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

When YouTube cut its subscriber requirement for early monetization from 

, it opened the door for more creators to earn money and build sustainable channels. 

three public uploads in the last 90 days

3,000 public watch hours in the past 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days

YouTube Relaxes its Monetization Rules: Only 500 Subscribers Needed!

There's one caveat, though. Hitting this new milestone doesn't mean you can monetize your content with ad revenue — only 

What Is Fan Funding and Why Should You Care?

 is YouTube’s way of letting viewers directly support creators they love. Instead of relying solely on ads or sponsorships, creators can earn tips and recurring payments from their audience. YouTube introduced fan‑funding in 2014 to give viewers a way to make voluntary donations.

This built‑in “tip jar” includes three major tools—

—each unlocking at 500 subscribers and allowing creators to monetize while still growing toward full ad revenue. 

 is a monetization feature introduced in 2017 that allows viewers to purchase a chat message that stays highlighted and pinned at the top of the live‑chat window. The more a viewer pays, the longer their message stays on screen. 

This gives fans a way to stand out in busy live chats and gives creators a direct revenue stream.

 Enable Super Chat in your channel’s monetization settings and remind viewers during live streams that they can support you. Celebrate their contributions on screen, call out their messages, and thank them personally—it’s a powerful way to encourage repeat support.

 lets viewers tip on regular videos, not just live streams. Fans can pay between $2–$50 to trigger a celebratory animation and leave a highlighted “Thanks” comment. It’s similar to Super Chat but works on any published video. Super Thanks is available to monetized channels that meet YouTube’s eligibility requirements and comply with all policies.

 Mention Super Thanks in your video descriptions or on end screens. Encourage viewers who found value in your content to show their appreciation. Since it’s passive income, Super Thanks can generate tips long after a video is uploaded.

 are paid subscriptions that offer exclusive perks such as badges, custom emojis, members‑only videos, live‑chat access and other benefits. Fans pay a monthly fee to access these perks, and the steady income helps creators sustain their channels.

 Once you qualify for the YouTube Partner Program and meet eligibility requirements (usually 30,000 subscribers for non‑gaming channels), set up membership tiers in YouTube Studio. Offer meaningful perks—think behind‑the‑scenes videos, members‑only live streams, or early access to new uploads. The more value you provide, the more likely fans are to join and stay.

Fan funding can be a gratifying way to make money consistently on YouTube. But to do that, you need quality subs who are open to supporting you financially!

Building a community of 500 people may feel daunting when you’re starting at zero, but it’s achievable. Here's how to get those natural, fan-level subs on your channel.

Woman looking at phone and surrounded by emojis

It's nice to have 500 subscribers (and unlock fan-funding), but that doesn't mean viewers will automatically send you money on YouTube. They must feel 

 to do it, which usually happens when they connect with your content.

 (that you didn't pay for). These viewers will show up to watch your videos and support your content with the occasional Super Chat or Super Thanks, to show their appreciation.

So, how do you build a real YouTube community? As soon as you have 30, 40, or 50 viewers on a steady basis, reply to their comments! 

Engage with them on the YouTube Community

 tab and ask them what they want to watch. Keep showing up, and they'll do the same!

2. Choose an Underserved Niche on YouTube

 What type of viewer will most likely send you a Super Thanks (aka, a monetary tip)? We already know that organic, engaged subscribers will do this. But can you think of anyone else?

Alright, we won't keep you in suspense. If you can find an underserved community on YouTube — like unicyclists who walk their dogs simultaneously — make videos for 

. Chances are, they're waiting for someone, 

, to show an interest in their hobbies. If you're that special creator, they'll appreciate you 10 times more and

Another way to lift your subscriber count is by paying attention to global trends. For example, which video games come out next month? Is there a new dance taking over TikTok? What's happening in sports, cinema, and music?

 aligns with your channel, don't let the moment slip away. Make a video about it! Our 

 will inform you when there's a popular trend ongoing at once!

vidIQ can help you with that, especially when using 

 our newest feature. This nifty tool shows you which topics are growing in popularity on YouTube, along with a keyword score, competition score, and the monthly search volume of the term.

