One million is a huge number of views, right? Many television shows don’t even break this threshold, so you’ve done something right. But if you’re just starting your YouTube journey and can’t get 100 views, 1 million seems like an impossible feat.
We’re going to give you a blueprint on how to get 1 million views on YouTube.
Before you read any further, we want to be very clear about a few things:
- You need to put in a lot of hard work and effort to hit this milestone.
- Commitment is key. If you’re not committed, don’t even bother trying.
- Failure is certain, but if you continue to follow the steps below, you can hit your goal.
If you’re fine with the three points above, it’s time to begin your journey. But first, let’s answer an important question.
How Hard Is It to Get 1 Million YouTube Views?
YouTube has 2.68 billion users, so if you want one million views, it means just 0.00037 of users need to see your video. It sounds simple, but it’s really not at all. Reddit had an interesting post on this topic with Google estimating that just 0.33% of videos will reach 1 million views.
So, if you think about it, hitting 1 million views is a huge challenge, but it’s also not out of the realm of possibility.
We also want to mention that this is per video. If you mean 1 million views channel-wide, it’s a feat that is much more practical:
- 100 videos, each with 10,000 views = 1 million
- 200 videos, each with 5,000 views = 1 million
- 500 videos, each with 2,000 views = 1 million
But as many creators know, getting even 10 views is hard when you don’t have an audience built up.
What can you do?
Start with the first step in the next section that is sure to help you reach your goal of getting 1 million views on YouTube.
How to Get 1 Million Views on YouTube?
Our blueprint below will help you reach 1 million views on your channel, but it’s a process that takes time. Remain consistent and you’ll start seeing results.
1. Step Up Your Thumbnail Game the Right Way
Mr. Beast (every YouTuber should know him) always states that thumbnails are crucial to getting views. But he has changed his tune a little in recent years due to the recommendation engine going from one video to the next.
With that said, he still recommends:
- Testing thumbnails to see which ones work best.
- Spending time mastering thumbnails.
You might overlook the importance of thumbnails, but they’re really an avalanche of views waiting to pour into your channel.
If you have poor thumbnails, people won’t click on your videos to view them. A few tips to improve your YouTube video thumbnails are:
- Rule of Thirds – Google recommends an interesting image, branding overlay and then descriptive text in what they call the “rule of thirds.”
- Clarity is Crucial – You might create a brilliant full-sized thumbnail, but when it’s resized, it’s blurry and hard to view. Experiment with your thumbnail size to ensure it has the clarity you expect, even when it’s in the standard size.
- Consider Your Title – The title of your video and thumbnail need to work off of each other. If your title and thumbnail don’t have a correlation, people are less likely to view your video.
- Pique People’s Interest – Your thumbnails must pique the viewer’s interest and persuade them to click on your video. Depending on the video, this may mean you being in complete shock – which is evident by the look on your face.
One tip that many creators recommend is to look through Netflix and study the thumbnails on the platform.
Why?
Netflix spends a ton of money on thumbnails and has mastered the art of creating images that are click-worthy. YouTube creators are always learning, and if you’re not analyzing other creators’ thumbnails, you need to start.
One last thing – you can use thumbnail makers to speed up your thumbnail creation.
We have an extensive guide on the best thumbnail makers of 2024, and we found that these tools worked really well:
- Canva – a tool that I personally use a lot – and it comes with stock photos and graphics that you can use to level up your thumbnails.
- VistaCreate – a tool similar to Canva with 100k free templates, 70+ million free photos and designs that you can use and an easy resize feature.
- Placeit – A free tool with a premium option that has hundreds of YouTube thumbnail templates that allow you to instantly transform your images to make them more clickable.
If you want to try out other great thumbnail makers, you can read through the entire guide that we linked up previously.
2. Create Content That’s One in a Million
YouTube has billions of users, and guess what? Everyone is tired of creators who follow the same format and steal ideas from others. You have some major creators who will even watch smaller channels, steal their ideas and remake the video to be almost identical.
If you’re a new creator, you have the benefit of being able to experiment with new video ideas without upsetting your audience.
You should:
- Ditch subpar content ideas
- Brainstorm a lot
- Never be afraid to experiment
Of course, people have covered a lot of topics across niches and industries, which makes it feel like everything you want to do has been done before.
The good news?
You can always take a new angle on a topic or add your own spin that makes it interesting. Planning is one of the major differences between a channel with millions of subscribers and views and one that doesn’t have any.
If you want to create one-in-a-million level content, you’ll want to:
- Study videos in your niche to see what people really like and do not like.
- Brainstorm 100+ ideas and then list the ones that you think are the most unique in order.
- Rinse and repeat.
Since every industry is unique, you’ll want to experiment with new videos and ideas in your industry to get a feel for what’s working and not working right now.
3. Pay for 1 Million Views – Guilt-Free
Want to hit 1 million views fast? Pay for them.
There’s no shame in buying views on YouTube – even the biggest influencers and brands do it.
In fact, you can buy 1 million views right from us here at Viralyft. We offer packages ranging from 500 to one million.
Buying views can give your channel a boost, but make sure that you’re also getting organic views.
4. Break the Cycle With a Consistent Posting Schedule
We’re going to let you in on a secret that almost all of the top creators share: your first 50 – 100 videos will get very few views. In the beginning, you’ll create videos that people will never see.
You need to have thick skin and keep creating content, even though it seems like no one except you and your mom has watched it.
And if you can bear with this challenge, you need to take it one step further by creating a consistent posting schedule. You already have an idea of the topics that you’ll cover from the last tip, so now you’ll want to:
- Add in the day you’ll film the video
- Add the day you’ll edit the video
- Schedule the video to be posted
If you watch your favorite television show and are ready and waiting to watch it every Thursday at 8pm, then you know why posting consistently is important. Your consistency will give your audience something to look forward to every week and increase your views.
