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!

But before we talk about short videos of 60 seconds or less and how that could change YouTube forever, let’s do a quick test. To see if you have YouTube’s latest short-video feature, follow these steps:

Take out your phone and go to the YouTube app.

Watch any video, perhaps the first one you see.

Scroll down past the video description, comments, advertisements, and suggested videos. What do you notice?

Here at vidIQ, we’re seeing something we’ve never seen before on YouTube, and it looks something like this:

’, is YouTube’s way of testing short video on its app. Back in 2019, the platform announced the test on its support page, claiming it was “running an experiment to display vertical videos, under 30 seconds, alongside YouTube Stories on mobile.” And of course, YouTube would be “looking forward to feedback” about this new feature.

Well, we’ve had some time to test this new shelf, and yes, we do have some feedback! The feature is still new, but our early assessment is that it could drive video discovery. We’ve got tons of questions swirling around in our heads about this, such as, “

Can you get a million views if your short video appears on this shelf?

What’s the future of short video on YouTube?

Now that we’ve tested the feature, we have some answers and predictions to share. But before we do that, watch our latest video explaining YouTube’s short video shelf:’

First of all, let us explain why this new feature interests the experts at vidIQ. Typically, successful channels get most of their views from YouTube’s recommendation algorithm. This means the viewer doesn’t do any work to find new videos. Instead, YouTube is actively promoting more content to watch. As a creator, this is exactly what you want because it’s essentially free advertising.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. As we’ve always understood, having a high click-through rate and 

 on your video increases the chance of YouTube suggesting it to viewers. That’s the Playbook creators have lived by for over 15 years: make compelling, click-worthy thumbnails, and once users reach the video watch page, encourage them to stay for as long as possible.

But how do short videos factor into the equation? If YouTube is displaying those in a place where they get watched over and over again, does that translate to viral content? We don’t know the answer for sure, but already we’re seeing short videos with hundreds of thousands of views sitting on YouTube’s new shelf.

Shockingly, the channels posting these videos aren’t always large YouTube powerhouses. Some have less than 5,000 subscribers, which is interesting to say the least.

How Short Video Currently Works on YouTube

OK, let’s dive into the short video shelf itself. To quickly summarize, here’s what you can expect when it comes to short video on YouTube:

The 'Short Videos and Stories' shelf appears on Watch pages in the YouTube mobile app - usually after the first suggested video, which is prime real estate for suggested content.

Each video is vertical and 60 seconds or less in length.

The videos don’t have custom thumbnails and instead use a random freeze frame.

When you watch a short video, you're funneled into a TikTok-style play format that keeps moving onto the next video.

You can't rewind or fast forward, but you can scroll to the next video.

You can engage with short videos via comments, likes, and shares.

Any video can potentially appear on the shelf and earn a channel hundreds of thousands, if not millions of views.

Now, let’s clarify a few of these points. First of all, any video on the shelf displaying a video length is a full YouTube video, not a YouTube Story. You can tell the difference between the two by looking at the control icons. 

 will always have less buttons to tap than a full YouTube video.

So that's the first piece of good news: YouTube videos and Stories will appear on the shelf together. You don't need to be eligible to post YouTube Stories, which require tens of thousands of subscribers, to have your videos appear on the shelf.

Lastly, instead of testing videos under 30 seconds, YouTube has expanded the limit to 60 seconds.

Some Short Videos Are Getting Massive Views on YouTube

Is it true you can get millions of views on a short video? Let’s do an experiment using one of the most popular YouTubers on the planet, 

. His videos typically get 30 million views in their first week, so let's peruse the suggested videos below his content.

The first thing we noticed was an advertisement - fair enough. Then a MrBeast gaming video, which is to be expected. And then, we finally reached the short video shelf to find this:

Underneath one of MrBeast’s videos, the first short video suggestion is “

”. This video belongs to Matematike Fizike, a channel with 1.96K subscribers. And guess what? Despite this channel’s size, its short video is doing extremely well. It has more than 14,000 likes, 1,500 comments, and over a quarter of a million views, thanks to some exposure from MrBeast’s fanbase.

Now just think about that for a second. A channel with 1,900 subscribers is being suggested on MrBeast videos that get tens of millions of views. That’s an insane opportunity to grow a channel. And as we kept investigating the random short videos on YouTube’s new shelf, we started to notice some patterns:

Channel size was irrelevant. A video from a channel with one subscriber was just as likely to appear on the shelf as a video from a million-subscriber fanbase.

Videos on the shelf always ended up being the most popular video on the creator's channel.

To sum things up, we don't think previously popular videos are ending up on the shelf. I think they’re popular now simply because they’re on the shelf, which YouTube seems to populate at random.