4. Target YouTube's Recommendation Algorithm

 watch videos that YouTube recommends? As a new creator, you have a tremendous opportunity here to reach new viewers. When seeking more subscribers, there's no better place for your content to surface than in someone's 

The YouTube video suggestions that appear beside a particular video

But which videos will YouTube recommend? Your best bet is filming something that 

 and likes. It should also mirror what people enjoy right now.

, look at your competitors — aka, channels that make similar content to yours. What are their most popular videos, and which videos are being recommended next to 

Study each recommendation. Write them down so you can make similar videos with your unique spin, flair, or perspective. After all, you now have 

 that YouTube recommends specific videos to your target audience. Use that info to grow your channel!

5. Make Search-Based Content at Least 30% of the Time

Standing out on YouTube is challenging, especially as a small creator. The good news is you have plenty of ways to get viewers' attention! You can make videos with a unique perspective or blend two niches to "wow" people. You can make the brightest, boldest thumbnails to get more clicks.

But no matter what, remember to make videos people are actually searching for. YouTube has many search pages; getting your content on just 

 could result in more views and even increase your subscriber count.

Channels that surfaced YouTube search for "start a youtube channel"

It all starts with optimizing your videos for YouTube search and doing something called 

Add relevant keywords to your video title, description, hashtags, and video chapters.

6. Borrow the 12 Most Popular Thumbnail Styles

Thumbnails are essential for getting your first 500 subscribers on YouTube. Most creators spend hours on those images, from developing an idea to ensuring the thumbnail matches the video title.

So, here's a neat shortcut to quicken the journey: Make thumbnails that are proven to work!

  How To Make Attention Grabbing Custom Thumbnails on YouTube with vidIQ

Show a final result (like the finished meal after a cooking tutorial)

7. Promote Your Videos Outside of YouTube

Woman holding a phone surrounded by social media icons

 so it pays attention to your channel. You do this by promoting your content 

According to Todd Beaupre, who leads the discovery product team at YouTube, sharing your videos in online communities is wise. You'll get your first video views much faster, enter viewers' watch history, and prompt the algorithm to share your content with similar audiences.

5 Secrets You Didn't Know About the YouTube Algorithm

So, think of all the Facebook groups, Discord servers, or forums that align with your channel's topic. Could you share your videos there? As long as you're a genuine member of the community — one who engages and brings value — it's OK to share content that adds to the conversation.

8. Use Links and Buttons to Help Viewers Subscribe

Sometimes, viewers need a little convincing before subscribing to your channel. And even then, they may only click the button if it's right in front of them!

 want to subscribe to your channel; you just have to make it easy for them.

That's where buttons and links come in handy on YouTube. You can add a YouTube subscribe button to the bottom of your videos, on your end screens, and on your website. You can also paste a subscribe link that adds people to your community once they click it.

8 Ways to Help Viewers Subscribe to Your YouTube Channel

9. Get Discovered with Viral YouTube Shorts

Did you know that creators are getting more subscribers with YouTube Shorts? We're seeing this happen monthly with vidIQ customers who reach 1,000, 10,000, or 100,000 subs in just a few weeks. Most of the time, they focus on short video content that ends up going viral.

How to Make a YouTube Short In 2025: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

But how do you make a YouTube Short go viral? First, hook your viewers with 

 that gets their attention. Then, start analyzing the most popular Shorts. What do they have in common that other videos don't?

Generic advice will get you a long way, but never to the top. If you're starting from zero, getting a YouTube coach is the best thing you can do for your creator journey. However, you don't want just 

 coach. You want proven experts who give you personalized advice for your channel and content. 

And that's why here at vidIQ, we built the 

 where creators like you can grow with the help of  the best YouTube minds

So, sign up for the vidIQ coaching program and let your YouTube dreams come true!

Woman filming a youtube video on her phone

Smiling woman recording video with smartphone on tripod against pink background

Are you ready to monetize your channel? The first step is getting 500 subscribers on YouTube, so here are 10 ways to reach that magic number!

How to Get 500 Subscribers on YouTube & Unlock Fan Funding | vidIQ

And this is the highlight reel for the 2014 REEL Video Marketing Summit, carefully optimized with cat gifs.

