15 Proven Ways to Get More YouTube Subscribers (Without Buying Them)

Updated on: 28th Aug 2024

Since it started in 2005, YouTube has continued to grow at a massive rate. There are over two billion visitors each month, and over a billion people watch YouTube daily. YouTube is the leading video platform on the internet. Increasing subscribers on YouTube with your YouTube Marketing Plan is critical to success on the platform. However, achieving significant subscriber growth requires more than just uploading videos; it demands a strategic approach.

This article delves into proven strategies and actionable tips for increasing your YouTube subscribers, helping you transform casual viewers into engaged followers who eagerly anticipate your next upload. Whether you’re a budding creator or an established channel looking to boost your numbers, these insights will guide you on your journey to YouTube success.

Ready to crack on? Here are 15 effective strategies to increase the number of your YouTube subscribers.

1. Make Sure to Plan

Before you begin, think about the kind of channel you want to create. Try to plan out a few videos you want to create that you think people would be willing to watch and then subscribe to so that they can watch more of your content. Try to think about who you are trying to target with your videos.

Attempt to make an upload schedule. For example, uploading on Mondays will let your subscribers know when to check your channel to see the fresh content you have produced. Having a concise plan will allow you to have a structure for your YouTube channel instead of just improvising.

2. Create Entertaining, Engaging and Informative Content

All the best videos on YouTube can incorporate information and entertainment while engaging the audience. People have short attention spans, especially online, so it is pivotal that your ability to keep them on both your video and channel. Although longer videos are advised as it can be beneficial for YouTube monetization, there is no point in making long-winded videos that will put the audience asleep.

Depending on the type of content you make, it is advised to make videos around the 5-8-minute mark.

3. Optimize Video Titles

Video titles are critical for clickthroughs, impressions, and search discoverability.

To optimize video titles, incorporate relevant keywords that your target audience is searching for, ensuring the title clearly concisely describes the content. Create intrigue with compelling language, use numbers or lists (e.g., “5 Tips for…”) to attract more views, and include strong, emotional words to grab attention. Maintain a consistent style for brand recognition. By crafting clear, keyword-rich, and intriguing titles, you can attract more viewers and encourage them to subscribe to your channel.

4. Quote Industry Experts

Include quotes from successful YouTubers and experts sharing wisdom on building a loyal audience:

“Collaborating with other creators in your niche is a win-win strategy. You tap into their audience, and vice versa. Proactively reach out to set up collab videos.” – John Smith, 500k Subscriber Cooking Channel.

“Responding to every comment, especially on your newer videos, nurtures reader relationships and loyalty. This community interaction builds advocacy for your channel.” – Jane Doe, YouTube Strategist.

5. Design Your YouTube Channel

You can brand your YouTube channel in whatever way you want. If you are a business, including your company’s logo on your profile picture or channel banner will make you more recognisable to existing customers.

Your YouTube banner should look neat and professional, as it stands out when someone clicks on your channel. To promote your social media platforms, you could put buttons on your channel banner.

Having social media accounts like Facebook, X/Twitter, and Instagram is a good way to promote your channel. Social media will allow you to engage more with subscribers; it is an easier platform to communicate with subscribers rather than just a YouTube comments section.

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

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

7. Use Appealing Thumbnails

Just like YouTube titles, engaging your subscribers with your choice of thumbnails for your videos is pivotal.

Using self-designed images allows you to design your thumbnails to entice new viewers, meaning more subscribers. The thumbnail will most likely be the first thing someone sees when viewing your channel, so it is important to reel them in immediately.

8. Use Annotations to Invite Subscribers

Annotations are pop-up messages that appear throughout videos on YouTube. When used correctly, annotations can encourage people to subscribe to your YouTube channel; they can be placed throughout your videos.

However, be careful not to place too many annotations throughout your content as it may become distracting and cause the viewer to stop watching your video.

9. Optimise Every Video Description

Optimizing your video descriptions is vital as they can help you gain subscribers for your channel. It has the same benefits as optimising your title: it will help you show up in the results when YouTube and Google users search relevant terms. It also gives viewers a better understanding of what is being featured in the video.

Try to keep your descriptions to only a few short paragraphs that will inform rather than bore your viewers.

10. Optimize Your Meta Tags

Meta tags are specifically there for YouTube and Google search engine results, including relevant words that will help you get discovered. If you’re unsure how to get started, take a look at content creators who make similar videos and see how they use their meta tags. Don’t copy and paste the same meta tags someone else has used; make them relevant to your video.

