim, the certified public accountant who appears on camera, doesn’t add any fluff to his videos. Within 10 seconds, he says exactly what he’s going to cover and dives right in. The production value is fine, but it’s not overly polished with excessive editing.

Additionally, the video thumbnails on this channel are simple freeze-frames from the footage itself, as shown below:

But guess what? None of that matters as much when you’re helping thousands of people get the free money they’re entitled to. You can overlook some of YouTube’s best practices because viewers need the information that badly.

Nonetheless, ClearValue Tax did what counts most on YouTube. The creator posted frequently, which is half the battle. The channel also used relevant keyphrases, such as ‘second stimulus check update’ and ‘get your stimulus check’.

‘Dad, how do I?’ Gets More YouTube Views With Fatherly Advice

Want to start a YouTube channel that earns 3M subscribers and 12.5M views? If so, you’ll want to follow the wisdom of 

 This channel is successful because its value proposition is clear. In each video, the creator teaches a skill most people need to know.

Simply put, a value proposition is a promise. It’s a declaration of what viewers can expect to gain from your channel, and every creator on YouTube should have one.

Dad, how do I? has a subliminal value proposition. Without the creator saying a word, you instantly know what it means to ask your father for help. The name of the channel promises you a certain kind of video before you press play.

More importantly, the content delivers on that promise. You get videos about everyday tasks, such as how to tie a necktie.

If you have dreams of going viral, take notes from this uber-successful channel. Make a promise to your viewers, then keep your word by posting the type of content they originally subscribed to see.

‘Paths Interactive Videos’ Finds a New Way to Boost Channel Watch Time

 isn’t like the other channels on this list. In three months, it has only earned 6K subscribers and 45K views, which is nowhere close to the millions we’ve previously discussed.

However, we believe this channel is one Reddit share away from going viral. That’s because it brings the classic joy of choose-your-own-adventure books to the YouTube world.

On the Paths channel, each video tells a story. When the video ends, viewers get to decide where the story goes next by clicking an end-screen thumbnail that whisks them to another video. It's a novel approach to YouTube, and we haven't seen this content strategy anywhere else - except maybe on Twitter threads.

This storybook content may help the Paths channel explode. It has the potential to increase channel Watch Time, which is a crucial metric for getting more views on YouTube.

Furthermore, a video with a high viewing duration has a better chance of being recommended to more people. On the Paths channel, this is almost mandatory because you have to watch the full video to complete a story.

So each video earns a ton of Watch Time, gets recommended to more people, and then those viewers must watch in full to choose the next adventure. It’s a brilliant scheme that works just like compound interest, except you’re accumulating valuable Watch Time instead.

‘APKAEIASAAS’: A Channel That Takes Advantage of YouTube Shorts

 channel that earned 425K subscribers and 50M views in just three months. 

 is a crowded YouTube niche, so how on Earth was this possible?

 had a lot to do with it. This new content type requires videos to be vertical and less than 60 seconds long, just like the content you'd see on TikTok.

But right now, not enough creators are making YouTube Shorts. There are more than 2B monthly users on YouTube, which means there’s a huge opportunity for short video creators to stand out - and that’s exactly what APKAEIASAAS did.

This creator posted YouTube Shorts depicting impressive builds in Minecraft’s mod-centric world. The content probably went viral because the YouTube app has a Shorts carousel that plays nothing but short videos. Chances are, APKAEIASAAS’s 

 content got featured there, earning the channel thousands of views.

Take a look at this Short from APKAEIASAAS. It has 15M views, which is an insane amount of notoriety for one video.

As a creator, you can't ignore the power of short video content. It’s everywhere now, so if you want to get more views on YouTube, start posting some irresistible YouTube Shorts.

‘Matt Talks Tech’ Doubles Down On a Winning YouTube Strategy

 joined YouTube in 2012 but didn’t publish a video until 2019. And even then, he experimented on the platform to decode how it works and what his niche would be.

 figure things out, everything changed. He found a successful YouTube strategy, cranked up his consistency, and started earning the number of views new creators want to see.

The formula Matt uses is simple. As a tech YouTuber, he titles all of his videos as follows: “Product + Release Date + Price.” So for example, one of his most popular videos is titled, “iPhone 12 Release Date and Price - iPhone 12 Apple Event Date?”

You can watch the video below, which has more than 500K views.

Once this formula was in place, Matt applied it to other product releases. The Google Pixel 5, the iPad Mini 6, the Xbox Series X - it was all fair game.

Matt Talks Tech dominates this strategy now, but it’s nothing you can’t repeat in the future. When you start your channel, pay close attention to what’s working for you. Then stay the course to get more views and subscribers on YouTube.

