10 Proven Ways to Get More Views on YouTube and Subscribers

Getting more subscribers and views on YouTube takes time and effort. But by following proven YouTube SEO and marketing strategies, you can grow your channel faster. In this comprehensive guide, we provide 10 tactics to increase YouTube views and subscribers based on the latest YouTube algorithm and expert research.

Globally, there are more than a billion users in over 88 countries using 76 different language formats on YouTube, whilst more than half of the YouTube users are accessing the content using a mobile device. The daily viewership of YouTube videos exceeds that of the most popular global cable television channels. 

Although it is possible to pay for YouTube views, we do not advise it. Having an actual, authentic community of people viewing your videos will feel more special than a bunch of bots. If it were as simple as buying a few million views, everyone would be a YouTube star. Buying views will also result in your channel being either terminated or suspended. 

While YouTubers like PewDiePie and BuzzFeed make getting millions of views look easy, it is more of the opposite. There is a range of things you have to take into consideration when making a video in the hopes of it getting a lot of views. In this article, we will present the best tips and tricks to increase your YouTube Views.

If you have not yet set up a YouTube channel, then check out our tutorial on how to make a YouTube Channel.

10 Tips to Get More YouTube Views and Subscribers

Tip 1: Get More Views on YouTube by Knowing Your Audience

When starting, have a plan for the type of videos you want to be making. Keeping within your niche will entice people who are into that topic. These people will be interested in this specific type of video and will be more inclined to subscribe. Once they have subscribed, they will continue to get notifications about your new videos and may check them out.

As the subscribers and views grow, you could maybe branch out on what kind of videos you make to engage new types of viewers. However, it is important not to lose the bulk of your viewers because you decided to change what type of content you make.

 Tip 2: Get More Views on YouTube by Making Relevant Videos

Starting, it is tough to gain more YouTube views. It is important to look at what types of videos are trending; if you see a recurring type, make similar videos. Remember to put your spin on the trends, as people will not be willing to watch the same video twice. To kickstart your YouTube growth, you might even consider buying YouTube views, which can help increase the visibility of your videos and attract more organic viewers.

Tip 3: Get More Views on YouTube by Engaging Titles

When someone searches for a video, one of the first things they will look at is the title. It is essential to entice the viewer. Avoid using click-bait titles, as it is exceedingly rare that you will deliver on what the title says. It is also unlikely that the viewer will watch another one of your videos if you have essentially lied to them.

Search Engine Optimisation is just as relevant on YouTube as on Google. Therefore, using short but relevant titles is important. Including keywords people are searching for will make your video more likely to appear. As many people use YouTube as a visual guide, using keywords like “how to” and “what is” are great titles for videos. 

ALSO SEE:  YouTube SEO Tips and Tricks

Tip 4: Eye-Catching Thumbnails

Just like the title, the thumbnail has to be something that catches the viewer’s eye straight away. If someone is looking up a video on how to tie a shoelace, it is a good idea to show someone doing it. 

Here’s some tips to get you started:

• Include text on the thumbnail
• Make it colourful
• Close-ups of your face
• Design the thumbnail as the quality will be better

Tip 9 once again shows how having an eye-catching thumbnail is vital.

Tip 5: Relevant Descriptions 

The description of the video is another way to entice the viewer. Although unlikely, some people may read the description before they watch the video. It is important to be clear about the benefits of watching this video to let them know what they are in for. 

You can also include additional information that did not make it in the video; an example of this could be the name of a product you used in the video in case the viewer wants to purchase it.

For example, you can:

• Include a link to subscribe to your channel or any other relevant videos
• Include timestamps in your descriptions that will let viewers skip to the information they need
• Link your social media pages as a way for you to engage with your audience
• Keep the description short

Tip 6: Get More Views on YouTube by Encouraging Engagement 

Asking viewers to like and subscribe throughout the video is pivotal. If someone finds your video entertaining or helpful, they will engage with the video to say thank you. Increased engagement will lead to the possibility of your videos coming up on the recommended section or higher up when someone searches. 

People subscribing will mean your videos appear in more people’s boxes, meaning more viewers.  You should encourage people to turn on the bell notification once they have subscribed, as it will alert them when you upload a new video.

Check out our tutorial on how to gain more subscribers on YouTube.

