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.

YouTube Monetization

How To Make Money on YouTube

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.

YouTube Views

How To Get More Views on YouTube

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.

YouTube Tips & Tricks

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.

YouTube Watch Time

All the tips, tricks, and solid gold advice you need for starting or growing a Gaming channel on YouTube and other platforms

YouTube Gaming

Gaming

What is the easiest way to get 1,000 subscribers on YouTube? Should you try to go viral with a trendy video that gets millions of views?

There’s nothing wrong with this method, but it’s not the best way to gain subscribers. Viewers will move on when the hype is over because trends – and trending videos – always lose momentum. Plus, going viral on YouTube is 

You need a deeper plan to make people stick around – one that prioritizes five parts of 

Making videos that YouTube will (likely) recommend to viewers

Understanding which videos make people subscribe

Watch the video below to learn more about these five areas of YouTube growth:

If you can master those five things, you’ll get 1,000 subscribers in no time. Here’s a guide to help you get started.

If you haven’t posted many videos, make that your first step. This will help YouTube understand what your channel is about and which viewers enjoy your content.

Quantity Over Quality - The One Thing New YouTubers Should Focus On

 in the next three or four months. That’s a big number, and it’s going to be hard to stay on track, but don’t panic. The goal isn’t to make a few perfect videos people rave about; at this stage, you want to make lots of content so YouTube can test your videos with different audiences. One hundred videos should be enough to penetrate the algorithm and have YouTube suggest your content.

As you create, avoid the trap of making perfect videos. That will only slow you down and make “100” seem like an impossible number. Instead, focus on 

 that have good information, proper lighting, and adequate audio. That’s what viewers need to enjoy a video, and ultimately, subscribe.

2. Identify Your Top 5 ‘Suggested’ Videos. Make ‘Companion’ Videos for Each One

OK, here’s where the fun starts. Now that you have dozens of videos to analyze, you can go into the YouTube Studio and see which ones are performing well. This is a crucial step to gaining 1,000 subscribers; your absolute best videos – not the average performers – are more likely to make people subscribe.

top five suggested videos on your channel.

 These are the videos YouTube recommends to viewers based on what they’ve already watched or what they might watch next. So essentially, YouTube will “pair” one video with another if people frequently watch them “together” on the platform.

YouTube Algorithm Guide - How Your Videos Are Recommended to Viewers

If someone watches a video about how to get more subscribers on YouTube, they might see some of the suggested videos below. These could appear as a “watch next” prompt within the video, on the right side of the screen (pictured below, as seen on desktop), or below the video being watched (mobile).

Follow these steps to see your top five suggested videos:

Make sure you’re on the Overview tab, then click 

 below the graph that shows views, Watch Time, estimated revenue, and subscribers.

From the list of traffic sources, select 

 (in the top right corner) to make sure you get enough data.

Your suggested videos list should look something like this:

Write down the top five videos on your list, and for each one, film a companion video on the same topic. As YouTube suggests "pairs" of videos to viewers, you'll give the algorithm popular but similar content to pull from.

3. Identify Your Top 5 ‘Search’ Topics. Make Similar Content

Out of all the videos you’ve made, how many of them are searchable? Do they address problems people are always trying to solve? If so, find out which video topics are most helpful to viewers.

You can do this by identifying the top five search terms on your channel. These are video topics that perform well in the 

. Getting views in this area means people are clicking on your videos after searching a specific term or phrase.

Here’s how to find your most popular search topics:

Next, you’ll see a list of your channel's popular search content.

 Then make additional content using the same topics. If things work out, you’ll reach new viewers who are constantly searching for such videos. That creates an opportunity to snag more subscribers.

4. Figure Out Which Videos Attract the Most Subscribers

This might be the most straightforward tip on our list. When viewers hit subscribe, they probably watched an awesome video beforehand. But not every video convinces people to join your community. That’s why our next strategy is pure gold: Go into the YouTube Studio and identify which videos bring in the most subscribers.

Take a look at your top five videos; this is the content that convinces viewers to hit subscribe.

Pick one video from your list and make an additional video about the same topic. If the original video is working for you, a follow-up could potentially increase your subscribers.

Everything we’ve listed above should be repeated to start seeing success. Your analytics will change as you make more videos, so make a habit of checking those “big three” areas: 

YouTube search, suggested videos, and the subscriber traffic source.