'Jake Fellman' Creates 3D Animation the World Has Never Seen

 had 41K views on his animation channel. Then he discovered YouTube Shorts and started uploading custom, 3D animation videos inspired by a popular game called 

. The multiplayer game has one objective: Fix a spaceship while avoiding the crew’s deadly, undercover imposter.

 mania has shown no signs of slowing, so Jake seized the opportunity on YouTube. In just 80 days, he gained more than 1M subscribers posting YouTube Shorts filled with 3D 

Want to achieve the same results on your channel? Watch the full case study below to learn more:

Jake is a former 3D motion designer, so he had the technical skills to grow an animation channel. But he has another gift people don’t talk about enough, which is unwavering self-belief. Back in October 2020, Jake said that in a year or less, he’d get 1M followers posting video content. Now 

 by simply being patient and passionate about his craft.

Creators, it’s never too late to share your passions on YouTube. These successful people, who are no different than you, have proven that in 2020. Now that 2021 is here, don’t second-guess yourself. Press record and don’t look back.

Red YouTube play button with "GAME OVER?" text on blue and purple background, vidIQ logo.

It's never too late to start a YouTube channel. If you need proof, just ask these seven creators who've gained thousands of subscribers in just a few months.

Why It's Not Too Late to Start a YouTube Channel in 2021

The way we tell stories, as well as who gets to tell those stories, keeps evolving. That’s the underlying message of YouTube’s latest 

, a statistical breakdown of how global events influenced video creators and viewers alike. With data showing the rise of virtual events and relatable content creators, the report proves video is still a powerful medium for expression - maybe the most powerful.

From the constant popularity of online gaming to our shared experiences around virtual events, here are the key insights from YouTube’s report.

New Creators Made YouTube Their Storytelling Home

According to YouTube, a large number of people became video creators in 2020. There was a 95% increase in new YouTube channels on the platform, and most likely, this contributed to a diverse group of emerging creators.

Ash Chang, YouTube culture and trends manager for the Asia-Pacific region, said as much in his video summary within the report:

“More than ever, it feels like the creator archetype of what we think a creator should be, should look like or should make content about has broadened and evolved to meet an audience more receptive to a diversity of stories and storytellers.”

Statistics around these diverse creators, as well as their genre-bending content, were also highlighted in YouTube’s report:

47% of people said it’s hard to place their favorite creators into one genre. 

, a U.S. creator who mixes makeup with true crime content, is a great example.

58% of people said they’d watch online content from creators in any age group.

By October 2020, VTubers (animated AI characters) were viewed 1.5B times per month.

, an indigenous creator from Ecuador became one of the top creators in Latin America, growing her channel from 100K subscribers to 1M in 2019.

In 2020, Video Connected People to New and Exciting Experiences

We’ve shared video experiences before, but not as fervently as in recent months. Instead of watching digital events solo, many viewers decided to watch alongside their favorite creators for a shared experience.

One example is rapper Travis Scott’s virtual concert on 

. Viewers were able to watch for free on the gaming platform, and 

 decided to do just that. However, Earnest Pettie, trends insight lead for YouTube, said many viewers tuned in to their favorite creators’ live streams, watching them react to Travis Scott’s concert instead. The same thing happened during other online music, sports, and gaming events this year.

By itself, online gaming is a popular watch category across the web. Here are the statistics from YouTube’s Culture & Trends report:

73% of people watched gaming content via online video platforms.

Minecraft Speedrunner VS 3 Hunters Grand Finale

” is one of YouTube’s top 10 trending videos of the year.

Online Video Helped Us Reckon With COVID-19, Racial Injustice, and More

Humans have always known adversity, but 2020 challenged us to address several global issues at once. Through video consumption, viewers channeled their desire for socio-economic progress, as well as pandemic stress relief.

Here are the key statistics from YouTube’s Culture & Trends Report:

54% of people watched humorous content online to cope with challenging moments in 2020.

Daily views for two songs spiked during widespread protests. In June, “This Is America” by Childish Gambino was viewed 1.6M times each day. “Fight The Power” by Public Enemy was viewed 30K times each day for the same month.

Whether you’re a content creator or consumer, Y

ouTube’s Culture & Trends Report proves the continual

 power of online video. It helps people of all backgrounds express themselves, connect with others, and share ideas about the world at large.

YouTube logo in black and red, representing the popular video sharing platform.

Did you catch YouTube's Culture & Trends Report for 2020? The global year-in-review highlights the rise of virtual events, emerging creators, and collective resilience during a challenging year.

