Alright, so YouTube search has gotten pretty bad lately. If you're trying to find smaller creators, people making cool stuff but not getting millions of views, it's harder than it used to be. Here are a few ways I've found that still work decently.
-
You can use X
A lot of small YouTubers promote their channels on X (you know, the site formerly known as Twitter). The search function there actually works for now, and you can track down niche channels pretty easily. Downside? Yeah, you're using X. Not ideal. Mastodon can do something similar, and honestly, it's not nearly as bad as people make it out to be. The community is smaller, and it takes a little getting used to, sure. The interface isn't as polished, but with the right keywords and a bit of patience, you can absolutely find some great low-view creators. Plus, the vibe there is way more welcoming and less chaotic. -
Search Google
Try typing your query into Google and adding "site:youtube.com" at the end. You can also filter by date or use other search tricks. Not every video shows up, but it catches a fair amount. It's a solid workaround, for now. -
Check Invidious instances
Some of these alternative YouTube frontends scrape content and might surface smaller channels that the main platform buries. It's not perfect, but worth a quick look. -
Look in Discord servers
A bunch of small creators share their videos in Discord communities, especially around specific topics like gaming, tech, or art. Jump into a few relevant servers and keep an eye on the media channels. -
Browse Twitch streamers
Many Twitch streamers also post their content on YouTube, either full videos or highlights. Twitch's discovery is still better than YouTube's when it comes to finding new faces, especially in gaming or creative niches. Checking out smaller streamers could lead you to a YouTube channel you'd otherwise never find.
A heads-up for the future
If YouTube keeps going downhill, some of these methods might stop working. The trick with searching Google to find YouTube videos could stop being useful if Google decides to deprioritize smaller channels or change how its indexing works. xAI could go rogue too and ruin their search quality. At that point, algorithmic recommendations might be the only way most people can find small creators.
If it gets that bad, the only real solution might be automated systems: AI bots scraping YouTube from different accounts and IPs, tracking what small channels pop up in recommendations, and building a searchable index from that. Not perfect, but it could help keep discovery alive.
For now, though, the above tips should keep us going.