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.

Getting Views

How To Get More Views 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. 

Subscribers

YouTube Subscribers

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.

Monetization

How To Make Money on YouTube

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.

Analytics

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.

Watch Time

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

At vidIQ we have incredible insights into what viewers are searching for on YouTube. Not only can we confirm the top keywords being searched for, we can also show you how you can leverage that interest to create content around trending topics and tentpole events. That's going to give you a clear edge over other creators!

Insights

YouTube Insights

Your In-Depth Guide to Building a Successful YouTube Channel

We’ve been hard at work refining our tools that help creators grow, and this summer’s drop is proof that vidIQ today isn’t what it was even three months ago.

a brand-new feature and other major updates

 - all built to help you stop the scroll, boost engagement, and turn casual viewers into loyal fans.

 you’ll want to experience the new power we’ve packed in.

One of the biggest struggles for creators is getting viewers to click on their content. With millions of videos out there, you need to stand out in a pool of endless scrolling.

Stopping the scroll is more of a science than an art. And like all sciences, you need tools to accomplish your goals. You haven’t seen vidIQ tools like this. Smarter AI. Faster workflows. Real results.

. This tool is like your own personal AI-powered design studio.

If you’ve been in the YouTube game for more than five minutes, you understand that 

 and best way to stop the scroll. A great thumbnail is clear, compelling, and makes viewers think, “I need to click this.”

Now it’s easier than ever to make thumbnails that 

. Whether you start with a prompt or upload your own assets, our AI builds out designs that look pro — without you needing any Photoshop skills.

 (we’ll remove backgrounds automatically)

 to match a visual style you love. Upload your own or choose from our library of top-performing YouTube templates. 

 to influence your thumbnail’s aesthetic

 with easy prompt tweaks, image edits, or by dropping in text

Thumbnails aren’t just art - they’re strategy. They’re decision points. The better your thumbnail, the higher your click-through rate. And a higher CTR means the algorithm actually works for you.

, you’re not just making something that 

 good — you’re making something that 

You stopped the scroll with killer thumbnails. Now keep them watching.

 helps you write stronger YouTube scripts in a fraction of the time, backed by real YouTube psychology.

: Continuously trained on what’s working 

: Include callback cues, pacing variations, and cliffhangers

: Adjust your scripts’ tone, add keywords, sound more like your favorite creator. All with one click.

 Automated research provides accurate and relevant information and stats.

 helps keep your message clear, your viewers hooked, and your content performing. And now, it doesn’t have to take days. With 

, you can go from idea to polished script in just 3 minutes - making it easier to publish consistently and keep your channel growing.

“I used to spend an hour and a half scripting videos that came out wordy and boring. Someone even commented saying my videos were 'so wordy' — that really stung. But vidIQ's Script Writer changed everything. Now I get organized, concise scripts in just 10–15 minutes.”

“When I used it for my next tutorial, I was so impressed I printed it out to study it. For creators like me who tend to over-explain on camera, this tool does wonders.”

Shorts are still one of the fastest paths to YouTube growth - but understanding why one takes off while another flops? That used to be a mystery.

We built our Shorts tools to tell you exactly what’s working, what’s not, and how to make your next one blow up.

Think of it as your personal highlight reel, performance breakdown, and growth strategist all in one. Now you can discover when a video truly gained popularity and understand what made them successful. 

All of these statistics can be seen directly in-line without having to exit the Shorts view:

including views & views per hour, engagement rate, views history graph, and outlier score.

including channel subscriber count, monthly & total uploads, and subscriber and view growth graphs. 

 now supports YouTube Shorts, giving you even more insight into what’s trending and outperforming expectations across the platform. 

Instead of just surfacing the most-viewed content, Outliers identifies videos that are gaining momentum relative to the creator’s usual performance. That means you’re seeing videos that are beating the odds, not just riding on big subscriber counts. 

Now that this includes Shorts, it’s an incredibly powerful way to discover smart video ideas, fresh angles, and unexpected winners across any niche.

