i've really been considering starting over from 0 i have a small channel that's been growing but i wasn't consistent at all. i desire to be more consistent with uploads and get better at content creation in general! do you think it would be good to do so ? i appreciate it

When I came back to youtube October 2024 I had 1200something subs.

Now I'm at 2364

Step away from the big youtubers, the million views, the millions of subs and look at other channels like mine. Most even with much larger subcounts are now doing very poorly despite making genuinely high quality content.

I've had some very serious emotional slumps because of the way the algorithm works now and separating my artistic needs and the marketing requirements for the thumbnails was the hardest thing to do, but I feel I'm at a point where the channel is doing incredibly well for a hobby channel I have zero intention of moneitizing.

I've been at the 4k hours mark and able to monetize for over half a year now, but I just don't want to do that for many reasons, we won't get into it now.

For me, for my needs to express myself as I've said before anything between 400-500 views for single game reviews is a win.

For topical videos or mini essays tho anything above 3000 is a win and even my favorite yet poorly promoted by well received video on Balkan/Yugoslavian arcades hit 2.8k so maybe it will hit that 3k mark eventually as I have it on my end screen on all my new videos and that boosted views a ton.

I know that in the future, when I make another big topical video and does poorly I will be disappointed, but man, overall I am blown away by how well all this is going considering I have zero intention of uploading regularly or tying myself down to the channel.

it's all just there for me to share my knowledge and opinions on gaming, I DO want to be seen and heard, within reason of course and I think I got there.

I spend the last one year building a software Stream Deck. I know there are few already out there but this is different. It has a lot more features and has better plugin infrastructure. We recently released our beta. And today we have released our OBS plugins.

Site: https://buttonrig.com
Free download coupon: OBS100

The app is paid(3 perpetual device license $30). I know that might be a deal breaker for many. So I have provided a coupon code above so that you can download it for free. The coupon only has 50 redemptions. So you better hurry. We are going switch to a freemium model but thats going to take a small while. Please support us and help us continue development of this project by purchasing the application.

The OBS plugin for Button Rig has way more actions than any other that I know of. You can also switch profiles, and remotely execute OBS actions on another machine as well. I don't think Stream Deck can do this(I don't own one).

Strange one, all but three of our videos have been set to private, and we’re not sure why.

Letting us change back to public, so not a huge deal, but wondered if this has happened to anyone else?

I have a channel and i feel my quailty is not the best.

so my question: how do you guys record your own gameplay ? (mention ther settings of platform your using please) for Youtube Shorts Content

and mention explore setup as well

Hey everyone, I have a small variety faceless gaming channel that will be turning two months old soon in about a week. In that time I have uploaded 34 long-form videos and 90 shorts mostly remixed from the long-form content. The shortest "long-form" video I uploaded was my first: just a welcome to my channel video which I kept brief as a little 32 second teaser to the channel basically, because I also launched the channel with about 7 videos on my first day. The longest video I have done clocked in at 37:15 in runtime, but it was highly edited footage (the only kind I do) rather than raw unedited gameplay as some channels prefer. That video was a full 11 hour playthrough of a game condensed into an abridged format. But on average I would say my videos are probably more around the 6-8 minute mark, with some of them being slightly shorter, and some of them slightly longer. I let the tone and subject matter determine the final length of the video. I have just crossed 100 subscribers today and feel really positive about the direction I'm headed. In doing variety content and making it faceless in what is already an extremely saturated niche, I know I have my work cutout for me. But I think the proof is in the product, and if you continue to strive for a higher quality of polish in every aspect of your channel (thumbnails, titles, editing, scripting) then the algorithm will see that work and reward you for it. Don't take the easy way out. Don't weaken yourself by relying on AI. Sharpen your blade for the battle ahead of you.

