Darryl is a writer with years of experience in online video software, combining technical expertise with a passion for educating audiences. When not writing, he’s tending to his farm surrounded by horses, chickens, dogs, and somehow cramming more plants into his garden than it could ever reasonably hold.
☀️ Welcome to the vidIQ Summer 2025 Drop!
Scroll-Stopping Science Is Here.
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.
Today, we’re announcing 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.
If you’ve used these tools before, 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.
Leveled Up Thumbnail Tool
We've improved vidIQ’s Thumbnail Tool. 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 thumbnails are your first impression 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 pop. 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.
What’s New:
- Upload faces, objects, or brand assets (we’ll remove backgrounds automatically)
- Use reference thumbnails to match a visual style you love. Upload your own or choose from our library of top-performing YouTube templates.
- Add videos to influence your thumbnail’s aesthetic
- Refine everything with easy prompt tweaks, image edits, or by dropping in text

Why it matters:
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.
With vidIQ’s updated AI Thumbnail Maker, you’re not just making something that looks good — you’re making something that gets clicked.
New AI Script Writer
You stopped the scroll with killer thumbnails. Now keep them watching.
Our new AI Script Writer helps you write stronger YouTube scripts in a fraction of the time, backed by real YouTube psychology.

What’s new:
- Always current: Continuously trained on what’s working right now to hook and keep viewers watching
- Retention-Focused Writing: Include callback cues, pacing variations, and cliffhangers
- Refine with One Click: Adjust your scripts’ tone, add keywords, sound more like your favorite creator. All with one click.
- Smart Research: Automated research provides accurate and relevant information and stats.
Why it matters:
Creating a strong YouTube script helps keep your message clear, your viewers hooked, and your content performing. And now, it doesn’t have to take days. With vidIQ’s AI Script Writer, you can go from idea to polished script in just 3 minutes - making it easier to publish consistently and keep your channel growing.
@silviasvault's experience with Script Writer
“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.”
Advanced Shorts Support
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.
Not anymore.
We built our Shorts tools to tell you exactly what’s working, what’s not, and how to make your next one blow up.
Meet the New Shorts Scorecard
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:

Video Performance Metrics including views & views per hour, engagement rate, views history graph, and outlier score.
Channel Performance Metrics including channel subscriber count, monthly & total uploads, and subscriber and view growth graphs.
Outliers Now Supports Shorts:
Outliers 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.

Why it matters:
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.
Optimize Now Supports Shorts:
Optimize 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.

Why it matters:
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.
🎁 Summer 2025 Drop Special Bonus!
VidIQ users with a Boost Subscription 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.
Included with Boost at no extra cost.
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If you’re looking for more than just one video review, you can work directly with a Creator Coach 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?
Check out Nigel & Sue’s story. 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:
✅ Thumbnails v2 - Create high-impact, click-worthy thumbnails with AI and proven templates
✅ AI Script Writer - Hook viewers and keep them watching with YouTube-optimized storytelling
✅ Shorts Scorecard - Instantly spot top-performing Shorts and track breakout metrics
✅ Outliers for Shorts - Discover overperforming videos across YouTube to inspire your next big hit
✅ Optimize for Shorts - Find the best title and keywords to get your Shorts discovered
🎁 Video Feedback for Boost Users – Submit a video, get a personalized coach breakdown
P.S. Join the vidIQ Creator Community on Discord
At vidIQ, we’re not just building tools, we’re building a community of creators who grow together, learn from each other, and celebrate the journey.
Our Discord server is where that community lives. Whether you're just starting your channel or pushing for full-time creator status, you’ll find support, advice, and real talk from people who are on the same path.
One of our favorite parts? Discord Stages — live, audio-first events where creators come together to share wins, ask questions, get feedback, and connect with others.
One year ago, we hosted a Stage where a creator named SinkTop joined in with 200 subscribers at the time. As of today, they’ve blown past 84.7K subs, and they’re still part of the vidIQ community, showing up, supporting others, and creating authentic content that connects.
For our Boost and Coaching members, we’ve launched Boost Land — a private area designed for high-focus creators. It’s a no-noise zone for serious discussions, in-depth feedback, and direct access to growth-minded peers. Whether you're learning, scaling, or just looking for accountability, there’s a space here for you.
Current vidIQ Boost users have unlimited access to all these features.
Free users can try a limited version to see the tools in action, no credit card required.
If it has been a while since you’ve used vidIQ, now’s the perfect time to dive back in. And if you’ve never used it?
Get started for free and see what scroll-stopping science can do for your channel.
Try vidIQ now. Stop the scroll. Start the growth.