The best way to get more views on YouTube is to optimize your videos so they show up in search and recommendations
— and keep viewers engaged once they click. That means mastering clickable thumbnails, compelling titles, and content that delivers on its promise.


With 10+ billion views tracked through coaching and tools, vidIQ provides data-backed insights into what drives video discovery.


In this section, we will break down strategies, examples, and case studies so you can consistently grow your views.

More Views

How To Get More Views on YouTube

The fastest way to get more YouTube subscribers is to publish videos that keep viewers watching and make it easy for them to subscribe.
That means using strong titles and thumbnails, clear calls to action, and building content around topics people are already searching for.


At vidIQ, we analyze millions of channels to see what actually drives subscriber growth, from doubling down on high-retention videos
to packaging content in ways that hook new audiences. Explore our guides and case studies to learn proven tactics that will
help you grow your subscribers faster.

Get Subscribers

How to Get More YouTube Subscribers

To make money on YouTube, creators start by qualifying for the YouTube Partner Program and enabling ads, but that’s just the beginning. Real income comes from combining multiple streams: sponsorships, channel memberships, affiliate marketing, and selling your own products or services. 

At vidIQ, we’ve studied how creators unlock monetization
milestones and scale beyond ad revenue. Here you will learn practical strategies to diversify income and build
a sustainable business from your YouTube channel.

Make Money

How To Make Money on YouTube

YouTube Analytics reveal which videos are working and why, but not all metrics matter equally. Watch time, retention, CTR, and revenue are the numbers that drive real growth. 

At vidIQ, we break down these metrics with examples so you can spot trends, identify weak points, and make smarter decisions for your channel. Here you’ll learn how to use analytics as a growth engine, not just a dashboard.

Data Insights

YouTube Analytics Explained: Metrics That Matter

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 are one of the fastest ways to reach new viewers and grow your channel.


With millions of Shorts analyzed, vidIQ has tracked the formats and strategies that help creators break through. Here you’ll learn how to make Shorts that stand out, and how to use them to boost your long-form videos.

YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts: Tips and Strategies

The best YouTube tips save time and make your videos perform better. From thumbnail tweaks to hidden features in YouTube Studio, small changes can drive big results. 

At vidIQ, we’ve tested countless tactics across millions of videos to see what really works. Here you’ll find quick wins and practical shortcuts you can use right now to grow faster and work smarter.

Quick Tips

YouTube Tips for Creators

The fastest way to grow on YouTube is to create content around trending topics while viewers are searching for them. 

With vidIQ’s data, we track the keywords, niches, and formats that are taking off across millions of channels. Here you’ll find insights into what’s working now, including creator case studies and examples, so you can publish videos that ride the wave of demand and stay ahead of competitors.

Trending Now

YouTube Trends and Insights

Your In-Depth Guide to Building a Successful YouTube Channel

 has one primary goal: to get their videos recommended to more people. They want YouTube to (finally) notice their content, identify the subject matter, and suggest it to thousands of like-minded viewers.

Your best plan of action, especially as a small creator, is to understand how YouTube recommends videos. You'll want to figure out why the algorithm promotes some content and, well...basically ignores others.

In truth, it's not that the algorithm doesn't favor you or is biased against your channel. 

YouTube doesn't hate small creators. It just doesn't know whom to recommend you to yet. 

In this blog, we'll learn how to fix that.

YouTube Recommendations Are Based on Viewer Behavior

Here's the first mindshift you need to make:

Every single video you upload is treated as a new test. 

YouTube doesn't care if you have 5 subscribers or 5 million. What it cares about is whether people are clicking on your video, sticking around to watch it, and coming back for more.

So even if your last 10 videos flopped, the next one still gets a shot. That's actually good news for small creators. But to pass the test, you've got to send YouTube the right signals about your content and your audience.

Graph showing typical video performance on YouTube

When someone watches your video and has a positive experience, YouTube starts looking for other people with similar viewing patterns and interests. The more positive signals you generate, the wider your reach becomes. This is why you'll sometimes see a small channel with 100 subscribers get a video that hits 50,000 views seemingly overnight.

YouTube’s 3-Tiered Recommendation System

Think of YouTube’s recommendation process like leveling up in a game. Every video is tested in a sequence of audiences:

Your subscribers and repeat viewers. This is your home base. If they enjoy the video, it moves to the next stage.

