Finding Outliers From Channels Your Size

The most valuable outliers come from channels similar to yours. A viral MrBeast video won't help a 1,000-subscriber channel—but an outlier from a 5,000-subscriber creator might.

Why Channel Size Matters#

Different Strategies Work at Different Scales#

Small channels (0-10K subs):

• Algorithm favors niche, specific content
• Titles need to be more searchable
• Thumbnails compete with smaller creators
• Audience is still discovering you

Medium channels (10K-100K subs):

• Can take more creative risks
• Audience expects certain content types
• Algorithm starts pushing browse traffic
• Collaborations become viable

Large channels (100K+ subs):

• Brand recognition drives clicks
• Can rely on subscriber notifications
• Broader topics can work
• Different production expectations

Copying Big Creators Often Fails#

When a small creator copies MrBeast:

• The high production value is unattainable
• The broad topics don't match their niche audience
• The clickbait works because of brand trust they haven't built
• The algorithm treats the video differently

That's why we emphasize outliers from channels your size.

Using Competitor Tracking#

Add competitors that match your situation:

Finding Good Competitors#

1. Similar subscriber count — Within 2-5x of your size
2. Same niche — Content your audience would watch
3. Active uploaders — At least 1-2 videos per month
4. Clear outliers — Channels with visible performance variation

How Many Competitors?#

Quality matters more than quantity. 5 perfect competitors beat 25 random ones.

Where to Find Competitors#

• YouTube search — Search your main topic, filter by channel, sort by relevance
• Related channels — YouTube's "Channels" tab on similar creators
• Your subscribers — Ask what else they watch
• Comments — See which channels your viewers mention

Interpreting Size-Relative Outliers#

When viewing an outlier from a similar-sized channel, consider:

Replicability:

• Could you make similar content?
• Do you have the expertise/resources?
• Would your audience want this?

Adaptation:

• How would you put your spin on it?
• What would make it authentic to your channel?
• How does it fit your content strategy?

Timing:

• Is this topic still relevant?
• Was there a news event that boosted views?
• Is there seasonal relevance?

Subscriber Count Normalization#

Our algorithm considers subscriber count when finding relevant outliers:

• View velocity relative to subscribers — A 10K-sub channel getting 50K views in a week is performing differently than a 1M-sub channel getting the same
• Growth trajectory — Channels growing quickly may have strategies worth studying
• Engagement rates — Comments and likes relative to views

This helps surface content that actually reflects achievable growth.

Building Your Research Library#

Over time, build a library of outliers from channels your size:

1. Bookmark consistently — Save outliers as you find them
2. Organize by topic — Create folders for different content types
3. Add notes — Write why each video worked
4. Review regularly — Patterns emerge from reviewing your bookmarks

This becomes your personalized playbook for content that works at your scale.

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Related Articles

• What is an Outlier Video?
• Bookmarking and Organizing Outliers
• Getting Better Ideas