Short Videos vs. Longer Videos on YouTube

All this information around short videos leaves us, and likely some creators, with a big question: Should YouTubers forget everything they’ve learned about the platform? Instead of making longer videos with amazing thumbnails, should they make short videos with no thumbnails to target this highly discoverable shelf and get more views? To be honest, we don’t know the answer.

On the one hand, it seems like a lucrative opportunity for creators when it comes to video competition. Up until now, it didn't matter how long your video was or what aspect ratio it was filmed in. Each video had the same chance of finding itself in the suggested videos section.

On the other hand, few creators are making content like this on YouTube. Therefore, if you wanted to, you’d have a nice shot at dominating - or at least appearing on - the short video shelf. There’s less competition because a tiny fraction of YouTube videos meet the vertical, 60-second requirement.

We thought that might change or at least even out when YouTube introduced vertical video in 2018. Heck, we made a video about it and everything:

OK, back to short videos. Imagine this for a moment: Suppose we at vidIQ made a video about how to get 

 (which we have). If we made a regular landscape video, we'd be competing against every other video on that topic - potentially millions. But what if we made our video less than 60 seconds, in vertical format? How many videos do you think we'd compete against then? Thousands, maybe even hundreds? Doesn't that sound really tempting?

Let’s dig deeper. As an example, vidIQ is currently on the Watch page of a video titled "How to Get Your First 1,000 Subscribers." And all the suggested videos are what you’d expect - more YouTube growth videos from a familiar set of creators. But consider this: Wouldn't it be fantastic if videos with similar topics appeared on the short video shelf too?

Unfortunately, this is where our confusion begins. Underneath the "How to Get Your First 1,000 Subscribers" video, we noticed some things that make the short video shelf hard to tame, predict, or understand:

The shelf has YouTube Stories about literally anything. In one pass, we saw a video about the Samsung Galaxy Note, Jeff Bezos, and babies. Nothing related to getting 1,000 subscribers.

YouTube Stories don’t make use of titles, descriptions, video tags, or other metadata to help you get discovered.

The short video shelf, at least in my case, suggests the same videos over and over again.

So, there it is: With such a spotty selection process, we’re not seeing many ways for creators to strategically get a video on the shelf.

Because of the reasons mentioned above, our instinct says that you shouldn’t start pumping out short videos. It’s hard to target YouTube’s new shelf, so creating a bunch of vertical, 60-second videos may be a waste of time. However, it doesn’t hurt to test the feature in case YouTube prioritizes short videos.

Personally, we don't think the short video shelf fits within the current YouTube app. And I also don't think users should have to watch a video in the app to get to the shelf. Right now, it's buried too deeply within the current setup.

Instead, this shelf for short videos could be the last testing phase before YouTube unleashes a TikTok-style feature. It’s rumored to be in development, so I wouldn't be surprised if YouTube released a standalone app for short videos in the future. I’m probably 99.9% wrong, but if we're right, you heard it here first!

Having said all that, YouTube’s short video shelf is in a valuable location on the app. If you can make your videos appear there regularly, the sky’s the limit.

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

 then make sure to download vidIQ for more subscriber insights. 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.

Video timestamp at 0:40 with 1,575,130 views displayed on screen

Have you seen anything new on YouTube lately? Perhaps a brand new shelf for short videos under 60 seconds? We definitely have, so... let’s investigate!

Can You Get 1 Million YouTube Views By Making Short Videos?

Are you ready to quit YouTube because you're finding it too stressful to appease the algorithm? What happens when you walk away from your channel to recalibrate - will your channel die?

Creator Burnout is a very real thing, and on this episode of TubeTalk, four YouTubers will be discussing their journey and what happens when its time to take a break. Join vidIQ expert creators Rob Wilson, Dan Carson and I, along with special guest 

Do you play to the algorithm or creativity?

Can you step away from YouTube and what will happen to your channel?

Quality over Quantity: Is one better than the other?

How much do comments and social media negativity play into the creator just wanting to give up?

Want to Know How To Beat Burnout as a Content Creator?

YouTube burnout, or mental burnout of any description, is a very real problem. Learn why 

creators much more susceptible to burnout, and what to do about it

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. Don't forget to 

 on your favorite podcast application so you never miss an episode!

You can also find the complete list of all the 

Black and white portrait of woman with TubeTalk logo on blue background, video podcast concept

If you're a YouTuber that's feeling stressed and is possibly on the verge of quitting, please take a listen to this week's TubeTalk podcast for some great advice.

