Why Small YouTube Channels Should Focus on Search First (Not Subscribers)
One mistake many new YouTubers make is focusing too much on getting subscribers instead of getting views from YouTube Search.
The truth is:
Search traffic is one of the easiest ways for small channels to grow.
Here’s how you can take advantage of it.
Step 1: Target Questions People Are Already Searching
YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world. That means millions of people are searching for answers every day.
Instead of guessing what to post, create videos answering questions like:
- How to start a YouTube channel
- How to get subscribers on YouTube
- How to grow a small YouTube channel
When your video answers a real question, YouTube can recommend it to people actively searching for that topic.
Step 2: Put the Search Keyword at the Beginning of Your Title
Your title should clearly tell YouTube what the video is about.
Example:
Bad title:
"My Thoughts on Growing on YouTube"
Better title:
"How to Grow a Small YouTube Channel in 2025"
Putting the keyword at the beginning helps YouTube understand your content faster.
Step 3: Repeat the Keyword in the First Two Lines of Your Description
Many creators ignore this step.
The first two lines of your description help YouTube confirm what your video is about.
Example:
"In this video I explain how to grow a small YouTube channel in 2025 using simple strategies that beginners can follow."
This reinforces your main keyword.
Real Example
Many small creators grow their first 1,000 subscribers mostly from search traffic.
Once YouTube sees people clicking and watching your videos from search, it becomes easier for the algorithm to recommend your videos on the homepage later.
Search traffic is often the first growth engine for new channels.
Actionable Tip
Before creating your next video, go to YouTube search and start typing your topic.
Look at the auto-suggestions that appear.
Those suggestions are real things people are searching for right now.
Make videos answering those questions.
Discussion
Do you currently get more views from Search or from Browse features?
Drop your experience below 👇
This is interesting. I always thought subscribers were the most important thing when starting out. Never really paid attention to search traffic before
I tried targeting a search keyword last month and that video is now my most viewed video. It only has 2k views but it's way more than my other videos.
Quick question - how many keywords should we focus on for one video? Just one main keyword or multiple?
Cynthia Great question. Ideally focus on one main keyword and then a few related keywords naturally in your title and description. That helps YouTube clearly understand the topic of your video.