It's very unlikely a network is going to help you grow. They could possibly feature your video/channel on their website or post about it on social medias etc, but big networks with huge following will normally only do this for their biggest channels while small networks don't really have high reach, so being featured somewhere won't really mean a whole lot, although it feels good (I remember when we were in one of Creative Nation spotlights back in the day, video had only thousand views or so, but it still felt great).
Whichever network you choose to join in the end, make sure you think about these few things:
- what do they have to offer? some networks offer stuff like this: advanced dashboard, audio library, 24/7 support, channel manager, free access to paid extensions like TubeBuddy or vidIQ, forums etc
- how much money will they take from your monthly revenue and is it worth it based on what they've got to offer? I'd personally suggest aiming for 90/10 deal
- how long will I have to commit to network? deals range from one month (no lock-in) to several years, but I'd definitely recommend either a no lock-in contract or one year with possible 3 month trial
I don't think it's ever too early or too late to join a network, but you really shouldn't rush into it and join first one that reaches out to you. Keep in mind that recruiters have one job and one job only: to get you to sign a contract with network because they have to meet monthly requirement of their own in order to get paid/get more money, so make sure you don't fall for their false promises and nice words. Always do proper research, try to find reviews about that network, see what other partners think about it, but also keep in mind that every network has it's pros and cons and also people who are/were happy and who are/weren't happy with the network.
So far my favorite network, even though I was never really part of it, would be Curse (Union For Gamers) simply based on stuff they've got to offer and feedback I've heard from channels who are part of it. I wish you best of luck in finding a good network and if you have any questions about anything, feel free to ask!