Tip 7: Social Media Is Key 

Having social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram is a good way to promote your videos. Social media will allow you to engage more with viewers; this could be through asking questions or just them complementing your videos.  

If the viewers have a more personal connection, they will likely stick around and continue to watch you. When you upload a video, posting it to all your social media accounts will encourage viewers to check it out earlier. 

Releasing snippets of videos and posting it to your socials is a good way to excite viewers before you have released the full video, almost like a trailer to a blockbuster movie. 

Tip 8: Create Playlists 

Creating a playlist of relevant videos means YouTube will suggest it when the video ends. It is similar to the way Netflix continues to play the next episode when you are binge-watching a series.

Playlists will keep viewers on your channel and convince them to check out more of your videos. Playlists usually appear first compared to single videos when people are searching, meaning the videos in the playlist are more likely to be viewed.

Tip 9: End screens 

End screens show the thumbnails of some of your other videos, and if the viewer clicks on the end screen, the video will begin to play. Once again, this will encourage viewers to stick around and watch another video.  

This is another reason thumbnails must be well made, as they could be the difference between clicking on another video or not.

Tip 10: Peak Times 

It is important to know when the best time is to upload. Knowing where your videos are being watched can allow you to upload at a time that suits most viewers. For example, if a large portion of viewers are from the UK, then uploading at a time like six when people are finishing school or work is a good idea.  

YouTube Analytics is the best way to look at this information. It will also show you the average age of your audience and their gender. This allows you to make your videos to suit the people watching them.

More Proven Ways to Get More YouTube Views and Subscribers

Section 1: Optimize Your YouTube Channel

Start by ensuring your YouTube channel is optimized for discovery and conversions.

• Create an appealing channel icon and art that represents your brand.
• Write an excellent channel description highlighting your niche and value proposition. Include relevant keywords. Keep it under 300 characters.
• Organize your channel page with playlists around topics and popular videos. Make it easy to navigate your content.
• Enable channel homepage customization to showcase important videos, playlists, subscribe buttons, etc.

According to SocialBlueBook, customizing your channel increases views by 125% on average.

Section 2: Create Compelling Custom Thumbnails and Titles

Your thumbnails and titles are the first thing viewers see when browsing YouTube. Make them clickable.

• Research what thumbnails perform best in your niche – text, numbers, faces, contrast colours, etc. Create multiple options.
• A/B test different thumbnails to see which get more clicks. YouTube provides this capability.
• Use attention-grabbing titles that promise value and align with thumbnail creative. Include the target keyword.
• Include “10 Ways to…” or “5 Reasons Why…” if appropriate. This encourages clicks.

TubeBuddy research shows videos with faces in thumbnails get more views.

Section 3: Hook Viewers in the First 10 Seconds

You only have a brief window to grab viewers’ attention. Optimize your first 10 seconds.

• Open with an exciting hook relevant to the topic, like a surprising fact, emotional appeal, etc.
• Show off your best content, graphics, and personalities right away. Don’t waste time on intros.
• Use cuts, graphics, B-roll footage, etc., to keep the intro visually stimulating.
• Verbally state the focus of the video and its value to the viewer. Get to the point fast.

According to YouTube, 20% of viewers click away within the first 10 seconds of a video. Engage them quickly.

Section 4: Structure Your Video for Maximum Watch Time

YouTube favours videos that keep viewers watching. Structure content to optimize for watch time.

• Organize your video in logical sections with headers every 2-3 minutes. Easier to digest.
• Balance length and depth. Stretching topics too thin results in lower watch time. But overloading viewers causes dropoff.
• Use strong transitions between sections like “Moving on…”, “Now that we’ve covered…”, “Next up…” etc.
• Add mid-video CTAs like “Stay tuned” or “Don’t forget to subscribe for more…” to keep viewers engaged.

The ideal video length for maximum views varies by niche. Research top videos in your category.

Section 5: Promote Videos on Social Media

Social media drives significant YouTube traffic. Promote your videos where your audience is active.

• Create native video posts tailored for each platform, like square format for Instagram, under 2 minutes for TikTok, etc.
• Write compelling captions that pull viewers to YouTube. Ask questions, highlight key takeaways, etc.
• Post on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Experiment across platforms to see which drives the most traffic.
• Promote videos in relevant Facebook or Reddit groups, forums and communities. Provide value and build trust.

Sprout Social found videos on social media drive 10 more comments than links or images. Promote natively for best results.

