How To Grow A YouTube Channel in 2025?

Imagine you are opening a coffee shop.

You make the best coffee in town, but no one walks in. Why?

Because your shop is hidden in a quiet alley while your competitors are right on the main street, where people are already looking for coffee. YouTube works the same way.

If you create amazing videos but no one finds them, they won’t grow.

But what if you could place your videos right where people are searching?
What if YouTube pushed them to the right audience instead of you struggling for views?

In today’s breakdown, I will show you how I will grow a YouTube channel in 2025.

Here’s what you will learn:

• How to choose video topics that people are already searching for

• How to increase video output without losing quality

• How to make YouTube’s algorithm work for you

I promise not definitely by guessing, but by using data. As you read through, imagine I as YOU and you will have a strategy ready for your client's YT channel.

Let's dive in!

1. From Instructor-First to Keyword-First:
Why Search Matters More Than Expertise

Most YouTubers start by making videos on topics they are passionate about. But that’s not the best way to grow. Instead of picking topics based on what I know and want to discuss, I would focus on what people are already searching for in my niche.

Imagine opening a pizza shop. If I make a pineapple pizza special just because I love it, but no one in my town likes pineapple on pizza, my shop won’t do well.

Instead, if I check what people already want, for example, pepperoni and cheese, I can serve the food they want and attract people. YouTube works the same way.

If I make videos only based on what I know, I might not get many views.

But if I check what topics are already popular (in my niche) and make videos, I have a much better chance of getting discovered.

Now, here's how I would find the right topics for my videos:

• Check YouTube’s Auto-Suggest: 
  If I type Kubernetes into the search bar, YouTube will show the most searched terms related to Kubernetes. That tells me exactly what people want to learn.

• Look at Top Videos in My Niche: 
  If a video What is Kubernetes? has millions of views, that tells me it’s a high-demand topic. But this alone can't help me because of the high traffic, and beating the established players would be impossible.

• Use YouTube SEO Tools: 
  Tools like TubeBuddy or VidIQ show search volume for different topics. I would use these to find keywords with at least 10K monthly searches.

• Create a Cluster of Related Videos: 
  Instead of just making one Kubernetes video, I would make multiple around the same topic to establish authority.

For example, this could be my Kubernetes video cluster.

But focusing on high-traffic keywords and topics would make it challenging and drain my resources because many are searching for and established players are ranking for it.

Beating them... uh uhh. Likewise, choosing low-competition keywords or topics might not give me the exposure I need because not many are searching for them.

So, I would pick something with moderate competition and search traffic.

Therefore, by making multiple videos on related topics, YouTube sees me as an authority in Kubernetes, which helps all my videos rank higher.

Instead of guessing, I would use search data to decide what videos to make. This way, I know there’s demand before I even hit record.

2. Increasing Video Output by 20%:
Why More Content = More Growth

Many small YouTubers see no growth because they don’t post enough.

YouTube is a numbers game. The more videos I post, the more chances I have to rank in search results, get recommended by YouTube, and attract new viewers.

If I only post once a month, I give YouTube fewer chances to promote my content.

But if I increase my video output by 20% each month, I will create a snowball effect, and my channel will grow faster with time. Here's how I would do it:

1. Plan Content in Batches

Instead of filming one video at a time, I would first plan a month of content. For ex, if I want to make 12 videos in a month, I would script all 12 videos in Week 1, film them all in Week 2, edit them in Week 3, and schedule and publish them in Week 4.

2. Use a Mix of Long & Short Videos

Posting only long videos takes time. Instead, I would balance:

• Long-form videos (5–20 min) → These rank in search & build authority

• Shorts (15–60 sec) → These reach new audiences & boost engagement

3. Repurpose Content for Maximum Output

I can turn a 30-minute tutorial into 3–5 shorter videos (covering different sections), 10+ Shorts (each showing a key takeaway), and 1 LinkedIn/Twitter thread (summarizing the video). This way, I multiply my content without extra effort.

The best real-time example is Hubspot.

4. Follow a Content Calendar

I would create a schedule to plan what I post every week. So I never run out of ideas. It could be something like: shorts on Monday, long-form tutorial on Wednesday, and Q&A video or case study on Friday

The more I post, the faster I grow. But instead of burning out, I would plan, repurpose, and batch-create content to stay consistent.

3. Competitor Targeting:
How to Outrank the Best in 14 Days

A big mistake beginners make is that they try to reinvent the wheel. Instead of guessing what works, I would study my competitors and improve on their best content.

It might seem to steal, but this works because I already know there’s demand for the topic, I can see what viewers liked (and didn’t like), and YouTube has already ranked these videos, meaning it’s a proven topic.

I would do these to beat competitor videos:

1. Find Videos with 1M+ Views

   I would look at the top videos in my niche and note what topics get the most views. How old are these videos? (Old videos are easier to beat.), and what’s missing? (Bad visuals? Poor explanations?)

2. Improve on Competitor's Weaknesses

   If a competitor’s video lacks clear explanations, I would add real-world examples, use better visuals, and structure it better with timestamps.

3. Create & Post My Version in 14 Days

   Speed matters. If I see a trending topic, I would make my improved version within 2 weeks to capture the momentum.

   For example, if a competitor’s Docker for Beginners video is getting 2M+ views, I would create: Docker for Beginners (Step-by-Step With Real-World Examples) by adding case studies, animations, and better storytelling to stand out.

Instead of guessing, I would reverse-engineer what’s already working and make it better. This way, I create a better reason for viewers to prefer my videos over others.

4. Maximizing Engagement:
The Secret to Hacking YouTube’s Algorithm

Many people think YouTube ranks videos based only on watch time. That’s not true. YouTube also prioritizes engagement. The more people like, comment, and share a video, the more it gets recommended.

