So… do you want to grow on YouTube?
I mean, who doesn’t, right?
There was a time when I used to sit in my tiny bedroom, watching my favorite creators and imagining what it’d be like to have a channel of my own.
I’d daydream about hitting that record button and sharing my thoughts, jokes, or whatever came to mind with the entire world.
We’ve all been there—itching to share something special and waiting for that chance to be noticed.
I still remember the feeling of waking up extra early, fueled by both excitement and nerves, eager to hit “upload.” There’s something magical about pouring your heart into a piece of content and knowing there’s a chance it might resonate with someone.
If that same content can help you pay the bills?
That’s the dream, right?
I’ve crossed paths with so many aspiring creators who share the same sentiment: They want to do what they love, and they want it to matter.
I recall meeting a friend in a coffee shop—laptop out, video editing software open, eyes brimming with excitement. He told me, “I just want people to feel like they’re hanging out with me.”
That moment really clicked for me. Whether you’re vlogging, gaming, or teaching, you want your audience to see the real you—and support you while you’re at it.
At some corner of our minds, we all have that small dream of becoming a massive influencer, brand, or just a genuine person on the platform who people come back to.
We might not admit it out loud, but deep down, there’s a spark of hope that our channel could grow beyond our wildest dreams. Maybe you see yourself launching merch, collaborating with big names, or simply having a close-knit community that appreciates your authenticity.
Either way, every successful channel you see today started with that tiny spark.
But all of these begin with you getting views.
I learned this the hard way.
In the early days, I’d spend hours planning and editing, only to see a handful of people click on my videos—mostly friends and family. But that’s the nature of the beast.
Before you can monetize, before you can consider brand deals, before any of that can become a reality, people need to find and watch your content.
In almost all scenarios, more views = more money.
It’s as simple as that.
The more eyes on your video, the better your chance of generating revenue.
Sure, quality trumps quantity in the long run, but quantity is often what starts paying the bills.
The unfortunate truth is most of the videos on YouTube don’t even cross the 1,000 view count.
I know how discouraging it can be to check your analytics, hoping for that viral uptick, only to see a flat line.
One day, I spent seven hours editing this documentary video. I was convinced it’d blow up. It ended up barely scraping 150 views.
The lesson I learned?
YouTube is as much about strategy and consistency as it is about creativity.
Especially when you’re starting out.
Beginnings are tough—trust me.
You post your first few videos and you’re lucky if your roommate and best friend watch them to the end. But remember, every creator you admire once faced that quiet start.
They didn’t let low views stop them.
Instead, they learned from it, pivoted, and kept experimenting until they found what worked.
So, today, all of your YouTube problems, from starting a new channel to getting views and earning money, will be addressed.
I’ve packed this guide with every key insight I’ve picked up—trial and error, late-night browsing, and all.
I’ve seen channels rise from nothing, and I’ve studied what makes them tick.
You don’t need to buy a course or anything here at The Online Dollar. These are things I observed and learned in my own content creation career.
In the past, I’ve shelled out money for pricey “insider” courses, only to realize most of the valuable tricks were already scattered across free forums and YouTube tutorials.
With that in mind, I want to share the best of what I’ve discovered without making you jump through hoops or swipe your credit card.
Note: This method is after considering that your videos are well packaged and have a great story. Come on, that is the minimum I ask.
Seriously, folks, good storytelling and presentation are non-negotiable. You don’t have to be Spielberg but put in the effort to make your content shine.
After all, viewers come for the topic but stay for the experience you provide. Now, let’s talk about the real secret of growing your channel and making more money on YouTube!
The Problem With YouTube
Let me set the scene for you-
- You have a great idea: Maybe it’s a fantastic concept you’ve been daydreaming about for months. You can almost picture the entire video in your head—how the intro will hook viewers, how your energy will carry them through the content, and how the final call-to-action will leave them excited for more. You’re brimming with anticipation, convinced this will be the video that changes everything.
- You work on it for months and months: Researching trends, dissecting competitors’ videos, running through endless takes just to get the tone right—it all consumes your mind. I’ve been there, chugging coffee late into the night, fine-tuning the perfect script until I could recite it in my sleep.
