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.

Getting Views

How To Get More Views on YouTube

Getting thousands or even millions of YouTube subscribers is a dream for most creators. In the articles below, we'll show you how to turn casual viewers into long-term fans. 

Subscribers

YouTube Subscribers

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.

Monetization

How To Make Money on YouTube

Want to see how your channel is performing? Read these YouTube analytics articles to discover what's working and what isn't. You'll learn how to identify which videos have the most Watch Time, clicks, audience retention, revenue, and more.

Analytics

YouTube Analytics

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 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.

Tips & Tricks

YouTube Tips & Tricks

At vidIQ we have incredible insights into what viewers are searching for on YouTube. Not only can we confirm the top keywords being searched for, we can also show you how you can leverage that interest to create content around trending topics and tentpole events. That's going to give you a clear edge over other creators!

Insights

YouTube Insights

Your In-Depth Guide to Building a Successful YouTube Channel

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.

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.

 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.

. 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 

 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 

. 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.

 (we’ll remove backgrounds automatically)

 to match a visual style you love. Upload your own or choose from our library of top-performing YouTube templates. 

 to influence your thumbnail’s aesthetic

 with easy prompt tweaks, image edits, or by dropping in text

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.

, you’re not just making something that 

 good — you’re making something that 

You stopped the scroll with killer thumbnails. Now keep them watching.

 helps you write stronger YouTube scripts in a fraction of the time, backed by real YouTube psychology.

: Continuously trained on what’s working 

: Include callback cues, pacing variations, and cliffhangers

: Adjust your scripts’ tone, add keywords, sound more like your favorite creator. All with one click.

 Automated research provides accurate and relevant information and stats.

 helps keep your message clear, your viewers hooked, and your content performing. And now, it doesn’t have to take days. With 

, you can go from idea to polished script in just 3 minutes - making it easier to publish consistently and keep your channel growing.

“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.”

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.

We built our Shorts tools to tell you exactly what’s working, what’s not, and how to make your next one blow up.

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:

including views & views per hour, engagement rate, views history graph, and outlier score.

including channel subscriber count, monthly & total uploads, and subscriber and view growth graphs. 

 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.

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.

 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.

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.

 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.

__________________________________________________________________

If you’re looking for more than just one video review, you can work directly with a 

 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?

. 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:

 - Create high-impact, click-worthy thumbnails with AI and proven templates

 - Hook viewers and keep them watching with YouTube-optimized storytelling

 - Instantly spot top-performing Shorts and track breakout metrics

 - Discover overperforming videos across YouTube to inspire your next big hit

 - Find the best title and keywords to get your Shorts discovered

The Summer 2025 Drop is here: scroll-stopping science, smarter tools, and real coaching to help you grow on YouTube.

☀️ Welcome to the vidIQ Summer 2025 Drop!

In theory, how-to creators should be making tons of money on YouTube. As of July 2016, instructional videos were among the 

With stats like that, one would think how-to creators are the most popular, well-paid people on YouTube. After all, if so many viewers come to the platform to learn something new, shouldn’t that mean how-to creators are bound to be successful?

Here’s the surprising truth about how-to channels: Running a profitable one is harder than it looks. In the beginning, instructional creators can harness the power of SEO, but eventually, that benefit might wane. After you upload dozens of videos addressing viewers’ search-related queries, getting them to watch all your videos can suddenly become a challenge. Once a viewer gets the tutorial they need, they’re likely to move on, unless you find a way to keep them coming back for more.

If you want to know how to attract repeat viewers to your channel, just keep reading. We’re going to share three ways any how-to creator can build a profitable YouTube audience.

#1 Build an Authentic YouTube Community by Livestreaming

Community-building is an important part of any creator’s journey, especially if you want to make money on YouTube. Luckily, there’s an easy way to make subscribers fall in love with your personality, and that’s by hosting a live stream on your channel.

