Ask any YouTuber and they will tell you that generating significant views and subscribers isn't easy. But with the right strategy and tools, any video creator can build an engaged subscriber base when they understand what those subscribers want to watch.

Appealing to an audience to watch content you are passionate about making is just the first step, you need to know how to reach them and get your videos discovered. Our guides to how to guide more views on YouTube will give you the best tips to succeed on the platform.

YouTube Views

How To Get More Views on YouTube

Do you want to make money on YouTube? Millions of creators are earning a very good living from monetizing the platform and uploading content that drives huge views and engagements. Whether that YouTube income is from advertising revenue, merchandise sales, or brand deals, or subscriptions, we keep you updated with best practices and ideas.

YouTube Monetization

How To Make Money on YouTube

Getting thousands or even millions of YouTube subscribers is a dream for most creators. In the articles below, we'll show you how to turn casual viewers into long-term fans. 

YouTube Subscribers

Want to see how your channel is performing? Read these YouTube analytics articles to discover what's working and what isn't. You'll learn how to identify which videos have the most Watch Time, clicks, audience retention, revenue, and more.

YouTube Analytics

Watch Time is arguably THE most important metric on YouTube right now, and creators won’t be able to monetize their content without 4000 hours of it. But what is it and how can creators increase the amount of Watch Time their videos attract? We keep you updated on the best practices around Watch Time, and how you can increase how much your video content generates.

YouTube Watch Time

YouTube Shorts content is set to explode! 

All the latest tips, tricks, and rock-solid advice you need for this new feature.

YouTube Shorts

Do you know how to do keyword research so you understand what videos people are actually searching for on YouTube? Do you know how to create a custom YouTube thumbnail? Do you know how to create a Playlist on YouTube?

vidIQ has a ton of tips that will help every creator maximise their video content. We publish content every week to keep you up to date with all the best practices.

Tips & Tricks

YouTube Tips & Tricks

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.

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

If you are a video creator, you may have noticed that the YouTube tools you use to create your videos and check how well you're doing have undergone a radical change over the last six months. We’ve already brought you lots of news about the changes, but now we’ve talked to a YouTube expert about how the new Creator Studio (AKA YouTube Studio Beta) works.

During an hour-long special live stream on the 28th October 2019, we were joined by Tom Leung, Product Management Lead at YouTube. Tom’s team is focused on a number of products, including the Creator Studio, the Creator Studio mobile app, the uploads experience, and the channel management experience, as well as YouTube analytics. Tom is also part of the 

, which all YouTube creators should subscribe to!

In the live stream (video above) we touched on YouTube analytics, the dashboard, and video management. As of October 2019, the following is true about YouTube Studio Beta:

At some point in the near future, YouTube will drop the beta label and it'll just be known YouTube Studio.

The legacy product will continue to be referred to as Classic Studio, but that will fade off into the sunset over time.

Beta Studio is now the default experience for YouTube creators, although Classic Studio is still available.

YouTube has announced Classic Studio will probably be removed this year, but have promised advanced notice of this.

New YouTube Studio: Two Things Creators Need to Know

#1 If you are still defaulting to the Classic Studio - right now is the time to get used to YouTube Studio Beta. Creators who are active on the platform need to really learn the new dashboard because when the old one goes away it’s going to cause a world of pain.

#2 The sooner Classic Studio is retired, the sooner YouTube can add new features to Studio Beta because more resources will become available to do that. Tom mentioned that an updated mobile app, the ability to turn on dark mode, improved real-time analytics, and an upload checklist were all on YouTube’s to-do list in the future once Classic has been sunsetted.

Please watch the video for details of the new features in Studio Beta, and check in again as we focus on the new tools that YouTube is rolling out to creators.

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 

By now, all creators should have seen the New YouTube Studio (AKA Creator Beta Studio). But how can you get even more out of it? YouTube showed us in an exclusive live stream!

Exclusive! An Official Tour of the YouTube Studio Beta WITH YOUTUBE

Millions of creators on TikTok are used to lip-synching or dancing to any song they choose as background without any legal consequences (

). But using other people’s music in a YouTube video can have serious repercussions. Like getting your channel terminated serious.

YouTube recently confirmed again their policy around using cover songs in your video content with the very clear message that:

If you're singing to, or humming along to, or drumming over a copyrighted melody, then the uploader is wide open to receive a copyright takedown.