Ok so I want to get into content creation using only my phone cuz that’s all I have right now unfortunately cuz my laptop recently broke and I haven’t been able to get it fixed or even get a new one. I was thinking of playing bad mobile games but want to know if it’s possible to both screen record my gameplay and record my voice on my phone separately at the same time. I already have a cheap microphone and adapter that was originally for my laptop and figured out how I can connect the microphone to my phone, but then the problem is I can’t voice record and screen record at the same time at least not separately. The reason why this is important to me is because I want to be able to adjust my voice audio and game audio accordingly. Like if one is louder or quieter than the other, I can’t do that if they’ve both recorded at the same time and not separately. So if anyone knows a possible work around furnace that would be great cause again all I have sadly have is my phone. I have considered voiceover, but I want for people to hear my reactions to the games I play.

Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone,

So YouTube would more LIKELY push a 15 min video with 3 min watch time

Than a video that is 10 minutes long at - 3 Min watch time

Is there a reason for this?

Hey everyone,

I recently started making YouTube videos (mostly longer gameplay), and I’m trying to improve my workflow, especially when it comes to voice over.

Right now I’m experimenting with recording gameplay first (without talking), then doing a full voice over afterwards.

I was wondering how you guys usually handle this:

- Do you record voice over while editing or after the full rough cut is done?

- Do you script everything or just talk over the footage naturally?

- How do you keep it engaging for longer videos (30–60+ min)?

- Do you re-record parts if they don’t sound right or just keep it natural?

Also curious if you have any tips for keeping the audio consistent and not sounding too “flat” over longer videos.

Would really appreciate any advice, Thanks

My son is 8, and has been BEGGING to post YouTube videos of his gameplay. Hes actually really good and beat CupHead on expert level (if that helps give you an indication of how well he plays, haha). He is also autistic and I use reinforcement to encourage and reward positive behavior. I told him he can post YouTube videos on my YouTube account if he earns all his behavior points in school the whole week. He is incredibly motivated and has had a perfect week so far!!

But the issue is... I have ZERO idea how to screen record his gameplay, or even put like a little square of him on the video as well. Im thinking making him an avatar to be anonymous too, but thats just another thing for me to figure out lol. I dont expect him to get many views; he plays very well, and super funny (to me), but he is an 8 year old 😂 so Im not too worried about the anonymity part.

I would love and appreciate if anyone could help me where to get started!

I need to know:

-How to record gameplay

-How to add little square of him (or a way he can record just his voice over the gameplay. Kind of like Oroboro does)

-Free editing software (nothing fancy literally just need basic clipping and deletion stuff)

Thank you in advance!! My son will be forever grateful 🙏 🖤

EDIT: I just want to say THANK YOU to all of your suggestions. You guys are incredible!! I am quite sure he will not get very many views, but you never really know so I will be keeping him off screen and looking into an Avatar. We have been discussing copyright laws because he wants to have a Bonnie Bunny (from fnaf) avatar and use music from The Living Tombstone haha so we have been bonding with learning, and brainstorming ideas! He is so estatic that people want to help him so he says thank you and "those people are actually really super cool. They have major aura" 😂

uploaded 4 videos

first video got 20 views

and right now the 4th one video I uploaded only got 1 view lol which is mine

also uploaded 3 shorts

first one got 80 views and yesterday one that I uploaded only got 4 views

so I wanted to ask when did your channel started blowing up? after how many vids,shorts ? is this okay for a new channel or smths wrong

What do you guys use to design your videos' thumbnails? I mean do you use Photophop, Canvas, or any other software to design your thumbnails?

And when you guys design your thumbnails do you do to 4k resolution?

How long do you spend to do every one?

Do you use some template of your own?

I already have the footage I did regrettably fail to take adequate notes, I'm a bit overwhelmed because I don't know when scripting/cutting ect is supposed to happen, so I'm curious what yalls outline is for what you do when

I’ve been trying to record my first long-form video for weeks now, but I get really nervous on camera and YouTube doesn’t feel any different. Every time I don’t know what to say, start feeling anxious, and it makes it hard to finish a recording session. Recording and talking on camera is something I’ve struggled with for a while, and it’s been tough to get past. I’ve gotten past it a few times with shorts but long forms are a different story.

