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Whether you’re starting a new YouTube channel or looking to grow your current one, getting more subscribers is a major key to your success on the platform. Having more viewers and subscribers will help amplify your content. Furthermore, if you are interested in monetizing your content (i.e., joining the YouTube Partner Program, which requires getting 500 subscribers to join, which you can learn about in this guide for YouTube monetization), you’ll need to grow your viewership and ultimately your subscriber count to achieve these goals.
Though getting more subscribers on YouTube is easier said than done, we’re here to remind you it’s possible so long as you follow the actionable steps that we’ve outlined below. Keep reading to learn ten proven ways to help you get more subscribers on YouTube.
Identify Your Niche and Target Audience
Regarding building a loyal following, it’s essential to “niche down” and decide what content you’ll upload to your channel and who it will serve. The advantage of this is you’ll have an audience specifically interested in what you are offering, which means they’ll come back for more and invite others to join.
For example, you might want to have a channel related to dogs. You could focus on dog food, care, grooming, toys, gear, training, breeds, and more. By picking one topic, you’ll be able to create well-researched, relevant content for a specific audience. Those viewers will be highly engaged with your content and share it with others with similar interests.
Focus on Quality
Gone are the days when you could upload blurry video content on YouTube and be taken seriously as a creator. Viewers are a bit more sophisticated nowadays and require quality content that is valuable to them. With even smart phones today being able to shoot in HD and 4K, there’s no need to go out and buy a pro camera, but at the very least, you need to edit your content to ensure each segment smoothly transitions into the next.
Try using a simple tool like Video Editor to edit your YouTube videos without stress. The better your videos, the more enjoyable they will be for your viewers to watch. Everyone has to start somewhere, of course, but learning to create quality videos will go a long way toward encouraging audiences to want to watch your YouTube content.
Ask Your Audience
It can be that easy! Remind your viewers to subscribe by hitting the subscribe button. Sometimes viewers are so into your content that they don’t even realize they haven’t subscribed (not to mention the YouTube algorithm may push your content to them without them being subscribed). Asking your viewers to subscribe will be much more effective if you have provided them with valuable content. Start by introducing yourself at the beginning of your video, welcoming returning subscribers, and asking those not subscribed to do so. At the end of your video, ask your viewer again to subscribe, so they don’t miss any of the awesome content you have in the pipeline.
Cross-Promote Your YouTube
Take advantage of other social media platforms to promote your YouTube content. For example, if you have an engaged audience on Instagram or Twitter, these are great places to tease your YouTube content and drive traffic to your videos. Remember to post direct links to your YouTube content so potential subscribers can get a taste of what you post on YouTube and (hopefully) subscribe to your channel afterward.
Create Eye-catching Thumbnails
Create thumbnails that are eye-catching with an exciting title. A good thumbnail should represent your brand, look professional and entice the viewer without giving away exactly what will be in the video. Use creative thumbnails to encourage viewers to click on your video, view your content, and, you guessed it—subscribe to your channel. If you need some guidance on creating thumbnails that viewers can’t resist, check out this blog post/tutorial.
Get Familiar with SEO
As a refresher, SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which are practices designed to deliver content to users based on their organic search inquiries. You can use tools such as Google keyword planner to get insight into what people are searching for in your niche and receive recommended additional keywords for you to target.
Your YouTube analytics will also tell you where your traffic is coming from and what users search before discovering your video. When you know what your viewers want, you can create content that addresses their interests instead of possibly wasting time making irrelevant content.
Create a Content Calendar
No one likes to follow YouTubers who only post once a quarter. To build a following, you must remain consistent, starting with creating a YouTube content schedule or calendar that you can stick to (read more about that here). Let your viewers and subscribers know what day and time they can expect to see your new content. You’ll naturally gain new subscribers with each upload as you consistently post engaging, high-quality content.
Engage with Your viewers
Watching a YouTube video and moving on to the next is easy. When someone takes the time to like and comment on your video, they’re genuinely engaged and are more likely to subscribe to your channel. Make it a habit to respond to comments from your audience. You never know who will follow your channel just because you took the time to acknowledge them.
Collaborate with Other YouTubers
When you’re in the creator space, you don’t have the opportunity to chat with a co-worker by the watercooler to bounce ideas off one another; In fact, you don’t have co-workers at all. What you do have are other peers of creatives looking to grow, so why not grow together by collaborating on content? Collaborating with other Influencers and creators can be a way to introduce your channel to a broader audience (and vice versa). Of course, you need to make sure you’re collaborating with someone with a similar audience, which you can learn about in this collaboration guide.
Host a Giveaway
Who doesn’t love the chance to win something? If you’re looking to get more YouTube subscribers, a giveaway can be one of your best friends. Offer a prize relevant to your content and have the giveaway available to subscribers only. This will encourage your viewers to become subscribers and allow them to win something.
While gaining subscribers is a goal for most serious YouTubers, you must remember that getting the right subscribers who will continuously support your channel is the ultimate key to success. That success starts with checking off all the items we’ve outlined in this blog post. Feel free to share this post with a fellow aspiring YouTuber.