People in your niche who watch similar videos—maybe they follow your competitors or recently searched for the topic.

Complete strangers. If your video performs well in the first two groups, it “graduates” here and has a shot at virality.

The beauty of this system is that it rewards creators who truly serve their audience, not just those who game the algorithm. When you consistently deliver value to your core viewers, YouTube becomes more confident in recommending you to similar people.

Small creators often treat their channel like a digital diary. One day it's gaming, the next it's cooking, then it's a vlog with your dog. Creative freedom is great, but to the algorithm, it's pretty confusing.

Spoiler: If you make content for everyone, YouTube won't know who to recommend you to.

Think about it from YouTube's perspective. The platform serves billions of hours of content every day. Its job is to keep people watching by showing them exactly what they want to see. When your channel jumps between wildly different topics, YouTube can't build a 

clear picture of who your ideal viewer is.

This doesn't mean you can never evolve or try new things, but especially in your first 50-100 videos, consistency is your best friend.

Keep your thumbnails and titles visually consistent

Develop a recognizable content format or style

You're not just building videos. You're building a brand that YouTube can confidently recommend to the right people.

The biggest point of affirmation for the algorithm to determine whether your videos can be recommended or not is watch time. And the best way to do that is to improve the 

If someone watches your video and then watches another video (yours or someone else's), YouTube rewards you. If your video ends their session (they close the app or tab), that's a negative signal to YouTube recommendations. That's called 

5 Ways to Increase YouTube Watch Time on Any Video

Session time is arguably more important than individual video performance because it shows YouTube that your content fits into the broader viewing experience people want. 

When viewers stay on the platform after watching your video, you're contributing to YouTube's core business model. Here's how you can improve your session time:

Reference your other videos inside your current one

Use verbal handoffs: "Next, watch this…"

Create content series that naturally lead into each other

Use the "Hook – Hold – Handoff" Framework

This framework is used by some of the fastest-growing creators on YouTube. It's how you keep people watching—and signal to YouTube that your content is binge-worthy.

Grab attention in the first 5–10 seconds.

 "I cooked gourmet food for the most dangerous animals on Earth..."

The hook isn't just about being loud or shocking. It's about immediately communicating the value and intrigue of your video. Your hook should make viewers think: "I need to see how this plays out."

Progressive revelations, bigger stakes, deeper insights—whatever your video promises, you need to deliver it in a way that builds momentum rather than plateaus.

This is where pacing becomes crucial. Plan your content like a story with rising action. Each segment should feel more valuable or interesting than the last.

 "If you liked this one, just wait till you see what I did next…"

The result? Binge behavior. And binge behavior is the algorithm's rocket fuel.

A lot of small creators kill their videos with bad titles that are vague, boring, and generic. 

Your title is competing with hundreds of other videos for attention. Generic titles get ignored because they don't create any emotional investment. Specific titles with clear benefits cut through the noise.

Consider the psychology of your viewer when they're scrolling. They're asking themselves: "Is this worth my time?" Your title needs to answer that question with a clear "yes" and a compelling reason why.

In case of thumbnails, make sure to focus on clarity. If your thumbnails look like a chaotic Canva explosion... It's time to clean up. 

Expression that matches the video's emotion

You get 2 seconds on the homepage. Make them count. Your thumbnail needs to generate curiosity and be readable at the size of a postage stamp. If you can't tell what your thumbnail is about when it's tiny, neither can your potential viewers.

How To Create Scroll-Stopping YouTube Thumbnails Faster with AI

Here's a fatal mistake a lot of creators make: You have an awesome title and a killer thumbnail… but your video intro is a snooze fest.

"Hey guys, welcome back to the channel! So glad you're here…"

…you've already lost half your audience. Instead, do this:

Reinforce the promise of the video immediately

If the title is "How YouTube Deleted My Channel," say it right away in the video: "Three days ago, YouTube deleted my channel, and here's exactly what happened…"

The first 15 seconds of your video are crucial for YouTube recommendations. This is where the algorithm decides whether your content is engaging enough to show to more people. A slow start signals that viewers might click away, which hurts your recommendation potential.

This one's sneaky. YouTube transcribes your entire video. Every word.

