If you have been posting on YouTube and getting 12 views, 25 views, even 60 views, you might feel like something is wrong. Like the algorithm is punishing you. Like you are doing all this work for nothing.
Let me say this clearly! That slow beginning is normal.
This is Week 5 of the 90 day YouTube challenge, and Week 5 is a common drop off point. People quit too soon. They assume their channel is “stuck,” when in reality they are simply in the quiet growth phase. They stop right before the curve starts to bend upward.
In this post, I am going to break down the YouTube Growth Curve and give you evidence based expectations for early views, plus the exact steps that help you move through the rocky stage faster. You are not shadow banned. You are not failing. You are being analyzed!
And yes, that is actually good news.
Why You Think You Are Failing (When You Are Not!)
Most creators assume YouTube works like TikTok or Instagram.
On short form platforms, it often feels like you post, you get results quickly, and then you move on. If something does not hit, it dies fast. That trains your brain to expect immediate feedback.
YouTube is the opposite. YouTube is a long game platform. It is built around searchability, trust, and recommendation systems that take time to understand who you are, what your channel is about, and who should be watching your videos.
So when you post your first long form videos and the views are low, your brain fills in the gap with a painful story:
“This is not working.”
“I am not good at this.”
“The algorithm hates me.”
That story is not true!
The more accurate story is this:
YouTube is studying you. It is watching what you post. It is figuring out your niche. It is learning what kind of viewer stays, clicks, comments, and watches more videos after yours.
That early stage is not failure, it is training data!
The Most Important YouTube Statistic You Need To Know!
Here is the stat that should instantly calm your nervous system!
60 to 80 percent of views on YouTube come from content that is between 30 and 180 days old.
Read that again.
That means the views you want are often not coming in the first 24 hours. They are coming weeks or months later.
It is extremely common for a video to sit quietly, then later get picked up by search or recommendations. Even videos that are 300 days old, 600 days old, or over 1,000 days old can suddenly spike when YouTube finds the right audience.
So if you post today and get 20 views, that does not mean it is “dead.” It means it is planted.
YouTube is a library, not a lottery ticket.
The YouTube Growth Curve Explained
In Petfluencer Secrets, I talk about the YouTube Growth Curve constantly because it explains what creators experience, especially in the beginning.
Here is the simplified curve:
Phase 1: Experimentation
At first, your channel is all over the place. Your videos might feel inconsistent. Your topics might be unclear. You are learning pacing, editing, storytelling, thumbnails, and titles all at once.
Phase 2: Pattern Recognition
Over time, you start noticing what works. A certain hook performs better. A certain topic holds retention longer. A certain style makes people comment.
Phase 3: Fine Tuning
Now you begin improving templates, tightening your niche, and increasing trust with YouTube. Your audience starts engaging more predictably.
Phase 4: Acceleration
This is the phase most creators want, where views become more consistent, growth speeds up, and monetization becomes realistic. At this stage, you are confident in your process, and improvements are about strategy, not survival!
The phase you are likely in right now is what I call the quiet growth phase. It can last anywhere from 1 to 12 weeks. It is not glamorous, but it is the most important stage you will ever experience because it determines whether you keep going long enough to reach acceleration.
What View Counts Are Normal In The Beginning?
Let us talk about real numbers, because you need a frame of reference.
Within your first 30 days:
It is extremely normal to get 25 to 200 views on long form videos.
You might have a random outlier, like a Short that hits 1,200 views, but your long form may feel slow. That is expected.
Within the first 8 to 10 weeks:
It is very normal for videos to look “flat,” meaning they get a small push, then stop. It can feel like your analytics line just goes up a little and then freezes.
That is not failure. That is YouTube testing your content with small audiences and gathering signals.
Between video 10 and video 30:
It is normal to finally hit around 1,000 views on a long form video somewhere in that range.
Here is the key idea many creators never hear:
YouTube does not really know or trust you until around video 30.
So if you are on video 6 and panicking, you are judging yourself way too early!
The First 1,000 Subscribers Are the Hardest
If your goal is the YouTube Partner Program, then yes, it can feel intense in the beginning.
But here is another truth!
Your first 1,000 subscribers are typically the hardest. After that, your next 1,000 often comes faster. Then 10,000 becomes easier than the first 1,000 ever was. Then 100,000 becomes easier than you think once your systems, niche, and audience are locked in.