And I would do these to get more engagement on my videos:

1. Ask Viewers to Comment on Every Video

   For ex, what’s one thing you wish you knew before learning Docker? Drop your answer in the comments! More comments tell YouTube that people are interested, so it recommends my video to more viewers.

2. Use Polls & Community Posts

   Every day, I would post a fun poll or quiz in my channel’s Community tab. The best example could be - which is harder: AWS or Kubernetes?

3. Run Giveaways & Contests

   Comment your best cloud computing tip, and the best answer gets a free course! Doing so encourages comments and builds a loyal audience.

More engagement = better rankings.

I would encourage comments, run polls, and make my videos interactive.

5. 10Xing Video Reach:
Multi-Channel Distribution

One of the biggest mistakes new YouTubers make is only relying on YouTube search to get views. The problem? Search alone is slow. If I sit and wait for YouTube to rank my videos, it could take weeks or even months to see growth.

Instead, I would take an active approach and promote my videos across multiple platforms. This would help me get twice the views without making extra content.

1. Discord & Telegram Communities

There are hundreds of active Discord and Telegram groups where people discuss strategy, business, and marketing. Many of these communities allow free content sharing or have dedicated self-promo channels.

I would find 10–15 relevant groups, engage in conversations for a few days (so I don’t look spammy), and drop my video with a question to spark discussion.

My example post could be:

I just made a video on how to structure a go-to-market strategy. What do you guys think about this approach? Would love to hear your thoughts!

By making it a conversation, I would get organic engagement and extra views.

2. LinkedIn & Twitter (Now X)

These platforms love video content, and since they have a large business and marketing audience, they are perfect for promoting a strategy channel.

I would take key insights from my video, turn them into a short post, and attach a 30-second clip from my video instead of just sharing the link (LinkedIn boosts native videos more than external links).

My example LI post could be:

Most marketing strategies fail because they don’t start with search intent. I break this down in my latest YouTube video (link in the comments).

3. Blog & Website Embeds

Many people still read blogs to learn strategy and marketing.

If I embed my YouTube videos in my blog posts, I can turn blog readers into YouTube viewers. I would write a short blog post summarizing my video, embed my video in the post, and share the blog post in marketing communities.

Or if I were growing an email list, I would send my latest videos to my subscribers every week. These are people who are already interested in my content, so they are more likely to watch, like, and comment.

4. YouTube Community Posts

Once I get 500 subscribers, I can access the YouTube Community tab, which will allow me post text, images, and polls. Then, I would post a poll related to my new video topic before publishing it, and post the video link with a question after publishing.

Most YouTubers only rely on YouTube search but I would actively promote my videos across multiple channels to get more views with no extra work.

6. A/B Testing Titles & Thumbnails:
The Fastest Way to Increase Clicks

Even if I make the best video ever, it won’t get views if no one clicks on it.

That’s why click-through rate (CTR) is so important. CTR is the percentage of people who see my video and decide to click on it. The higher my CTR, the more views I get.

And there are some strategies I adopt to improve this metric:

1. A/B Testing Thumbnails

A great thumbnail can double my CTR overnight. To find the best one, I would test different versions of my thumbnails. The experiment could be bright vs. dark colors, text vs. no text, face vs. no face, big emotion vs. neutral expression.

For example, if I make a video on How to Build a Winning Strategy, I would test:

• Thumbnail A: A serious business photo with clean text.

• Thumbnail B: A surprised face with the text 90% of Strategies Fail! Here’s Why.

After a week, I would compare the CTRs and keep the winner.

2. Writing More Clickable Titles

Titles should spark curiosity but also tell people exactly what they will learn. The good title formula is [SHOCKING FACT] + [CLEAR BENEFIT].

For example: Marketing Strategies for Beginners is boring but Why 90% of Marketing Strategies Fail (And How to Fix Yours) is better.

3. Front-Loading the Most Important Keywords

YouTube bolds the first few words of a title in search results, so I would ensure the key topic is at the front. For example:

Instead of How to Build a Content Strategy That Works, I would write Content Strategy: How to Build One That Actually Works.

YouTube only shows my video to people if they click. So I will constantly test thumbnails and titles to improve my CTR and get more free views.

7. The YouTube Learning Weekend Strategy:
Growth Hack for Explosive Views

Most YouTubers spread out their content, but I would use a Learning Weekend strategy to flood YouTube with content all at once and force the algorithm to take notice. Here's how it works:

1. Pick a Theme for the Weekend

Instead of posting random videos, I would pick a specific topic for the weekend. The example themes could be:

• Content Strategy Weekend → 10+ videos on content marketing

• Startup Growth Weekend → A deep dive into growth hacking

• SEO Mastery Weekend → A collection of SEO tutorials

2. Upload 10+ Videos in 2 Days

Dropping multiple videos at once tricks the YouTube algorithm into thinking my channel is getting a massive spike in interest. This works because:

• More videos = More watch time = YouTube recommends my content more

• Viewers binge-watch, boosting my engagement

• YouTube might push all my videos at once

Instead of growing slowly over time, I would use big content drops to force the algorithm to push my channel faster.

Conclusion

Growing a YouTube channel isn’t just about making great videos.

It’s about making the right videos and ensuring they reach the right audience.

By focusing on steps 1 to 5, I can speed up growth and get more views without relying on luck. 6 step will help me improve CTR, while the step 7 can create viral momentum and force the algorithm to push my content.

YouTube rewards consistency, engagement, and smart distribution. By following these, I can grow my channel steadily and turn it into a recognized authority in my niche.