Let’s say you search for a keyword like “budget travel.” Outliers might surface a Short from a smaller creator that’s getting unusually high engagement and rapid growth, even outperforming videos from much larger channels. That’s your signal: something in that format, topic, or style is connecting. Use it to guide your next idea, ride the wave, and post with confidence.

 now works with YouTube Shorts, giving short-form creators the same data-backed recommendations long-form creators have used to increase views and visibility.

Optimize analyzes your video and delivers clear, actionable recommendations for improving your title and adding the right tags to your description. You’ll also get an overall optimization score, so you can instantly see how well your content is aligned with what’s working — and where there’s room to improve.

Most Shorts get lost in a sea of swipes. To rise to the top you need smart packaging. Optimize helps ensure your content gets the visibility it deserves, boosting your chances of landing on the Shorts feed, reaching new audiences, and turning quick views into long-term growth.

 can now submit a video for personalized feedback from one of our expert creator coaches.

A coach will watch your video and record a response, pausing at key moments to explain what’s working, what’s not, and what changes could help you get more views and subscribers. You’ll see the exact moment-by-moment breakdown behind every suggestion. No vague advice, just direct, actionable advice.


Our initial rollout supports Boost users in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, and New Zealand, for English language videos only.

__________________________________________________________________

If you’re looking for more than just one video review, you can work directly with a 

 who will take a deep dive into your entire channel and build a custom-tailored growth plan designed to break through the roadblocks holding you back. 

These aren’t cookie-cutter tips, they’re real, personalized strategies you can start applying immediately to unlock quick wins and build lasting momentum.

Want to see what’s possible with coaching?

. After joining vidIQ Coaching, they refined their content, followed their tailored plan, and watched their channel take off.

TL;DR: This Summer, You Grow or You Ghost

Here’s the latest features you get with the vidIQ Summer 2025 Drop:

 - Create high-impact, click-worthy thumbnails with AI and proven templates

 - Hook viewers and keep them watching with YouTube-optimized storytelling

 - Instantly spot top-performing Shorts and track breakout metrics

 - Discover overperforming videos across YouTube to inspire your next big hit

 - Find the best title and keywords to get your Shorts discovered

The Summer 2025 Drop is here: scroll-stopping science, smarter tools, and real coaching to help you grow on YouTube.

☀️ Welcome to the vidIQ Summer 2025 Drop!

Jake ticks all the boxes for enviable YouTube success. In less than three months, the former 3D motion designer has achieved impressive goals, including:

 only had 41K total views. But somewhere along the way, he decided to post his first YouTube Short, which are vertical videos of less than 60 seconds. 

After watching the first Short go viral, he decided to post dozens more. 

In each of the videos, Jake's 3D characters re-enact scenarios from the wildly popular game, 

 The goal of the game is to fix a spaceship while avoiding the crew's deadly, knife-wielding imposter.  

Jake's most popular video has 88M views and shows players voting an imposter off the 

Jake’s meteoric rise to success is what every creator wants. But more than that, creators want the perfect opportunity to get there - a tool for content discovery they can pour their efforts into.

 are providing that opportunity. They worked for Jake, and if you take the right approach, they can work for you too.

To understand how Jake snagged millions of views, we asked him to share some analytics from his YouTube channel. If you want to grow your channel fast, here’s the inspiring blueprint behind his success.

1. Make Content Viewers Can’t Find Anywhere Else

YouTube is a competitive platform. To stand out from the crowd, you need to give your audience something fresh and exciting. It has to be content they can’t find anywhere else, and that’s why Jake’s 3D renditions of 

 gameplay worked. No one was expecting his videos, but at the same time, millions of people are consuming 

 content right now. So whenever possible, capitalize on a trend in unexpected ways to get more views.

Jake did this by identifying a unique opportunity in posting YouTube Shorts. He realized he could dominate the platform with 30-second videos because everyone else was posting minutes of 

To help you understand why this works so well, we filmed a deep-dive video about Jake’s channel growth. Watch it below to gain more insight:

 YouTubers are also animators. But obviously, their

 videos are several minutes long. So Jake isn’t the first person to explore the idea, but he 

 one of the first to do it in a fresh way, abbreviated way.