If you need a good example to follow, check out 

. Every week, the financial investment channel hosts a live stream to share stock market trends with like-minded viewers. While stocks and bonds don’t exactly sound entertaining, VectorVest doesn’t adhere to the stuffy reputation of wealth building. In the video below, the company’s live stream host jokes about how major airlines are handling COVID-19. Surprisingly, his analysis of this stock market news comes with wacky sound effects:

So how does this down-to-earth content make VectorVest more money? It’s very simple. In the description of the live stream, as well as the chat, VectorVest shares a link for viewers to try their investment tool for free. It’s a 30-day trial, but if viewers sign up for longer, that leads to more money in the bank. However, getting those initial sign-ups is less about the features of the tool and more about producing a fun live stream that effectively can sell it.

In terms of live video, we do something similar here at vidIQ. On YouTube, we’re a how-to channel that goes live frequently to connect with our viewers. Currently, one of our most anticipated live streams happens to be our weekly channel audits, where we tell budding YouTubers how to improve their channels.

Our audits are hosted by Rob Wilson (YouTuber in residence), Travis McPherson (customer success), and Dan Carson (executive producer). The first thing you’ll notice about these three is that they are not afraid to have fun. In fact, they have so much fun that they invite our viewers to make embarrassing memes of them. The funnier ones are displayed in the live stream every week, like this one:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PhotoshopBattles?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PhotoshopBattles</a> Get creative &amp; send us your best photoshop using this pic of Rob. We&#39;ll pick the best one and they will receive a GUARANTEED <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChannelAudit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChannelAudit</a> on tomorrow&#39;s Livestream! We&#39;ll Retweet the winner tomorrow at 9am PST! <a href="https://t.co/I6PWME4XXr">pic.twitter.com/I6PWME4XXr</a>&mdash; vidIQ 📈🚀🎉 (@vidIQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/vidIQ/status/1272559583349932032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2020</a></blockquote>

But of course, the point of all this fun is to encourage people to sign up for vidIQ. So whenever possible, we highlight vidIQ tools during our live streams. In the meantime, we also get 

, which are donations viewers can make during a live broadcast on YouTube. To unlock this feature, you’ll need to be at least 18, have a monetized channel, and live in one of the 

. If you have all three, the ability to get paid via Super Chats makes live streams worth the extra effort.

As you can see, being likable on YouTube leads to a profitable fanbase. So if you don’t mind telling a joke or two, go ahead and fire up those live streams.

#2 Share General How-To Advice on YouTube, Monetize Elsewhere

Does your how-to niche lend itself to deeper instruction? Perhaps it’s so complex that you’d need courses, one-on-one sessions, and other educational services to teach it to your audience?

If that’s the case, you can make more money by selling your full expertise outside of YouTube.

 is a great example of this. He has a very focused YouTube Channel, and most of the videos he uploads are mixing tutorials. Pick one to watch at random, and you’ll see that Baywood isn’t sharing all of his technical music knowledge. Instead, he gives his subscribers general tips and guidance from the perspective of a skilled audio engineer and producer.

Baywood doesn’t stray from this formula often, and that’s probably for the best. In the description of his videos, he shares links for viewers to purchase the rest of his skill set, which are mixing services and custom vocal presets.

YouTube is a great platform to establish yourself as a subject matter expert. Just don’t forget that your expertise can be monetized off the platform as well!

#3 Treat Your Expertise As a Service to Generate Revenue

If you’re a how-to creator that just wants to focus on video creation - no fancy business websites or portfolios - that’s OK too. You don’t always have to sell your expertise off YouTube because there are ways to do it within the platform. After all, people pay for things that make their lives more enjoyable, regardless of where those things are sold.

Your how-to niche is no exception to this rule. Several creators are finding ways to fund their instructional content on YouTube, and their methods go beyond traditional 

, for example. For years, Oliver Brotherhood ran this gaming space as a how-to channel. He’d post Minecraft tutorials at the beginning of his YouTube journey, and that earned him a fairly large audience.