YouTube in 2020: Powerful Stats You Need to Know

2020 has been quite the year for all of us, putting it mildly. In the world of YouTube, creators have had to adapt and innovate, with many experiencing awesome channel growth, while others have seen the numbers drop.

At the end of every year, we take a look back at our own YouTube channels and discuss what we've learned, and what strategies we'll take with us into 2021.

Catch up on the Latest YouTube News With TubeTalk

TubeTalk is one of the most popular and listened to podcasts in the online video industry. Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to TubeTalk on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode!

You can also find the complete list of all the

TubeTalk logo with rewind and fast-forward icons and text "What happened... what's next"

Find out what worked on YouTube in 2020 and what strategies creators need to focus on in 2021.

YouTube in Review: Insights from 2020 & Strategies for 2021

 was first released in 2018, few gamers were interested in the online, multiplayer game. However, that changed when COVID-19 spread across the globe and disrupted everyone’s 2020.

As a matter of public safety, cities around the world issued stay-at-home orders and temporary lockdowns. With few entertainment options, bored gamers decided to finally give 

One of those early gamers was Chance Morris, a.k.a Sodapoppin. In July, he started streaming the game to 2.8 million followers on his 

. By September, the game was so popular that 

 is the talk of the internet, millions of people are accepting the game’s challenge: Repair a malfunctioning spaceship while an "imposter" hunts and kills members of the crew. Everyone’s playing it, from influencer royalty like James Charles to 

 is popular on Twitch, but the game also has a large presence on YouTube. According to vidIQ’s keyword tool, more than 54 million viewers entered the phrase ‘Among Us’ into YouTube’s search bar. And that was just in the past 30 days.

Want to snag some of those views for yourself? Here are some tips for creating awesome 

 videos, take some time to review the game’s top keywords. Once again, we used the vidIQ keyword to compile this list:

These are great keywords to consider at the start of your research. But keep in mind that these are the most popular terms, meaning they’re harder to rank for on YouTube. If you have a small to medium-sized channel, use variations of these keywords to stand out from the competition.

‘Among Us Stack Kill’ A Top Keyword for Imposter Strategies

Look at the top 10 keyword list above. ‘Among Us imposter’ makes the cut, but our keyword tool says it's an extremely competitive search term. If you wanted to make content around the imposter side of 

, how would you do that and get decent views?

All you have to do is niche down even further. Dig deeper into the thrill of being an imposter, and you’ll find a valuable keyword opportunity: 

The videos attached to this keyword are absolutely hilarious. In them, creators share their strategies for killing multiple crew members at once on the 

SKRIMP, a channel with nearly 10K subscribers, got more than 30K views with this “stack killing” video:

Not bad for a channel with less than 10K subscribers, right? 

Other channels are experiencing success with “stack kills” too. For example, 

 has 1K subscribers and earned nearly 5K views with their video, “

Among Us Impostor Secret Stack Kill Strategy.

‘Among Us, But’ Is the Shock Value You Need For More Views

 is fun, but the entertainment value explodes on a modded version. Some creators are taking advantage of this by playing/creating outlandish versions of the game, and you should too.

 used the ‘Among Us, But’ keyword to showcase their video game development skills. Their video is titled “I Made Among Us, But It’s Single Player (Among You).” That’s a headline many die-hard fans would click, as evidenced by the video’s 2.9M views:

Tokaint has 108K subscribers today, but they didn’t start there. Our community manager Daniel Holzhauer discovered that this channel went from 7K to 100K 

 in less than a month. Interestingly, their most-watched videos contain the 'Among Us, But' keyword.

Another creator is leveraging this term too. 

 has 7K subscribers and is getting tens of thousands of views using ‘Among Us, But’.

Admittedly, this keyword is getting some attention from top YouTube gamers, so it’s a tad competitive. However, there’s proof of smaller creators getting more views than they’d normally receive.

 is a fun game and a joyful online trend, but who knows how long it will be popular. If gaming is your niche, use this trendy title to get more views on

Various colorful Among Us characters on a gradient background for gaming illustration

Are you playing Among Us like the rest of the world? While you're fixing that spaceship, use these tips to upload the footage to YouTube and get more views.

How to Get More Views On YouTube By Playing Among Us

What if I could tell you about a topic that could generate impressive YouTube views and subscribers? What if that topic was about a holiday, sporting event, or another special occasion that attracted viewers to YouTube to find out more about it? Would you be interested in making that video?

These tentpole events lend themselves very well to both trending and evergreen content and are a rich source of inspiration for any creator. Join the experts at vidIQ as we discuss:

How to use tentpole events for your videos

Preparing for, and leveraging trending topics

Want to Know How to Use Copyright Music on YouTube Legally?