2. When You See Early Signs of Success, Double Down On What You Got You There

Jake’s channel didn’t always have a billion views. In fact, his early content on YouTube attracted about 500 views per video.

Back then, Jake was doing what we recommend to new creators: Post useful, educational content to quickly stand out on YouTube. When you browse Jake’s channel, you’ll find dozens of early how-to videos about a 3D animation program called Maya.

However, everything changed when he posted a YouTube Short. From the moment he saw the first one go viral, Jake got to work creating 50 more. Viewers keep returning to watch his Shorts, but that wouldn’t be possible if Jake didn’t create more of what people liked.

Actually, the fact that viewers “liked” his content may be an understatement. They probably loved it. In the screenshot below, you can see that on average, viewers watch 85% of every video he posts (which is pretty high):

And now, take a look at the average number of videos each viewer watched on Jake's channel:

Amazingly, the average viewer on Jake’s channel watches 6.5 videos. To understand how phenomenal that is, compare it to the vidIQ channel. Our average viewer only watches 1.7 videos!

When you see positive growth on your channel, investigate it. Try to understand what happened and how you can turn random success into consistent victories. Then double down on what works!

3. Make Content Anyone In The World Can Enjoy

If your content doesn’t rely on any specific language, it can capture a global audience. That’s part of the reason Jake’s YouTube Shorts are so successful. They can be enjoyed anywhere by anyone, which makes his 

Jake’s videos are popular in Indonesia, the U.S., Brazil, India, and Vietnam. In the screenshot below, you can see what percentage of his audience is watching in these regions:

As great as this tip is, we have to add a disclaimer. Not every creator will find it easy or even possible to create global content. In Jake’s case, animation lends itself to global consumption because the visuals are more important than any language or location. 

However, if your content has the ability to go global, give it a try!

4. Develop an Unrelenting Drive to Succeed On YouTube

YouTube Shorts may be full of opportunity, but that doesn't mean they’re easy videos to make. Creators like Jake put a lot of time, energy, patience, and skill into these less-than-a-minute videos.

When we asked Jake about his video-making process, he said it takes between five and eight hours to make less than 30 seconds of animation. He earned millions of views in exchange, but how many creators have the perseverance to do the same?

Today, it’s pretty clear that getting millions of views on YouTube takes more than just practical skills. You need to have the mindset of a creator, one who follows trends and is dedicated to studying their audience.

Perhaps another factor is shameless self-belief. Over a year ago, Jake told his LinkedIn followers that one day, he’d get 1M TikTok followers making video content. Today, 

This is the kind of determination every creator needs to have. If you can believe in yourself enough to keep creating, you’ll eventually succeed.

Jake’s inspiring story is one to study in 2021. Explore his blueprint for YouTube success, then tweak it to create a plan that earns you millions of views.

Man shocked by YouTube growth with 500 million views and analytics graph background

Getting billions of views on YouTube usually takes longer than 80 days. But for Jake Fellman, anything is possible with irresistible 3D animation.

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

We know that having a good thumbnail is critical as it really makes a difference between a successful video that brings in loads of views and subscribers and a video that does not.

But what EXACTLY makes a good thumbnail? What should your thumbnail contain and what should it not?

On this episode of TubeTalk, Justin Evans from 

 shares his insights so you can level-up your thumbnail game! Take a listen and learn:

1. About unique and original images
2. How to research the competition
3. How much text should you use
4. What about branding?
5. Why you should Zoom out

Take a listen as the vidIQ team discuss what we've learned from 2020, and what 

video 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

Smiling man with beard wearing blue and white hat next to TubeTalk logo on blue background

On this episode of TubeTalk, we're all about what makes an outstanding YouTube custom thumbnail.

5 Tips for a Winning YouTube Custom Thumbnail

Since the roll-out, many creators have earned massive views and subscribers from YouTube Shorts. But of course, there’s a catch. For the millions of views and hundreds of subscribers earned, revenue for YouTube Shorts, in most cases, seems to hover around just a few dollars. Zero dollars, even.