 You could check every month or every three months; it just depends on how often your analytics change.

Making content that performs well in certain traffic sources is smart. But don’t forget that YouTube success comes from 

, which means you have to make content your viewers like. At the same time, it doesn’t hurt to find an intersection that satisfies both the YouTube algorithm and loyal subscribers.

Getting 1,000 subscribers on YouTube takes planning and dedication. Here are 

Is there a foolproof way to get 1,000 subscribers on YouTube? Yes! Here are five amazing tips to reach that big goal.

The Easiest Way to Get 1,000 Subscribers on YouTube

Changing your YouTube channel name is easy in 2021. You can make the switch in 60 seconds or less by heading to the YouTube Studio. Here's how!

Changing Your YouTube Channel Name on Desktop: Step by Step

Want to change your YouTube channel name from your computer? Follow the steps below:

Log into YouTube and click your profile image in the top right corner. Select 

Under the channel name and description header, click the 

 beside your current name. This gives you the option to type a new one.

 in the top right corner to save your changes.

And that's it! This used to take longer, but YouTube recently updated the process. Now, instead of your Google account changing as you switch channel names, neither is affected. That means 

you can change your YouTube channel name without your Google account assuming the same name. 

And, the way you change your name is no longer impacted by whether you have a personal account or brand account. It's all the same process.

Changing Your Channel Name on Mobile: Step by Step

It's just as easy changing your channel name on a smartphone. Here are the steps:

Open the YouTube app and tap your profile icon in the top right corner.

On the next screen, you should see a pencil icon next to your current channel name. Tap it to start typing a new one, then select 

 If so, you have to log onto a desktop computer to change your channel name. Keep in mind that doing so could affect your verified status.

Need a visual tutorial for any of these steps? Watch the video below for more guidance:

Before you go: Are you struggling to think of a good channel name? Watch our recent 

 to choose the best name for your channel (that won't suck).

Want to change your YouTube channel name? Here's a step-by-step guide to help you out.

How to Change Your YouTube Channel Name

It's a fantastic feeling when somebody subscribes to your channel. But which viewers hit that big, red button? And do they have large, popular channels of their own?

Follow these steps to see a list of recent YouTube subscribers:

1. Log into YouTube, click your profile icon, and go to the 

3. A pop-up window will appear showing your recent subscribers. Adjust the date range at the top to see who subscribed in the last seven days, month, 90 days, year, or the life of your channel.

On this panel, you will see a recent subscriber's:

Creators with the most subscribers appear at the top of the list. But you can click the 

 tabs to filter the list as you please.  

How to Find Your First YouTube Subscriber – Ever!

Want to visit a subscriber's channel? The profile icons are clickable, so simply click one to go to that creator's homepage. If you already know the creator, there's an option to subscribe to their channel, which is a nice short cut. 

Bear in mind that new subscribers will only be displayed here 

 So you probably have more subscribers than this panel will show.

Need more information about your subscribers? 

 to get instant access to robust subscriber data. 

How many subscribers a commenter (underneath any video) has gained on their channel.

How many subscribers a channel has, when viewed in YouTube search results.

 to pick out channels with a certain number of subscribers.

Want to take things to the next level? Our 

 tells you which videos your subscribers watch on YouTube and the channels they're subscribed to. This gives you more data about the type of content your audience likes so you can make better videos.

 to see your live, real-time subscriber count.

Are you curious about who has subscribed to your YouTube channel? Read this one-minute guide to get an all-time list of subscribers.

How to See Who Subscribed to Your YouTube Channel

If you’re still working toward 1,000 YouTube subscribers, here’s some good news. Unlike creators with large audiences, you still have the freedom to try new things. You aren’t stuck in a niche where viewers expect hyperfocused videos. And you still have time to find your audience and learn how YouTube works.

Gaining 1,000 subscribers is still the dream.

 Once you meet that goal, you’re one step closer to applying to the 

, we chat with Alan Spicer, YouTube consultant and blogger, about gaining 1,000 subscribers and beyond. His YouTube growth channel, 

, has 34,000 subscribers. He also has thousands of subscribers on other YouTube channels, and books clients on his website, 

Spicer reviews lots of channels and has noticed a pattern with successful creators. Typically, channels with over 1,000 subscribers have three things in common.

