YouTube just announced several new features that could be useful for creators, especially those using Shorts or trying to build a stronger community around their channel. One of the biggest updates is that creators in the YouTube Partner Program can now upload fully custom thumbnails for Shorts through YouTube Studio on desktop. Creators can also choose from three suggested thumbnail frames on desktop, while mobile users can still select a specific frame from the Short. YouTube recommends keeping the most important parts of a Shorts thumbnail near the center. Although Shorts are displayed in a 9:16 format, the safest area for text, faces, and other important elements is closer to a 3:2 section in the middle because thumbnails may be cropped differently across YouTube. YouTube is also adding generative thumbnail tools to Ask Studio. These tools can use information from a video transcript and the creator’s existing channel to suggest thumbnail ideas that match the channel’s content, style, and audience. Creators can then refine the text, layout, colors, and overall look through conversational prompts. Other updates mentioned in the video include free one-month channel membership trials for some eligible viewers and channels, along with several improvements to YouTube Communities. These include community-only posts, better moderation tools, easier moderator assignments, fan notifications, and more ways for viewers to discover and participate in creator communities. You can watch the complete YouTube update here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsoUDk7m3yA

Do you really understand how Skools Leaderboard System works? If not let me explain it. You can see the details directly from Skool by CLICKING HERE. The basics are simple. When members choose to write a post or share a comment on someone elses posts they create an opportunity for others to respond by clicking like. Those likes are tallied and that number becomes the leaderboard ranking. So if you want to rise up in the ranking on the Leaderboard - all you have to do is write posts or share comments that others like. Thats it! Hope this helps!

Hi everyone, After six months of consistent grinding and uploading, my channel is finally monetized! 🎉 However, I’ve noticed the setup process feels a bit confusing. When I check my dashboard, it still shows that I’m not ready for payment and that I haven’t yet met the payment threshold. From what I understand, it seems I just need to wait until YouTube sends an email confirming that I’m ready to complete the payment setup. That message on the side says: “No action needed right now — you haven’t yet met the payment threshold to receive payment.” Once that happens, I’ll be able to confirm my personal information, submit tax details, and provide a payment method. Thanks in advance for any insights — I didn’t expect this next step to be so tricky, lol. Always appreciate the help from the community!

I have an 18 inch (ILOKNZI)? Teleprompter and have never used it, because it's too complicated to set up. Up until now, I memorize my entire script - I know, crazy!!! But I am a pianist and had to memorize hours of music. So memorizing stuff is not foreign to me - however, things would move along a lot faster, it I could just "read" the script. Are there teleprompters that are easy to use and set up? Mine has a fragile glass mirror that reflects the words from the iPad, meaning I have to type the script into the iPad and do all kinds of tricks to make this work. By that time I have my script memorized. Any suggestions on an easy to use teleprompter and how to set it up that the viewer can't see that I am reading....Thanks in advance.

Hey friends — as many of you know I used to create articles like this to share research and video breakdowns. It's been a while, and I want to acknowledge that I've missed doing so. Life has a way of pulling us in different directions — and in the winter with snow and taxes, it's harder to keep up. When I watched this video though, I felt I had to share it. The video is by Chris Do of The Futur, released March 24, 2026. It's called **"The Content Strategy Nobody Is Talking About (But Should Be)"** 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaDK_zVy1Cc --- **🤔 The Central Question** Chris starts with a central question: *"If anyone can go viral... should you?"* He then makes a compelling case that virality is actually a trap. **If you DO go viral:** You enter the **Validation Loop** — looking outside yourself for proof you're doing something worthwhile, constantly needing to repeat it. **If you DON'T go viral again:** Motivation tanks, self-worth takes a hit, burnout follows, and eventually you quit. --- **🚨 The Four Problems With Chasing Virality** **1️⃣ The Seduction** — Platforms never tell you how to go viral. It's intentionally opaque. So we hand our emotional well-being over to algorithms and gurus who are also just guessing. **2️⃣ The Addiction** — The platform hooks you like a dealer with a sample. The cruel twist: *the day before your post went viral, you were happy making progress.* After going viral, normal progress never feels good enough again. **3️⃣ The Prison** — Go viral doing something specific and that thing becomes your cage. People expect it every time. When you try to return to something more authentic, the audience punishes you: *"This isn't what we followed you for."* **4️⃣ The Awakening** — Followers don't equal community. VidCon invited major TikTokers with millions of followers to speak. Rooms built for 500–800 people had 20–30 seats filled. One creator with 1.3 million followers held a meet-and-greet. Nobody came.