Every week we run live sessions for our Community Leadership Core members and we often bring in experts in their field where we ask questions and learn from their experience.

Kunal Kushwaha is Field CTO at CIVO and has built a YouTube channel of 680,000+ subscribers. He has cracked the code on creating content that performs well, and he shared 10 amazing recommendations in our live session together with our members.

1. Dial In Your Audience

The first step to building a successful channel is knowing your audience. Kunal emphasized that understanding your target viewers is crucial—what are their challenges, interests, and needs? For Kunal, his focus on developers led him to create content that resonated with tech enthusiasts and those looking for open-source knowledge.

For example, early on, Kunal noticed that his audience wanted more content around Kubernetes, a topic that wasn’t being addressed in-depth by many YouTubers. He shifted his content to meet this demand, which helped grow his subscriber base significantly.‍

Practical Tip: Use YouTube’s analytics to identify what content is resonating most with your viewers. Read comments and pay attention to recurring questions—these will give you clues on what to focus on next.

2. Consistency Is Key

Kunal stressed that consistent posting is vital for growth, both in terms of audience retention and YouTube’s algorithm. For his own channel, he committed to posting at least once a week. By doing so, he ensured his audience knew when to expect new content, which helped build loyalty and trust.

In the early stages, Kunal wasn’t always able to produce high-quality videos due to time constraints, but his consistent schedule helped him build momentum. Over time, as his production process improved, he was able to produce better-quality videos without missing deadlines.‍

Practical Tip: Set a realistic posting schedule based on your bandwidth. Kunal suggests starting with one video per week and gradually scaling up as you get more comfortable.

3. Start Simple, Then Refine

Many YouTubers hesitate to start because they feel their production quality isn’t good enough. Kunal’s advice: just start. He shared how his initial videos weren’t perfect—his camera quality was average, and his editing was basic—but what mattered was the value he provided.

Over time, as his channel grew, he reinvested in better equipment, like a higher-quality microphone and better lighting. These upgrades didn’t happen overnight but were part of an ongoing process of refinement.

For example, one of Kunal’s first videos on Kubernetes was shot using a basic webcam and natural lighting. Despite the modest production quality, it quickly became one of his most-watched videos because the content filled a gap in the market.

Practical Tip: Use what you have and improve over time. Focus on delivering valuable content and worry about perfecting production later.

4. Solve Real Problems

Kunal’s channel took off when he began focusing on problem-solving content. For developers, this meant creating tutorials that addressed common challenges, such as setting up Kubernetes clusters or troubleshooting Docker issues.

By providing practical, actionable solutions, Kunal’s videos became resources that viewers returned to over and over. His how-to content not only drove engagement but also positioned him as a go-to expert in the DevRel space.

For example, one of Kunal’s most popular videos, "Kubernetes Tutorial For Beginners" walks viewers through a common problem step-by-step. It continues to generate views months after it was uploaded, thanks to the evergreen nature of the topic.

Practical Tip: Think about the top problems your audience faces and create videos that address those challenges. This type of content tends to have long-term value, keeping viewers coming back.

5. Thumbnails + Title = Views

Kunal emphasized that thumbnails and titles are your video’s first impression. No matter how good the content is, if your thumbnail and title aren’t enticing, viewers may scroll past. He shared that his early thumbnails were simple screenshots from his videos, but he soon realized the importance of creating eye-catching visuals.

As he experimented, he found that clear, bold text and vibrant colors worked best for his audience. Similarly, his titles shifted from generic descriptions to more engaging phrases that included keywords his audience was searching for.‍‍

For example, for a video about getting started with Kubernetes setup he initially used a plain screenshot. After redesigning the thumbnail with a bolder color scheme and including the text “Step-by-Step Guide,” the click-through rate increased by 15%.

Practical Tip: Use tools like Canva to design thumbnails, and make sure your titles include keywords people are actively searching for. Test different styles to see what works best for your audience.

6. Engage With Your Viewers

Building a community around your channel is essential for growth, and Kunal is a firm believer in engaging with viewers. He makes an effort to reply to comments, ask for feedback, and incorporate suggestions into future videos. This creates a sense of connection and loyalty among his viewers.

For example, after posting a video on Kubernetes, Kunal received a lot of questions in the comments about integrating it with Jenkins. Rather than just replying, he created a follow-up video addressing this integration, which not only helped his audience but also drove engagement on both videos.

Practical Tip: Allocate time after uploading a video to respond to comments. Ask viewers questions to encourage interaction and consider creating follow-up content based on their suggestions.

7. Experiment with Different Formats

Kunal learned early-on that experimenting with video formats keeps his content fresh and engaging. He started with tutorial-style videos but later introduced live coding sessions, Q&A videos, and behind-the-scenes vlogs. Each format offered something different to his audience and helped him cater to different viewer preferences.

For example, his live coding sessions attracted viewers who wanted to see real-time problem-solving, while his vlogs gave a more personal insight into his day-to-day work. These live coding sessions were initially a risk—he wasn’t sure if his audience would enjoy them. But after trying it out, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, leading him to make live streams a regular part of his content strategy.

Practical Tip: Don’t be afraid to try different video formats. Whether it’s a tutorial, vlog, or live stream, diversifying your content keeps your audience engaged and gives you a better understanding of what resonates.

8. Leverage Data and Analytics

Kunal regularly uses YouTube analytics to refine his content strategy. He shared how, by monitoring his audience retention rates, he was able to identify which parts of his videos were losing viewers. This insight helped him make changes to his video structure, such as cutting down introductions and getting to the main content faster.

He also pays close attention to watch time, click-through rates, and traffic sources to understand which videos are driving the most engagement and why.

For example, Kunal noticed that his average audience retention dropped significantly during the first two minutes of several videos. By cutting down on lengthy intros and getting straight into the content, he was able to increase retention by 20%.

Practical Tip: Review your YouTube analytics regularly to identify patterns in audience behavior. Use these insights to make data-driven adjustments to your content strategy.

9. Collaborate with Other Creators

Collaboration is one of the fastest ways to grow a YouTube channel. Kunal has collaborated with other developers and tech influencers in his niche, which allowed him to tap into their audiences. These collaborations ranged from guest appearances on each other’s channels to co-hosting live streams.

As one example, Kunal partnered with another tech YouTuber for a series of videos on DevOps tools. This collaboration not only introduced him to a new audience but also provided more value to his existing viewers by offering a fresh perspective.

Practical Tip: Look for creators in your niche and reach out for potential collaborations. Cross-promoting each other’s content can introduce you to new subscribers and diversify your content.

10. Stay Adaptable and Open to Feedback

Finally, Kunal emphasizes the importance of adaptability. YouTube is always evolving, and what works today may not work tomorrow. Kunal shared how his early focus on certain technologies shifted as trends changed in the tech industry. By staying open to feedback and adjusting his content, he was able to stay relevant.

For instance, when he noticed a rising interest in AI tools among developers, he quickly adapted his content to cover this trend, which helped him stay ahead of the curve.

Practical Tip: Pay attention to trends in your niche and be willing to adjust your content accordingly. Don’t hesitate to try new topics or formats if they align with what your audience wants.

Final Thoughts

Building a successful YouTube channel isn’t easy, but with the right strategies, it’s entirely possible. Kunal’s journey highlights the importance of understanding your audience, staying consistent, and being open to change.

...and this is where we come in to help. We help tech companies build audiences of fans, users, and customers...and we provide hands-on tailored guidance, not just for YouTube, but also blogging, social media, Discord/Slack, and more. If you are interested in learning more about how we work with companies, go check out this page.