How to Use the YouTube Collaborations Feature Effectively

YouTube's Collab feature has quietly become one of the platform's most effective tools for channel growth. Unlike many features that promise big results but underdeliver, this one actually works as advertised. And creators of all sizes are seeing real benefits.

In this episode of Tubetalk, vidIQ hosts Rob, Travis, and Pragya discuss their separate experiences of using the collab feature to the test across three different vidIQ channels with varying audience sizes. When used strategically, this feature doesn't just boost visibility, it fundamentally changes how the algorithm treats your content.

What Makes YouTube Collabs Different

The Collab feature isn't just another cross-promotion tactic. When you publish a collab video with another creator, your video appears in their subscribers' feeds as if they uploaded it themselves. It lands at the top of their subscription feed, giving you immediate exposure to an entirely new audience.

This direct placement makes Collabs fundamentally different from shoutouts, guest appearances, or traditional collaborations. You're not simply hoping viewers click through from another video.

“The way the collab feature works is it puts the video at least first in the subscription feed of the other channel. This video, for example, is primarily posted on the Podcast channel, but it will be shown in the subscriber feed of vidIQ India and the main channel” Travis says

But here's what makes it truly powerful: the feature also influences YouTube's algorithm. When your content aligns with your collaborator's audience, the platform begins testing your video more aggressively, opening up opportunities for recommendations and sustained growth. That's exactly what we saw with our channels!

Case Study 1: Launching a Brand-New Channel

Early in November, vidIQ India and the channel host Prags started with zero subscribers, like most creators on YouTube. However, there was already a large community of Indian creators using vidIQ's main platform.

The Strategy:

• Video #1: Posted on vidIQ India with a collab from the main vidIQ channel
• Video #2: Posted without a collab to test organic momentum

The Results:

• First video: Over 4,000 views on a brand-new channel
• Second video: 2,700+ views from organic momentum alone
• In just 10 days: 800+ subscribers (far exceeding the initial expectation of 200)

The second video's performance proved something crucial: the collab didn't artificially inflate numbers. It introduced the right viewers to the channel, and those viewers genuinely cared about the content. The Indian vidIQ community was excited to see content tailored specifically for them, and they stuck around.

"This is where things get interesting because the second video is standing on it's own two feet. We've given it a launchpad, but now the audience is naturally gravitating towards the channel." Rob says

Case Study #2: Partnering with a Much Larger Channel

Next, we tested a collab with Speeed from Donut Media, a channel with 1.8 million subscribers. The vidIQ Podcast channel, by comparison, had only around 4,000 subscribers—a massive size difference.

The Results:

• 18,000 total views
• 80% came from Speeed's subscription feed
• Approximately 14,000 views from an audience that wasn't originally ours

“The podcast channel has 4,000 subscribers… statistically impossible to generate 14,000 views from that feed. This is the collaboration tool in a nutshell." Rob says

The collab tag pushed a relevant video to a massive, aligned audience, and they showed up.

Case Study #3: When Engagement Trumps Size

The third test involved Nomad Push, a creator with around 300,000 subscribers, which is a deeply engaged community. This collab produced the most interesting algorithmic results.

The Results:

• 21,000+ total views
  • 70% from YouTube Recommendations (not subscription feeds)
  • Only 13% from subscriptions
  • Nearly 14,000 views from recommendations
• 188 new subscribers from this single video

This case study revealed something crucial: when content deeply aligns with a collaborator's audience, the algorithm works harder for you. The majority of views came from YouTube's recommendation system, not just the initial subscription boost. This creates algorithmic momentum that extends far beyond the collab itself.

How to Use Collabs Effectively

Based on our testing, here's how to maximize the Collab feature:

1. Choose the Right Collaborator

Bigger isn't always better. Focus on relevance. Look for channels whose audiences will genuinely care about your topic, even if those channels are similar in size to yours.

“When I had 500 subscribers, I was collabing with other 500-sub channels and getting 1,000–2,000 views. If we had this feature back then, it would have been amazing.” Travis says

2. Align Your Content

Your video must resonate with the collaborator's viewers within the first 30 to 60 seconds. Ask yourself: would their audience watch this video even if they didn't know who you are? The thumbnail gets them to click, but the content has to keep them engaged.

3. Use Collab as a Launchpad

Your first collab video gets the boost from their subscription feed. Your second video proves whether that new audience actually cares about your content. If retention and engagement hold strong on video two, you've successfully expanded your audience.

4. Track the Right Metrics

Don't just look at views. Focus on:

• Retention rate (did viewers stay?)
• Recommendations boost (is the algorithm picking it up?)
• Subscribers gained (are people converting?)
• Return viewers on your next upload (did they stick around?)

Now that we have this feature that works exactly as promised, it's up to us creators to use it wisely. So, use the tips to get your collabs going!