Running a YouTube channel with 1.8 million subscribers isn’t just about making videos — it’s about the systems around planning, research, editing, publishing, tracking, email, and project management. The ACTUAL Tools Used to Run a 1.8M Subscriber Channel lays out a practical tool stack that keeps the whole machine running without turning into a nightmare. For a YouTube channel aiming for consistent content that drives leads and sales, these tools focus on outcomes, not busywork.
Below is an AI-assisted summary of the key points and ideas covered in the video. For more detail, make sure to check out the full time stamped video above!
The workflow mindset: build systems around the videos
A high-performing channel runs like a business tool, not a random collection of apps. The core idea is simple: lock in systems and processes so the team spends time creating, not chasing files, links, and checklists.
Key areas that need solid tooling:
- Planning and research
- Production (recording and live streaming)
- Editing and review
- Publishing and automation
- Tracking (clicks, opt-ins, affiliate performance, sales)
- Email list growth and newsletters
Planning & project management: ClickUp (the “brains”)
ClickUp runs the production pipeline end-to-end. It holds everything from rough topic ideas through to release and final backup using a board-style workflow.
How ClickUp gets used in the content system:
- Capture ideas fast (including via the mobile app) so good topics don’t get lost.
- Move each video “card” through stages like research, ready to shoot, editing, release, and backup.
- Store key assets inside each card so anyone on the team can jump in, such as video descriptions, thumbnail images, status, and next steps.
Why ClickUp won over Notion (and why it matters):
- Notion can be a blank slate, which often means spending ages building a custom setup.
- ClickUp delivers a Trello-style Kanban workflow with extra power, without rebuilding everything from scratch.
The real kicker: ClickUp automations
- Moving a card to the next stage can trigger automations.
- It can auto-create the right folder structure in a shared Google Drive / Team Drive.
- It can assign a unique internal identifier to each video so admin work doesn’t slow things down.
Smarter decisions with business-focused analytics: Video Stats
Video Stats helps decide what to make by tracking performance beyond YouTube’s basic metrics (views, subscribers, watch time). It’s built to answer the business questions: which videos drive clicks, leads, opt-ins, and sales.
What Video Stats tracks and why it’s gold:
- Top converting videos for a chosen date range
- Top converting URLs to see which offers/pages get the right traffic
- Click-to-conversion rates by video so popular videos aren’t assumed to convert
- Affiliate link clicks by individual video — which links get clicked
- Affiliate link clicks by individual link — which videos send the most traffic
Affiliate examples tracked through video descriptions:
Video Stats also goes further than tracking:
- Automatically converts description links into tracking links
- Generates QR codes used inside videos
- Lets QR codes be redirected after the video is live to keep offers fresh
- Handles opt-ins end-to-end, including built-in opt-in pages, AI-generated opt-in pages, delivery, and email integration
The big win is feedback loops: the data feeds back into planning so future topics match the actual goal (leads/customers/sales), not just algorithm performance.
Keyword and topic validation: vidIQ
Once a topic idea exists, vidIQ validates it with keywords, related search terms, and competitive data. It’s used both in the vidIQ dashboard and directly inside YouTube search with the extension installed.
How vidIQ helps tighten topic selection:
- Shows related keyword opportunities for a broad idea like “video editing”
- Provides actionable data such as search volume (demand) and competition score (difficulty)
- Exports related keyword data to CSV for faster topic refinement via AI prompts
AI for planning: Claude (plus Gemini for deep research)
AI tools slot into the workflow once data comes in from Video Stats and vidIQ. AI supports moving from data to a solid plan quickly.
How AI gets used (without the fluff):
- Claude pulls the research together in a chat thread to brainstorm engaging titles, lock down the topic angle, and plan the structure
- Gemini gets used for deep research, especially when gathering detailed info on a specific product or tool
This is a “done is better than perfect” stage: get to a solid plan fast, then iterate for that 1% improvement.
Recording (and fast handoff to the editor): Descript
Descript handles recording directly into the computer in 4K, which removes a heap of friction. No SD card shuffling, file copying, or manual uploading.
Why Descript speeds things up:
- When recording stops, the file uploads to Descript’s servers automatically
- Team access becomes instant — the editor can jump in straight away because uploading happens during recording
Live streaming tools: Ecamm Live vs StreamYard
Live streams need different tools depending on complexity and guest count, including Ecamm Live and StreamYard.
- Solo live streams, polished webinars, more advanced production
- Multi-guest live streams with a simple setup
Notes that matter:
- Ecamm Live is Mac-only.
- Ecamm Live can also record directly and has been used for courses and masterclasses.
Editing + review: Descript (AI prompts that cut hours)
Editing stays inside Descript, including the ability to publish directly to YouTube. The workflow shifts from full timeline edits to mostly review and polish.
Where Descript stands out:
- AI-assisted editing goes far beyond removing filler words
- With a strategic prompt, the edit can get close to nearly finished before manual tweaks
- The workflow becomes mostly review + polish instead of grinding through the entire timeline
Quality control with AI review:
- Descript’s AI can spot mistakes, typos, and potential confidential info (like a leaked phone number)
Impact on editing time based on the workflow described:
- Before dialled-in AI prompts: 14–20 hours depending on the video
- After: 1–2 hours max
- For simpler uploads: under an hour, with the AI doing the bulk of the work in minutes
Publishing automation: n8n (flexible, powerful, cheaper than Zapier)
For publishing and automation, n8n powers custom workflows with fewer guardrails than Zapier. It supports non-linear automation, custom agents, and strong AI integrations.
What n8n automates in the publishing process:
- Generates YouTube descriptions with AI
- Inserts affiliate links automatically
- Adds timestamps based on the transcript
- Inserts required affiliate disclosures automatically
- Generates blog articles for the website based on YouTube uploads
n8n is described as an absolute beast — great when automation is the low-hanging fruit that unlocks faster publishing without more admin.
Email marketing that actually keeps up: Bento
Bento runs email capture and broadcast emails like newsletters for everything coming off the back of the YouTube channel. Email becomes the direct line to people who want more — the business behind the channel.
Why Bento replaced other options mentioned:
- Previously used: Kit / ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign
- Bento feels less clunky and moves fast with AI features
Bento features called out:
- One-click export of email sequences/funnels to AI for quick iteration
- An MCP server so chosen AI tools can pull from the Bento account and interact with data
- Fast feature rollout driven by an involved developer and community feedback
Put it all together and keep it simple
This stack works because it’s battle-tested and connected. ClickUp handles the workflow, Descript handles creation and editing, n8n handles automation, Video Stats handles tracking and conversion insight, and Bento handles the relationship-building that happens after the click.
Make your channel run like a well-oiled machine
Pick one pain or problem first — planning chaos, slow editing, or dodgy tracking — and fix that before adding more tools. Tie every tool back to a goal like leads, opt-ins, or sales, not just views. Keep iterating with small wins, because steady 1% improvements add up fast.