This is why I challenge you to post one long form video per week for 90 days. Those 12 videos are not the finish line, they are the bridge that gets you through the muddy beginning without quitting!
“It’s Not the Algorithm,” So What Is It?
If your views are stuck, it is usually one of these things:
1. Your titles and thumbnails are not strong enough yet
2. Your retention needs improvement
3. Your niche signals are still unclear
4. You are not giving YouTube enough data through consistency
The good news! Every single one of those is fixable.
Let us talk about the most important upgrades you can make right now.
Step 1: Upgrade Your Titles and Thumbnails
This is basic advice, but it is powerful.
Changing your title alone can improve your click through rate by 10 percent or more. That is huge!
A higher click through rate tells YouTube, “People want this.” When YouTube sees that signal, it is more likely to recommend the video to more viewers.
Here are simple ways to improve titles:
Add emotional words
Make a bold claim
Create curiosity
Keep it simple and searchable
Use light ambiguity without lying
Important reminder! True clickbait is when the promise is bigger than the value. Avoid that. You want curiosity plus real payoff.
You can also use ChatGPT to generate title variations, especially if you train it on your brand voice and niche. In Petfluencer Foundations, I teach a full training module on how to train ChatGPT so it understands your tone, phrasing, and style. When you do this correctly, it becomes a title generating machine!
Step 2: Focus on Long Form for Faster Monetization
Some people ask, “Why not focus on Shorts?”
Here is why!
One long form video with 1,000 views can have the same impact as 20 to 30 Shorts with 1,000 views each, especially when it comes to trust building, searchability, and monetization potential.
Long form builds deeper audience connection. It keeps people on your channel longer. It drives affiliate clicks more reliably. It attracts higher quality brand leads. It is not even close.
Shorts can help, but long form is the engine.
Step 3: Fix Retention, It Is the View Multiplier
Retention is a gold mine. Your analytics are literally telling you exactly where viewers leave.
If people click and leave at 8 seconds, that is an intro problem.
If they leave at 2 minutes, that is a pacing problem.
If they stay for 8 minutes, that is a trust and storytelling win!
Retention improvements change everything because higher retention leads to more recommendations, more watch time, and faster channel growth.
This is why YouTube is so powerful. You can see second by second drop offs. You can learn your audience in a way that Instagram and TikTok simply do not offer at the same level.
Step 4: Stop Taking Low Views Personally
Here is where identity engineering comes back in.
During the quiet growth phase, your job is to stop telling yourself destructive stories.
Instead of “I am failing,” try:
“I am in the data collection phase.”
“YouTube is learning my audience.”
“Every upload is building trust.”
“I am getting one percent better every week.”
This mindset is not fluffy. It is what keeps you from quitting before the curve turns upward!
Final Encouragement!
YouTube is different. It is slower at first, but it rewards you more long term than almost any other platform.
YouTube values creators. YouTube monetization potential is stronger than most platforms. YouTube builds real community. And your growth is coming if you stay consistent and intentional!
If you commit to one long form video per week, and you make one percent improvements each time, you are building the foundation for future acceleration and monetization.
You are not stuck. You are early!
If you want more support, check the free resources and mini course, and if you are in the programs, post your Week 5 video in the Discord so I can help you identify your one percent improvement this week!
Next week is also a very exciting topic, and it will give you even more tangible steps! I cannot wait to see what you create!
FAQs
Why are my YouTube views stuck even when I post consistently?
Because YouTube often needs time to learn your niche and audience. In the early phase, videos can stay low for weeks before YouTube starts recommending them more.
Is it normal to get under 100 views on YouTube?
Yes! For new channels, 25 to 200 views in the first month is common. This is part of the quiet growth phase.
How long does it take for YouTube to start pushing your videos?
Many creators see stronger traction between weeks 8 to 12, and often around videos 10 to 30. YouTube tends to trust channels more after consistent uploads.
What is the fastest way to get more views on YouTube?
Improve titles and thumbnails to raise click through rate, then improve retention so viewers keep watching longer. Those two factors work together to increase recommendations.
Should I focus on Shorts or long form to grow faster?
Long form is often better for monetization, trust, and long term growth. One long form video can have a similar impact to many Shorts because it builds deeper watch time and audience connection.
What analytics should I watch if my views are low?
Start with click through rate, average view duration, and retention graphs. These show whether people are clicking and whether they stay once they do.