Highlight #1: 8AM Advanced YouTube SEO & Audience Development for Marketers Workshop with Mark Robertson, Tim Schmoyer, Mark Ballek, and Derral Eves…Or, Everybody Just Wants to Talk to Tim Schmoyer

“That’s a fascinating insight, other panelists; but, I was mostly curious what Tim had for breakfast and if he thinks I’m pretty. #Reel Summit”

Highlight #2: REEL Summit Intro Video – Evolution of Video Marketing…Or, Everyone Briefly Remembers that Weird/Awesome Poo-Pourri Viral Video from Last Year

“LOL – ‘you won’t believe the mother-load I just dropped’…wait, wasn’t that actually an ad for poop perfume? Yeah, 2013 was weird. #ReelSummit”

Highlight #3: Googler Jon Klaff Addresses, “The Next Big Leap in Video Advertising”…AKA Envisioning a Dystopian Future Where All Consumers are Chronically Attention-Divided, Under-Slept, and Device Co-Dependent to the Point It Destroys All Traditional Marketing Paradigms

“Welcome to the new normal, populated largely by Millenials – a mutant race of Buzzfeed-addicted, Social Media drip-fed, 3-hours-of-sleep-a-night-getting, seamless-experience-demanding super-humans whose data we’ve been mining since they went through puberty. Also, that Brand Relationship Arc graphic is SO COOL. #ReelSummit”

Highlight #4: BuzzFeed Presents, “Creating Content for How It’s Consumed”…Or, We All Erupt in Applause Over a Friskies Ad

“We don’t care if this video is inauthentic – our love for zefrank1 voiceovers is real. All hail Friskies! #ReelSummit”

Highlight #5: JW Presents, “New Innovations in Video Technology”…Or, I Can’t Even with Your Industry Advancements Right Now

“Jesus, we’re talking adaptive streaming, interactive & searchable transcripts, a friggin’ in-video table of contents…just stop – it is literally too much. #ReelSummit”

Highlight #6: YouTube Strategies for Brands with Jonathan Hunt, Christine Ngo, Brendan Gahan, and Ross Everett…Also Known As the REEL Summit Drinking Game

“Shhhhhhhh – just take a shot any time I say ‘authenticity’, ‘community’, or ‘storytelling’… #ReelSummit”

Highlight #7: Closing Keynote – Is Your Company’s Culture Killing Your Video Marketing Potential?…Or, Sourabh Kothari & Peter Agnus Medlock are a Hyper-Natural Comedy Duo that Need to Start a YouTube Channel Immediately

“10/10 would hit ‘Like’ & ‘Subscribe’ so hard. #ReelSummit”

Highlight #8: Closing Reception & Party…Or, Everybody is Now Drunk

“So, I literally don’t even know how everybody got drunk. There were only 2 drink tickets included with summit registration. Wait – what’s in my hand? Is it Uber? #reeldrunk @ #ReelSummit”

And that’s the skinny from the Visionaries here @vidIQ. The REEL Video Summit was an unqualified success, with cat gifs.

Be sure to join us next year, where they may or may not be providing more drink coupons with summit registration.

What about you, fellow REEL Video Summit attendees – do you have other favorite highlights? Feel free to write them in the comment section.

REEL Video Summit 2014 logo in bold red text with an underline beneath the title

Last week, industry insiders and industry newcomers mingled, saleswomen and salesmen schmoozed, a veritable lovefest erupted on Twitter under the never-quite-trending #ReelSummit – this was the 2014 REEL Video Marketing Summit.

8 REEL Video Summit Highlights Cheekily Articulated via Cat Gif

It was a major televised sporting event with almost no commercial-breaks for advertisers to showcase their message,” making it “incumbent upon marketers to think beyond TV.

With 45 brands spending more than $400 million to promote 97 campaigns, the 2014 World Cup in Brazil represents one of the largest marketing events in history. It also marks the moment that online advertising claimed a definitive victory over television.

Commentators are quick to evaluate the success or failure of these video marketing efforts in terms of “total views”, but at vidIQ we know video virality is more than views-deep.

To get to the heart of the matter, we’ve decided to pit the top branded YouTube campaign videos head-to-head and see who won the 2014 World Cup Battle of the Brands (in our humble opinion).

