Two billion people tune into YouTube each month – that’s one-third of the whole internet! So, how do you get those fingers clicking on your awesome content when there’s so much competition out there? It’s all about subscribers.
Learning how to get more subscribers is essential if you want to monetize your YouTube videos. Here, we’ll walk you through the steps – and show you how to get your killer content the attention it deserves.
Why are subscribers so important?
There’s a reason why Dude Perfect and Smosh have millions of subscribers on YouTube: they’re huge Creators who have racked up millions of followers over the years by posting videos that resonate with a large online community. But a lot of their success on YouTube can be explained by the mysterious and all-important algorithms the platform uses to decide how content is shown to its audiences.
While you might not reach the same viral heights as these YouTube stars, having a long-term strategy to attract subscribers to your business’s channel really pays off.
It’s tempting to think of a subscriber count as a vanity metric. But when you start converting those video views to fully-fledged subscribers, you’ll soon arrive at that sweet 1000-follower milestone. This is when you can start earning cash from your content, and unlock valuable Creator benefits in the process.
Subscribers, in turn, increase your channel’s engagement (video plays, watch time,) the metrics YouTube uses to determine your video’s ranking, and who sees your videos. Basically, it’s the best way of maximizing your organic reach, without having to spend a dollar.
1. Ask the audience
As a Creator, knowing what your audience wants is essential for YouTube success. So, don’t be afraid to ask them exactly what they want to see. Sure, you have analytics to find out what’s working – but discovering what content genuinely resonates with your followers is just as important.
Don’t be afraid to ask them to subscribe, too. They already love your content; they just need a nudge in the right direction. Point out the bell icon that turns on notifications when you post a new video or use an animated Call to Action at the end of your video to inspire them to follow.
2. Clean up your channel
When you’ve been posting videos for a while, it’s easy for your channel to become cluttered with old and irrelevant content. Time for some housekeeping! Make sure your channel trailer is punchy and full of impact; it should scream you, and tell your audience what your brand is all about. If you don’t want to give up on some of the irrelevant content, ask yourself would it make sense to create multiple YouTube channels?
3. Less is more
This one’s a no-brainer, but you should only be posting watchable, addictive content that grabs the attention of your viewers. Creators often feel the need to post regularly in order to keep up appearances – even if the quality of the content might not be up to scratch. Whilst consistency is key, always go for quality over quantity!
4. Be consistent
A consistent release schedule is important, especially when you’ve cultivated a loyal fanbase on YouTube. But if you’re just starting out, less is always more. If you can stick to consistent posting, make sure your fans know your schedule by advertising it in your YouTube banner and mentioning it in your videos.
Subscribers aren’t going to hang around if you don’t update your channel, or if you post several times a week and then totally disappear for a month. Equally, if you’re uploading unedited webcam videos in order to keep up with your posting schedule, don’t be surprised if they click away.
If you don’t have the time or resources to produce several engaging videos a week, consider reworking your release schedule so you’re posting quality content, consistently. This is always better than posting sub-par content that gets your audience reaching for the unsubscribe button.
5. Understand your audience
Knowing how to harness the power of YouTube analytics is a sure-fire way of gaining new followers. Understanding what makes your content pop and resonate with your audience means you can create more of the videos they’ve come to your channel to watch.
Look through your archived videos to see what search terms viewers used to find your content. Then, change your old video titles to match the more targeted keywords users are searching for. You can also use these keywords to create searchable titles for future vids, ensuring that your optimized content ranks higher in search. See how to do this in our guide to keyword research for YouTube.
6. Take advantage of YouTube’s tools
YouTube offers its own range of nifty tools to help you bag new subscribers. You know those still images at the end of a video asking you to subscribe? They’re called end screens, and they work! Insert your Call to Action right here, before the viewer is taken away to the next video.
Branding watermarks are another YouTube add-on that can be used to great effect. This will float above your content for the duration of the video, even in full screen; a constant reminder for viewers to subscribe.
7. Make your videos engaging
Here’s the bottom line: the best way to get new subscribers on YouTube is by making engaging, quality videos that speak to your audience.
If your video doesn’t capture your audience in the first ten seconds, you’re losing engagement. It doesn’t matter if you’re Justin Bieber, a travel influencer, or produce dog grooming tutorials: your audience is out there. You just need to make your visual and audio content as exciting as possible.
Music is a powerful tool for creating engagement – think about the tingling feeling you get when you hear something amazing. You can tap into those same positive emotions by using real chart music in your YouTube videos.
The world’s top Creators know the value of using chart-topping songs over stock filler, and the results are priceless. Lickd helps Creators to the best songs for YouTube videos from a library of thousands – easily searchable by genre, mood, and style. And, if you sign up now, you get 25% off your first song.