Overstuffing your meta tags with irrelevant tags and too many relevant tags will only hurt you. For example, if you are teaching how to apply a screen protector to an iPhone 6, try meta tags such as: ‘how to apply screen protector,’ ‘how to apply a screen protector to an iPhone,’ ‘screen protector how to,’ etc. Don’t go over 6 meta tags unless you use ‘single word’ keywords instead of phrases.

11. Collaborate With Others

A good way to reach a new audience is to do a collaboration video with another YouTuber; this may be tough if your channel has few subscribers. Collaborating with a channel that produces similar content to yours means that people are more likely to subscribe because they are already watching videos from a similar channel.

A great example of a YouTube collaboration was when KSI and PewDiePie decided to review memes together. Both were two of the most popular creators on the platform, so the video performed very well, with a whopping 12 million views.

12. Interact with Your Subscribers

Making your YouTube channel feel like a community is vital; interacting with your subscribers will make them feel like they have a more personal connection. The best way to interact with your subscribers is definitely through the comments section on your videos. Ask the viewers questions throughout the video, as this will encourage them to comment. Make sure to attempt to respond to as many of the comments as possible, even if they are negative comments, as they can show you where you are going wrong in your videos.

Another great way to interact with your subscribers is through your social media; as mentioned above, always promote your social media, as it may be easier for your subscribers to reach you than the comments section.

Keep in mind some trolls are essentially people who love to say negative or vulgar things to anyone they can find on the internet. You are not expected to reply to any of those and will always be better off when not responding to such behaviour. Responding would only encourage them to continue, even if it means making multiple accounts. The best way to handle those trolls is to delete their comments and block them.

Unfortunately, every YouTuber faces this problem, so do not take it personally and just continue working hard to grow your subscribers.

13. Use End-Screens

End screens can be used to promote another video you have made, or you can have a button to subscribe to your channel.

Using end-screens means people are more likely to stick around on your channel longer if they see a video that interests them, which, in turn, means they are more likely to hit the subscription button.

14. Create Playlists

Creating a playlist of any other videos you have created will result in YouTube suggesting it when the video is over. When people search for a particular kind of video, playlists show up first over single videos; this will result in the videos in the playlist getting more views.

15. Celebrate Milestones

Always celebrate your achievements and thank your subscribers. When you hit a certain milestone, always do a special video as a way to give back to the people who have decided to hit that subscribe button. If they enjoy the special video, they may be inclined to subscribe so that they will see more when you hit a different milestone.

When MrBeast hit 10 million subscribers, he decided to give away $30,000 to his subscribers. This is a very extreme way to celebrate milestones, as MrBeast has great sponsorship deals that allow for these amazing giveaways.

More Resources

For more content on improving your YouTube strategy and increasing subscribers, consider checking the following resources:

Conclusion

Implementing proven YouTube growth strategies like optimizing titles, collaborating with others, responding to comments, and analyzing your audience insights will organically grow your subscriber base without requiring paid ads or promotions. But be patient. Building a loyal community takes consistent effort.

Growing your YouTube subscriber count will be a long and slow process, but it will be worth it in the end. Thanks to your YouTube channel, having a community will feel very rewarding, and you will feel you are actually making friends online.

If you are looking for inspiration for your YouTube channel, feel free to check out ProfileTree’s digital agency YouTube channel. If you have questions or problems with YouTube marketing, video marketing and your YouTube subscribers, do not hesitate to contact us.

FAQs

1. How often should you post to get more subscribers?

Most experts recommend posting 1-2 times weekly for the best balance between subscriber growth and maintaining production quality without burnout. Evaluate your channel’s analytics to optimize your unique cadence.

2. What is the ideal video length?

Videos between 5 and 15 minutes tend to see the highest audience retention and engagement. Test different lengths with your viewership and analyze dropoff rates to identify the sweet spot. Shorter for more casual content, longer for tutorials or analysis.

3. How important are custom thumbnails for getting more subscribers?

Highly important. Unique, eye-catching custom thumbnails increase clickthrough rate by up to 10x versus default thumbnails.

4. What CTA strategy is best to gain subscribers?

Ask viewers to subscribe early and remind them later in the video. Have a subscribe button overlay and mention the perks of subscribing, like exclusive content.