1. The Content Is Hyperfocused and Entertaining

. The first option is making focused content that caters to one audience. But if you don’t know what your niche should be, you can explore different topics to see what gets more views. Be warned, though: The results for this option are unpredictable. You’re letting the numbers decide what your niche should be, even if you aren’t passionate about the topic. That’s why we recommend option one – finding a topic you love and sticking to it.

Is your YouTube niche worth pursuing? Ask yourself three questions to find out:

Are video ideas coming to me effortlessly?

If your answer to all three questions is “yes,” you have a niche worth exploring. Whether that’s cooking, baseball highlights, makeup, or something else, embrace your newfound topic!

 is the fastest way to get 1,000 subscribers on YouTube. The deeper you dive into a subject, the better your chances of attracting like-minded viewers. If you’re a 

, for example, viewers will subscribe to watch hundreds of gaming tutorials.

Making how-to content is a sure-fire way to stand out on YouTube. 

 Spicer sees this formula all the time as a YouTube consultant – and it works.

“You can still be educational and funny,” Spicer says. “[A fencing company] was making content about ‘how to’ this and ‘how to’ that, which was great. But then they made a video that was all about a specific building material…. It’s a nice time-lapse thing, and it’s entertaining. But it still was within their focus of them telling us how to put up that fence and the specific materials you need to use.”

Of course, the video went viral. The fencing company got views from their audience and people who enjoyed the time-lapse video.

2. The Creator Is an Expert – or Passionate About Becoming One

 to reach 1,000 YouTube subscribers? During that time, they post dozens of videos, if not hundreds.

That’s why passion is invaluable on YouTube. If you aren’t excited about your niche, it’s hard to keep going with little to no views and subscribers. Chances are, you will lose motivation.

7 Beliefs You Need to Have to Grow a YouTube Channel

There is one solution, though. You can always 

share your expertise, professional or otherwise, on YouTube.

 That gives you a topic to explore for several years. You can teach viewers an array of skills, from investing to painting to cell phone repair.

Starting a YouTube Career - 7 Steps to Monetize Your Passion

“I’ve done web development for five years prior [to YouTube],” Spicer says. “I understand search engine optimization, and now I’m SEO-certified. If I can teach those things, people then know I’m a Netflix of answers for that specific field.” 

3. The Channel Creates Long-Term Value for Viewers

Want to gain lots of subscribers quickly? Here’s the ultimate rule for succeeding on YouTube:

Create value for your viewers, and never stop giving it to them.

This rule applies to all creators, regardless of your YouTube niche. If you want viewers to subscribe to your channel, you have to give them a reason to stay.

3 Steps to Create Valuable, Highly-Watched Videos

“Whatever your goal happens to be, that’s perfectly fine," Spicer says. "But as long as you deliver the message and value to the audience first, they will keep coming back. If I’m being selfish, telling you what I want from you, taking from you, why would you want to come back to me?”

Gary Vaynerchuk, internet personality and super entrepreneur, is a great example. He succeeds on YouTube because he gives so much information away for free. 

 about entrepreneurship and personal branding help millions of subscribers achieve their goals. Plus, his advice creates long-term value. People will continue to start new businesses and tweak their personal brands for the job market.

 doesn’t mean you’ll become rich on YouTube. But it helps you make some money and grow your audience through the YouTube Partner Program. If you haven’t earned 4,000 hours of Watch Time yet – the other YPP requirement – 

YouTube channels with more than 1,000 subscribers have 3 things in common. Read this post to discover what they are and grow your audience faster.

What YouTube Channels with Over 1,000 Subscribers Have In Common

Can a YouTube creator’s CPM change for no apparent reason? By studying different channels, we know that CPMs fluctuate all the time. But increases or decreases don't happen randomly; whether your CPM soars to the moon like dogecoin or drops to the ground like a meteor, there’s a specific reason every time.

CPM (cost per millie) is the amount of money advertisers pay per 1,000 views. So for example, if one of your videos gets 100,000 views and the CPM is $8.50, the video’s total revenue is $850. That's a nice profit, but only a portion of it goes to your bank account. YouTube takes a 45% cut, which leaves you with $467.50. After that, subtract a healthy amount for taxes.

This is a best-case scenario because not every “view” on YouTube is monetized. In the YouTube Studio, there is a metric called 

 It shows how many views were actually monetized on your channel.