Cover Songs on YouTube: What Creators Need to Know

 team from YouTube released a video that breaks down the issues around using other people’s music, including Content ID and copyright claims around cover songs, remixes, and accidental or intentional use of licensed musical compositions. You can watch the video below but here are the main takeaways:

#1 You Can Get a Copyright Claim Just By Humming a Copyrighted Tune!

YouTube confirms that for every song or musical composition there are two sets of copyright: one belongs to the songwriter or the songwriting team behind the melody, the ones that wrote the music and created the lyrics.

The second copyright protection is for the artist and covers the recording and performance of that song. If you upload a video that features you, or anyone else, humming along to a copyrighted melody that you haven’t sought permission for you are infringing on that copyright and may receive a copyright takedown for doing so.

#2 Creating a Lyric Video Can Also Attract a Copyright Claim

Adding lyrics over a background image to a licensed song without permission is also a big no. They could be claimed by the music publisher, that’s the entity that usually owns the copyright to a composition. The publisher protects the songwriter and that includes the use of the music or lyrics on YouTube.

#3 How About Just Playing an Instrument Over a Song?

A recognisable version of a melody is usually referred to as a ‘Master Recording,’ and copyright covers that tangible asset. If, as a creator, you use clips from that master without seeking written permission, then you may attract a copyright takedown. This includes using snippets in a remix, or singing or playing an instrument over it.

#4 But I Played All the Instruments Myself!

Creators will often dispute a copyright takedown by arguing that they recreated the song by playing all the instruments themselves, or recorded a new voice track. But if the musical composition was used then the publisher or songwriter has a valid claim.

#5 What Cover Music Can be Claimed by the Rights Holder?

The copyright team at YouTube confirmed the following actions by a creator can leave them vulnerable to a copyright claim if the music and lyrics belong to a rights holder (i.e. not in the public domain):

Any use of the master recording in a remix/mash-up

#6 Fair Use and Parodies of Licensed Songs

Fair Use is a very complicated topic but a judge will use the following when considering any claims:

The amount and substantiality of the portion taken

The effect of the use upon the potential market

If a video creator uses a song or changes the lyrics in a way that either provides commentary or ridicules the original, there may be an argument for Fair Use. But Fair Use is not a guarantee and depends entirely on how the creator has interpreted the composition. So, parodies can absolutely be subject to claim.

If you are performing a copyrighted song on YouTube, and are in the partner program, the platform has the ability to share revenue between the publisher and the creator who uploaded the video. That’s known as a cover rev share, even though the new version may not necessarily be a straightforward cover. YouTube wanted to find a way to reward creators by allowing them a monetization option, as long as the rightsholder is in agreement.

Thinking of using someone else’s music in your YouTube video? Here’s what you need to know to avoid a copyright strike.

The Truth About Using Cover Songs in Your YouTube Videos

There were extraordinary scenes on social media today as the much-anticipated launch of the new Jeffree Star & Shane Dawson cosmetic line sent Twitter into meltdown. The launch of the products, documented in a ground-breaking 

, was scheduled for today at 10am PST, but such was the demand from fans of both the make-up, and the creators, the website spectacularly crashed around 9.58am, and at time of writing is still off-line.

The demand for the #ShaneDawsonXJeffreeStar palette and lip collections not only crashed the 

 site, it lead to outages across other Shopify e-commerce sites:

Both Star and Dawson are actively managing the issue on their Twitter and Instagram accounts, begging customers to be patient as there teams work on fixing the issue.

The success of the launch is a testament to the power of YouTube, but also to the savvy marketing and promotion skills of both collaborators. Star has built a legitimate billion dollar cosmetic and merchandise distribution business in the past few years and has used the video platform to help build his brand. Dawson, a YouTube OG, has pivoted from his usually quirky style into longer-form content which has generated millions of views for his channel.

You can find out about the new cosmetics line here:

The much-awaited launch of the Jeffree Star/Shane Dawson cosmetic line sent both Twitter and Shopify into meltdown earlier today. Find out why!

How Jeffree Star & Shane Dawson Broke the Internet #JeffreeXShane

Can you be successful on YouTube without spending thousands of dollars on equipment like cameras, lights, and a great microphone? In other words, can you REALLY be a mobile content creator and do EVERYTHING on your phone? If you’re on a tight budget and have those concerns then this episode of TubeTalk is for you.

I’ve spoken with thousands of creators, and a common statement I hear is "I don't have the right gear, therefore I'm not going to be successful. All I have is a cell phone, therefore I cannot be a content creator, I cannot be a YouTuber." Well, that is not correct, you don't NEED to spend thousands on equipment to be successful on YouTube!