What to do When You're Feeling Stressed as a YouTuber

We’ve already shared a behemoth of news about YouTube’s 

. In a nutshell, all creators must now classify their channels as 

 (or not) to avoid hefty penalties. If your content is 'Made for Kids', under the new rules you'll lose the ability to benefit financially from many of YouTube’s best features, including merchandise shelves, 

This leaves some creators with unanswered questions. Many are wondering if they can make enough money on YouTube to continue their careers. And curiously, others are wondering how 

, an app for audiences under 13, factors into the equation. For instance, is YouTube pushing Made For Kids creators there instead? And most importantly, how much money can be made from the app?

Today, we’re going to address some of those questions. If you’ve been wondering what the YouTube Kids app is - or what happens on that side of the video world - here are six important things to know.

#1 What is YouTube Kids? And How do Kid-friendly videos Make it to the App?

YouTube Kids is a safer, age-appropriate version of the regular platform. It was created to give kids a simple but fun way to explore their interests online.

As a creator, you won’t need an invitation (or application) for your content to appear there. Instead, the videos are drawn from YouTube’s vast library. Automatic filters, human review, and user feedback help determine which videos are suitable for the Kids app.

#2 How Can I Ensure My Videos are Eligible for the YouTube Kids app?

According to YouTube, your content should be positive and educational to make the cut. That’s the general overview, but here are some 

Make age-appropriate videos for kids and their families.

Avoid controversial topics (like violence or sexual content).

Post original content that isn’t sensationalist or repetitive.

Make sure on-screen minors feel comfortable and safe.

Make sure that popular or trendy content is family-friendly.

Be a role model; display good behaviors families can be proud of.

#3 If I’ve Categorized My Channel as Made For Kids, Will My Videos Automatically Appear on the YouTube Kids App?

There isn’t a clear answer to this question yet. However, my guess would be no. Just from reading the list of guidelines above, it seems as if the Made For Kids label is just that - a label.

YouTube will use it to identify videos and channels that might be a good fit, but additional review will help the platform select the best content. That’s my prediction until YouTube shares more information!

#4 Can Videos on the YouTube Kids App Earn Adsense Revenue?

Yes! The app is free, so YouTube uses ad revenue to sustain the platform and pay kid-focused creators.

there’s a chance you could earn less money on the Kids platform

. That’s because the number of users on both apps is not even comparable: YouTube boasts 2 billion users per month, while the Kids app attracts several million users each week.

Naturally, advertisers will flock to the platform with the largest audience. If YouTube Kids attracts fewer advertisers, you might earn a fraction of what you’d make on plain old YouTube.

#5 Will Videos in the YouTube Kids App Show Targeted Ads?

No, you won’t be able to run targeted ads on the YouTube Kids app. This is a decision the company made to comply with the 

, which prevents online publishers from collecting personal information from users younger than 13.

YouTube Kids isn’t the only app to axe personalized ads. Right now, the same rule applies to the main app. And honestly, that’s another reason your revenue could decrease on both platforms. A lack of targeted ads results in fewer views, clicks, and Adsense revenue.

Right now, only in-stream video ads appear in the Kids app. That means you won’t see things like text ads, overlays, and banners on a watch page.

However, what you will see on the YouTube Kids app are ad disclaimers. These help children understand when a ‘commercial’ is about to play, and that it’s separate from video they’re watching.

Here’s what the pre-ad disclaimer looks like:

And here’s what the actual ad looks like. This one is from Netflix:

To further protect young viewers, these ads aren’t clickable. Children can watch them, but they won’t find themselves being taken off the platform and onto third-party websites. Even info cards are disabled to keep kids on the platform.

How to Keep Making Money as a Kid-Focused Creator

Now that you know what’s happening on the YouTube Kids app, let me offer some words of encouragement. We here at vidIQ understand how unsettling it is to learn about YouTube’s monetization restrictions. As a Made For Kids creator, theoretically, you should have plenty of ways to finance your efforts.

If you’re wondering what to do next, don’t panic. Simply read our blog post “

How to Make Money as a Made For Kids YouTube Channel

Can creators make money on the YouTube Kids app? Are all kid-focused videos eligible? Today, we share the answers to these questions.

Your In-Depth Guide to Building a Successful YouTube Channel

☀️ Welcome to the vidIQ Summer 2025 Drop!

Can You Get 1 Million YouTube Views By Making Short Videos?

What to do When You're Feeling Stressed as a YouTuber

YouTube Kids App: 6 Things Creators Should Know

How to Make Money as a 'Made For Kids' YouTube Channel

How This Skateboarding Channel Kickflipped its Way to 5M YouTube Subscribers

Make More Money on YouTube With Channel Memberships

How YouTube Can Unlock Back to School Success

How YouTube Can Help You Tackle Harassment and Bullying

How to Kickstart Your YouTube Channel Right Now

Why Online Harassment May Be Even More Devastating Than We Thought

How to Add Info Cards to Your YouTube Video

What Are YouTube Super Chats?