Top 5 YouTube Tips for Beginners: How to Grow Your Channel

Starting a YouTube channel is exciting, but it can feel overwhelming if you’re brand new to video creation and sharing content online. Whether you want to share your passion, build a community, or even grow a business, knowing where to begin (and which steps to prioritize) makes all the difference.

In this guide, we’ll cover the top 5 YouTube tips for beginners to help you grow your channel with clarity and confidence. From creating thumbnails that get clicks to posting consistently, streamlining your workflow, and choosing the right music, these tips are practical, proven, and easy to implement ✔️

Whether you’re just uploading your first video or trying to get your first 100 subscribers, top YouTube tips for beginners will help you to stay focused, avoid burnout, and start growing your channel effectively. Let’s dive in!

Top 5 YouTube Tips for Beginners – Table of Contents

1. Thumbnails That Get Clicked
2. How Often Should You Post to Grow on YouTube?
3. Use the Right Tools to Make Content Creation Easier
4. Build a Step-by-Step YouTube Workflow You Can Stick To
5. How to Add Music Like a Pro

Plus: FAQs on Top YouTube Tips for Beginners

1. Thumbnails That Get Clicked

Tip 1 of 5 – YouTube tips for beginners

Your thumbnail is the single most important factor in improving your YouTube click-through rate (CTR) and getting someone to choose to watch your video from their feed, which is why it’s first in our list of the top YouTube tips for beginners. Even with great content, a weak or confusing thumbnail can hold your channel back and prevent potential new viewers from watching your videos. For new creators, learning how to design thumbnails that stand out is a critical early win and key to growing your channel.

The best-performing thumbnails are visually bold, emotionally engaging, and optimized for both mobile & TV screens – key elements for catching attention in today’s crowded YouTube feed.

📋 Apply these 5 proven design tips to design thumbnails that attract views and help grow your YouTube channel.

1. Use High Contrast to Stand Out

High-contrast thumbnails (for example, a dark background paired with bright, bold text) immediately grab your attention in YouTube feeds. This is especially important for viewers on mobile devices, who make up the majority of YouTube’s audience. Contrast helps your thumbnail pop even on smaller screens.

✅ Pro Tip: Use colors with strong contrast to make your thumbnails pop. Increasing both image saturation and brightness helps counteract YouTube’s automatic compression, which can dull your thumbnail’s appearance after upload.

2. Add Emotion with Expressive Faces

Thumbnails featuring human faces showing clear or dramatic emotions (like surprise, joy, or curiosity) consistently outperform those with landscape images or text alone. A human face and emotion can create an instant connection with viewers and will encourage clicks by hinting at an engaging story or reaction.

✅ Pro Tip: Use close-up shots instead of full-body images to clearly capture facial expressions and create a stronger emotional connection.

3. Zoom In on Key Visuals

Small details can easily get lost on mobile devices. Try cropping your thumbnail tightly around key elements so viewers can quickly understand the topic of the video, even on tiny screens. Clear, focused visuals can boost click-throughs and give your videos a polished look.

✅ Pro Tip: Avoid wide shots with tiny details that are hard to see on smartphones.

4. Use Short, Bold Text

Use text overlays of brief, punchy phrases (3 to 5 words) that highlight the video’s main hook. Examples include: “How I Got 1,000 Subs” or “My YouTube Setup Tour” (but not necessarily the full video title). Keep your thumbnails simple and uncluttered, as too much text or busy visuals reduce readability.

✅ Pro Tip: When in doubt, use fewer words. Your thumbnail and video title should work together to spark curiosity and draw viewers in.

5. Tell a Visual Story

A great thumbnail successfully teases the content of your video. Whether it shows a before-and-after transformation, a surprising reveal, or a dramatic reaction, it should give viewers a clear reason to click and watch the entire video. Think of your thumbnail as a mini movie poster that teases the content inside.

✅ Pro Tip: Avoid clickbait. Ensure your thumbnail accurately represents your video content to keep viewers engaged beyond the first few seconds.

Tools to Design YouTube Thumbnails for Beginners

Creating professional thumbnails can be easy, and surprisingly fun with the right tools. Before you start designing, keep in mind YouTube’s recommended thumbnail size and specifications to ensure your images look crisp and display properly on all devices:

• Recommended Size: 1280 x 720 pixels
• Minimum Width: 640 pixels
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9 (standard widescreen)
• File Types: JPG, PNG, GIF, or BMP
• Maximum File Size: 2 MB

For more specific details on YouTube thumbnail specifications, check out YouTube’s official custom thumbnail best practices here.