I wanted to understand what it would take to be a creator who only has access to a mobile phone, so I called upon one of the top experts in the field to help me. 

Dee Nimmin runs an entire YouTube channel

 just on mobile, so he’s the ideal person to teach us the tips and tricks of how to be successful on YouTube using only a mobile phone. In this podcast you will learn:

Why a smartphone is all you need to create video content

Why creating video is more important than waiting for the right gear

Why investing in a microphone should be your first step

Why learning the manual controls on your smartphone is a must

The best apps for editing video on a mobile

The best apps for creating custom thumbnails on a mobile device

Subscribe to TubeTalk: The Video Marketing Podcast!

TubeTalk has been informing video creators and marketers since 2014, and is one of the most respected and listened to podcasts in the online video industry. Subscribe today so you never miss an episode! You can find vidIQ's TubeTalk at:

Everything You Need to Know About Being a Mobile Content Creator: Full Transcript

Dee Nimmin:	Thanks. Thank you. I'm stoked to be here. I'm honored that you would have me on to talk.

*Liron Segev:	So for those who don't know who you are, who is Dee Nimmin in a tweet?

Dee Nimmin:	Dee Nimmin helps mobile content creators and mobile YouTubers. Mic drop.

Liron Segev:	Boom. Do not drop my mic. A lot of creators that we will speak to, they always say kind of the same thing; I just don't have the gear, I cannot afford a thousand-dollar camera. I cannot afford a $300 mic. So I'm just not going to start."

You must have seen this many times in your whole consulting career and with people that you speak to. Let's start there. What do you say to people?

Dee Nimmin:	When someone comes to me and they get caught up with the mindset of, they need gear, they need the stuff, they need the thing. There's always something that's stopping them from getting started, from taking that first step, and it's usually (if it's not something in their head), gear. What I always try to encourage people to do is look in their pocket, because all the gear they need to get started, look in your pocket because everything you need to get started is in your smartphone. Everything.

Liron Segev:	So here's the question, though. I mean, realistically, between me, you and probably a couple of thousand listeners who are listening to this, can you really be successful being a content creator, shooting video, and doing absolutely everything on your phone, or, realistically, is there a little bit of a loophole where you shoot on your phone and then you have to upload it to a PC to start?

Dee Nimmin:	Well, there are two types of mobile content creators. The first type of person does everything on their phone. They shoot the video on their phone, they edit the video on their phone, they make their YouTube thumbnails on their phone, they upload on their phone, and they add their description and titles.

The second type, they use their phone as a camera, and once they shoot the footage, they import that into their computer and they do the editing there, upload from there. So there are two types of people. But to answer your question about can you really be successful, Mr. Beast, who now has 20 million subscribers, got his first 200,000 subscribers shooting on an iPhone.

Liron Segev:	I want everyone to let that sink in. So is it possible? The answer is yes.

Dee Nimmin:	Yeah, the answer is absolutely yes, and of course you don't always have to be a mobile creator. Depending on the type of content that you make, you might find, okay, I got started with my phone and it served me well. The phone was great. However, I'm doing something now where I need a DSLR, or maybe I'm doing more graphic intensive editing and I need a computer. So it's perfectly okay to upgrade. If you need to upgrade, upgrade, but if you need to get started, start with your phone.

Liron Segev:	Phones evolve yearly. There's always a bigger sensor, more megapixels. They just get better, better, better, better. So because of that reason, you're upgrading your phone anyway, it's in your pocket anyway, the best camera is the one that you have with you.

Liron Segev:	So you're shooting all your content on your device now?

Dee Nimmin:	Well, no. To be clear, if I'm shooting in the studio, because we do have the live streaming studio, I have access to all the cameras. So if I'm shooting something in the studio, I use one of the cameras that we have. If I go outside to shoot, I'm grabbing my phone. I don't need to grab a DSLR because I can make it look like whatever I want with my phone.

Liron Segev:	So even though you technically have access to the gear, it's right there on your tripod, there's no reason why you cannot unclip it from the tripod, take it with you in your bag if you wanted to, but you don't want to.

Dee Nimmin:	Right. Now, here's something. So, I drive a scooter in Thailand. You know I live in Thailand, right?

