claudeClaude guide

How to use vidIQ in Claude and Claude Code

Claude cannot see YouTube data on its own. The vidIQ connector gives it live channel analytics, keyword research, outliers, comments, and transcripts, so its answers come from real numbers.

Connect vidIQ in Claude

Connect vidIQ to Claude

  1. 1Open the vidIQ listing in Claude's Connector Directory, click Connect, and sign in with your vidIQ account.
  2. 2Want the full tool set, including thumbnails, comment insights, and approved video changes? Add a custom connector instead: open Customize → Connectors, select Add custom connector, name it vidIQ, and enter https://mcp.vidiq.com/mcp.
  3. 3In a conversation, open + → Connectors and enable vidIQ when needed.
  4. 4Using Claude Code? Run the two commands shown here, restart Claude Code, then run /mcp and sign in to the vidIQ server when prompted.
Connect vidIQ in Claude

Claude Code

claude plugin marketplace add vid-io/vidiq-mcp
claude plugin install vidiq@vidiq-plugins

Tip: name vidIQ in your prompt

Typing @vidIQ is a ChatGPT shortcut. In Claude, turn the connector on from + → Connectors and start your prompt with "Use vidIQ to..." so Claude reaches for live data. In Claude Code, call a workflow directly, for example /vidiq:vidiq-get-started.

Five prompts to try

Copy one, replace the bracketed details, and paste it into your chat.

  1. Review channel health

    Review my channel's last 90 days. Separate long-form and Shorts, explain what strengthened or weakened, and prioritize three improvements.

  2. Triage a launch

    Compare my latest upload's first 48 hours with my normal channel baseline. Show the evidence before recommending any change.

  3. Diagnose retention

    Align this video's retention changes with its transcript and comments. Identify the moments I should improve next time.

  4. Learn the audience's language

    Turn recurring viewer language in these comments into hooks and content briefs. Omit usernames and personal details from your answer.

  5. Compare packaging

    Compare three distinct title and thumbnail concepts for [idea], grounded in current creator evidence.

vidIQ in Claude: common questions

Yes. Connect vidIQ and Claude reads live YouTube data instead of guessing: analytics for the channels linked to your vidIQ account (views, watch time, traffic sources, retention), plus public stats for any channel or video, keyword search volume, outliers, comments, and transcripts. Ask in plain English, for example: "Review my channel's last 90 days and prioritize three improvements."