Video content has quickly become a leader in digital marketing, with video-sharing giant YouTube reaching over 2 billion users worldwide. Even in the marketing ecosystem, the demand for video has massively shot up with prospects preferring engaging video pitches over lengthy articles.
That is because the top results have the most views, and they have the most views because they have the most subscribers. So in order to build your YouTube brand, the first step is figuring out how to get subscribers so you can climb your way to the top.
So let’s dive deeper and learn how to get more youtube subscribers with these 15 easy tips!
Watermarks serve as an easy way to identify who the content belongs to as it makes its way across the web. Moreover, as viewers share your videos, the watermark lets everyone know where exactly the video came from, thereby promoting brand awareness.
On YouTube, a watermark offers another benefit in addition to greater brand awareness. It helps viewers easily subscribe to your channel from within the video by simply clicking on the watermark in the bottom-right corner. Usually, the watermark is a branded image such as the channel’s logo and is added to every video on the channel.
Adding a watermark isn’t enough though. Sure, it lets everyone know who you are but does it get them to subscribe? No! Instead of using a watermark that looks cool, stick to the normal YouTube ‘Subscribe’ button watermark.
The subscribe watermark tells your viewers what to do whereas using a logo as a watermark might look cool, but not all your viewers know that they can click on it to subscribe.
This tip might go against conventional wisdom because previously, shorter videos performed much better on YouTube. However, that isn’t the case anymore. Detailed, in-depth, and lengthy videos tend to rank much higher now. In fact, the average length of a first page YouTube video is 14 minutes and 50 seconds.
However, your aim shouldn’t be to focus on length. Instead, focus on creating in-depth videos and the length will follow automatically. The ideal length of the video depends on what niche your business is functioning within and how much information you have to share within that video. You can try experimenting with the video length to see what viewers prefer.
Just make sure that every minute of the video is informative, entertaining, and easy to follow.
Thumbnails let viewers see a quick snapshot of what your video is about and why it’s something that might interest them as they browse through YouTube. A thumbnail is an introductory image for the video; it’s the first impressions viewers get of your video so it needs to be attention-grabbing. That tiny image basically helps viewers judge the book by its cover, so it needs to be inviting and intriguing enough for viewers to click on it.
You’ve probably gone through this experience: you’re on YouTube about to watch a video when the thumbnail of another video catches your eye so you head over to it instead. You found the thumbnail interesting and it drove you to click and watch the video. Let that teach you the importance of a great thumbnail, it can truly make your content stand out in the search results.
So instead of letting YouTube generate a random thumbnail, always create a custom thumbnail for every video.
If you’ve had a YouTube channel for a while now but can’t figure out how to get subscribers, maybe it’s time to go back to the drawing board and reevaluate your content. Take some time to plan the structure of your videos and always check if they’re in line with your channel’s brand.
Here are a few things you want to pay attention to when planning your videos:
You’re going to lose viewers and possible YouTube subscribers if your videos don’t have a proper structure. That’s because videos tend to perform better if you write a script first. Scripts help organize your videos efficiently so you make good use of every minute and stay on track. Add as many details as possible into your script, down to the exact words you want to use if you can.
The more your upload, the more likely you are to retain space in the viewer’s mind. The more they think about you, the more likely they are to subscribe to your channel. However, increasing your uploading frequency is easier said than done. Creating content takes a while, especially if you’re slowly shifting to longer videos.
YouTube subscribers normally do not like channels that don’t post content regularly. If you’re not producing frequent videos, viewers are going to forget about you soon enough. Moreover, when a new viewer comes across your channel and sees that you haven’t uploaded anything in a while, they’re going to assume your channel is inactive and leave without subscribing.
If you’re unable to consistently release new videos to keep your channel active, consider 24/7 live streaming of previously published videos. This allows you to repurpose old content, increase views on older videos, and attract new subscribers by keeping your channel active even when you're not posting new content.
The key to building a long-lasting relationship with your viewers is consistency. So try posting more often and follow a fixed schedule.
Apart from the video thumbnail, the other thing that can make your video stand out in the search results is the title. You want it to be catchy and distinguishable so viewers want to know more and click on the video.
Apart from creating quirky titles, you also need to dive into the SEO part of YouTube optimization. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when optimizing your video titles for greater click-through rates:
To get more subscribers, you first need viewers to like you and trust you. There are several ways to achieve that apart from videos, such as your channel page. The page needs to look professional so viewers know you’re the real deal.
To make your channel page engaging and appealing, make the most of the channel customization options YouTube provides. If you have a blog or website, make sure you use similar branding elements on your YouTube channel as well. Add some custom channel art and custom background header to add a bit of personality to the page. To finish up the customizations, add a short and to the point channel bio and custom URL.