Dee Nimmin:	I drive a scooter and I always have a little backpack. In my backpack, I always have a microphone, because I never know ... and I always have some sort of a handle, a Joby grip or something to hold my phone with, because I never know when I'm going to be in the mood to record something. So when I pull out my phone, if I'm like, "I want to record something, I've got this idea," yeah, I've got a microphone, I've got my little grip, I put it together, and you don't even need that, technically. Your phone has a microphone built into it, but I want my audio to sound a little bit better, a little more clear. So I spent $20 and got an inexpensive microphone.

Liron Segev:	20 bucks? Okay, so let's unpack that a little bit. So now you decide you're going home, you're on your scooter, you've got a helmet, or not, I'm not sure how Thailand ... Yeah, anyway, and then you shoot ... You're heading out and you want to shoot something. One of the things that's important to you is having good audio. How critical is good audio for a good shoot?

Dee Nimmin:	Audio is 50% of the experience.

Liron Segev:	Okay. So if I'm going to spend my initial money buying any gear, it shouldn't be saving up for a bigger, better DSLR.

Liron Segev:	My first expenditure should be a microphone.

Dee Nimmin:	A microphone, yes. And you don't have to spend a lot of money. Like I said, the BOYA, $17.

Liron Segev:	And all you're trying to do is just get clearer audio.

Dee Nimmin:	You want to get clear audio, yes.

Liron Segev:	Okay, because I suppose it makes sense if you think about, a phone does have a mic, but it's made for close up communication because you're talking into your phone. When you're shooting, you're shooting at arm’s length or you're on a tripod. You're at a little bit of a distance so your voice will be muffled.

Dee Nimmin:	Especially with the newer iPhones. The newer iPhones record in stereo, so you're going to get a left channel, you're going to get a right channel, especially if you're vlogging and you're outside. The important thing is you get started, because at the end of the day, people don't think about your gear. People don't think, "I wonder what he shot this on." They care about the message, and they care about your story, so if you focus on that, it doesn't matter what you're shooting on.

Liron Segev:	You're so right, because if I think about when we watch other people's stuff, other people's content, we don't look for those details, but we're so critical of ourselves, that we go, "Oh, I wasn't standing right, I can't use this footage," or, "The light wasn't the best, I can't use that footage." But you've just watched 20 additional videos, you didn't even notice that kind of stuff, because you cared about the content first.

Dee Nimmin:	Just yesterday, I had someone from Instagram come up to me, somebody who's an Instagram influencer with a large channel, "Dee, I watch your channel, here's my Instagram account, and I'm making this content on my phone, but I want to upgrade," and they were trying to show me this camera on Amazon. I looked at their Instagram photos and the videos, and it looked amazing. They were shooting with their phone, but they were using a ring light and it looked amazing, and they had an insane amount of followers, and I said, "Look, you don't need it. What you are doing is OK, It got you all of these followers, your stuff looks amazing. You don't need to upgrade. It's working. Don't get caught up in the idea that you have to spend the money, that you have to get something better, if it's working."

Liron Segev:	So, okay, that's a great message, because we're so busy looking at everybody's kits, and we think for us to get that kind of quality or that kind of subscriber base, even worse, the subscriber base, I'll get that subscriber base once I buy this gear. Big mistake.

Dee Nimmin:	It's always about this stuff, and I love to use the example of Peter McKinnon, hands down my favorite creator. If you gave Peter McKinnon your phone, whoever's listening right now thinking, I can't get started because my phone isn't good enough, if you handed Peter McKinnon your phone, he would create a masterpiece. On the flip side of that, if you took all of Peter McKinnon's gear in his entire studio, and you handed it to the person who's struggling to get started with a phone, they still wouldn't be able to get started.

It's important that not only do you use your phone or whatever gear you have, you have to learn how to use it. You have to learn how to get in there, use manual focus, manual exposure, how to frame the shot, right, and you can do that with your phone.

Liron Segev:	So the equipment is the how-to, but you need to learn the what, like what do you need to do to get better, what do you need to do to tell a better story, what do you need to do give your message?

Dee Nimmin:	Focus, yeah. Focus on sharing your story. Just focus on being a better storyteller. Focus on the message. When their video's over, not one person is going to say, "You know what? If they would've shot that on a $30,000 camera, I'd subscribe." What's going to happen is, when it's over, they're going to go, "Wow, that was either a good video or that was a bad video," and it's not going to be based on the gear.

Liron Segev:	And it's not the gear that's going to make the differentiation.

Don't let a lack of fancy equipment stop you from creating YouTube videos - you have everything you need right on your smartphone! Find out how on this week's TubeTalk.