How, you may ask? We’re taking the most telling engagement metrics from our Chrome extension’s YouTube video report card and evaluating the real, hard-won, organically-viral winners of this momentous marketing match. We’ll assess…

Share date – time since the video was uploaded, for context and to assure all metrics are evaluated equitably.

Total views – the reported number of times a video has been viewed on YouTube. Be wary, however, since this number can be manipulated and views can be bought.

Minutes watched – total, aggregated number of video minutes watched by YouTube users, regardless of whether or when the video was abandoned. Be wary here too, because creators can withhold this data – sometimes to protect proprietary information and sometimes to obscure a paid viewing campaign.

vidIQ score – this is an optimization score applied to every YouTube video according to our proprietary, cross-platform algorithm that predicts the video’s likelihood of promotion in Related Videos, Search, Recommended Videos, and more.

Creator suggested – this metric monitors the relative number of videos that YouTube is linking back to a publisher’s own channel, and is a fair indicator of a channel’s level of management or sophistication. Read a more detailed explanation of “Creator suggested” here (if you’d like).

True engagement – the Gold Standard of video marketing metrics, this key YouTube performance indicator crunches the numbers on every social media share and linked referral to a specific YouTube video, relative to its number of views. In a nutshell, “true engagement” shows us what portion of the audience found a video share-worthy.

Tags – these keywords are intended to make videos more searchable or “related” on YouTube and, in the best of cases, are part of a more targeted SEO strategy.

Battle Athletica | adidas vs. Nike The contenders.

adidas YouTube campaign video | Messi's Dream adidas YouTube campaign video | Messi’s Dream

Nike YouTube campaign video | ""Winner Stays"" Nike YouTube campaign video | “Winner Stays”

YouTube stats | adidas vs. Nike YouTube stats | adidas vs. Nike

Nike wins by the power of true audience engagement, which is undiluted despite its high number of views.

Battle Auto | Hyundai vs. Kia The contenders.

Hyundai YouTube campaign video | ""Avoidance"" Hyundai YouTube campaign video | “Avoidance”

Kia YouTube campaign video | ""Football vs. Futbol"" Kia YouTube campaign video | “Football vs. Futbol”

YouTube stats | Hyundai vs. Kia YouTube stats | Hyundai vs. Kia

Despite significantly lower total views, Hyundai wins for its unprecedented true engagement numbers – 1 in 10 viewers shared this video.

Battle Royale | Coca-Cola vs. McDonalds The contenders.

Coca-Cola YouTube campaign video | ""One World, One Game"" Coca-Cola YouTube campaign video | “One World, One Game”

McDonald's YouTube campaign video | ""Trick Shot"" McDonald’s YouTube campaign video | “Trick Shot”

YouTube stats | Coca-Cola vs. McDonald's YouTube stats | Coca-Cola vs. McDonald’s

McDonald’s wins handily, in a competition so lopsided that it might trigger some PTSD from the Germany vs. Brazil semifinal.

FIFA logo with two soccer balls designed as Earth globes representing global football.

As Forbes contributor Rob Schwartz pointed out yesterday, this year’s World Cup was a global phenomenon rife with challenges for traditional marketing.

FIFA’s Battle of the Brands: A Competitive YouTube Analysis of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil

Today we’re pulling out an old case study to provide insight on that all-too-common problem – scalable YouTube video optimization.

Media giant AOL migrates videos to YouTube. We handle the heavy lifting. We provide scalable YouTube optimization for AOL’s large content archive, while centralizing their video marketing workflow into a secure, single-touch suite of software tools that can be accessed by anyone on their video team.

Organic YouTube Marketing & SEO Expertise From the vidIQ Archives | AOL Case Study

The client is AOL, a multinational mass media corporation that develops, grows, and invests in brands and websites. AOL is a major original content creator on YouTube, with millions of viewers across their series of channels.

Having moved from a proprietary CMS to YouTube, AOL has too much video content to optimize or maintain manually. They need a simple video marketing software solution that…

Minimizes time investment for managing brand channels, optimizing new videos, and publishing across multiple media platforms. Provides clear, actionable YouTube viewer data and insights. Keeps content and data secure.

