What do you think when you hear “YouTube.” Most people think of video content. That is unsurprising, as the social media platform is a video-streaming platform, after all. But a growing number of people have started thinking of something else. What could that be? That is none other than “opportunities.”
Part of what made YouTube so successful is its monetization program. Through it, people can make a living out of the content they publish.
Because of what the world experienced and continues to experience, a YouTube career is now one of the most lucrative careers. You do not have to go out to make content. All you need is creativity and a good camera for filming. There is also the gaming route. You can earn money by playing video games. How cool is that?
Aside from people planning to be full-time YouTubers, brands also benefit from the platform’s existence. It grants them a free marketing tool that can effectively extend their reach. Consequently, that makes their customer or client base larger.
But, you can’t achieve success on YouTube overnight. That is unless you are a well-liked Hollywood celebrity. But if you were like that, you probably don’t need a career on this platform.
It would take some hard work for ordinary people and small brands alike. More so for the former, since criteria have to be met to get accepted to the YouTube Partner Program. You have to have at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of view time.
So your first goal on YouTube should be to reach this milestone. There are two roads towards that goal. One requires you to pay for access; the other is completely free of charge. And this is not like most cases where the paid one is the superior choice. It is actually the opposite.
Buying YouTube Subscribers: A Bad Idea(From most websites)
Understandably, you may be tempted to buy YouTube subscribers. That is the shortest road to getting 1,000 subscribers. And you may want to start earning from your content as soon as possible. But, buying subscribers will actually do you more negative than positive, if you buy it from the 95% of websites that are scams or bot-farms. If you really need to get the jumpstart, refer to our list of verified safe and recommended sites to buy YouTube views and subscribers.
These services have an alternative method that will not make you pay money. You only need to subscribe to typically 20 channels the service will name in this method. Also, you have to like a certain amount of videos from those channels. After you do that, 10 channels will subscribe to you.
It seems fair at first. But it is a trap. Sooner than later, you will be bored of clicking. And you will be more tempted to just pay for more subscribers.
Either way, you will get subscribers that don’t engage. That is a problem. That could turn off potential genuine subscribers, for one. Furthermore, other brands or channels may not want to collaborate with you. These things will impede the growth of your channel.
To conclude, it is not worth it. It would be like throwing money to fire.
Best Practices to Get More Subscribers
Say no to bots, and say yes to organic subscribers. Here are the best things you can do to gain more subscribers.
Ask People to Subscribe
How could you make your viewers subscribe if you don’t ask them to? Do not be shy. You should remind people that the subscribe button exists because sometimes, they forget to do it. But remember that the keyword is “ask,” not “beg.” Only ask them to subscribe after providing new and useful information or making them laugh. Putting this call-to-action at the end of the video also works fantastically.
Utilize YouTube’s Clickable Subscription Tools
Your viewers may have their Autoplay setting on. That will immediately take them to the next video after watching yours. With this in mind, it would be wise to use the built-in clickable subscription tools. You can add a Subscribe button to the end screen. Or, you can use a brand watermark that will appear on the video whenever you want.
Tell Viewers What To Expect
After wowing your viewers with your content, a great move would be to tell them what you would put out next. Generate some hype around it. That way, you can make viewers more inclined to click the subscribe button. Because by doing so, YouTube will immediately notify them when your next video drops. Thus, they would not miss it.
Of course, this means you have to have a plan or a content calendar.
Get Verified
Perhaps you plan to release videos longer than 15 minutes. That is great. The longer the video, the more freedom you have. Also, you have more opportunities to wow your audience.
However, if you haven’t verified your Google account yet, you cannot do that. So, it is important not to skip this step.
Build a Community
Do you know who gets more friends? Of course, the friendly people. So try to engage with your viewers. Respond to their comments, subscribe to other’s YouTube channels. Show the people on YouTube that you want to connect with them.
A bonus you will get from this is content ideas. Many of your viewers will tell you what video they want to see on your channel next.
Work on Channel Branding
To attract more subscribers, you have to make your viewers know more about you. They would look for this information on your channel page. So it would be best to optimize that. Use an on-brand channel icon and utilize channel description and banner art to introduce yourself to your viewers.
Also, do not forget to customize your channel URL. That will make searching for your channel easier for your viewers.
It would also be best to use video thumbnails. The style of these “video posters” should be similar all over your channel. That way, when people are scrolling through YouTube, they will subconsciously know which video is from you.
Promote Your Channel Through Other Social Media Platforms
You can funnel your Twitter or Instagram followers to your YouTube channel. It is one of the fastest ways to gain subscribers. So don’t forget to promote your channel from those platforms too.
Date: October 27, 2022 / Categories: Tips, / Author: Rich Drees
