🎥 Winning on YouTube in 2025

YouTube is still the king of long-form video, but the way to grow fast is changing. Here are strategies that are helping creators right now:

1️⃣ Nail the thumbnail + title – They’re more important than the video itself for clicks. Think of them as your ad.
2️⃣ Hook in 15 seconds – Viewers decide instantly if they’ll stay. Strong intros = higher watch time.
3️⃣ Consistency builds trust – Weekly uploads are better than dropping 5 videos in one week and then going silent.
4️⃣ YouTube Shorts = fast exposure – Posting Shorts alongside long videos can bring in thousands of new subs.
5️⃣ Engage your community – Use polls, pinned comments, and community posts to build a relationship off-video.

💡 Question for discussion:
Do you think Shorts are a shortcut to growth, or is long-form content still the best way to build a loyal YouTube audience?