YouTube continues to dominate online media for content creators, business owners and marketers. With over 2.70 billion people worldwide using the platform monthly and 500 hours of video uploaded every minute, standing out requires strategy. And the strategy changes as the platform matures.
I started a 30-day YouTube posting challenge to overcome perfectionism. I didn’t want to be someone who talked about video strategy but never showed up on camera. So I’m posting every day, for 30 days straight, for consistency, confidence, and momentum, asking friends with million-subscriber accounts for their top tips.
Here’s what they told me about what still works in 2025.
How to grow a successful YouTube channel in 2025: top channels share tips
Frequency beats perfection
Everyone thinks you need incredible production to succeed on YouTube. Most obsess over the perfect camera, script, and thumbnail. But big channels know it’s not the way. At least not at first. You only really get better by posting. Clarity comes through action. Your 50th video will be better than your first, but only if you get there. If you’re not posting regularly, you’re not serious.
Anna Tyrie, whose English Like A Native channel has 1.1 million subscribers, agrees with this approach. “Shorts are quick to create (a big plus for a working mum of 2) and a great way to test ideas. My strategy is to release one short and one long-form video per week.”
This balanced approach means she maintains consistency without burning out, while still giving her audience regular value. When you commit to a publishing schedule, you build momentum that compounds over time.
The numbers support this. YouTube sees approximately 122 million daily active users. These people are looking for value delivered consistently. Your weekly video becomes part of their routine, and that’s how you build a true audience.
Mix your content formats strategically
YouTube brings out new features all the time and Shorts are relatively new, having only been launched in 2020. What do big channels think about leveraging every video type? Should you create Shorts or long-form? The answer isn’t either/or. It’s both, used purposefully.
Tyrie explains her hybrid approach: “I engage my audience through a variety of content formats, long-form videos, Shorts, community posts, and, when time permits, live streams. Shorts are powerful for expanding reach and attracting new viewers, while long-form content provides depth and value, converting them into loyal subscribers.”
She backs this up with data: “20% of my new viewers find me through shorts. But when it comes to actual growth, long-form is king. 96% of my subscribers come from longer videos.”
Gabby Wallace, who teaches business growth to 2.5 million subscribers, shares this perspective: “Although shorts content has taken over our social media feeds, what’s always worked for my educational channels is long-form content (average 10 minutes). I’ve also found that long-format content attracts more warm leads to my business than shorts, which are more superficial.”
The key is intentionality. You don’t need to be everywhere, but you do need to use each format for its strength. Shorts expand your reach. Long-form builds your loyal base. Community posts maintain engagement between uploads.
Create content your audience actually searches for
YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world, trailing only Google. This presents a massive opportunity if you know how to capitalize on it.
Aga Murdoch, owner of English with Aga, with 230k subscribers, explains her approach: “A strong focus on highly searchable videos continues to bring in a high proportion of new subscribers and a steady flow of traffic in general. I focus on questions that my audience is likely to ask in search, both inside and outside of YouTube.”
This strategy isn’t a quick fix, as Murdoch knows. “This strategy is not something that brings instant gratification so it does require patience. Most of my videos only get properly established in search after 6-12 months.”
Wallace shares her method for discovering what people actually want: “If you have clients or an existing audience, send out a short survey to ask what their biggest challenge is, in their own words. Then create long-form content targeting the exact wording they use to describe their challenges and goals.”
The beauty of search-optimized content is its longevity. A video ranking for a popular search term can bring you traffic for years, unlike trending content that disappears as quickly as it arrived.
Analyze what works and double down
A common strategy among YouTubers involves creating three distinct types of content. Hygiene content: Practical, evergreen content that answers common questions and helps users solve specific problems. Hub content: Regular, scheduled content that gives audiences a reason to subscribe and return for more. Hero content: High-impact, less frequent content designed to reach wide audiences and create brand awareness. But this isn’t right for everyone.
Rather than chasing trends, successful creators study their own success patterns and replicate them.
Emma Walker, owner of Pronunciation With Emma, with just under one million subscribers, explains her analytical approach: “I stopped thinking less about the typical, ‘hub, hero, hero’ content strategy and started thinking more about ‘content buckets.’ I went through all the best performing videos on my channel and grouped them into categories, for example, ‘how to pronounce…’, ‘sound breakdown’, ‘master class’, ‘text analysis’, and so on.”
Walker’s analysis of her own channel led to strategic decisions that matched her unique work: “I then looked at which bucket had the most successful content and created more of it. It’s important to note that you can define ‘success’ in any way you like, so it could be the videos that drive the most leads, engagement or views.”
Tyrie applies a similar approach to her Shorts strategy: “When a short takes off, like a recent one that hit 100k views, that is my signal to turn it into a full-length video, maximising engagement and subscriber growth.”
YouTube’s analytics dashboard gives you everything you need to identify patterns. The creators who win are studying what’s already working and systematically expanding on it.
Build a genuine relationship with your audience
The days of broadcasting to passive viewers are over. Today’s successful channels create two-way relationships with their audiences.
Jamila Musayeva, an international etiquette consultant with 1.1 million subscribers, makes this a central part of her strategy: “I always encourage my audience to share their video suggestions and take note of those that are frequently requested. This makes them feel more engaged in the creative process.”
The relationship-building approach extends beyond content topics. Tyrie notes: “Live streams and community posts foster direct engagement, strengthening audience loyalty and offering valuable insights into their preferences and needs.”
With YouTube’s engagement features expanding, creators can now build relationships through premieres, polls, comments, and community posts. Each interaction strengthens the bond between you and your viewers, turning casual watchers into loyal fans.
Build a business, not just a following
Vanity metrics won’t pay your bills. A small, loyal audience that buys is more powerful than a big one that scrolls past. Your channel should lead somewhere: an email list, a product, a coaching offer, a waitlist. Otherwise, you’re building a rented audience with no real-world impact.
Walker approaches her content with this business mindset: “If you find a certain bucket drives more leads (like I discovered with my masterclass bucket videos), then make more of that type of content if you need to generate more leads.”
Wallace has practical advice: “At the end of the day, focus on what works for your business, not just what brings vanity metrics (as alluring as those are).”
The most successful YouTube creators are building channels alongside businesses, with their videos serving as the perfect front door to their ecosystem. This is business 101, but it’s still relevant if YouTube is the game you’ve decided to play.
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Most importantly, say something worth saying. Succeeding on YouTube comes from owning your ideas, sharing your personal take, and creating content you stand by a year from now. Most creators sound the same. But if your videos could have come from anyone, they’ll be forgotten by everyone. Top creators bring their unique angle to every video they publish.
Consistency still matters. Valuable content still wins. Strategic formats still work. Audience relationships still count. So what’s your next step?
Pick one of these strategies and implement it this week. Don’t overthink it. Your YouTube success story starts with a single upload and builds from there. The best time to start was years ago. The second best time is now.
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