- Be it the research, script, and video editing: You pour hours into crafting every segment—maybe you even have a color-coded spreadsheet with stats and talking points. I remember a time I spent an entire weekend editing just 10 minutes of footage, pausing every few seconds to ensure transitions were smooth and music cues felt seamless.
- When you hit upload: That rush of adrenaline courses through your veins. You watch the progress bar inch its way to 100%, imagining the flood of views, likes, and comments that might pour in. It’s that heart-pounding moment where everything you’ve worked on is about to meet the real world.
- No one watches it: Then reality hits. Your video goes live… and crickets. No influx of notifications. No wave of excitement. Just silence. You might refresh the page a dozen times or check your phone every few minutes, desperate to see even a single comment.
That’s when you realize: The algorithm doesn’t push your video.
Even if a few people stumble across it, the retention is dismal, and YouTube eventually stops showing it to new viewers after giving it a tiny boost.
Sounds awfully familiar, right?
I remember feeling this deep pit in my stomach when I saw the real-time views barely crawl above single digits. It’s disheartening to think about all the hours you spent for a mere handful of eyeballs.
I mean, think about this: Why do some channels just blow up?
We’ve all seen that one channel that seems to rocket from zero to a million subscribers with only five or ten videos on their page. You can’t help but wonder, what secret ingredient are they using that you’re not?
Yes, I agree that the idea, the thumbnail, the video quality, and all of that are important, but we all do that, too.
I’ve personally obsessed over thumbnails, spending hours crafting the perfect blend of catchy titles and vibrant imagery. While that certainly matters, it doesn’t always explain why one video skyrockets while another fizzles out.
But even if we have a video that matches that level of quality, why is your channel not blowing up?
I used to lie awake at night, replaying everything in my head, convinced that maybe I’d missed some small trick. It felt like staring at a jigsaw puzzle with just one piece missing.
Why Are Our Videos Getting No Views?
Days pass, and you see the view count stubbornly refusing to budge. It’s frustrating, especially when you know your content could truly resonate with someone if only they could find it.
There was a time I refreshed my analytics so often, I might as well have lived inside YouTube Studio. I kept hoping I’d see a sudden spike. Instead, I was met with the same number, day after day.
You wonder why?
Is it a problem with the video itself? Maybe the intro wasn’t catchy enough, or did you ramble too much in the middle?
Is this because your videos suck?
Trust me, I’ve asked myself that more times than I’d like to admit. Sometimes, doubt creeps in, and you start questioning your entire approach or skill set.
Is it because the YouTube algorithm favors big creators?
It’s a common worry—like we’re stuck in some rigged game where established channels get all the love. To be fair, the algorithm can feel maddeningly opaque.
We all know that feeling: You click on a video with a million views expecting something amazing. Meanwhile, a video with a handful of views might be overlooked, even if it’s just as brilliant.
These questions will keep bouncing around in your head until you reach a breaking point. You either decide to throw in the towel or channel your frustration into figuring out a solution.
After a while, you might even convince yourself that you or the dreaded algorithm are solely to blame.
But before you let those doubts overwhelm you, remember: Many of today’s top creators started with zero subscribers and faced the exact same struggles.
The key is understanding how to break through that initial barrier—one that we’ll tackle together as we unravel the deeper issues behind YouTube’s mysterious ways.
What Does The YouTube Algorithm Want?
I get it.
Everyone talks about the YouTube algorithm as if it’s some mysterious creature lurking in the depths of the internet.
But the truth is that YouTube’s algorithm is actually more predictable than you might think, and it’s far less complicated than the one Google uses for its search engine.
Cracking the “Black Box” Myth
So, what’s really going on behind the scenes that only a handful of creators seem to understand?
You know, the ones who magically rack up a million views on their very first upload?
I remember the first time I encountered a channel like that: They had maybe two or three videos, each one with jaw-dropping view counts.
It felt almost like cheating. But then I started noticing patterns in the way they packaged and promoted their content.
The algorithm isn’t your friend or your enemy. It’s designed to bring the right videos to the right people—basically, if your content can keep people watching longer, YouTube is going to push it.
That’s it.
No hidden conspiracies, just cause-and-effect.
