Struggling to grow on YouTube? Learn how the YouTube algorithm works, why momentum matters, and how thumbnails, descriptions, and viewer behavior affect channel growth.
Somewhere in the world right now, a 17-year-old creator just crossed 100,000 subscribers. Not because they unlocked a secret trick. Not because they bought expensive equipment. They simply kept uploading videos they enjoyed making.
Meanwhile, you’re sitting there wondering why your channel is stuck under 1,000 subscribers. Every video gets a bit of attention, then suddenly stops. No momentum. No growth. Just silence.
Eventually, you start asking yourself the hardest question:
“Maybe I’m just not good at this.”
If that thought has crossed your mind, you’re not alone—and more importantly, you’re not failing. What you’re experiencing is confusion, not incompetence. And that confusion usually comes from not understanding how the YouTube algorithm actually works.
Why YouTube Growth Feels Random (But Isn’t)
YouTube often feels unfair. Two creators upload similar videos, yet one explodes while the other barely moves. People tell you to “just be consistent,” but they never explain what you’re supposed to improve.
The truth is this:
YouTube growth only feels random when the system doesn’t understand your content yet.
Once it does, growth becomes predictable.
To understand this, imagine walking into a massive store and asking an employee for help, but saying only, “I need something.” They would look confused. They’d have to guess what you want, asking question after question.
That’s exactly what happens when you upload a video without clear signals.
How the YouTube Algorithm Thinks About Your Videos
The YouTube algorithm works like a recommendation system, not a judge. Its job is simple:
match the right video to the right viewer as fast as possible.
When your video lacks:
-
a clear title
-
a detailed description
-
relevant tags and keywords
YouTube has to work harder. It watches your video, analyzes the audio, tests it with different audiences, and slowly figures out who might like it.
This process works—but it takes time.
When you give YouTube clear information upfront, you remove the guesswork.
That’s why video descriptions and tags still matter, even today. They help YouTube understand:
-
what your video is about
-
who it’s for
-
when to recommend it
Skipping them doesn’t kill your channel, but it slows down discovery, especially for small creators.
Why Familiarity Matters More Than Viral Videos
Even when YouTube understands your video, growth can still stall. That’s because discovery alone isn’t enough.
Think about how people watch TV shows.
The first episode usually feels strange. You don’t know the characters yet. You don’t care what happens. But after a few episodes, something changes. The characters become familiar. Watching feels easier. You start caring.
YouTube works the same way.
When someone watches your video for the first time, they don’t care about you. Even if the video is good, trust hasn’t been built yet. But when they watch a second video—and then a third—you stop being a stranger.
That’s when growth starts.
The Hidden Role of Thumbnails in Channel Growth
One of the biggest mistakes creators make is treating every thumbnail like a separate experiment.
Different colors. Different fonts. Different styles every time.
At first, this doesn’t seem like a problem. But it breaks recognition.
Here’s what happens:
-
Someone enjoys one of your videos
-
YouTube recommends another one later
-
The thumbnail looks completely different
-
They don’t recognize it’s from the same channel
-
They scroll past it
When thumbnails look familiar, viewers don’t think as much. Recognition alone increases click-through rate.
Familiar thumbnails build:
-
trust
-
comfort
-
momentum
And momentum is everything on YouTube.
What Momentum Really Means on YouTube
YouTube doesn’t care about single videos.
It cares about what viewers do next.
If someone watches your video and leaves YouTube, that’s a dead end. But if they watch your video and then click another one—especially from the same channel—YouTube sees value.
That’s momentum.
This is why series-style content, connected topics, and recognizable thumbnails outperform random uploads. Each video pushes the next one.
Small channels don’t feel this effect strongly at first because the numbers are low. But the system works the same at every size. Momentum compounds over time.
Why You Should Always Guide Viewers to the Next Video
Think about online shopping.
You go to buy one product, and right before checkout, the store suggests another item that makes sense. You didn’t plan to buy it—but you do.
YouTube works the same way.
The moment someone finishes your video is the most important moment of all. They already trust you. They already stayed until the end. Instead of letting them decide what to watch next, guide them.
Every video should be designed with another video in mind.
Not as an afterthought—but as part of the strategy.
The Emotional Side of Being a Creator (That No One Talks About)
Uploading videos that don’t perform hurts.
It creates doubt. Anxiety. Comparison. Late nights changing thumbnails and refreshing analytics. Not because someone forced you—but because you care.
That feeling doesn’t mean you’re failing.
It means you’re invested.
Every creator you admire went through this phase. What separated them wasn’t talent or luck. It was persistence paired with learning.
YouTube is not about feeling good all the time. It’s about staying long enough to understand the system—and yourself.
The Real Answer to “How Do I Grow on YouTube?”
There is no single hack. No magic setting. No shortcut.
The real answer is staying:
-
staying when it’s quiet
-
staying when it’s uncomfortable
-
staying long enough to improve
Growth comes when effort meets understanding.
Once you understand how YouTube thinks—clarity, familiarity, momentum—you stop guessing. And when guessing stops, growth begins.
){kind=link}
0 Comments