April 3, 2025

You’ve started a YouTube channel, but it’s not growing. The effort is there—but the results aren’t. This article breaks down the core reasons that happens, and what to focus on if you want to move forward.

1. Strategy: Who Are You Helping and Why Should They Care?

The best YouTube channels—and the best videos—solve a clear problem, even if that problem is boredom. If your channel isn’t growing, chances are you haven’t clearly defined what problem you’re solving, or who you’re solving it for—at both the channel and video level.

That doesn’t mean you need to define a narrow niche. Think in terms of giving the target audience a reason to watch. Why would someone watch this video instead of something else? Why would they come back to your channel? What do they walk away with? Who is it for?

If you’re unclear on that, your audience will be too. And the truth is: if you’re trying to make content for everyone, you likely end up making content for no one.

Ask yourself:

  • Who am I making this for?
  • What’s the value of this video to them?
  • Would a complete stranger understand why this matters?

Without this clarity, it’s very hard to grow—because even good content will feel vague or disconnected.

Take a moment fill in the blanks in this sentence:
“My YouTube channel exists to create [type of content] videos that help [target audience] [desired outcome or solve a specific problem].”

The clearer your answer, the easier everything else becomes—from the ideas you choose, to the way you title your videos, to the people who keep coming back.

Here are a few examples:

  1. My YouTube channel exists to create evidence-based videos that help anyone who snores significantly reduce or stop snoring;
  2. My YouTube channel exists to create delicious, gluten-free cooking and baking videos that help people with gluten sensitivities enjoy food without feeling restricted;
  3. My YouTube channel exists to create step-by-step acrylic painting tutorials that help beginners build confidence and start creating art.

2. Focus: Are You Trying to Do Too Much at Once?

A lot of channels fail to grow because they’re spread too thin—different formats, different audiences, different tones. Every video feels like a reset button.

You don’t need to lock yourself into one idea forever, but you do need to build momentum around something specific.

The clearer your focus, the easier it becomes to:

  • Know what to make
  • Know how to title it
  • Build a loyal audience

More importantly: your audience knows what to expect and if that is something they value, you will have them hooked. They will subscribe to your channel. They will binge your content. If you offer products or services outside of YouTube, they are your prospective customers.

Think of it like this: if there was one specific topic your channel could own on YouTube as the absolute go-to channel for that topic, what would it be?

3. Consistency: Not Just in Uploading, But in Direction

People often say, “Just be consistent.” But consistency isn’t only about uploading regularly. It’s about building a body of work that adds up to something.

If someone watches one of your videos and likes it—what happens next? Do your other videos offer more of that value, or is it a completely different vibe?

The channels that grow are the ones where viewers know what to expect—and want more of it.

That doesn’t mean being repetitive, but it does mean applying your focus consistently.

If you have a vegetarian cooking channel, posting a video with 10 yoga poses you learned at a workshop is confusing to your audience—they didn’t subscribe for yoga. If on the other hand you run a yoga channel, a video on the best vegetarian meals to eat before or after a yoga session could actually support the experience your viewers are looking for.

4. Tactics: Make Your Videos Impossible to Ignore

A great video with a weak title and thumbnail won’t get watched. On the other hand, a weak video with a strong title and thumbnail might get clicked—but won’t go far because the video won’t deliver. Ultimately, both are needed for success. Creating a clear promise—and a video that delivers on it—are equally important.

If your video doesn’t look interesting, people won’t click. If the title doesn’t create curiosity or clearly deliver value, it gets ignored.

That doesn’t mean being loud or clickbaity. It means understanding that the decision to watch your video is made almost entirely on the title and thumbnail. Choosing the right topic matters, of course—but let’s assume you’ve done that. Now it’s down to your packaging to get viewers into the video.

Ask yourself:

  • Would this title make my target audience stop scrolling?
  • Does my thumbnail help tell the story—or just decorate the video?
  • If I saw this in my feed, would I click?

Small changes here can unlock major results.

Final Thoughts

If your channel isn’t growing, it’s not because you’re not good enough—or not working hard enough. Usually, a few tweaks can have a massive impact and change the game entirely.

Analyse your channel along the lines of what has been discussed and take action if needed. Refine your strategy. Get clear on who you’re helping. Focus on a direction. Stay consistent. Make your videos impossible to skip—for the right people.

When applied well and executed consistently, growth becomes inevitable and a matter of time. Not overnight, but in a way that lasts.