Section 6: Leverage YouTube Cards and End Screens

YouTube cards and end screens help surface related content and prompts that boost views and subscribers.

• Use cards strategically throughout videos to promote other videos, playlists, subscribe prompts, etc.
• End each video with a visually branded end screen that links to 2-4 related videos or popular playlists.
• A/B test end screen elements to determine which thumbnails, prompts, and calls-to-action perform best.

According to YouTube, adding end screens to videos leads to viewers watching up to 30% more content on average.

Section 7: Interact with Your Audience

Building relationships with viewers leads to more loyalty, engagement, and subscribers.

• Reply to as many comments as possible. Ask for feedback and ideas.
• Give behind-the-scenes commentary on community posts and stories. Make viewers feel invested.
• Do occasional live streams to interact in real time. Answer viewer questions.
• Prompt viewers to like, comment, subscribe, and turn on notifications to stay connected.

Videos with comments see 2X more engagement on average, according to Talkwalker. Humanize your channel.

Section 8: Analyze Performance and Optimize

Continuously analyze your YouTube performance data to refine your approach.

• Review analytics insights like traffic sources, viewer demographics, dropoff points, dislikes, etc.
• See which videos overperform for views, watch time, clickthrough, etc. Make more similar high-traction content.
• Identify low-performing videos and analyze why they didn’t resonate based on titles, thumbs, content, etc.
• Experiment with different topics, formats, lengths, styles, etc. Double down on what works best.

Checking analytics and iterating is key. According to YouTube, 70% of viewers are recommended videos to watch next versus searching. Give them the videos they want.

Section 9: Optimize Your Videos for YouTube SEO

Winning the YouTube algorithm requires optimizing your videos for discovery.

• Research keywords people search for related to your topic and include them strategically in titles, descriptions and subtitles.
• Add a full transcript to enable text search. Make it easy for YouTube to index and rank your content.
• Include links to other videos in descriptions to boost viewership across your catalogue.
• Add keyword-rich chapter timestamps so viewers can jump to sections.

TubeBuddy data shows over half of the traffic comes from YouTube searches and suggested videos. SEO is crucial.

Section 10: Collaborate with Other Creators

Collabs help reach each other’s audiences and cross-promote content.

• Identify creators with similar styles and audiences as you. Reach out for shoutout trades, guest appearances, etc.
• Do “react” style response videos highlighting other creators’ content. Embed links back to them.
• Participate in collaborations like compilation videos, experiments, challenges, etc, featuring multiple creators.
• Give shoutouts to other channels. Thank the creators who helped you. Good karma pays off.

According to Sprout Social, 79% of viewers subscribe to a channel after watching a collab video from a creator they follow.

Get More Views on YouTube: FAQ

Q: How many videos should I post to get more views?

A: There is no ideal posting frequency for all channels, but 1-2 videos per week is a good starting point. Analyze when your audience is most active and experiment with posting different amounts to find the sweet spot. Consistency is key.

Q: What is the best video length?

A: Typically, videos 10-20 minutes long generate the most views, but the ideal length varies widely by topic and niche. Study top videos in your category as a benchmark. It is shorter for music and longer for complicated tutorials. Refine based on your audience’s behaviour.

Q: How important are tags and descriptions for discovery?

A: Optimized tags and descriptions are important for YouTube’s search algorithm. Include keywords people search for in proper Title Case. Write natural descriptions over 150 words using keywords. Enable transcript too.

Q: Should I pay for promotions to get more views?

A: Tread carefully with paid YouTube ads. They can help initially but won’t drive organic loyalty. Focus first on creating great value content. Promote on social media to convert real fans before scaling up paid campaigns.

Get More Views on YouTube: Conclusion

Succeeding on YouTube requires patience and consistency. But leveraging these proven tips will dramatically accelerate your ability to get more channel views, subscribers and loyalty. Analyze your performance data to double down on what works. Provide relentless value to your audience. Collaborate with others. Stay on top of algorithm changes. If you keep optimizing your YouTube strategy, you can build a thriving channel and community over time.

Unfortunately, it is hard to be an overnight sensation. Growing on YouTube will take much hard work, and growth can be slow sometimes. Consistent uploading and engaging with your audience will be essential in gaining more views on YouTube.  Some people just need one video for their views to shoot up, and then the subscribers start to roll in.