Did you know that the first video on YouTube was uploaded on April 23, 2005? It was an 18-second video titled “Me at the Zoo” and had never been publicly shown before until now.
Currently, YouTube subscribers account for almost one-third of the Internet users, numbering billions. Driven by the craze of this powerful video-sharing platform, people are going all out to try their hand at becoming the next YouTube sensation, which can even open up new career opportunities.
Who are YouTube Subscribers
Subscribers are critical to your success on YouTube. YouTube subscribers follow a channel they like to stay updated with its latest videos. These are loyal fans who spend significant time each day watching their favorite channels. A subscriber is usually notified via email whenever the channel uploads a new video, which ensures more views. If they like your channel, they’ll not only watch and comment on the videos but share these videos with others, sometimes even helping your creation go viral.
The reason people desire more subscribers is due to the fact that YouTube is not only the most successful video portal on the web but also a means of earning money. Whenever a channel reaches 10,000 subscribers, it can earn more than $100 through YouTube ads.
It might look easy, but reaching your first 100 and your first 1,000 subscribers is a really hard task. From my experience and research, I am sharing ten tactics that can help you get more YouTube subscribers and increase your chances of earning.
10 Tips To Increase YouTube Subscriber Base
Let’s start with the first one.
1. Use Relevant Keywords For Videos
According to YouTube, tagging is one of the most important ways to rank your video high among the platform’s search results. Tag identified what video is of, e.g., the video of monkey which would be tagged as ‘monkey’ or ‘wild animal’ Keywords used in the tags are extremely important in ensuring better searchability. The key is to find the keywords your target audience uses to search for what they want to see. The best place to look for keywords is on YouTube itself, but you can also use traditional keyword research tools like SEMrush, Google Search Console, Moz, SEOProfiler, and others. I would recommend coming up with 10 to 20 keywords that include your keyword phrases.
A tag can be up to 100-120 characters long. So, you can use at least 12 tags in a YouTube video. However, use the most important keywords first and then add specific multi-word tags, increasing the searchability of your video, as suggested by Search Engine Land.
2. Plan Your Videos
Alan Lakein once said, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” Planning videos helps in creating a sequence of actionable steps needed to achieve maximum subscribers. When planning your videos, try to create an original script related to your topic without mimicking famous channels. This will help you organize your videos while keeping you on track.
Be precise and make the script as detailed as possible, including the words you’ll say in the video while stressing the main points and the actions you want your target audience to take.
3. Be Consistent In Posting Useful Content
Have you adopted the “one-and-done” approach on YouTube? This is not going to work if you are really serious about getting subscribers. Some people go a month without posting anything and then post 3-4 times a week. Even if you have excelled in creating informative, engaging, and entertaining videos, unless you schedule them to be uploaded regularly and consistently, you could lose your audience.
I suggest posting 1-2 videos a week to keep your audience entertained and to ensure that you are providing meaningful content. When posting a new video each week, decide on a specific day and time, such as Friday, 3:00 pm. Setting deadlines and sharing the schedule publicly will make it hard for you to procrastinate, says DIY Musician. When posting a video, set aside some extra time for writing descriptions, video promotion, and responding to comments.
4. Keep The Videos Short
You might not be lucky to get a million views on a 30-minute video, unlike Kony 2012. According to ComScore, the shortest of the top ten most popular YouTube videos was 42 seconds, and the longest was 9 minutes and 15 seconds. The average video length was 4 minutes and 20 seconds. To promote your YouTube video for higher traffic, keep it short and to the point.
Long videos waste more time for your viewer when you try to upload more long videos while your competitors use short videos. The viewer will prefer watching a short video, and your competitor will get ranked as compared to you.
5. Try An Offbeat Title For The Video
When creating an engaging title that encourages more clicks, you are allowed to be quirky and innovative yet precise. Keep the title length such that it doesn’t exceed 50-60 characters.
Don’t mess with words. The title should immediately tell the audience what the video is about. Else, they won’t click on it. To optimize the title for more excellent searches, use the keywords in it. Do not use the word “video” in the title. This is not only a waste of space but is of no use in ensuring higher search engine rankings. A few examples of highly focussed and attention-grabbing titles are “7 Dos and Don’ts of Street Style,” “3 Easy and Quick Ways to Write an Essay,” and “5 Sure-Fire Ways to Write an Effective Resume.”
6. Use Different Locations For The Background
Do you always use your bedroom walls or office space as the background for your videos? Well, you might be boring the viewers. Shoot across different locations or backgrounds to create more interest.
If you think you don’t have too many backgrounds for the youtube video, then you can get copyright-free YouTube video backgrounds. Must use matched background related to a video. Likewise, if you are working in the technology category, try to use tech-related background.
7. Don’t Preach, Guide.
When global star Priyanka Chopra spoke at Penguin Annual Lecture 2017, she started by sharing “12 Sure-fire ways to Become Priyanka Chopra,” but tweaked the title in a blink since she knew that millennials don’t like to be told things. She then carried on with “Priyanka Chopra’s 12 Rules to Becoming the Best Version of Yourself.” Can you see the difference? You cannot force someone to do something, but you can encourage them to take steps in the right direction.
8. Appear, Professional
You can make the most of YouTube’s customization options, but you can’t make viewers trust your YouTube brand unless they believe you are an expert in the field. Don’t use a casual approach when filming content. If you run a blog, include the design elements of the blog in the customized background header of the video. Be flexible in commenting on others’ videos. But don’t forget to share your videos on other popular social channels.
Add the most viewed videos of your channel in the video description also. Try to add some social links in the description while uploading your videos.
9. Create A Custom Video Thumbnail
When people browse YouTube, thumbnails give them a quick snapshot of videos. A video thumbnail serves the same function as a book’s jacket or a movie posture, capturing attention and persuading viewers that clicking “Play” is worth their time. Hence, video thumbnails are something that can’t be overlooked, especially when you are trying to increase your click-through rate (CTR). Use relevant images and annotations as custom thumbnails for your YouTube videos to illustrate what the video is about. You can choose from YouTube’s thumbnails based on three intervals at the 1/4th mark, the 1/2 mark, or the 3/4th mark.
10. Create A Perfect Channel Trailer
One of the best ways to entice potential subscribers is with a channel trailer. A channel trailer is just like a movie trailer. It gives viewers a preview of your channel’s offerings, motivating them to subscribe. A 30-60 seconds trailer, which features you provide a quick introduction, would be sufficient to communicate your message to the viewer.
Do not leave your call to action to the end, especially if your videos are long. Make sure clickable annotations appear within the first few seconds.
I hope these 10 points will help you to grow your channel instantly. Except for these points, try to keep consistency in your work. If you do not get views or subscribe to your channel, keep continuing your work. YouTube, like such persons who work with consistency, You will get success one day. Keep an eye on your competitors and what they have new ideas and working on it. Try to work with niche-related content. Don’t mix your content with multiple categories. Always upload updated videos. Do not upload videos that your competitor defined or uploaded years ago.