It's called "niche bending" and it's dominating YouTube right now ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
It's called "niche bending" and it's dominating YouTube right now
| The strategies and insights helping creators grow this week. | | |
| The YouTube Strategy Dominating in 2026 | | | | A creator took a faceless channel from zero to $56,000/month in 30 days using a strategy most YouTubers haven't even heard of yet. It's called "niche bending" — and it completely redefines what a niche actually is. Instead of picking a topic and hoping it works, you map proven viral formats across markets and find the empty squares where no one's competing yet. | | | | |
| YouTube Insider Confirms What We've Been Saying | | We sat down with YouTube's Creator Liaison — a former YouTuber who now works at HQ — and got straight answers on shadow bans, AI monetization, and why your views dropped last year. Turns out, most of what creators believe about the algorithm is wrong. Monetization doesn't affect your reach. The discovery system is deliberately designed to have no knowledge of your monetization status. | | | | |
| FEBRUARY OFFER | | Lock In 35% Off vidIQ Boost - Forever | | New year, new satisfying upload schedule? vidIQ Boost gives you 50+ tools to stay consistent and grow your channel. Lock in this rate now - it stays the same as long as you're subscribed. | | | | Valid on Monthly Boost plans only; not applicable to PayPal payments. Coaching is excluded. | | |
| In Case You Missed It | | Popular content from last week | | 8 Signs Your Small Channel is About to Blow Up | | | | Low views don't always mean you're failing. Sometimes they're the quiet before a breakout. This video breaks down 8 signals that often appear right before a small channel takes off — from engagement patterns to algorithm hints you might be missing. | | | | |
| More From Last Week | | Quick hits and updates you might have missed | | YouTube Just Changed Captions (Again) | | YouTube rolled out another captions update this week. Here's what changed and why it matters for your discoverability. | | | | The Fonts That Actually Get Clicks | | We broke down which thumbnail fonts stop the scroll. Spoiler: if your text isn't readable at 168 pixels, you're invisible. | | | | |
| vidIQ FEATURE HIGHLIGHT | | Keyword Research | | Stop guessing what to make next. Our keyword tool shows you exactly what people are searching for on YouTube — and how hard it'll be to rank.
Compare multiple keywords side-by-side, track momentum in real-time, and find the topics where you can actually compete. It's the fastest way to turn "what should I make?" into a clear answer. | | | | |
| vidIQ Pro Tip ✔ | | Compare multiple keywords at once and spot trends before they peak. Our updated keyword tool shows momentum and velocity - so you can predict what's about to blow up instead of chasing what already did. | | | | |
| Get More from vidIQ | ✓ Read our free articles, listen to podcasts on-the-go. | ✓ Subscribe to our YouTube channel, vidIQ - growth strategies & live reviews. | ✓ Subscribe to our new vidIQ Tutorials channel - step-by-step and how-to videos (new!) | ✓ Join us at upcoming vidIQ events - virtual and in-person. | ✓ Explore vidIQ and grow your channel faster with insights, not guesswork. | | |
| vidIQ Inc.
548 Market St #70172
San Francisco CA 94104, US | | | | |