, for example. In nearly 60 days of posting YouTube Shorts, this channel with 25K subscribers told us they'd gained:

Super London Cars achieved this feat by posting Shorts of expensive supercars, such as this 

Ferrari LaFerrari parking too close to a Porsche GT2 RS. The 32-second video has more than a million views.

Despite this success, Super London Cars haven't reached the 4,000 Watch Time hours needed to monetize their channel. Instead, their YouTube analytics show a mere 918 public Watch hours - and those are the only hours that count toward monetization. That’s about 0.54% of the total Watch Time hours (170K) Super London Cars has earned.

Does that signal the end for this creator? More specifically, will this channel 

 (YPP) and monetize its content? We can’t say for sure, but we can definitely help you avoid this monetization pitfall.

Regular Watch Time on YouTube vs. Shorts Watch Time

Before we dig into the data, we’d like to applaud Super London Cars for seizing the growth opportunities YouTube Shorts can bring. This creator exponentially grew their channel in a short amount of time, which isn’t easy.

In the old days of YouTube, that would be enough to qualify for channel monetization. But here’s the modern-day catch: 

Videos played from the Stories and Short videos shelf don't count toward YouTube’s monetization requirements.

For a visual explanation of what this means, watch our latest video, "How to Fail at YouTube Monetization."

, where you watch a video determines how its Watch Time is calculated. For example, if you watch a video through the standard YouTube player in the mobile app, that video earns 1 

 YouTube view. The Watch Time you earn there will count toward monetization. 

However, if you watch that same video through the Stories and Short video shelf, the video earns 1 

 view. When content is viewed this way, its Watch Time doesn't count toward channel monetization.

How to Check Your Analytics For YouTube Shorts Watch Time

 you’re earning with both YouTube Shorts and regular content? Log in to your account on desktop and follow these steps:

You should automatically end up on the Overview tab, where a large graph of your views, Watch Time, subscribers, and estimated revenue are displayed. Navigate directly below this graph and click 

Next, you’ll see some advanced analytics. At the top of the page, click 

This will show you, at the channel level, how many YouTube Shorts views you’re getting. The Watch Time is also displayed for each traffic source.

Here’s what our graph looks like for the 

Immediately, you can disregard the Watch Time from Shorts because we know those don't count toward monetization. 

You will, however, count the Watch Time from every other traffic source that counts toward monetization. Change the date range on your graph to capture your entire video history, then add up the number of Watch Time hours from the sources pictured below. 

The number you get should almost match YouTube’s number of public Watch hours for your channel.

When we expand our graph, the vidIQ Shorts channel has 241 public Watch hours and those count toward monetization. It’ll take a while, but we should eventually reach the 4,000 hours of Watch Time needed to apply to the YPP.

The Strange Watch Time Analytics of Super London Cars

Now that you’ve seen our Shorts analytics, it's time to compare these numbers to the Super London Cars channel. It has way more subscribers, millions of more views, and a massive amount of Watch Time. But somehow, Super London Car is only 700 hours closer to monetization than we are. Clearly, the numbers don't add up.

When you look at the traffic sources for Super London Cars, things get even more confusing. The channel is earning almost all of its Watch Time from YouTube Shorts, but there are still thousands of hours coming from suggested videos and browse features. 

These hours alone should be more than enough to take Super London Cars over YouTube’s monetization threshold. So what’s happening here?

Well, we have three possible explanations, none of them good ones:

There’s a glitch in the YouTube analytics, and the Super London Cars creator needs to contact YouTube to get it fixed and apply for monetization.

YouTube changed its policies so that Watch Time from 

 video under 60 seconds won’t count toward monetization. But there are no public updates to support that.

Traffic source analytics aren't accurate enough to tell us when views are coming from YouTube Shorts or the regular YouTube player.

YouTube Shorts are new and probably weren’t created for widespread monetization. If you want to make more money on YouTube, creating short videos under 60 seconds isn’t the answer - at least not today.

