@Alexa Saarenoja’s post re: YT links really hit home for me today. And after reading some of the thoughtful (and worried) comments from members here, I figured—why not put myself out there? So here I am, sharing one of my “unlisted” videos and my channel strategy. My channel isn’t like most others here. It’s all about young siblings going on brave adventures together, with a focus on teaching storytelling to young learners—a key part of language development. And the stars? My own kids. I may not be in front of the camera, but the same YouTube fundamentals apply: algorithm, reach, CTR, watch time, subs, thumbnails, hooks, you name it. I’m here to learn from all of you and share what I’ve figured out along the way. Quick YouTube History: ✔️ First channel: Less than 3 months old ✔️ 7 videos | 400 subs | 100K+ views 🔥 Was on track for 1M+ views... until ONE setting change killed momentum overnight (ouch). 🎬 Launching a new channel now (for multiple reasons, not just the algorithm hit). ❤️ 100% of monetization goes to my kids' education (minus our tightly budgeted production costs). 📊 My kids are hands-on—they’re involved in content creation, budgeting, and even the business side of things (a great intro to entrepreneurship). ✅ Fair Use & Monetization: I create videos with character/studio themes that follow Fair Use guidelines. I know some might not be monetizable, but that’s okay—I consider them “marketing expenses.” What I’ve Learned: "Made for Kids" Content is an Uphill Battle 💡 Preschool content is chosen by parents, not kids—so breaking into the space means competing with trusted mega-brands like Cocomelon, Blippi, and Ms. Rachel. 💡 No engagement: YouTube disables comments for kid-focused content, making it harder to grow a community. 💡 Big players dominate: The preschool space is flooded with corporations with massive budgets and studio-level production. Still, I believe in my content and am excited about this journey. I’d love to hear what you’re working on and what strategies you’ve found successful!

I saw a video about shadow banning and wondering if that is happening to my account. just curious if anyone knows anything about it?

Hello everyone! I have 2 questions: I am setting up my Youtube channel and have heard that it's safest not to have your personal email associated with it. I already have a Google account with an email associated with it. Should I open another Google account and create another Gmail separate from my existing one solely for my Youtube channel? I wanted to use the avatar (above) for my Youtube channel, but as it's the same photo as my personal Goggle account, would that lead to a problem? What did you do? Thanks for your thoughts!

Which thumbnail would you be more likely to click on? Thanks! Pig in background or solid color background? https://youtu.be/JFg1IDPwK80?si=Cicjwyg-WW9jDsjD

How important are the titles? the reason I'm asking is that I have seen some channels in my research phase that are in my genre but not really putting titles that are popular and they still get tons of views so I'm a little confused by this.