So, if your video is about YouTube recommendations but you never actually say "YouTube recommendations," the algorithm may not be confident in what your video is about.

Say your main keyword early and naturally

 ("YouTube algorithm," "getting recommended," etc.)

YouTube's automatic captions and transcription feed directly into their understanding of your content. This semantic understanding helps the algorithm match your video with relevant searches and recommend it alongside similar content.

Don't stuff keywords awkwardly, but make sure you're naturally using the language your audience uses when searching for your type of content.

YouTube favors videos that are relevant right now. This is called 

. Your chances of getting recommended skyrocket if you time your video with:

A phone showing the youtube logo next to the youtube homepage on a desktop computer

How does the YouTube algorithm work — specifically, the recommendation engine that promotes videos to billions of viewers? Keep reading to find out and grow your channel!

YouTube's 'Suggested Videos' Algorithm: How to Crack It

If you’re a new YouTube creator grinding out long-form videos hoping one will pop off, you’re leaving views on the table, sometimes in the millions. Smart creators aren't just uploading full videos; they're building clip farms - the strategy that's revolutionizing how creators think about content distribution in 2025.

 isn’t a trend- it’s how modern content ecosystems are built. If you’re asking yourself, "

, the real answer is leverage. You’re taking the hard work you already did and multiplying its impact efficiently. 

Clip YouTube Videos: From Long Video to Short Video

 is the systematic process of extracting multiple short-form clips from your existing long-form content and strategically distributing them across platforms like YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Twitter to maximize your reach and drive traffic back to your main channel.

 isn’t about bots, clickbait, or some shady growth hack. It's a legit method of content distribution. The beauty of understanding what is clip farming lies in its simplicity: you're not creating more content from scratch; you're being smarter about how you distribute what you've already made.

6 Popular Apps to Promote Your YouTube Channel

The algorithm landscape has fundamentally shifted. Short-form content isn't just preferred by viewers; it's actively promoted by every major platform.

, you’re giving each idea you talk about more chances to break through. One hour-long podcast can be cut into 20 clips. Each clip is a potential hit. Each one links back to your main content, your channel, or your offer. Clips go viral more easily than long-form videos. Here’s why:

Short-form platforms reward volume and frequency.

 — sometimes within minutes of posting.

Clip farming = multiplying your visibility without multiplying your workload.

How To Clip Farm: A Beginner-Friendly Breakdown

 isn’t some massive operation, at least not at the start. It’s a system. There are 3 main aspects to making your own clip farm.

Start by reviewing your existing long-form content with fresh eyes. You're looking for moments that:

Deliver complete thoughts or insights within 15-90 seconds

Contain emotional peaks (excitement, surprise, strong opinions)

Answer specific questions your audience commonly asks

Include actionable tips or quick tutorials

The key to successful clip farming is recognizing that not every moment in your long-form content is clip-worthy. Quality over quantity will always win. Thankfully,

 takes the guesswork out of the way and selects the most engaging moments from your videos to automatically create Shorts!

 properly, you realize each clip needs to work as a standalone piece of content. Here's your creation framework:

: Your clip needs to signal value immediately. 

: Ensure each clip delivers a complete idea. Viewers should feel satisfied, not confused or left hanging.

: Maintain visual and tonal consistency across all clips. They should feel like they belong to your content ecosystem.

: Subtly guide viewers toward your main content without being overly promotional.

Yet again, vidIQ has you covered. From a single video, the clipping and editing tool can generate over 10 short-form videos. The 

 tool also automatically cuts, crops, and captions the clips, so you don't have to.

Phase 3: Multi-Platform Distribution Strategy

 isn't just about creating clips—it's about strategic distribution. Each platform has unique characteristics:

: Focus on educational and how-to clips. The audience here is often looking to learn something specific.

: Embrace trending sounds and formats. Your clips can be more experimental and personality-driven here.

: Visual storytelling works best. Use clips that showcase processes or before/after transformations.

: Quick insights and hot takes perform well. These clips can be more opinion-based.

, these advanced strategies will accelerate your results:

Instead of creating random clips, develop themed series from single long-form videos. For example, if you have a podcast about entrepreneurship, create a series called "Startup Mistakes" with 5-7 related clips released over consecutive days.