Instead, put that energy into the long-form content on your main channel. Make sure you’ve fully optimized your channel to include featured playlists, a channel banner, banner links, a profile icon, and irresistible thumbnails. You’ll earn more Watch Time when people watch videos through the regular YouTube player, so cover your bases there first.

Once you’ve done that, invest in a separate YouTube Shorts channel. Make sure there’s cross-promotion between your main channel and the channel you use for short, punchy videos. When you create a Short that gets featured on the Stories and Short videos shelf, there’s a chance viewers will visit your Shorts channel. If you've set up a featured channels section beforehand, your main channel will be advertised there.

For now, that’s all you can do. Use your main channel for primary monetization, then harness the exposure from YouTube Shorts to grow both channels organically.


YouTube channel stats showing 24.3K subscribers and 169.8K watch hours with monetization icon

Not all content on YouTube will help you quickly monetize your channel, YouTube Shorts especially. To win at monetization, here's what you need to know about Watch Time hours and how they're recorded.

How To Win at YouTube Monetization

It's inevitable that while filming a video, many creators let slip a curse word or two. But somehow, by the grace of YouTube, many of them won't go on to experience widespread demonetization because of it. These creators continue to stay on YouTube’s good side, which means they can display ads on their videos and continue earning AdSense revenue.

Other creators haven’t been so lucky. They’ve uploaded videos that include profanity, then watched those videos get demonetized, and wondered where they went wrong.

Clearly, an important rule was either ignored by these creators or lost in translation. If some creators can get away with cursing while others can’t, where does YouTube draw the line?

, but it’s an explanation with several interpretations. Depending on which words you say, YouTube may restrict the advertisements on your video or ban them altogether.

 use “adult” words to express yourself? Here’s YouTube’s stance on profanity.

Before you let those curse words fly, consider this warning from YouTube’s 

“Content that contains frequent uses of strong profanity or vulgarity throughout the video may not be suitable for advertising. Occasional use of profanity (such as in music videos) won’t necessarily result in your video being unsuitable for advertising.”

As you can see, a video with strong profanity is at risk of demonetization. If you use strong expletives frequently, the likelihood of earning little to no money increases.

But which words can creators say and what is considered strong profanity?

There are a few different categories of inappropriate language on YouTube. But to keep things simple, just know that 

, such as “hell” and “damn” are less risky. YouTube says you can enable ads on videos containing those words, so no worries there.

However, swear words that are lewd and insulting 

 result in demonetization. So avoid dropping frequent F-bombs, racial slurs, and other derogatory phrases. That’s the kind of language many advertisers want to avoid, and using it will affect your revenue.

What You Say at the Beginning of a Video Matters

Last year, YouTube clarified the most important things to know about profanity and how it affects monetization. In a video from 

, the team revealed that how often profanity occurs at the beginning of a video is a key factor.

For more information, watch the video below:

Top Tip: It’s best to avoid profanity, as that’s the only way to follow YouTube’s guidelines flawlessly. But if you have to say some risky words - especially if they’re crucial to the main idea - save them for later in the video.

Profanity on YouTube: Is Demonetization The Only Consequence?

Can you swear in a YouTube video and still earn AdSense revenue? Well, that depends on which words you want to say...

Your In-Depth Guide to Building a Successful YouTube Channel

☀️ Welcome to the vidIQ Summer 2025 Drop!

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

5 Tips for a Winning YouTube Custom Thumbnail

How To Win at YouTube Monetization

Can You Swear on YouTube and Still Make Money?

YouTube in 2020: Powerful Stats You Need to Know

YouTube in Review: Insights from 2020 & Strategies for 2021

Please Stop Using Episode Numbers on Your Gaming Content

How to Grow Your YouTube Channel By Giving Back to Subscribers

How to Get More Views On YouTube By Playing Among Us

How This Creator Got 852K Views in 58 Seconds From YouTube Shorts

Top 5 YouTube Metrics Every Creator Should Study

Find Out Who Posts the Most Comments on Your YouTube Videos