Last Updated on May 7, 2025

YouTube remains a dominant platform in the ever-growing social media landscape, with millions of creators vying for viewer attention daily. Whether you’re an aspiring YouTuber or an established influencer, consistently looking for strategies on how to get your video seen on YouTube is crucial. To genuinely increase YouTube views, creators can adopt a variety of methods—some entirely cost-free and others involving strategic investments. Let’s dive into proven strategies, accompanied by examples from successful YouTubers who’ve mastered the art of gaining views.

Cost-Free Strategies to Increase Views on YouTube

  1. Optimize Video Titles and Thumbnails

Your video’s title and thumbnail are your first impression. To effectively increase views on YouTube, craft clear, engaging titles paired with visually appealing thumbnails. Use vibrant, high-quality images and concise text. 

For instance, MrBeast, one of the most successful YouTubers globally, credits part of his explosive growth to meticulous thumbnail optimization. He emphasizes bright, clear visuals with emotional reactions, sparking curiosity and excitement.

At Intellifluence, we inform content creators that producing high-quality content is essential to attracting more collaboration opportunities from brands. Just as a strong thumbnail and title boost your visibility on YouTube, polished and engaging content across your social media channels helps you stand out to potential partners.

We also encourage brands to take 15–30 seconds to review an influencer’s content before sending a collaboration offer. This brief review helps ensure the influencer’s content quality aligns with the brand’s standards. Typically, if a post appears low-quality or unprofessional, a brand will choose not to proceed with the partnership.

  1. Leverage YouTube SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

To understand how to get your views up on YouTube organically, SEO is indispensable. Use relevant keywords, clear descriptions, and targeted tags that align with viewer search intent.

YouTube expert Sean Cannell of Think Media frequently advises creators to employ tools like TubeBuddy or VidIQ, both of which offer free tiers, helping identify optimal keywords that boost video discoverability.

  1. Consistent Upload Schedule

Maintaining a consistent upload schedule significantly impacts viewership. Regularly posting content not only keeps your subscribers engaged but also signals to YouTube’s algorithm that your channel is active and relevant.

Popular vlogger Casey Neistat attributes a portion of his success to his daily vlogs during the peak growth phase of his channel, underscoring the importance of consistency in building viewership.

  1. Engage with the Audience

Increasing views organically also involves audience engagement. Responding to comments, asking viewers for feedback, and incorporating viewer suggestions into future videos can foster a strong community.

Influencer Emma Chamberlain, known for her authentic interaction style, frequently highlights how audience engagement significantly boosted her viewership by creating a loyal and interactive community.

  1. Collaborate with Other YouTubers

Collaborations allow you to tap into different audiences and can drastically increase YouTube views. Collaborating with channels within your niche provides mutual exposure, attracting new viewers to both channels.

YouTubers such as Rhett and Link of “Good Mythical Morning” regularly collaborate with guests, widening their audience reach and steadily increasing their viewer base over time.

  1. Utilize Playlists and End Screens

Organizing your videos into themed playlists encourages binge-watching, naturally increasing your overall views. End screens guide viewers to related content, boosting your channel’s total view time.

Educational channels like CrashCourse effectively utilize playlists, guiding viewers from one video to the next seamlessly.

Featured Influencer: Shawn Feinstein
I launched The REALLY Good Stuff in June 2017 with passion to empower women, share all things luxe & lifestyle, provide lifestyle tips, product reviews and simply share my life & my two cents! I’m passionate about being an Instagram Lifestyle Influencer to curate and share only the most fabulous, absolutely amazing, highest quality, memorable & fun lifestyle products, services, destinations & reviews, so my audience wants to come back to refer to them over and over and over again!

Strategies That Require Investment

While organic methods are crucial, investing money into your channel can significantly accelerate growth.

  1. Upgrade Your Video Equipment

High-quality video production undeniably attracts viewers. Investing in good cameras, lighting, and audio equipment enhances viewer experience, improving audience retention.

A mid-range camera like the Canon EOS M50 Mark II costs around $600-$700, while professional lighting setups such as the Elgato Key Light Air are around $130 each. Good-quality microphones, like the Rode VideoMic NTG, can cost approximately $250.

Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) regularly emphasizes the importance of crisp visuals and clear audio, attributing part of his channel’s success to consistent upgrades in production quality.

  1. Professional Video Editing Software

Professional editing dramatically enhances video quality. Software like Adobe Premiere Pro ($20.99/month subscription) or Final Cut Pro X (one-time purchase of approximately $299) allows creators to edit videos more effectively, adding sophisticated graphics, smooth transitions, and appealing visuals.

Channels like Peter McKinnon and Matti Haapoja frequently share how their usage of professional editing tools significantly contributes to viewer retention and engagement.

As a content creator, if you aspire to build a channel with strong engagement like Peter McKinnon or Matti Haapoja, it’s important to first understand your current performance. If you’re unsure what your engagement rate is, you can easily check your YouTube average engagement statistics by hovering over the YouTube icon on your Intellifluence influencer profile. This quick insight can help you track progress and identify areas for improvement as you work toward attracting more brand collaborations.

  1. Advertisements and Promotion

Paid promotions on YouTube or social media platforms can effectively get your content in front of a wider audience quickly. Google Ads allows targeted YouTube promotions with adjustable budgets, typically ranging from $10 to hundreds or thousands of dollars based on your campaign’s reach and duration.

Educational YouTuber Ali Abdaal has openly discussed his use of paid ads early in his channel’s growth, highlighting their effectiveness in increasing visibility for new content creators.

  1. Courses and Workshops

Investing in specialized YouTube growth courses or workshops can offer insights from experts who’ve already mastered the platform. Courses range from $50 for short classes on platforms like Skillshare to upwards of $500 for comprehensive programs by established YouTube influencers.

Creators like Sunny Lenarduzzi offer comprehensive courses specifically aimed at increasing YouTube views, providing proven strategies and step-by-step methods to grow a channel effectively.

Real-World Examples from Successful YouTubers

Prominent YouTubers often share their strategies openly:

  • MrBeast emphasizes the crucial role of analytics, studying viewer retention graphs to understand exactly how viewers interact with his videos and adjusting accordingly.
  • Graham Stephan, a finance influencer, stresses the importance of captivating intros and clear messaging to increase initial viewer engagement.
  • Matt D’Avella showcases minimalist and visually pleasing production values, consistently highlighting how his aesthetic style helps him stand out and retain viewers.

By integrating these varied strategies—both cost-free and investment-based—creators can effectively increase YouTube views. Success comes from consistently applying these best practices, continuously learning from successful YouTubers, and being willing to adapt and upgrade when necessary. Understanding the balance between organic growth strategies and strategic investments can be the difference between modest viewership and becoming a prominent voice on the world’s largest video platform.