However, when he expanded his videos to include gameplay walkthroughs, he started getting PayPal donations from his viewers. In the video below, you can see Oliver shouting out his donors. To make them feel extra special, he put their names plus their donation amount on some of his Minecraft buildings:

MumboJumbo has 6.23M subscribers today, but videos like the one above depict his humble start as a how-to creator. The key lesson to grasp is that as early as 2013 (the video’s publish date), creators could use their YouTube community to make money via donations. The same thing can be done in 2020.

We’ve talked about this channel before on the blog, but 

 is another how-to creator who makes money from donations. In our blog, 

How to Make Money on YouTube As a Musician

, we explained how subscribers pay this creator (via PayPal) to upload piano tutorials of their choice.

While AdSense revenue is nice, not every how-to channel attracts enough views to see its earning power. If you aren't getting a sizable YouTube check, use these three methods to build a community and make more money.

Want to Succeed as a Video Creator on YouTube?

If you want to get more insights into YouTube then make sure to download vidIQ. Over 1 million creators use vidIQ to help with keyword and competitor research, channel audits, and so much more. 

And if you’re serious about growing your YouTube views and subscribers, sign up for exclusive access to the 

. Learn how to launch a successful YouTube Channel in just 30 days.

Woman recording video blogging at home with dog lying on couch behind her

Not getting enough repeat views or revenue from your how-to or tutorial YouTube channel? Here are three ways to change that for good.

3 Ways to Make Money as a How-To YouTube Channel

What's more important to you as a YouTube creator - views or subscribers? Should you even have to choose? Well, for some creators, subscriber growth is steady and positive but the majority of those subscribers don't regularly return to watch their content. It's like they don't even care about the videos they publish!

In this week's episode of TubeTalk, I'm joined by vidIQ's very own Rob Wilson and Dan Carson to discuss why subscriber numbers don't always convert to higher views. It's a question we get asked a lot so we wanted to address it. In this podcast we cover:

Why YouTube subscriber growth doesn't always lead to significant views

Why your videos are getting fantastic views but viewers aren't subscribing

The value of subscribers vs the value of a view

What you need to know about 'Audience Retention'

Tips about how to engage with your audience

Want to Know How We Grew the vidIQ YouTube Channel to Over 600K Subscribers?

Want more insights into growing your channel? Join Rob Wilson again as he 

shares the strategies he’s developed by managing vidIQ's YouTube channel

TubeTalk has been informing video creators and marketers since 2014, and is one of the most respected and listened to podcasts in the online video industry. Don't foprget to 

 on your favorite podcast application so you never miss an episode!

You can also find the complete list of all the 

TubeTalk logo with three men promoting YouTube growth and video marketing tips.

Are your YouTube subscribers growing steadily but your views aren't catching up? What's all that about? Find out on this week's TubeTalk with the experts from vidIQ.

How to Get Your YouTube Subscribers to Watch Your Videos

For most people, the memory of their first pet never goes away. Whether their animal friend had wings, scales, or fur, there’s something about animals - perhaps they way they love and play - that makes them nearly unforgettable to us.

If you’re a pet enthusiast or a pet professional, you understand this connection more than anyone. Cats, dogs, and other animals must be cared for if kept in captivity, and the owners who love them need the knowledge and skills to do so.

That’s why there’s a strong need for this type of content on YouTube.

 Like humans, animals get sick, need consistent attention and grooming, and can benefit from learning new behaviors. So if you, a passionate animal lover, can share that information on YouTube, you can make money while also living your ultimate purpose.

While there are tons of things to think about before 

, such as how to be absolutely great at it, it’s also important to learn the common money-making methods before diving in.

If you’re ready to monetize your passion for animals, we've pulled some examples of people who're doing it right now. From a licensed veterinarian to a revered dog trainer, here's how pet enthusiasts are making money on YouTube.

Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution: A Powerful Patreon Earner

Zak George is a popular dog trainer who has been on YouTube since 2006. His channel, 

, has 2.66M subscribers and over 183M views.