Plus, YouTube’s algorithm loves consistency. You’ll find that consistent posting days and times will lead to your videos getting recommended more on the platform and aid in your channel’s growth.
5. Lean on Your Existing Network and Share Your Videos
If you have a following on Instagram, TikTok or other platforms. Why not spend the time to share your videos on these channels? You’re an ardent creator who spends countless hours creating videos and building up your social media footprint.
Don’t disregard sharing your new videos with your audience on other social platforms.
Share your content through:
- X
- TikTok
And if you have a video coming out that you know will be a major hit, don’t be afraid to create “teasers.” A teaser post will alert your followers to the new content well in advance and pique their interest to see what it’s all about.
You can also begin using Shorts to promote upcoming videos on your channel and attract viewers.
6. Stop Being Afraid to Ask Views to Share Your Content
When was the last time you asked your viewers to share your videos? If 1,000 people recommend your video to 10 friends, you instantly have 10,000 potential views that you didn’t have before.
That’s huge, right?
What we recommend is doing the following:
- Ask users in the middle of the video to share it with people who they think will like it.
- Ask users to share the video to their social network.
If you have a goal to hit 1 million views on YouTube, don’t be afraid to make it a challenge. You’ll see this on Twitch. Creators can tell their audience their goal of hitting 1m views, and it will inspire them to share your content and help you reach your goal.
Don’t overuse this tip because it can backfire.
7. Clearly Define Your Audience
Quality, unique content is the best way to get 1 million views on YouTube. But where do you start?
Get to know your audience.
Clearly define your audience, so you know their:
- Interests
- Preferences
- Dislikes
The more you know about your viewers, the better. Why? Because you can create content they want to see and avoid topics they don’t like.
Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to content creation.
How do you get to know your audience?
Start by checking the Audience tab in YouTube Analytics. You’ll find tons of information about your viewers here, including their:
- Gender
- Age range
- Location
- Language
To find out what your audience likes, check the performance of your videos.
- Which videos have the most views?
- Which topics perform best?
- What videos performed the worst?
Analyze your content to answer the question: why do viewers love this video? Use your findings to create more content that people love and want to see.
8. Add Cards and End Screens to Encourage Binge-Watching
Want to keep viewers watching your content? Add cards and end screens to your videos to highlight your other content.
Cards can send viewers to other:
- Videos you’ve created
- Playlists you’ve made
- External websites
- Other channels
End screens can also show other recommended videos from your channel based on the viewer’s individual preferences.
Leverage these tools to encourage viewers to binge-watch your content. You’ll rack up those 1 million views in no time.
9. Build a Tight-Knit YouTube Fam
YouTube viewers LOVE feeling like they’re part of a community – so build one. And make it a tight-knit one.
Put time and effort into engaging with your viewers and getting to know them.
- Respond to their comments
- Host live streams and talk to them
- Give them shoutouts
Community is a powerful thing. Just look at the Yes Theory channel. They’ve built a huge global community that they’re constantly engaging with online and offline. It’s that sense of being a part of something that keeps their subscribers coming back to their content time and time again.
It’s no surprise that most of their videos have at least a million views each.
10. Plug Keywords into Your Titles and Descriptions
Keywords matter on YouTube. They tell other users and YouTube’s algorithm what your video is about.
If you’re not optimizing your descriptions and titles with target keywords, it’s time to start.
But how do you know which keywords to add for each video? Do some research.
Here’s how:
- Use Keyword Research Tools. Ahrefs, for example, has a YouTube-specific search tool to help you find keywords for your videos.
- Check out Your Analytics. Head over to the Research tab on the Analytics section of YouTube Studio. Here you’ll find another tab for “Your viewers’ searches” that lists the keywords your viewers used in the last 28 days. Pay attention to keywords labeled “Content gap.” These are search terms that users struggled to find a relevant video for.
- Use YouTube’s Autocomplete Function. Start typing something relevant to your video’s topic in YouTube’s search and see what the algorithm suggests. Add these keyword ideas to a list.
Once you have a list of potential keywords, narrow it down to just one target keyword. Then, optimize your video by adding your target keyword to your title and description naturally.
You can also add a few other keywords on your list to your tags.
Remember – don’t go overboard. Keyword stuffing is never a good idea.
How Much Does YouTube Pay for 1 Million Views?
YouTubers make about $0.003 per view. That comes out to around $3,000 in total ad revenue for 1 million views. BUT – you don’t get to keep all of those earnings. Google pays long-form creators 55% of the ad revenue they generate.
If we do the math and divide that $3K by 55%, you’re left with $1,650. Not bad.
Remember that this is just an average. Some creators make a lot more money off of 1 million views.
What about YouTube Shorts? That’s an entirely different beast, and the earnings aren’t exactly exciting. The average RPM (pay per 1,000 views) is $0.05. That’s $0.00005 per view, or $50 for 1 million views.
What is the Average Number of Views on a YouTube Video?
According to Descript, the average YouTube video gets 5,594 views. Different niches also have different average views. For example, videos in the science and tech category get an average of 6,638 views. Education videos get an average of 4,872 views.
It’s important to remember that “average” doesn’t necessarily mean “common.” Two videos on similar topics in the same category can have drastically different views.
How Long Does a Person Have to Watch Your Video for It to Count as a View?
To get a view on YouTube, someone has to watch your video for at least 30 seconds. Replays also count as views as long as they’re watching it for 30+ seconds.