Don't just repost the same clip everywhere. Adapt the format, caption style, and even the actual content slightly to match each platform's culture and expectations.

Track which clips perform best and reverse-engineer the success factors. Is it the topic, the format, the length, or the delivery style? Use this data to inform both your clipping strategy and your future long-form content.

Use your best-performing clips as conversation starters in community posts, email newsletters, or social media discussions. This extends the life and impact of each piece of content.

Even creators who understand clip farming often make critical errors that limit their success:

: Creating too many clips from a single video can lead to audience fatigue and diminished impact per clip.

: Clips that require too much context from the original video will confuse new viewers and reduce conversion rates.

: Posting identical content across all platforms ignores each platform's unique audience preferences and algorithm requirements.

: Focusing solely on view counts rather than engagement rates and conversion to your main channel can lead to empty vanity metrics.

It might sound complicated to keep track of at all times, and frankly, you're not the only one thinking like this. This is where 

vidIQ clipping can help you get on top of your clip farming strategy.

You don't need to go viral with every short. When you commit to clip farming as a core content strategy, you're building more than just making hits, you're creating a comprehensive audience development engine.

If you want to stay relevant in a world where attention spans are shrinking and algorithms favor short, punchy content, 

How Does the YouTube Shorts Algorithm Work in 2025?

Screen showing multiple clips being edited

Grow smarter with clip farming. Find out what it is and how to clip farm to multiply your YouTube views

How Does Clip Farming Work?

Starting a YouTube channel without showing your face in 2025 is not only feasible but rapidly becoming a popular trend as creators leverage privacy and innovative content strategies. Whether for privacy reasons, access to quality automation, discomfort in front of the camera, or simply because the content doesn’t require a visible host, faceless YouTube channels offer creators a path to success.

By combining consistent content creation with diverse monetization strategies such as ads, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and emerging subscription options, faceless creators can achieve significant and sustainable income. Here, we’ll explain how you can do it for your channel!

40 Awesome YouTube Channel Ideas (Without Showing Your Face)

A faceless YouTube channel is a type of channel where the content creators don’t appear on camera. These channels focus on delivering value through other means like voiceovers, stock footage, animations, or simply visuals that don’t require the creator’s presence.

Illustration showcasing the concept of a faceless YouTube channel

There could be many reasons why creators choose this path. Some content is better delivered without a visual personality, such as channels focused on commentary, documentaries, or storytelling. Including a face might take away from the actual focus of the content that the creators want to put out.

We also know that not everyone is comfortable being on camera, and many creators prefer to remain anonymous. It could be because they want to protect themselves from online bullying or refrain from letting people know in real life.

Whatever the reason may be, faceless channels can be a profitable venture in many lucrative niches on YouTube and help you build a sustainable presence on the platform.

From what we’ve seen so far, there are two broad categories of faceless channels:

These are channels where the creator chooses not to show their face but still uses their voice or other unique elements to engage viewers.

These channels rely heavily on AI tools, stock footage, and outsourcing. Many automated channels use AI-generated voices and pre-existing visuals to create content quickly and at scale.

To help creators like you get started with their faceless YouTube journey, our in-house expert, Rob Wilson, made an intensive guide. Watch the video below:

So, let’s break this content creation process down:

Choosing a niche is crucial. You want a topic that has a large audience but isn’t overly saturated. Popular niches for faceless channels include:

How-to videos, tutorials, and explainer videos.

Conduct thorough research of existing channels in your niche to identify topics with high viewership; use advanced analytics to uncover actionable data for your content strategy. This will guide your content strategy.

The list is not all-inclusive by any means, but it provides an idea of what works among faceless and automated channels. You can use this information to

 that’ll give you a deeper understanding of these niches and find you topics with high search volume and lower competition.

This strategy applies to all creators, emphasizing the importance of analyzing successful channels to understand what drives engagement, regardless of on-camera presence. Modeling after channels that have already achieved success in your niche can fast-track your growth. By analyzing successful strategies and understanding audience behavior, you can build a channel that is both innovative and highly effective. Try to learn the reasoning behind the important elements like the title and thumbnail. Identify what grabs your attention and learn how they’ve kept their viewers engaged.