In his videos, Zak shows owners how to teach their dogs new skills, whether that’s to stop them from yanking walkers with their leashes or some fun, amusing tricks. But out of all his videos, his obedience training guides are probably most vital for viewers.

Many owners want their dogs to be well-behaved in public, and to do that, dogs must obey simple commands like “sit” that distract them from their canine mischief.

 impacted the world, George uploaded a video about how this kind of training could change for dog owners. In a video titled, “

,” Zak says young dogs need to be properly socialized. That’s a challenge for most owners during a pandemic, so Zak shared some advice for safe socialization in the video below:

Zak places little to no advertisements in his videos, but he still makes money from sharing useful, timely information around dog training.

For example, there are four revenue sources associated with the video above. In the description section, there’s a link to Zak’s Patreon of exclusive dog training videos and services. Clicking that link reveals that he has several hundred Patrons, and they contribute more than $2,000 toward his content each month.

But of course, there’s more. Zak also makes money by selling dog training guides for owners who truly need them. Then there’s merchandise related to his company and brand sponsorships that fund a large chunk of his videos.

Needless to say, Zak’s YouTube Channel is packed with earning potential. As a pet professional or enthusiast, you can also share your expertise on YouTube and start earning money online.

Pet care and training are essential year-round, but dog owners in particular thought about these things more often at the beginning of the pandemic. While Zak was focusing on obedience training videos, other YouTubers were addressing a vital question from viewers: How do I groom my dog at home during a lockdown?

, we analyzed the performance of such searches on YouTube over the past year, focusing on the phrases ‘groom a dog at home’ and ‘how to groom a dog’. The results (below) show that search popularity for both terms spiked between March and April, the early lockdown period in the U.S.

You don’t have to be a well-known YouTuber like Zak to capitalize on these trends. Newer creators can do it too.

There are channels like Groomers Pro, which has only been around for two years, that earned more video views by posting relevant, trending topics. For example, in a video titled, “

Tips & Tricks to Grooming your Dog at Home During the Covid-19 Lockdown

”, Groomers Pro snagged over 3,000 views. Of course, the channel still needs to attract 1,000 subscribers to be eligible for monetization, but videos like the at-home grooming one can help the Groomers Pro reel in more viewers, and thus, more money.

The Turtle Girl: Monetizing Reptilian Care

Pets of all types bring joy to their owners, and reptiles are no exception. 

, a channel with 47.3K subscribers, uploads videos about how to care for pet turtles.

How to Take Care of Your Turtle’s Shell

,” The Turtle Girl uses her knowledge of reptiles to teach viewers the basics of shell maintenance:

The Turtle Girl is very passionate about what she does; you can hear her casually dropping scientific terms and advice in her tutorials. If you have an undying pet obsession like hers, it’s time to do something with that enthusiasm (and get paid for it).

For example, The Turtle Girl makes money by placing advertisements in her videos. This form of YouTube monetization is the industry standard, and that’s where most YouTubers start when they want to make money on the platform.

However, once you’ve done that you can always take your earning potential to the next level. Like The Turtle Girl, you can become an Amazon Associate, which is an affiliate marketing program. It allows content creators to advertise products from Amazon.com, and they earn referral fees when customers use their affiliate links to make purchases. The Turtle Girl uses this program to make more money, in addition to a Patreon of exclusive, pay-to-view content.

People own all sorts of pets, so no matter which kind you’re passionate about, you can find your specific tribe of enthusiasts on YouTube. They’ll not only give you a sense of community but help to support you monetarily, if your videos brighten their lives.

Our Pets Health: Turning Animal Tips to Into Cold, Hard Cash

 channel is run by Dr. Alex Avery, a veterinarian whose been in practice since 2006. On his channel of 16.8K subscribers, he shares advice on how to care for dogs and cats, as well as preventing the common diseases they develop.

Dr. Avery is a trained medical professional, which adds undeniable credibility to his videos. This allows him to dispel common misconceptions about pet illnesses and share the truth about what’s happening inside an animal’s body.