Can you take somebody else's music and use it in the background of your video as long as you credit them in the description? Do you really know your rights when it comes to your content and what you can and cannot do?

TubeTalk is one of the most respected and listened to podcasts in the online video industry. Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to TubeTalk on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode!

You can also find the complete list of all the 

TubeTalk yearly trends with upward graph and YouTube play button icons on blue background

Creating video content around tentpole events is an excellent way to generate YouTube views. Find out more on this episode of TubeTalk.

How to Increase YouTube Video Views From Tentpole Events

Convincing viewers to subscribe to your YouTube channel may be the hardest thing you’ll ever do. It takes time and effort to create unwavering loyalty among viewers, so of course, no one gains millions of subscribers overnight. 

In fact, before that happens, you may ask viewers to ‘like, comment, and subscribe’ hundreds of times.

But once you get the number you’re looking for - several hundred, a thousand, or even hundreds of thousands - that’s going to feel amazing. All the hard work of starting a channel, sticking to a niche, and uploading consistently will finally be justified.

And guess what? Nothing will bring you down - not the army of bots spamming your videos with sub4sub comments, not even the discrepancy between 

. Nothing will steal your joy except maybe, quite possibly, seeing a number like this on your channel analytics dashboard:

By the way, that’s how many subscribers our YouTube channel, 

, has lost since joining the platform: 349,032.

But why does this happen? How can any creator lose so many subscribers on a free platform?

If you’re experiencing the same thing, don’t worry. 

The relationship between creators and viewers is just like any other. It goes through changes, seasons of uncertainty, and sometimes it ends altogether. To prepare yourself for the impact of losing fans, watch our “Why Am I Losing Subscribers” video on YouTube:

As long as you’re gaining more subscribers than you’re losing, that’s a win. But if you need more proof, here are six reasons why all YouTube creators lose subscribers at some point:

7 Reasons Why Your YouTube Channel is Losing Views (And How To Fix It)

1. You’ll Lose Subscribers when YouTube Deletes Fraudulent Accounts

It’s true. Now and then, YouTube audits your list of subscribers to track down annoying bots and spam accounts. This process includes some form of account verification, and if YouTube detects any suspicious activity, it may remove those accounts from your subscriber list or the platform altogether.

In the past, YouTube performed these audits three or four times a year, but the process is more nuanced today. Instead of waiting for bot and spam accounts to pile up through the year, YouTube audits accounts in real-time -  or at least within 24 to 48 hours of you gaining new subscribers. That lets the platform remove illicit users as soon as they subscribe.

 from your channel, just know this: There's nothing to worry about, and it’s not your fault. Your subscriber count may decrease, but that just means your channel - and all of YouTube - is becoming a better place for viewers and creators alike. Here's some info on that topic:

2. Viewer Fatigue Can Make Fans Unsubscribe

Have you ever stopped watching your favorite YouTube channels for no particular reason, even though you enjoy the content?

If so, you’re not alone. Thousands of people experience viewer fatigue on YouTube, and if that feeling becomes too heavy, unsubscribing is just one way for viewers to reclaim their headspace.

Rob Wilson, our YouTuber in residence here at vidIQ, found himself in that exact predicament. In 2015, he fell in love with the work of filmmaker and storyteller 

. Around 7 p.m. each night, he’d watch his daily vlogs after downing a cup of tea, which became his ritual for 18 months.

But one day, Casey decided he wouldn't upload daily vlogs anymore and took a break from YouTube. When he returned to the platform, he also decided to post non-vlog content every few days. All of that led to Rob watching less of Casey’s videos over time.

The interesting thing though, is that Rob maintained his subscription to Casey’s channel for quite a while. Only after seeing Casey’s videos constantly pop up, and realizing he was never going to watch them, did Rob finally hit unsubscribe.

3. Viewers Unsubscribe When They Outgrow Your Channel

 and watch our videos regularly, you know our value proposition to you. As you embark on the journey of mastering YouTube, we educate you on how to overcome the challenges of being a creator. 

But does that mean we're going to educate you from zero subscribers to 100 million subscribers? Probably not.

It's not feasible to target every YouTuber - the beginners, the intermediate, the advanced - so we speak to one particular audience. Right now, those viewers have channels with less than 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of Watch Time. Basically, they’re working toward 

When you reach 50,000 subscribers and have already monetized your channel, your relationship with us could change. If we're honest, maybe the vidIQ channel is no longer for you when you’ve secured huge brand deals and sponsorships.