Hands-on experience in video creation—from scripting and editing to publishing and analysis—is invaluable for mastering YouTube's dynamic environment. You need to learn how to write scripts, the basics of editing, and other related skills. Here’s why:

Your script is the backbone of your video. Write engaging, informative scripts that keep your audience hooked.

Even if you plan to outsource or automate it eventually, understanding the basics of video editing will help you maintain quality control.

If you choose to use your voice, practice delivering it clearly and with the right tone for your content.

Visual representation of video creation without appearing on camera

Essential Tools for Running a Faceless Channel

Running a faceless YouTube channel isn’t just about creative ideas—it’s also about using the right tools to streamline production and boost growth. There is a range of essential tools, from advanced keyword research and content planning platforms to modern video editing software and AI-powered automation. These resources help optimize every stage of video creation, ensuring that your content is engaging, well-structured, and SEO friendly. 

 that not only boost productivity but also allow you to focus on crafting compelling narratives that resonate with your target audience.

Faceless YouTube channels have unique monetization avenues compared to traditional channels. While traditional channels have an element of personal branding that drives much of the revenue, faceless channels can pursue other forms of monetization. Selling digital products and sponsored content opportunities are massive here because of a wider reach of faceless content. 

By focusing on content rather than personality, creators can use AI tools and automation to churn out more videos.

Certain niches, like educational content or motivational videos, don’t require a face but thrive on well-researched, high-quality content.

Spending money on lights and camera equipment becomes unnecessary, which might be easy on many new creators.

Starting a faceless channel has challenges that might sometimes cause serious harm. A lot of channels get demonetized, or worse, terminated, as they fail to adhere to certain responsibilities as creators. Some of these problems are:

 Always verify that your content—be it footage, music, or images—is either royalty-free or qualifies under fair use guidelines and is properly credited. Provide enough inputs so that it is transformative.

YouTube’s strict policy on reused content means you must add significant value or transformation to content that isn’t originally yours.

The advancement of AI has transformed content creation for faceless channels. Innovative AI-powered script generators,

 allow creators to produce high-quality videos efficiently. By automating repetitive tasks and optimizing content delivery, you can focus on creative strategy and establishing a unique voice.

Maintaining a consistent upload schedule not only fosters audience growth but also signals to YouTube’s algorithm that your channel is active and reliable, boosting overall visibility.

YouTube Automation: How to Avoid Copyright Claims on Faceless Channels

When we mentioned before that faceless channels can make bank, we were not kidding! In the video, Rob mentioned many such channels that are piling up views and subscribers with their faceless channels. A few months back, 

 who is managing over 25 automated channels and earning over $200,000 a month.

While there’s fierce competition, the space is also riddled with opportunities. So, use this guide as your first point of reference and 

Beginner's guide to faceless YouTube channels

Hooded figure with glowing YouTube play icon face and text "Beginner Guide" on black background

Learn how to start a faceless YouTube channel and leverage AI and automation to scale your growth. Discover niche strategies, monetization tips, and effective SEO insights.

How to Start a Faceless YouTube Channel in 2025

Two years ago we started on a journey based off of a single question:

"What if one-on-one YouTube coaching could scale to millions of creators and help them all achieve their goals?"

 as our Chief Creator Coach, answering that question became his mission. As a YouTube Coach and seasoned YouTube strategist, Tim began building a 

 dedicated to guiding creators through every stage of their journey.

Lessons from 2 years of YouTube coaching, 10B views, and thousands of creators growing their channels.

Your In-Depth Guide to Building a Successful YouTube Channel

YouTube's 'Suggested Videos' Algorithm: How to Crack It

How Does Clip Farming Work?

How to Start a Faceless YouTube Channel in 2025

After 10 Billion Views: What 2 Years of YouTube Coaching Taught Us

Understanding the YouTube Algorithm in 2025

How Does the YouTube Shorts Algorithm Work in 2025?

vidIQ’s Proven YouTube Strategy for Brands and Enterprises

YouTube for Business: What Top Brands Are Doing Right

YouTube Thumbnail Design Tips: Best Practices for 2025

How To Get Serious About YouTube

How To Create Scroll-Stopping YouTube Thumbnails Faster with AI

The Best YouTube Thumbnail Size and Dimensions for 2025

How to Create a YouTube Video Essay: Full Guide