For example, in the video below, Dr. Avery explains why a cat might experience weight loss. Because he has years of medical experience to lean on, he opens the video by stating, “It’s not worms, OK? Repeat after me. My cat is not losing weight because they’ve got worms.”

If you’re the type of animal expert that has factual, licensed advice just swirling around inside your head, bring that knowledge to YouTube. Making videos about pet care, training, or grooming will be simple for you because all you have to do is share the credible information you already have.

Dr. Avery is doing that while also earning money from YouTube. First, he makes money by monetizing his videos with advertisements. Then, like many YouTubers, Dr. Avery is an Amazon Associate who shares his affiliate links in the description of every video.

So now you know: Pet enthusiasts and hobbyists aren’t the only animal lovers who make money on YouTube. You can run a general practice and make money with a YouTube Channel too.

Extra Ways to Make Money Online as a Pet Enthusiast

Creating a YouTube Channel is a great first step toward making more money online. But once you’ve done that, you’ll have an audience of subscribers that may want additional ways to connect with you. When you reach that amazing level, you can start thinking about extra monetization efforts, such as:

Administering pet health consultations via video conference

Making your pet an influencer on Instagram and securing brand deals

Starting a pet blog (with advertisements)

Licensing photos of your pet on Shutterstock, Getty, etc.

Creating and selling online obedience courses for pets

Selling pet food, toys, and other merchandise online

So, are you ready to get started? Create your YouTube Channel today, and you’ll be one step closer to making more money online as a pet enthusiast.

Close-up of a fluffy tabby cat with green eyes looking upward in natural light

Pets are not only wonderful and amazing but if you have enough knowledge about a certain animal you can turn that expertise into revenue via YouTube 🐈 🐕 🦝

This is How Pet Enthusiasts Are Making Money on YouTube

Although TikTok doesn't share specific stats about its users, it's been estimated that over 500M people are active on the platform, with the most growth across India and other parts of Asia. Did you know that the app has been downloaded by 1 in 7 people in Thailand alone!

Available in 75 languages, TikTok has proved to be fertile ground for would-be influencers and creators looking to build an audience and a community around their content. The app has been downloaded over 1.2 billion times, with 

41% of TikTok users aged between 16 and 24

. That’s an audience actively primed for even more social media consumption, and a massive opportunity for creators to build upon.

But while TikTok-famous teens are basking in the views and followers their videos generate, outside of third-party brand deals, there’s still no way to monetize content on the app. While there is advertising on the platform, no ads are run directly against videos uploaded by creators, so there's no way to benefit from a percentage of that revenue, as is the case with YouTube.

Of course, generating revenue on YouTube via AdSense isn’t a walk in the park these days, but creators still have that financial opportunity open to them. But even the most popular TikTok accounts don’t have anything like the amount of subscribers the top channels on YouTube attract, and for many TikTok uploaders, they are starting from scratch when it comes to building a following on YouTube. But it can be done, and here are three quick tips to kick you off:

3 Ways to Migrate Your TikTok Audience to YouTube

Are you building a fanbase on TikTok but want them to follow you to YouTube? Take a look at our tips for migrating your audience.

Your In-Depth Guide to Building a Successful YouTube Channel

☀️ Welcome to the vidIQ Summer 2025 Drop!

3 Ways to Make Money as a How-To YouTube Channel

How to Get Your YouTube Subscribers to Watch Your Videos

This is How Pet Enthusiasts Are Making Money on YouTube

3 Ways to Turn TikTok Followers into YouTube Subscribers

Make Money on YouTube Like These Creative Crafting Gurus

Happy 9th Anniversary vidIQ!

How to Turn Your YouTube Channel into a Successful Business

7 Reasons Why Your YouTube Channel is Losing Views (And How To Fix It)

This Is How Cooking Experts Can Make Money on YouTube

Over 100 Million People Are Now Watching YouTube via TV

How to Make Money on YouTube as a Beauty Professional

How To Delete a YouTube Video On a Mobile Device (Android or iOS)