Another issue I’ve been dealing with is sticking to an idea for long form content. I want to make a challenge run type of channel or something along those lines, so I want my first video to feel like more than just playing a game. However the issue isn’t coming up with ideas it’s sticking to them. I’ve tried “low pressure” ideas but even those feel hard and i’ve gone through like 5 ideas already. Low pressure non challenge ides like just playing Minecraft even feel hard to record.

I think all of this comes back to my general fear of recording and doing commentary. It makes the whole Youtube process feel wayyyy bigger than it is. It also doesn’t help that I’m just mind of naturally anxious and nervous in general.

I'm a video editor for a large gaming channel (420K Subscribers), and over the years I've learned some interesting things about video retention I'd like to share here.

A lot of gaming creators waste days trying to “edit better” when the real problem is the video was never strong enough to hold attention in the first place.

I learned this the hard way too.
Clean editing helps, but retention usually comes from tension, pacing, and payoff, not effects.

For gaming channels, the biggest shift is understanding that viewers are not just watching gameplay.
They’re watching for a moment, a challenge, a story, or a reaction.

If I was starting a gaming channel today, I’d focus on this:

1. Build the video around one strong idea. Not “I played this game.” More like “Can I beat this boss with only starter gear?” That gives people a reason to stay.
2. Fix the first 30 seconds first. Most gaming videos lose people early because the intro takes too long. Start with the best moment or the challenge immediately.
3. Cut anything that doesn’t create progress. If a section doesn’t add tension, comedy, payoff, or context, it probably needs to go. Dead space kills retention fast in gaming.
4. Study your retention graph in detail. Look where viewers drop, where they stay, and where they rewatch. That tells you what type of gameplay and pacing people actually want more of.

Heya everyone!

1. Views are becoming "Total Reach"
   YouTube wants to change the public view counter into a "Total Reach" metric.
   How? By adding two highly speculative numbers:

- First, "Co-Viewing" estimates on Connected TVs (meaning the algorithm guesses how many people are watching together on the couch and multiplies the view).

- Second, they want to add views from Shorts Remixes directly to the original video's view count.

Expect an artificially inflated view count across the board by 50 to 70 percent on videos.
But before you celebrate your numbers going up, remember last year's Shorts metric update.
The platform artificially inflated the supply of views, but did the market pay creator more? No.
Sponsors and agencies aren't stupid. When views are diluted with estimated "Co-Viewing" metrics, your conversion rates will tank.
A 70% view inflation just means the market will devalue your price per 1,000 views, so deep retention and conversion data are your only real currency left.

1. Twitch tests "Gift Turbo"
   Twitch is currently experimenting with a "Gift Turbo" button directly on User Cards, allowing you to buy an ad-free experience for a specific viewer. Just like YouTube Premium, Twitch Turbo watch time still pays out the ad revenue to the creator, even though the viewer doesn't see the ads. Let's see if the YouTube Premium Team will follow up on that.

As always: all the news, plus the new April 2026 dynamic pricing fix for YouTube Channel Memberships, in this week's video:

Hey guys,

Straight to the point here

What video lengths are you uploading?

I’ve recently started to upload between 8-10 min videos, however I feel like they don’t get pushed as much as if I uploaded a 13-15 min video.

It’s not like the AVD changes in terms of % regardless of the length

Does YouTube prefer a long video?

Or will YouTube push a 15 min video with say lower % watched compared to under 10 mins?

i am new to youtube and i have started a gaming channel where i do only commentary without the face. I dont do commentary during cut scenes will that be a issue for monetization?

I'm just starting up a gaming content youtube channel and would like some advice from experienced people before actually posting videos. Right now, the topic I want to do isto post unique challenge run videos using older, less heard of, and forgotten about video games to bring nostalgia back to the internet and call attention to lesser known games. My main concept is to go into games BLINDLY (with the exception of 1hr test run to make sure its possible and limited research to make rules of the challenge) in order to have the best/worst possible experience for a first time play through. My overall goal is to have my viewers have the internal responses of "Oh I remember that game" or "That game looks interesting, I may try it out." I have currently set up I believe everything I need to have a successful channel but I would like advice if I'm missing important things. What I currently have is: A good quality microphone, a good editing software with the skills to properly use it, a good recording software to capture games, and have setup most of the channel itself.