Take a look at the table below. In this example, the creator has 68,216 views on their channel (for a specific time period). But as you can see, YouTube didn’t monetize all of those views. Only 43,812 views brought in revenue.

You can find all this data in the YouTube Studio. Go to the 

 to see your CPM and estimated monetized playbacks.

With that in mind, here are six factors that increase or decrease your YouTube CPM.

1. The Geographic Location Listed on Your Channel

Did you know that where you live determines how much money you make on YouTube? Some countries have a larger economy than others, and that abundance translates to YouTube. If you live in the U.S., this is something you already know. The American cost of living is higher than most countries. Take India, for example. According to 

, the average disposable income is $3,258.85 per month for Americans and $452.11 per month for Indians. That means the average American has seven times more money to spend.

What does this have to do with your YouTube CPM? It simply means companies advertise different products and services on an American channel versus an Indian channel. Those products will likely cost more in the U.S., which means advertisers will pay more to have them appear (as ads) in a video. So you could earn a higher YouTube CPM just by living in a specific country.

Using our example of American income, let's look at the age of your YouTube audience. Your viewers likely fall into one of these ranges:

These groups have different income levels. For Americans between 45 and 54, yearly income peaked at $78,879 in 2013. As a result, these older but wealthier Americans spent more money (about $60,524) than other groups. And remember what we said earlier: 

Advertisers want to be where the money flows.

Now, compare that to the income of Americans under 25. In the same year, they only made $27,914.

Let’s say you have a gaming channel, and your audience is American teenagers. Because this demographic has less spending power, there’s a chance advertisers aren’t paying high CPMs to market their products in gaming videos. This means your CPM could be lower than a channel focusing on middle-aged Americans. That’s a broad generalization, obviously. But on a basic level, this methodology is why some creators make more money than others.

What are the most profitable topics on YouTube? According to research by creator 

This data was collected by studying CPMs in different niches across Russia, the U.S., Canada, the UK, Germany, Australia, and India. Take a closer look below.

Are you starting to see a trend? Topics like investing, health, and real estate don’t attract every viewer on YouTube. Most viewers don’t think about these areas of life until they’re approaching 30 or reach a higher salary. That’s why your YouTube niche, among other things, affects your CPM.

 to learn how one creator made $200,000 per month in advertising revenue.

4. Seasonal Changes In Your Niche/Industry

In addition to geographic location, age of the viewer, and YouTube niche, seasonality affects your CPM. Our YouTuber-in-residence, Rob Wilson, had a tech channel before joining the team and knows how AdSense revenue can fluctuate.

“CPMs for tech channels go through the roof as we approach Christmas,” Wilson says. “It’s the gift-buying season, and people are making purchasing decisions when they’re watching tech content. However, the moment we leave the holiday season, CPMs tank on those channels for a couple of months…. then we’re in the New Years’ Resolution season, where food and fitness channels see their CPMs rise.”

Now that we’ve discussed other CPM factors, let's talk about something you can control: the type of ads placed on your videos.

When your channel finally gets monetized, your first thought is probably, “I’m going to put every type of ad on my videos – display ads, overlay ads, sponsored cards, non-skippable ads. 

Google AdSense 101 - How to Benefit from Ad Revenue on YouTube

But did you know that CPMs vary across ad types? You can see these figures by filtering for 

Check out the image below. For a particular piece of content, video ads commanded a higher CPM than display ads. That’s because viewers can’t easily escape a video advertisement. But a small graphic at the bottom of the frame? That’s easy to ignore or make disappear with one tap.

A couple of years ago, YouTube was fined $170 million for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Act. This law states that websites can’t collect personal information from users under 13 years of age.

What does that mean for you? If you’re a “

,” it essentially means you’ll make less ad revenue. YouTube isn’t allowed to collect personal interest data for most children. As a result, those views don't see targeted ads they’re likely to click.

Advertisers know this, and they aren’t willing to pay top dollar for ads placed on content with “limited revenue." So if you have a kids channel, that's another factor driving your YouTube CPM way down.

7. How ‘Safe’ Your Videos Are For Viewing

Do your videos show adult content? How about guns and violence? On YouTube, these are CPM killers. For the most part, advertisers want to market their products on positive, PG-13 videos. So anything that falls outside of that will result in limited monetization and lower CPMs.

YouTube’s list of non-advertiser-friendly topics is lengthy. See the image below for every category.

 to keep your channel in good standing and earn the highest possible CPM.