✅ Using these specs is one of the essential YouTube tips for beginners – it will help your thumbnails appear clear and professional across every device, from desktops to mobiles, and TVs.

Beginner-Friendly Tools to Create Eye-Catching Thumbnails:

• Canva: Intuitive drag-and-drop templates for YouTube thumbnails. Perfect for beginners without design experience.
• Adobe Express: Offers professional templates and easy editing tools for creators who want polished results fast.
• Figma: Great for creators or teams who need precise control and collaborative design features.

2. How Often Should You Post to Grow on YouTube?

Tip 2 of 5 – YouTube tips for beginners

One of the biggest questions new creators ask is: “How often should I post videos to grow my YouTube channel?” Among the top YouTube tips for beginners, understanding that consistency matters far more than frequency is key to sustainable growth on YouTube.

YouTube’s algorithm rewards creators who upload on a regular, predictable schedule. When you stay consistent, YouTube knows when to serve your videos to subscribers and new viewers. Rather than trying to post every day (which can easily lead to burnout) focus on a regular posting schedule you can comfortably maintain for the long haul.

Top Scheduling YouTube Tips for Beginners:

✅ Consistency beats quantity. Pick a schedule you can realistically keep up for 6 months or longer.
✅ Avoid burnout. Set achievable goals that prioritize quality content over simply uploading more videos.

Recommended Upload Schedules by Channel Type:

The ideal posting frequency can vary depending on your channel’s focus and content style. Below, we share a few upload schedules by channel type to help you find a routine that fits your goals and keeps your audience engaged.

• Vlog & Lifestyle Creators: Post 1–2 times per week. This cadence will keep your audience engaged without overwhelming your schedule, allowing time to polish your storytelling and editing.
• Tutorial & Educational Channels: Upload weekly or biweekly. Educational videos have a longer discovery shelf life, so it’s less important to publish videos constantly. Instead, focus on creating high quality content that can stand the test of time.
• Shorts-First Creators: Aim for 3–5 YouTube Shorts per week. Shorts thrive on posting volume as they have a quick consumption cycle. We recommend batching your content to help prevent fatigue.

Bottom Line for Beginners: Create a Content Calendar

Ultimately, one of the most important YouTube tips for beginners looking to transition from part-time to full-time creator is to create a content calendar that fits your lifestyle and creative process. Whether that means posting daily, once a week, or twice a month, your viewers (and the YouTube algorithm) will reward you for consistency. Sustainable channel growth is built on steady effort and quality videos, not just number of videos uploaded.

3. Use the Right Tools to Make Content Creation Easier

Tip 3 of 5 – YouTube tips for beginners

The right tools make YouTube creation faster, smoother, and less overwhelming. You don’t need pro-level gear to start – just simple, reliable apps that support each stage of your process.

Here are some beginner-friendly essentials:

🖼 Thumbnail Design Tools

• Canva: A beginner-friendly graphic design platform with easy drag-and-drop templates perfect for creating eye-catching YouTube thumbnails.
• Snappa: Fast and intuitive image creation designed specifically for YouTube thumbnails, helping you produce polished visuals quickly.

✂️ Video Editing Tools

• CapCut: A mobile-first, user-friendly video editor great for creators who want to edit on the go without a steep learning curve.
• DaVinci Resolve: Professional-level video editing software for creators ready to take their videos to the next level with advanced features.

🎵 Copyright-Safe Music

• Thematic: A trusted source of royalty-free music for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram Reels, and more. Perfect for creators who want to add high-quality soundtracks without copyright risks.
• YouTube Audio Library: A free library of royalty-free tracks and sound effects available directly within YouTube Studio. Ideal for creators just getting started.

📆 Scheduling & Optimization Tools

• TubeBuddy: An essential SEO and publishing tool that helps optimize your YouTube channel and videos for maximum reach.
• Notion / Google Sheets: Powerful tools to organize your content calendar, track video ideas, and plan scripts to stay consistent and efficient.

✅ Beginner Tip: Don’t try to use every tool at once. Start with one for thumbnails, one for editing, and one for organization. As your channel grows, you can add more tools to your kit (but even the basics will help you create faster and with less stress).

🎒 Bonus Resource: Check out Thematic’s Creator Toolkit for free tools, step-by-step guides, and plug-and-play strategies created by and for video creators.

Once you’ve got the right tools in place, the next step is building a simple workflow that keeps you consistent.

