Do not start with "Hey guys, welcome back to my channel, don't forget to like and subscribe..." That is a fast-forward trigger.
You can't pay for vidIQ. So you become a detective.
How to find keywords for free:
Then, go to a competitor's video. Sort their comments by "Newest." Read what people are asking for. "How do you blend markers?" "What paper do you use?" Those questions are your next video titles. how to increase youtube views by yourself free
I found a comment: "Why does my gouache always crack?" I made a 4-minute video answering only that question. No fluff. Title: "Gouache Cracking? Fix it in 2 minutes." That video has 34,000 views. It took me 1 hour to make.
The Formula: Find a low-competition question (long-tail keyword) -> Answer it immediately -> Done.
You don't need a separate app to make Shorts. You just need your phone’s gallery. Do not start with "Hey guys, welcome back
Views are useless if people leave. YouTube tracks Retention. If people leave at 0:30, YouTube stops suggesting you.
My old intros: "Hey guys, it's your boy, back with another video, don't forget to like and subscribe, today we're going to talk about..." (30 seconds of garbage).
My new intro (The "Cold Open"):
I gave them a roadmap. I broke the fourth wall. I promised value immediately.
To practice for free, I did this: I would watch the first 15 seconds of my video without sound. If I couldn't understand the premise, I re-filmed it. You have zero dollars for fancy animations. Use cuts. Use zoom-ins. Use urgency.
The Free Tool: Your own impatience. Watch your intro. Would you watch the rest? If you hesitate, delete it. You can't pay for vidIQ
Create a playlist of your best 3-5 videos. Do not just dump all your videos into one playlist. Make a playlist with a specific purpose (e.g., "How to Start a YouTube Channel in 2026").