When you open a popular YouTube channel, you may notice that a short video starts playing automatically. This video is known as the channel trailer and is a great way to catch the viewer’s attention right away.
In the trailer, you need to sell your channel, basically give viewers a reason to subscribe, tell them why they should stay on your channel and what you can offer them. You can also use the trailer to introduce yourself, just a quick, engaging, and informative introduction so viewers know who’s behind the page they might subscribe to.
The trailer doesn’t have to be lengthy at all, with the ideal trailer somewhere between 30 to 60 seconds.
If you keep producing quality content, the more of your videos viewers watch, and the more likely they are to subscribe. Now you just have to figure out how to get them to watch two or three or more of your videos so they see the kind of amazing content you’re putting up. The answer is simple: promote more of your videos on your end screen.
Whenever you upload a new video, keep about 5 to 20 seconds at the end of your videos specifically for your end screen. Then go to YouTube’s End Screen editor and choose from the following three options to display videos at the end of each video:
Apart from adding a video playlist on your end screen, you can also add other elements such as a subscribe button and a link to your channel.
A great and easy way to get more YouTube subscribers is to respond to comments and engage with viewers. Not a lot of channels actually respond to all the comments, which is why you’ll stand out instantly when you do. If you take out the time to reply to comments, your viewers will feel important and know how much you value them. They’ll want to return the favor by subscribing to your channel.
All this isn’t just speculation, there is actually a clear correlation between replying to comments and YouTube subscribers. YouTube itself states that when creators take their time to interact with their fanbase, it encourages further audience participation and results in a larger community.
Watch time is one of the most important factors for climbing to the top of the YouTube search ranks. Apart from search rankings, videos with greater watch time are also promoted more often on the YouTube homepage and the suggested videos sidebar. It automatically follows that if you’re ranking on top or recommended on the homepage, more people view your videos, which trickles down to more subscribers as well.
How do you improve watch time, though? That’s where pattern interrupts come in. Pattern interrupts are small events that change a viewer’s thought patterns. The interruptions make your videos more dynamic, which helps keep viewers engaged for longer. Here are examples of pattern interrupts commonly used:
You may not realize this but your blog is a huge untapped source for possible subscribers. If someone’s reading your blog, they clearly like your content and want more of it. This is why they’re going to happily subscribe to your channel. To tap into this audience, make sure you embed lots of your videos in your blog posts.
Sometimes, the video alone can make up an entire step or tip in the blog. But don’t completely cover the blog post with videos either, use them sparsely and only where they make sense. Your readers are still interested in the blog, not just the videos.
These embeds get your videos in front of the right people who are extremely likely to turn into YouTube subscribers.
When a video ends, you need to tell your viewers what you want them to do next, otherwise, they’re just going to click on another video from another channel.
A good ending to a video includes telling viewers to subscribe to your channel, like the video, and leave any comments they might have. If you can, give them a particular prompt to leave comments about. For example, if you tried something new in the video, ask viewers to let you know what they thought about it in the comments section.
Don’t be afraid to ask; sometimes all you need to do is tell people what exactly to do and they’ll do it.
Simply posting a link to your video on social media isn’t going to do very well. That’s because Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media sites don’t want people to leave their platform via a link in your post, so they bury the post.
There’s a simple way around this. You take out a short clip from your YouTube video, 30 to 90 seconds long, and upload the clip to social media as native video content. The clip should ideally focus on a single idea or tip you talk about in the video.
Once you post it as native content, Facebook and other sites will promote it as usual. Now you’re going to add a link to your video as the first comment under the post. This way your content doesn’t get buried on social media and you also get your video out there to a whole new audience of potential subscribers.
Lastly, a great way to get more YouTube subscribers is to collaborate with other YouTubers. This way you get to benefit from their subscribers and vice versa. Collaboration also benefits your viewers who get to enjoy the creative outcome of two creators coming together.
All you have to do is reach out to other similar creators in your field and ask them if they’d like to work together on a project. Not only is this a great way to get more subscribers, but you also get to learn and share tips with a fellow YouTuber. It’s a win-win for everyone!
There you have it, 15 tips that will help you get more YouTube subscribers in no time. Just remember that what works for someone might not work for you, so keep experimenting with these tips and stick to what works for you. Don’t forget to stay true to your brand and keep producing great content!
Author Bio: Amna is currently a Content Marketer at EZRentOut, leading equipment rental software, where she particularly enjoys creating visual content. She is an avid reader, with a special interest in psychothrillers, and enjoys picnics and doodling whenever she gets the time.
Content marketing guru at Mailmunch. I’m passionate about writing content that resonates with people. Live simply, give generously, stay happy.
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