4. Build a Step-by-Step YouTube Workflow You Can Stick To

Tip 4 of 5 – YouTube tips for beginners

One of the fastest ways to burn out as a new creator is treating every video as a brand-new project from scratch. That’s why one of the most important YouTube tips for beginners is to build a repeatable workflow – a step-by-step process you can rely on for every video.

Instead of reinventing the wheel each time, create a structure that keeps you organized, reduces stress, and helps you stay consistent.

A Beginner-Friendly YouTube Workflow

Think of your workflow as a roadmap:

Plan → Script → Shoot → Edit → Thumbnail → Publish → Promote

• Plan – Jot down your video idea, main talking points, and the value you want viewers to take away.
• Script/Outline – Even quick bullet points will keep you focused and cut down on rambling.
• Film – Try batching your filming sessions (record 2–3 videos at once) to save time.
• Edit – Focus on clarity and pacing over perfection. Viewers care more about value than fancy effects.
• Thumbnail & Title – Draft these early. They’ll guide your creative decisions and help you edit with purpose.
• Publish – Use YouTube’s scheduling tool to keep your uploads consistent.
• Promote – Share your video on social media, add it to playlists, and link it from past videos to give it an early push.

✅ Pro Tip: Treat your workflow like a template. Over time, you can refine each step, but keeping the order consistent will save you hours and help you publish on a regular schedule.

5. How to Add Music Like a Pro (without Copyright Issues)

Tip 5 of 5 – YouTube tips for beginners

Music is one of the most powerful YouTube tips for beginners because it can shape your video’s overall pace, mood, and emotional impact. However, using copyrighted tracks without permission can cause serious issues like demonetization, video takedowns, or blocked views. It’s essential to choose your music carefully to protect your channel and keep your content claim-free (and your creative process stress-free).

Protect Your Channel by Using Copyright-Safe Music

Always choose licensed music or copyright-free tracks designed for creators. This key tip will keep your content claim-free and your monetization intact once you’re part of the YouTube Partner Program.

🎵 Thematic is a music licensing platform designed for YouTube creators. With Thematic, you get access to free, pre-cleared songs by real artists, so you never have to worry about copyright claims or takedowns.

Why Use Thematic for Your YouTube Videos?

With Thematic, creators:

• Access a wide library of fully licensed, royalty-free music tailored for video creators
• Discover songs by vibe, theme, or genre to perfectly match your content
• Enjoy worry-free uploads with zero copyright claims or demonetization risks

The best part is, creating an account on Thematic is totally free. Whether you’re creating vlogs, tutorials, or social media videos, Thematic is the go-to music library for creators.

Best Practices for Using Music in YouTube Videos:

Incorporating music thoughtfully is an essential YouTube tip for beginners to help your videos feel polished and keep viewers coming back for more. Here are a few of our top YouTube tips for beginners for strategically using music in your videos:

• Start with the song: Choose your soundtrack before you begin editing. Your video soundtrack can shape your video’s pacing, transitions, and overall mood. By starting with the song, you’ll make the editing process smoother and often more inspiring.
• Match your music to your video’s mood: Successful creators consistently recommend choosing songs that complement the vibe of their content. Use cinematic and inspiring music for tutorials, upbeat pop songs for energetic vlogs, or calming lofi beats to enhance background B-roll. Selecting the right soundtrack helps set the tone and keeps viewers emotionally connected.
• Enhance, don’t distract: Keep the music volume low during voiceovers or dialogue so it doesn’t compete with your other audio layers. Then, let the music shine during silent moments or transitions to keep your viewers emotionally engaged.

✅ FAQs on the Top YouTube Tips for Beginners

Got questions about the top YouTube tips for beginners or on growing your YouTube channel as a beginner? Whether you’re unsure how often to post, how to make your videos clickable, or where to find copyright-safe music, these beginner FAQs cover the most common concerns, with clear, actionable answers to help you grow faster and more confidently.

What are the most important tips for growing a YouTube channel as a beginner?

One of the most essential YouTube tips for beginners is to: focus on consistency, not perfection.

Aim to post regularly, design bold thumbnails, optimize your titles and descriptions with keywords, and engage with your viewers. Don’t forget to use copyright-safe music to elevate your content without risking claims.

How do new creators grow on YouTube?

Start small and focused: post once a week, use engaging thumbnails, and choose music that matches your content’s vibe. Focus on delivering value in every video. Remember, you’re looking to build a sustainable and thriving channel (not a one-hit viral video). True YouTube growth comes from consistency and quality over time.

What’s the best YouTube growth strategy?