You’ve probably heard this a million times: “Just create a good video, package it well, and the views will come.”
Sure, that does work—eventually.
But I’ve seen channels wait months or even years before the algorithm finally “discovers” them and starts showing their videos to the right audience.
Meanwhile, we’ve all witnessed those freakishly lucky channels getting a crazy amount of views on their first upload.
So what’s different about them?
It’s not just the editing or the camera quality, though those help. Often, it’s that they somehow trigger the right audience signals immediately.
Matching Videos to Viewers
If you think about it, YouTube’s primary job is to find the perfect match between a viewer’s interests and a video’s content. When you start a new channel and publish your first video, YouTube has no clue who your audience is.
If you then share that video with your grandma or your old high school friend who might watch only 30 seconds before getting bored, guess what?
YouTube takes that as a sign that people with similar viewing habits (like your grandma’s preference for cooking shows or your friend’s endless cat video binges) might also not be interested in finishing your video.
I recall one of my earliest uploads: A Simpsons documentary trailer that I proudly shared on WhatsApp. Turns out, most of my friends weren’t into that at all—some watched a few seconds, and that was it.
My retention tanked, and the video just…died.
The “Wrong Audience” Effect
You might think, “Well, at least someone is watching, right?”
But that’s not how the algorithm sees it.
If a bunch of people click your video and bounce almost immediately, YouTube concludes that your video is uninteresting and stops suggesting it.
It’s kind of like telling YouTube, “Hey, show this to more people who will hate it,” which obviously leads nowhere.
In short: If you feed the algorithm the wrong initial data, it’ll label your video as a dud.
Is Your Content Really Bad, Or Is It Bad Data?
At this point, you might start to wonder if your videos are just terrible, or maybe YouTube only favors established creators with millions of subscribers, or perhaps, as many worry, viewers automatically assume a video with low views must be low quality. These concerns are valid—I’ve spent countless nights worrying over the same things.
But more often than not, the real issue is simply that you’re not giving YouTube accurate data about who would genuinely love your content.
If you have a tech video, you want the algorithm testing it out on tech enthusiasts. If you’re making cooking content, you want it shown to foodies.
So… How Does a Video Blow Up?
Now that you know the basics of YouTube, which is all about matching your video to the right audience, let’s address the big question: How does a video actually blow up?
It’s not random luck (well, not always).
When that perfect audience finds your video and sticks around, YouTube sees that watch time spike and thinks, “Aha! People like this.”
Then, it starts suggesting your video to more people with similar tastes.
In essence, the explosion of views isn’t some cosmic accident. It’s a chain reaction triggered by strong viewer engagement, right from the start.
That’s the key: You need real viewers who genuinely want to watch your content from beginning to end. Once you land that initial group, the algorithm does the rest.
So before you share your brand-new video with your disinterested cousin, think twice. Instead, focus on reaching those die-hard tech fans who’ll actually appreciate your creativity and keep watching.
That way, you’re setting up your video for success and steering clear of the dreaded “wrong audience” curse.
The Solution To Get More Views On YouTube
Okay… by now, you have an idea of how the algorithm works and how it decides which videos to push. You’ve probably felt that rush of excitement imagining your channel taking off, right?
But let’s get practical—how do you actually start gaining traction and, in turn, start bringing in some real money?
Because if it were that straightforward, every channel under the sun would be exploding with millions of views.
Patience Over Spam
I get it: The temptation to churn out as many videos as humanly possible can be strong, especially with the rise of AI tools that make editing, scripting, and even thumbnail creation so much simpler.
But if you start a brand-new channel and flood YouTube with daily uploads, especially if they’re low-quality or all over the place, the algorithm might flag you as spammy before you’ve even had a fair shot.
I saw people make this mistake early on. They were so hyped about the potential of daily uploads that most ended up posting half-baked content, hoping at least one piece would gain traction.
Instead, they ended up with low retention rates, random viewer drop-offs, and practically no engagement. It was a painful reminder that consistency matters, but quality and focus are just as crucial, if not more.
So, take your time. Do your research, learn the ropes, and make sure every video you put out has a clear purpose and a sprinkle of your unique personality.
Immerse Yourself in Your Niche
One trick people often overlook is to genuinely engage with the community surrounding your topic.