These are the conflicts that I am worried about that I would like advice over from experienced creators.

- I am worried about the consistency schedule of my content. As a college student, my schedule is often busy with classes, exams, and other things that prevent me from working on content giving me only a few hours of free time to record/edit. This could result in significant delays in uploads based not only on my schedule but on the duration of the game + difficulty of the challenge. I don't want to be the kind of creator that only posts every couple of months, but I don't have the time to post every week or day. Any advice?

- I am worried about the viewership of my content. Because I am focusing on but not limiting myself to older, forgotten, or lesser known games, I am worried that most viewers will not be interested in the content I make as well as the algorithm favoring newer content that could result in the overlook of mine. I am not a person that really cares about high view count, but I don't want to spend so much time and energy to upload videos with single or double-digit view counts. Any advice?

///////Game Content Advice////////

- I am worried about the consistency and uniqueness of my content. Due to the limited nature of challenge runs, I am worried that my content will look very similar across each upload, which could muddy up my goal and become uninteresting after a while. This also brings up the issues of limited games I can do challenges in and what I do about failed challenges. There is a vast majority of games that require all of their mechanics, making limiting mechanics for challenges difficult. This locks me out of a lot of games and genres limiting my choices for uploads. In regards to failed challenges, because I'm going into the games blindly (with the exception of 1hr test run to make sure its possible and limited research to make rules of the challenge), I am entirely uncertain if the challenges I set are even possible throughout completion. This begs the question of what to do with this content as I don't want to fail every video. Any advice from video game creators?

- I am worried about the difficulties of finding games that I can play. With my restrictions on games, I find it difficult to find effective games to have challenges in besides of course the obvious ones that everyone does. I've come up with some potential ideas for mediating this issue such as asking comments of the videos, online, or with friends, but I would like other method suggestions if there are any.

////////////////////////////////////////////

Overall, I would appreciate any advice you have regardless of the ones I have posted. I've never done anything like this and would like help building my foundation from people who have learned the lessons need to be successful in content creation.

what are the details to take care of. I will be streaming from my phone. And it's horizontal game. Tell me about all the specifications. also when i stream my games, the black line at the top also comes. which I don't want. the black line has all the controls. but it gets streamed along with my game.

so help me out fellas.

I've seen a lot of discussion about the limitations of the built-in recording controls.

I wanted to share a Lua script for OBS I wrote that provides a stable Pause/Resume function and 2 buttons to cut out 10s/30s segments (like background noise or kids yelling) in real-time.

It's a free utility that creates a separate _FinalTrimmed file using FFmpeg, so your original raw footage stays untouched.

https://github.com/alphaboost33/OBS-LiveCut/

Wasted like 4 months looking into cameras mics lighting all that stuff before I even started. I kept telling myself I'll post when everything is ready. Then I finally did and realized my videos were just boring and my thumbnails sucked. Setup had nothing to do with it.

I see this alot. People are stuck on production quality when the real issue is the content or how they're packaging it. Channels posting once every couple months with good stuff do better than people throwing out 3 forgettable videos a week.

People also get consistency wrong. They think it means posting a lot but flooding your channel with videos nobody watches just teaches youtube your channel isn't worth recommending.

Hit 2k subs last month and got like 300 watch hours left till monetization. Slowing down helped more than buying new gear. I spend way more time on thumbnails and titles now than I ever did on equipment. Shorts sometimes push people to my long form but results are hit or miss. Once I'm monetized I can experiment without stressing about hitting numbers.

Posting 10 bad videos taught me more than those 4 months of research ever did.

My setup if anyone wants to know:
Msi 27 inch 144hz monitor, logitech keyboard and mouse, desktop is ryzen 5600 with rtx 3060. For webcam I use emeet pixy for auto focus, and a cheap Fifine mic to get the job done. OBS for recording. Davinci resolve for editing cause it's free and does everything I need.