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

Welcome to TubeTalk, the online video industry’s #1 podcast for news, insights and best practices on YouTube and beyond. Each week, experts in their field take us through a deep-dive on a range of topics for video creators like personal branding, how to master the YouTube algorithm, and how to get more brand deals as a YouTuber. 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 of the best YouTuber podcast!

TubeTalk Podcast

TubeTalk

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

No matter how long you’ve been a YouTube creator, you’re bound to make mistakes. You might upload a video while your core audience is sleeping. Or you might choose the wrong title for 50% of your content. There are dozens of ways to mess up, whether you have one subscriber or one million.

Of course, the steepest learning curve is at the beginning. New creators want to know how to 

 get more views, and attract subscribers.

To do all of these things better, watch the video below. In it, we discuss five mistakes that stop your channel from growing.

As a quick summary, here are the top five mistakes:

Are you guilty of these blunders? Here’s how to overcome each one and succeed on YouTube.

1. Not Paying Attention to Video Thumbnails

The thumbnail you choose for each video matters. Alongside the title, it’s the first thing viewers see before clicking on a video. If the graphic is colorful but simple, it’s likely to be clicked. Anything that looks cluttered or takes more than a second to understand won’t make a good thumbnail.

Remember, your experience on YouTube is not the same as the viewer’s. They want to skim past thumbnails and find a video to watch – quickly. That’s why your thumbnail should have three, easy-to-understand qualities:

Bright colors to catch viewers’ attention

A clutter-free design the brain can process

There’s a trick you can use to instantly grade your thumbnails. Derral Eves developed this strategy, and he describes it in his new book, “The YouTube Formula.” To start, open the YouTube mobile app and type your channel’s name into the search bar. Notice how the results show two to three videos at most on your screen.

Now close your eyes for five seconds. After that, open them for one second. Now close them again!

Which thumbnail stood out more? That’s the one you should study as you strive to make better graphics.

2. Only Thinking About Views and Subscribers

Every creator wants more views and subscribers. In fact, some will go to Google and type “how to get more views and subscribers” into the search bar. But that’s the wrong way to think about YouTube. Views and subscribers are a long-term reward – the result of doing lots of little things correctly.

 or repeat viral success, you need to understand the dozens of steps that come before those milestones.

Spend some time learning about these key YouTube metrics:

 how many times people saw your video’s thumbnail

 how often viewers watched a video after seeing its thumbnail

: how long viewers watched a video, on average

 the total amount of time viewers watched a video

 where people discovered and watched your video on YouTube

 a comparison showing the number of new and returning viewers on your channel

If you can improve or understand these behind-the-curtain metrics, you’ll get more views and subscribers over time.

Listen up, creators. Your YouTube channel is not made of glass. One mistake won’t shatter it. In fact, the biggest mistake you can make is never experimenting. The more you hold on to past success, the less you grow, adapt, and improve.

Take YouTube Shorts, for example. This content type of vertical, less-than-a-minute videos was 

. It’s the opposite of what most creators are used to, which are lengthy, horizontal videos. But for creators willing to experiment with Shorts, the payoff has been huge.

 is the breakout star. His channel features video game Shorts, which contain 3D scenes from titles like Among Us and Minecraft. Those custom animations attracted more than 4 million subscribers to his channel, plus 3.46 billion views.

How This YouTube Creator Got 1.5 Billion Views In Just 80 Days

Fellman was an early adopter of Shorts. As a result, he didn’t have much competition – which is why you should always try new things on YouTube.

4. Blaming Failures on a Lack of Equipment

You don’t need expensive technology to grow a YouTube channel. It’s better to expand your creation and promotion skills in the beginning – learning how to do keyword research, creating better videos, making awesome thumbnails, and more. So if you see a $1,000 camera or a $500 softbox in your local department store, keep walking. You can do a lot on YouTube with natural light and a smartphone.

5 Cheap Ways to Film YouTube Videos on Your Phone

It’s OK to upgrade your gear when you can afford to and your channel is growing. But until then, don’t blame your failures on any piece of technology. MrBeast, a creator with around 60 million subscribers, never did. In a Twitter post, he explained how he used his YouTube revenue to slowly invest in his content.

“Never had any money and literally saved up the dollar a day I was earning at the time to buy equipment," MrBeast wrote. "I got 100,000 subscribers with an iPhone 5 camera.”