Always remember that your viewers are on a journey of self-discovery. They may outgrow your channel as their interests change, and that’s OK. There are more than 2 billion monthly users discovering new things on YouTube, and many of them will fall in love with your past, present, and future content.

4. Viewers Unsubscribe When You Don’t Post Evergreen Content

As a creator, you should understand the potential shelf life of the topics you cover. 

For example, if you started a YouTube channel about fidget spinners back in 2016, where would you be now? Fidget spinners are still cool, but nobody's watching videos about them. And what about the cultural phenomenon that was “Game of Thrones"? The television series was popular on YouTube for 10 years, but unfortunately, the show ended.

I think ASMR is a good topic to evaluate too. It had phenomenal growth in the last five years, and prior to that, many of us didn't know what that abbreviation meant. Now it seems to be an ever-expanding universe with no end in sight. However, as a creator, you can’t be blindsided by its current popularity. There has to be an inflection point somewhere in the future where the topic plateaus or dips in popularity.

If there’s a trend you want to cover on YouTube, act fast, and enjoy the extra views and subscribers you may receive. Just keep in mind the probability of your audience unsubscribing when the trend inevitably dies.

5. YouTube is Competitive. Viewers May Unsubscribe to Watch a Better Channel

This is a bold statement, but probably true nonetheless: If we uploaded videos about YouTube growth education 10 years ago, we’d have millions of subscribers right now. That's because a decade ago, there were fewer YouTube education channels to compete with.

Because there are so many good channels today, including our own, the views and exposure in this niche are divided amongst several creators. So here’s a reminder for every YouTuber: 

If you stand still, never seeking to improve your channel, someone better is going to take your audience.

It wasn't always this way. A decade ago, individual creators making content from their bedrooms dominated YouTube. But these days, YouTube is filled with traditional media companies who’ve taken the platform seriously, or new groups creating phenomenal channels run by skilled production teams. The world is realizing the power of video, so it's becoming increasingly difficult for individual creators to dominate YouTube. 

It's possible, of course. Just extremely challenging.

To make sure your audience grows with you, do everything in your power to become a better content creator with each upload.

6. Viewers Unsubscribe When You Don’t Stick to One Niche

And now, let's talk about the one thing we always cover: the focus of your YouTube channel.

To start, here’s a scenario among viewers and creators that happens repeatedly. After watching one of your videos, new viewers will subscribe to your channel under the assumption that the video they watched reflects your entire channel. 

But upon diving deeper, those viewers may realize your channel is all over the place. They may find gaming content, sports commentary, DIY challenges, and crafting videos during a five-minute scan. All those unrelated topics make it hard to know what a channel is really about.

To keep your audience, don't confuse them by uploading videos about many different topics. 

Instead, try to stick to your channel’s niche. It’s OK to branch out a bit and even ride the wave of certain trends, but you should only do that when they align with your channel’s focus. We did a video on the simple mistakes creators often make on YouTube that includes advice on niching down on your content:

So, losing subscribers is a natural part of the YouTube journey. I would estimate that channels with a million subscribers have lost 100,000 along the way - and I'm probably being generous with that number. 

Your current subscriber count is the number to pay attention to

. If it keeps decreasing overall, analyze your YouTube data to see what’s going wrong and get yourself back on track.

If you want to take your YouTube channel to the next level and 

 then make sure to download vidIQ. Join over 1 million other users and use vidIQ to help you research YouTube, analyze videos, audit your own channel, and take actionable steps 

And if you’re really serious about growing your YouTube views and subscribers, sign up for exclusive access to the 

 and learn how to launch a successful YouTube Channel in just 30 days.

Man reacting to YouTube losing 350,606 subscribers with vidIQ logo on blue background

Are you slowly losing subscribers on your YouTube channel? Here’s why.

YouTube Trends and Insights

Why It's Not Too Late to Start a YouTube Channel in 2021

YouTube in 2020: Powerful Stats You Need to Know

YouTube in Review: Insights from 2020 & Strategies for 2021

How to Get More Views On YouTube By Playing Among Us

How to Increase YouTube Video Views From Tentpole Events

6 Honest Reasons You Might Be Losing YouTube Subscribers

Virtual Halloween 2020: Top Keywords on YouTube

What is Cottagecore and Why is it Taking Over Social Video?

Why Your YouTube Subscriber Count Sometimes Looks Wrong

How YouTube Can Unlock Back to School Success

How MLB Is Using Live Streaming to Combat COVID-19

Top 20 Mother's Day Keywords on YouTube

Top 20 K-Pop Keywords on YouTube 2019: BTS Top Search Term