Stick to the basics that work:

• Cross-promote your videos on social platforms
• Post consistently based on your community and content niche
• Use strong thumbnails and searchable titles (no clickbait)
• Write keyword-rich descriptions that provide viewers with additional context

How often should I post videos to grow my channel?

There’s no magic number, but as we’ve said, consistency is key to YouTube growth.

For most beginners, consider posting at this frequency:

• Vlogs/Tutorials: 1 to 2 times per week
• YouTube Shorts: 3 to 5 Shorts per week

Ultimately, commit to a schedule you can maintain for the long term.

How can I make thumbnails that get more clicks?

Use high contrast colors, clear faces, and short text (3–5 words) that teases the content of your video. A good thumbnail should grab viewers’ attention and make them want to learn more. Remember, it’s important to make sure that your thumbnail works on all devices (not just computers).

Can I use free music without worrying about copyright?

Yes. Use music from platforms like Thematic or the YouTube Audio Library. They provide pre-cleared, royalty-free tracks so you can safely add music without risking demonetization.

What tools can help simplify the video creation process?

Some of our favorite beginner-friendly tools for creators include:

• Thematic – for high-quality, claim-free music
• Canva – for quick, eye-catching thumbnails
• CapCut – mobile-friendly video editing
• TubeBuddy – to optimize your content for search
• Notion or Google Sheets – to organize your ideas and stay consistent

But check out our Creator Toolkit to explore all of our recommendations.

Do I need expensive equipment to start on YouTube?

You definitely do not need expensive equipment to get started on YouTube. In fact, many creators start their channels with their smartphone and free editing tools. Don’t worry about investing in equipment right away. Instead, focus on good lighting, clear audio, and compelling content.

How long should my YouTube videos be?

Let your content determine the length, not the other way around. Focus on creating value for your viewers instead of making your videos a specific length. A clear, well-paced 6-minute video will outperform a dragged-out 12-minute one (and generally drive more overall watch time). But, as a general guide:

• Tutorials & vlogs: Aim for 5–10 minutes
• YouTube Shorts: Stay under 60 seconds

The priority is always quality and watch time. If viewers stick around until the end, your video is the right length.

Final Thoughts: Start Small, Stay Consistent, and Keep Creating

Every successful YouTuber started where you are: figuring things out one step at a time. To effectively grow your channel, focus on mastering the basics with these key YouTube tips for beginners:

• 🎯 Craft thumbnails that make people click
• 📅 Stick to a realistic upload schedule you can maintain
• 🔄 Build a simple, repeatable creative workflow
• 🎵 Choose music that enhances your content and avoids copyright issues
• 🛠 Use creator-friendly tools to streamline your process

You don’t need to do everything at once. Growth on YouTube comes from consistency, creativity, and steady improvement – not overnight virality.

Ready to level up your videos with claim-free music? Join Thematic for free and access songs from real artists trusted by 1M+ creators.

We hope this guide featuring our top 5 YouTube tips for beginners helps you on your journey. You’re well on your way to creating awesome videos, and we can’t wait to see what you create!

Looking for more free creator tools and resources? Visit Thematic’s Creator Toolkit for additional resources on creating content – including thumbnail and channel art templates, best practices, and of course, great royalty free songs to use in your videos for free with Thematic.

This guide to the Top 5 YouTube Tips for Beginners is brought to you by Thematic Co-Founder & COO Audrey Marshall

With a background in entertainment PR (via Chapman University), Audrey has led digital strategy for music artists, content creators, and brands. From brand campaigns for Macy’s, American Cancer Society, and the L’Oréal luxe family of brands, to music-driven influencer marketing campaigns for Interscope Records, Warner Music, AWAL, and Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas (featuring creators such as Lexy Panterra, Blogilates, Mandy Jiroux, Matt Steffanina, and Seán Garnier), she is an expert in navigating the influencer marketing space. Audrey has also developed and managed some of the leading beauty, lifestyle, and dance channels on YouTube.

Certified across the board with YouTube, Audrey has a specific focus on digital rights management for music assets, running multiple SRAV-enabled CMS. She is passionate about working with other builders in the space for a more transparent digital rights ecosystem.

At Thematic, Audrey leads the product team and oversees operations. She has driven partnerships with leading talent and music companies, including Songtrust, Kobalt/AWAL, Select Management, BBTV, ipsy, and Black Box, and has helped the platform grow to a thriving community of 1M+ content creators who have posted 1.6M+ videos using the platform, driving 60B+ music streams and $120M+ in earned media value for independent music artists.