5. Creating a Video Without Researching Its Topic

Researching isn’t always fun, but it’s necessary. If you want to become the top creator in your niche, whether that’s gaming, cooking, beauty, or another topic, you need to explore those types of channels. Open the YouTube app and do some basic searches. Then ask yourself three questions to narrow your focus:

How would I improve my competitors' content?

 our free browser extension, you’ll get access to YouTube 

. You can add competitors to a watch list and keep an eye on the content they’re uploading. Or you can export a list of their top-performing keywords to improve your search rankings.

It’s easy to correct common YouTube mistakes, but some errors are hard to come back from. As you grow your channel, avoid these 

Are these common YouTube mistakes holding you back from success? Keep reading to find out.

5 Mistakes That Stop Your YouTube Channel From Growing

? If you’re seeing fewer views and subscribers than normal, it’s time to switch things up. One option is using other social platforms – Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, Clubhouse, and many others – to promote your channel.

To do this well, you need to think like a strategist. Each social platform is different and requires a specific plan to attract followers.

How to Expand Your YouTube Community Without Burning Out

That’s why creators like Ben Leavitt, who is a social media strategist, are invaluable on YouTube. On 

, he teaches people how to grow their business using social media. For YouTubers looking to promote their channel on a second platform, the common question is, “

“It needs to be specific to your type of content,” Leavitt says. “Each platform lends itself to a better place you can send someone that accents or accompanies your YouTube channel. They all serve great purposes.”

, we chat with Leavitt to understand the differences between each social platform. He shares tips for leveraging these community builders in 2021, even as new apps like Clubhouse emerge.

Keep reading to discover Leavitt's five-step plan for promoting your YouTube channel.

1. Choose the Right Social Platform for Your Goals

Each platform has a different culture, content style, and propensity for connection. For example, users on TikTok watch dozens of short videos in rapid succession. If you’re trying to connect instead of strictly entertain, you might consider another platform – perhaps audio conversations on Clubhouse or live streams on Twitch. Instagram and Twitter have direct messaging, so those are great for connecting anytime.

2. Focus on One Platform, Then Slowly Build Up

There’s only so much time in a day. Choosing one place to connect with viewers outside of YouTube is smart. You’ll learn how much time it takes to manage a second profile and if you’re actually up to the task.

Even if you have the means to hire a strategist, you can learn a lot by keeping things in-house. There’s so much to learn when you join a new platform – the content people post there, the “language” of the site/app, how users behave. You should explore those things so you have the knowledge, then outsource time-consuming tasks as your business grows.

Remember, you still have YouTube videos to make. If your second social account is highly addictive, set some intentions for how long you’ll be there. Clubhouse is a great example because while it’s a productive app, you can spend hours listening to conversations. Set an alarm so you can get in, connect with viewers, and get out.

Take a look at the content you’re creating outside of YouTube. Whether you’ve chosen Twitch, Clubhouse, Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook to expand your community, ask yourself one question: Is this working? This doesn’t mean analyzing how many followers you have. If they’re not fulfilling your original goal – sharing your content, leaving comments, or something else – the plan is failing.

If you can do these five things, you'll have the energy to promote your YouTube channel and measure the results.

"It really comes down to the type of content you're making and where people are consuming that," Leavitt says. "Understanding your audience is going to be very important."

Bonus: Quick Tips to Grow On Social Media

IG is very saturated now, so aim to be in the top 1% of creators.

Create lots of content – the more the better.

You don’t need a niche, but consider having one to retain followers.

Build a connection with fans. Find a way to funnel them to more authoritative platforms, like YouTube.

Record your episodes (as videos) and post five-minute clips on other platforms.

Have patience. There's no “discovery system” for podcast episodes, so word of mouth is important. Just keep posting.

Before you go all-in, make sure you love podcasting. It takes a long time to attract loyal listeners.

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to TubeTalk on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode! Listen along on 

.​ You can also find the complete list of all the​​​ ​TubeTalk podcast episodes 

Promoting your channel outside of YouTube is smart, but you need a strategy. In this episode of TubeTalk, a social media strategist shares his five-step plan for YouTube content promotion.

How to Promote Your YouTube Channel Across Social Media

You don’t need an expensive camera to film YouTube videos. In fact, the smartphone in your pocket or purse will suffice. Whether you’re an iPhone or Android user, chances are, your phone shoots quality videos. And for just a few dollars – or for free, even – you can download apps to edit your footage.

