Simply put, a solid YouTube competitor analysis saves you several months of mistakes. You see what already works in your niche, understand which formats drive views and subscribers, and identify gaps in your competitors’ strategies. Based on this, you build a YouTube growth strategy instead of guessing blindly.
Below is a step by step framework that works for both marketers and business owners who are just launching a YouTube channel.
Who Should Be Considered a Competitor on YouTube
On YouTube, a competitor is not only someone selling the same product as you. What really matters is who captures the attention of your target audience.
There are three levels.
Direct competitors
Channels in the same niche with a similar offer. For example, you run an online school selling courses on time management and productivity.
Indirect competitors
Creators who solve the same problem but with a different product or format. For example, channels about gadgets, apps, or tools that help improve productivity or motivation.
Content substitutes
These include blogs, podcasts, and Telegram channels. When people consume this content, they spend less time on YouTube or choose text or audio formats instead.
At the start, analyzing 10 to 15 direct and indirect competitors is enough, but it’s better to collect more. I usually gather 20 to 25 YouTube channels and around 5 media sources from the content substitute category.
How to Collect 30 to 50 YouTube Channels for Competitor Analysis
The goal is not just to create a list, but to find channels that actually influence your audience.
Basic steps
- search YouTube using niche keywords and YouTube growth related queries. Write down channels that consistently appear at the top
- check the “related channels” block on competitor pages. YouTube automatically suggests channels with overlapping audiences
- use Google queries like best YouTube channels + your topic. These often lead to curated lists and articles
To avoid chaos, use tools.
VidIQ
Provides data on keywords, trends, and competitor videos, helping you understand which topics perform well in your niche.
SocialBlade
Shows subscriber and view growth dynamics and channel forecasts. It clearly highlights which channels are growing and which are stagnating.
KeywordTool or Ahrefs
Collect real search queries, their volume, and competition. This helps expand your competitor list and identify popular blogs covering your topic.
As a result, you get a table with 30 to 50 channels. From there, narrow it down to 10 to 15 of the most relevant ones based on niche, size, and style. These are the channels worth analyzing deeply.
What to Analyze in Competitors’ Content for YouTube Growth
Here, it’s important to look beyond numbers and focus on the videos themselves. The goal is to understand what makes people click and keep watching.
1. Topics and Formats
- which topics consistently generate the most views
- which formats work best in your niche: breakdowns, guides, interviews, stories, reactions, shorts
- whether competitors use video series. Series work well because they bring viewers back
Write down which topics and formats you can adopt as a base and where you can go deeper or do better.
2. Visual Analysis in the Niche: Thumbnails, Channel Design, Motion
On YouTube, visuals often determine whether a viewer clicks your video or chooses a competitor.
Thumbnails
- search your main keywords and look at the results as a viewer
- notice dominant colors, faces, and emotions
- check how much text is used and how readable it is
- create a grid of 20 to 30 thumbnails to identify common patterns
Channel design
- does the banner clearly communicate the value and niche
- is the avatar recognizable at small sizes
- is the homepage structured with playlists for different viewer intents
- does the channel feel like a cohesive brand or a collection of random elements
Motion design
- is there an intro and how long does it last. Intros longer than 7 to 8 seconds usually hurt retention
- are lower thirds, captions, and titles visually consistent
- how screenshots, charts, and interfaces are shown. Are there zooms or highlights
- does motion design help maintain attention or create visual noise
As a result, create three short lists:
- what is already a standard in the niche
- where you can intentionally simplify and look fresher
- one visual element that will become your signature
This will later become part of the design brief and your overall YouTube growth strategy.
3. Video Structure, Hooks, and Calls to Action
Pay close attention to how videos are built.
- is there a strong hook in the first seconds and what promise it makes
- how the narrative flows: problem, solution, examples, conclusion
- where and how CTAs are placed: subscribe, visit a website, download a guide, watch another video
- whether video series are used as internal funnels on YouTube
If a competitor has a playlist of 5 to 7 videos around one topic, that’s already a mini funnel. These structures should be considered in your own strategy.
4. Optimization and SEO Analysis for YouTube
At this stage, you analyze not only videos but also how content is prepared for search.
What to review:
- titles and descriptions. Which keywords are repeated and how niche terms, formats, and YouTube growth queries are combined
- video tags. Tools like TubeBuddy and VidIQ help reveal which tags competitors use and how they rank
- playlists. How the channel is structured and whether playlists are used as funnels or by skill level
Also pay attention to publishing frequency. This helps when planning your content schedule and production resources. The easiest way is to check the Videos and Shorts tabs and calculate the average time between uploads.
Competitor Content Map and YouTube Growth Strategy
After watching dozens of videos, everything quickly blends together. To avoid this, I always build a competitor content map in a table.
Simple approach
- create separate rows for 10 to 15 key channels
- for each channel, list top videos with topic, format, opening hook type, core viewer promise, and target keywords
- immediately mark content gaps. For example, everyone talks about basics, but no one explains YouTube growth step by step for small businesses
Typical columns in my table
- channel name and link
- subscriber count
- publishing frequency
- top topics with links to specific videos
- recurring content formats
- separate shorts analysis
- tags and search queries the channel targets
- visual insights and design notes
- typical video structure step by step
- links to social platforms where traffic is redirected
- a separate column for important comments and insights
From this map, I extract the core strategy:
- which topics must appear in your content plan
- which formats to test first
- how you will differentiate in the niche: tone of voice, depth, visual style, and case types
As a result, the competitor map turns from a simple table into the foundation of a YouTube content plan and growth strategy.
14 Day Checklist After Competitor Analysis
A short, no fluff plan.
Day 1. Collect 30 to 50 channels using niche keywords and YouTube growth queries.
Day 2. Narrow down to 10 to 15 and create a competitor table.
Day 3. Analyze topics and formats of top videos.
Day 4. Review packaging: titles, thumbnails, first 10 seconds.
Day 5. Analyze CTAs and retention phrases used to connect video blocks.
Day 6. Create an SEO snapshot: keywords, tags, descriptions.
Day 7. Evaluate channel design: banners, descriptions, playlists.
Day 8. Build the competitor content map and identify gaps.
Day 9. Build your own keyword and topic core.
Day 10. Update your channel design.
Day 11. Optimize old videos using the new SEO core.
Day 12. Record at least one new video based on insights.
Day 13. Publish the video.
Day 14. Compare early metrics with competitors and adjust the plan for the next 2 to 4 weeks.
How YouTubeBro Helps Turn Competitor Analysis into Growth
A full competitor analysis on YouTube takes dozens of hours. Data collection, analysis, content planning, SEO, then strategy, production, post production, and distribution.
At YouTubeBro, this is where we start.
- we build an extended list of competitors in your niche
- analyze content, SEO, packaging, and funnels on their channels
- create a content map that clearly shows which topics and formats can bring traffic and where you can take audience share from stronger players
- turn all of this into a real content plan, design system, scripts, and a YouTube growth strategy aligned with your lead and sales goals
If you want competitor analysis to become more than a nice looking table and actually turn into a channel that grows and sells, leave a request. We’ll analyze your niche, competitors, and show exactly how YouTube can work for your business.