Watch videos from other creators in your niche, like and comment thoughtfully on their content, and become an active participant in the conversations happening around that theme.
Yes, I know this part might seem less direct than just spamming your video link everywhere, but trust me, it helps.
If you’re consistently watching and interacting with, say, tech reviews, YouTube starts clumping you into that “tech enthusiast” audience. Then, when you upload your own tech content, the algorithm may be more inclined to test your video among other tech fans.
The Data Dilemma
Here’s the main event: YouTube needs data about your video to figure out who will love it.
Sure, you can optimize your title for SEO, leave comments under similar videos, or try other “growth hacks.” Those might net you a few extra views or subscribers, but by themselves, they rarely trigger explosive growth.
The best way to feed YouTube that crucial data is to present your content directly to your ideal viewers, those folks who will actually watch the entire video and potentially share it.
The algorithm sees that engagement and thinks, “Hey, maybe there’s something here worth recommending.”
Providing the Ideal Viewer
Let’s say you’ve made a video about Marvel movies on a fresh channel. Naturally, that initial zero-view count can feel like a slap in the face, especially when you’ve spent hours editing footage of your favorite Avengers scenes.
So, how do you give YouTube the data it needs?
- Join a dedicated Marvel Discord and share your video link.
- Subscribe to a Patreon run by a Marvel-focused YouTuber, and politely ask for feedback.
- Participate in Telegram groups or Reddit communities where people discuss Marvel theories and behind-the-scenes tidbits.
Why does this matter?
Because the people in these spaces are laser-focused on Marvel. They’re far more likely to watch your video from start to finish, comment, and even rewatch the best parts.
That’s the exact signal YouTube’s algorithm needs to figure out, “Oh, these viewers seem to really dig this style. Let’s show it to more of the same type of audience.”
I learned this trick from a friend who ran a tiny book review channel. He started joining author and book club Discords, sharing his videos whenever they were relevant. Slowly but surely, those reading enthusiasts became his earliest supporters, and YouTube began to recognize his channel as a go-to place for book discussions.
The Chain Reaction
This early engagement acts like a catalyst. If your content is genuinely good—interesting, well-paced, maybe sprinkled with a little humor or insightful commentary, YouTube keeps boosting it to similar viewers.
That snowball effect can turn 25 views into 2,500, and if the momentum keeps going, you might wake up to see a viral spike pushing you beyond 25,000.
Ever notice how big YouTubers can start a second channel and still rake in massive views?
They usually link the new channel in their existing videos or mention it in a community post, instantly directing their already-interested audience toward the new content.
They’re essentially handing YouTube all the right signals from the get-go.
“But what about those with no existing channels?”
You might even ask: “What about the people who create one random video, and it goes viral with zero promotion or existing audience?”
Well, two scenarios typically explain this:
- They might have used Famster (Sharing the video on a platform they have a targeted following) to get that initial spark of watchers, artificially boosting their audience pool.
- The person who created the video or someone else shared the video organically in just the right places, be it a niche forum or a highly active social media group, without publicly announcing it.
In both cases, the principle is the same: They found a way to feed YouTube the right data, people who actually want to watch that specific video.
If you want more views on a fresh YouTube channel, direct your video to its ideal audience from the jump. That might be a local Facebook group, a subreddit dedicated to your niche, a Patreon community, or a Discord server of like-minded fans.
The key is matching your content to the people who are genuinely interested in it.
Do that, and you’re setting your channel up for a chain reaction of growth that could lead to thousands, maybe even millions of views.
Here’s another bonus tip for The Online Dollar readers: Broaden your topic just enough so it catches a wider net of viewers, then funnel them back to your core niche.
It’s like anchoring your video to a hot trend or popular topic, then using that interest to highlight what you really love talking about.
Tons of channels have gone viral by cleverly connecting their passion to something with broader mass appeal, earning both views and a sweet paycheck in the process.
So, there you have it.
This is how you can break out on YouTube, help the algorithm find your ideal viewers, and (hopefully) watch those subscribers and revenue numbers climb higher each day.
Good luck, and remember—strategize wisely, create passionately, and let the power of a well-targeted audience speak for itself.