Despite the affordability, some creators think they need a “proper” camera. But why?

, an expert mobile creator, says it’s a confidence issue.

Everything You Need to Know About Being a Mobile Content Creator

“The biggest misconception, and I hear this all the time, is ‘Dee, I only have a mobile phone. Can I make a living on YouTube?’ My answer to that is yes, you can, and MrBeast got his first 200,000 subscribers using a beat-up iPhone,” Nimmin says.

On his YouTube channel, Nimmin teaches people how to become mobile-first creators – people who shoot, edit, and publish videos using their phones. He shares mistakes mobile creators make, the best apps to use, how to make thumbnails on a phone, and more.

In this episode of TubeTalk, we chat with Nimmin to learn best practices for mobile content creation. His advice is geared toward YouTube, but you can use it to create quality content on any platform, including Instagram Reels and TikTok. Press play below to learn more.

Here's what you should do to make good videos on a mobile phone:

Nimmin says the sensor inside of a smartphone camera needs lots of light, so take advantage of daylight hours. Film your content outside or sit near an open window.

 Your Android has a respectable camera, but the iPhone camera is unmatched. Plus, Nimmin hears creators say that footage from an Android doesn’t look as good after uploading to YouTube. But no matter what, use what you have!

No microphone? Use your phone’s headset. 

This actually comes with your phone and has a microphone attached, right below the earbuds. It captures decent audio!

 If your phone has this feature, use it. When you film with a wide-angle lens, that shooting style forces you to bring the phone closer to your face. The closer you get to your phone's internal mic, the better your audio will sound.

Cheers! You don’t need the latest iPhone model. The iPhone 11 has video stabilization, which means you can walk around with it and get smooth footage.

As it turns out, a mobile phone is all you need to record, edit, and publish amazing content on YouTube.

7 Tips to Create YouTube Videos That Look and Sound Good

“Now, the majority of people in the world – you could be in India, Africa, South America, it doesn’t matter – have a mobile phone or have access to one,” Nimmin says. “Even if it’s a beat-up old phone, if you have access to the internet, you now have a voice. You can put your content out for the world to see.”

Dee Nimmin shares affordable ways to film youtube videos on a mobile phone

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 podcast episodes 

A mobile phone is all you need to record, edit, and publish YouTube videos. In this episode of TubeTalk, Dee Nimmin shares affordable ways to become a mobile-first creator.

Here’s a question with two extreme options. As a new creator, would you rather spend a month making one video or crank out 30 videos in 30 days?

Hypothetically, this is your first month on YouTube. It’s a tough question to answer because there are no in-between options. You can’t make 15 videos that month or even five. You have to choose: Thirty videos or just one.

Hint: It’s not your audience. Viewers are important for channel growth but only if you practice this habit first.

5 Mistakes That Stop Your YouTube Channel From Growing

How to Promote Your YouTube Channel Across Social Media

5 Cheap Ways to Film YouTube Videos on Your Phone

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

YouTube Algorithm Guide: How Your Videos Are Recommended to Viewers

How to Network on Clubhouse as a YouTube Creator

YouTube Community Tab: The Underrated Growth Tool You NEED to Use

How to Go Viral on YouTube With Billions of Global Views

How to Remove YouTube Copyright Claims From Your Videos [2021 Update]

YouTube Monetization: Which Videos Count Toward 4,000 Hours of Watch Time?

7 Steps to Build Multiple Income Streams on YouTube

YouTube Is Expanding Monetization for These 3 Video Types

4 Tips to Grow Your Channel With YouTube Shorts

Should You Live Stream on YouTube or Twitch to Make More Money?

How to See Your Real-Time YouTube Subscriber Count

‘Women of YouTube’ Q&A: Building Careers, Passive Income, and More

How to Get 875K YouTube Subscribers Like Sopo Squad Gaming

These 5 YouTube Shorts Upgrades Will Help You Make Better Content

Non-U.S. Creators: Do This to Avoid a 24% Tax on YouTube Revenue

8 Legal Mistakes to Avoid as a YouTube Creator

YouTube Cheat Code Unlocked: How to Track Returning Viewers on Your Channel

7 Tips to Create YouTube Videos That Look and Sound Good

Do This One Thing to Increase YouTube Shorts Views

7 Beliefs You Need to Have to Grow a YouTube Channel

Will YouTube Shorts Benefit Your Channel? Ask Yourself One Question to Find Out