CPM is an advertiser-focused metric. If you want to see your income after all YouTube deductions, 

Your YouTube CPM can be amazingly high or shockingly low. Here are 7 reasons why.

YouTube CPM: 7 Factors Affecting Your Channel's Revenue

Are you a gamer looking to start a Minecraft channel? We’ve got exciting news for you and the thousands of subscribers you’re about to gain. Regardless of what you may have heard, it’s 

 too late to become a Minecraft creator. The game is 12 years old and shows no signs of losing its popularity – not even in 2021.

Why It's Not Too Late to Create a Minecraft Channel on YouTube

 about launching a successful Minecraft channel on YouTube. Farzy is a Minecraft creator himself and has more than 140,000 subscribers and 33 million views. His channel is only five years old, which makes him a stand-out creator among aspiring YouTubers.

Want the secret to Farzy’s success? Here’s how he grew his channel in one of the most competitive YouTube niches.

1. Create a Niche Within a Niche for Your Minecraft Channel

If you follow our YouTube advice, you’ve heard this tip before. Succeeding on the platform is almost impossible without focused content, so 

 For Minecraft creators, it’s not as simple as saying, “Because I only play one game on YouTube, my channel has a strong focus.” You have to dig deeper and get 

 specific to stand out as a Minecraft creator.

“There are a lot of segments in the Minecraft community,” Farzy says. “There are people doing SMPs, which is survival multiplayer. There are people doing redstone videos. So I’m not just doing all of Minecraft on YouTube. I took an exact slice of that game, and in there, it’s me being the entertaining let’s play content slash tutorial content.”

Want to create a successful Minecraft channel? Choose one thing to focus on within the game: build challenges, speedrunning, new worlds, or anything you want. Then make your titles and thumbnails reflect those parts of the Minecraft universe.

2. Pay Attention to Which Videos Get the Most Views, and Make Similar Content

Imagine logging into YouTube to find one of your Minecraft videos 

. What would you do after seeing something like that? If your answer is “

investigate the cause and make similar content

,” that’s the right thing to do. More than anything, measuring the success of popular videos and repeating what works is a reliable way to grow your Minecraft channel.

After all, that’s what Farzy did. Three months ago, both newer and older videos on his channel received some love from 

. It didn’t seem to matter if the videos were weeks old or published years ago. YouTube was recommending his content to viewers, and he decided to capitalize on that.

“I had a big spurt of views from normal traffic sources – lots of them,” Farzy says. “What I did from there is I just tried to double down on that content. So making more engaging tutorials. Making let’s play content that has an inherent value…. And the growth has just skyrocketed.”

3. Strike a Balance Between Minecraft Let’s Plays and Tutorials

Is it wise to upload Minecraft tutorials and let’s play videos on the same channel? According to Farzy, it depends on how you balance the content. When you first start a Minecraft channel, tutorials that are 

Starting a Minecraft channel in 2021 is still worth the effort. After all, Minecraft creator Nick Farzy gained 33 million views in five years. Could you be next?

The Easiest Way to Get 1,000 Subscribers on YouTube

Lydia Sweatt

How to Change Your YouTube Channel Name

Lydia Sweatt

How to See Who Subscribed to Your YouTube Channel

Lydia Sweatt

What YouTube Channels with Over 1,000 Subscribers Have In Common

Lydia Sweatt

YouTube CPM: 7 Factors Affecting Your Channel's Revenue

Lydia Sweatt

How to Start a Successful Minecraft YouTube Channel

Lydia Sweatt

Make Money on YouTube: How to Get 4,000 Hours of Watch Time

Carla Marshall

The Truth About Getting a Brand Deal on YouTube

Lydia Sweatt

How to Start a YouTube Channel: 10 Brilliant Tips

Carla Marshall

5 Ways to Grow Your YouTube Channel Faster

Dan Carson

How Long It Takes to Get 10,000 YouTube Subscribers

Marina Mogilko

6 Digital Tools Every YouTube Creator Needs

Dan Carson

How to Get Your First 1,000 YouTube Subscribers

Carla Marshall

How to Increase Audience Retention on Every YouTube Video

Lydia Sweatt

6 Signs It's Time to Make YouTube Your Full-Time Job

Dan Carson

How to Monetize Your YouTube Channel - A Beginner's Guide

Carla Marshall