We leverage vidIQ’s YouTube SEO tool to add optimal tags to AOL’s existing videos and to optimize their video marketing content on an ongoing basis.

Additionally, the insights provided by our social media tracking and YouTube community metrics allow AOL to discover how their users are engaging with content.

Finally, AOL team members can create vidIQ accounts with tiered permissions to upload, optimize, and publish video content across all their media platforms simultaneously.

Week-over-week, they observe a 10% increase in video views. 30,000+ Twitter conversations discovered about their YouTube videos. Central marketing hub promotes collaboration and reduces the personnel cost of YouTube channel management. Services Used vidIQ Pro + vidIQ HootSuite App

vidIQ tackles YouTube SEO head-on with Tag Recommendations, a crucial tool for the growth of AOL’s diverse brand channels.



– Paul Cooney, AOL’s YouTube Partnership Manager

Black silhouette of factory building with chimney representing industrial production icon

Q: How do you optimize a huge video archive without millions of man-hours?
A: Call vidIQ.

From the vidIQ Archives | AOL Case Study

The general wisdom is to produce, produce, produce – which is the YouTube marketing equivalent of the fool’s adage, “Any decision is better than no decision.”

But content, and its consumers, have been around for a long time. And the thread that connects them has always been simpler than strategy, more powerful than promotion, and greater than hype.

At vidIQ, YouTube and YouTube marketing is our business – so we get it. It seems necessary to surrender to the daily scramble to produce, produce, produce on your channel. It’s easy to lose sight of the real goals of video marketing, to get lost in the endless lists of “YouTube Tips and Tricks” and to worship the newly-deified metrics of “Subscribers” and “Total Views.”

Instead, sit back for a moment – just one moment in this hypnotically hectic world of newsfeeds – to consider the wisdom of great creators who have come before you.

It’s more comforting than cat pictures, I promise.

Quote Credit: BrainyQuote Original Photo Credit: Vinoth Chandar

“Of all our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language.” – Walt Disney

Walt Disney - Mass Communication Quote Credit: BrainyQuote Original Photo Credit: James Vaughan

It’s not enough to communicate, video marketing can make you understood.

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” – Confucius

Quote Credit: BrainyQuote Original Photo Credit: FrontierOfficial

Commitment to your content and campaigns is integral to success.

“Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” – Aristotle

Aristotle - Pleasure in Work Quote Credit: BrainyQuote Original Photo Credit: BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives

Do only what you enjoy, if you want to do it well.

“Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.” – John Lennon

John Lennon - Time Wasted Quote Credit: BrainyQuote Original Photo Credit: Fabiola Medeiros

Don’t waste time on pursuits you don’t enjoy.

“Information is not knowledge.” – Albert Einstein

Einstein - Info Not Knowledge Quote Credit: BrainyQuote Original Photo Credit: Marius B

“A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.” – William Shakespeare

Shakespeare - Wise Fool Quote Credit: BrainyQuote Original Photo Credit: Mykl Roventine

You don’t know everything, and that’s okay.

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

Helen Keller - Do Much Together Quote Credit: BrainyQuote Original Photo Credit: Melanie Holtsman

It takes a village to succeed in content.

With video marketing moving at the speed of light, it’s easy to get wild-eyed about your workflow.

Your In-Depth Guide to Building a Successful YouTube Channel

How to Get 500 Subscribers on YouTube & Unlock Fan Funding | vidIQ

8 REEL Video Summit Highlights Cheekily Articulated via Cat Gif

FIFA’s Battle of the Brands: A Competitive YouTube Analysis of the 2014 World...

From the vidIQ Archives | AOL Case Study

8 YouTube-Worthy Tips from History’s Greatest Content Creators

First Ever YouTube Speedometer – vidIQ Velocity

What Is Creator Suggested?

Introducing YouTube Competitor Analysis

vidIQ Score: How We Rank YouTube Videos

Airline Safety Videos Take Off On YouTube

vidIQ Partnership With Adweek: Top YouTube Brand/Creator Video Charts

Introducing Advanced YouTube Analytics Revamp

Introducing vidIQ Vision: A YouTube Chrome Extension For Power Users