How to Get More Youtube Subscribers in 2021
By Andy | Jan 26, 2021 (5 min read)
Branding | Marketing | Social Media | Video
Back in the early days of Youtube, the number of subscribers each channel had was mostly a vanity metric. It showed you had some internet fame and were beloved by a small subculture online.
However, all that has changed as Youtube has grown into the world’s second-largest search engine.
In 2021, getting more subscribers is the best way to maximize your organic reach online. Today over one billion hours of video are watched on YouTube every day. And 70% of the videos that get watched are decided by the YouTube algorithm.
Youtube subscribers are vital to growing your views, play counts, watch time, and engagement. If your goal is to make money from your YouTube channel, you must first reach the milestone of 1000 subscribers and 4000 hours of watch time.
This article will look at different ways to grow your subscribers on Youtube and how you can increase the amount of attention your Youtube channel gets.
1. Ask Youtube Viewers to Subscribe
If you’ve watched any Youtube videos, you have probably noticed many of them include a request to like, subscribe, and click the notification bell. This isn’t a coincidence.
Even though the big red Youtube subscribe button is on every video, often people will not think about it unless you remind them.
Asking your viewers to subscribe gives them a reminder that you’ve got valuable content for them, and if they subscribe, you’re making it easier for them to keep up to date with your new content.
As you ask them to subscribe, it’s a great idea to demonstrate why your channel is worth subscribing to. Mention what kinds of videos you typically offer and how they can benefit by watching them.
There is no rule for when you should ask people to subscribe, but generally, people will do it in the beginning and at the end of the video. Some people won’t make it all the way through, so typically, the video’s start is the best place to ask for a person to subscribe.
2. Add Youtube Channel Art
The YouTube banner at the top of your channel welcomes people who visit your channel. People who enjoyed your video are more likely to visit your channel and see what other videos you offer before subscribing. Your Youtube channel art and banner give people a feeling for what kind of video content you offer.
Your banner needs to be on-brand, interesting and optimized for different devices. Make sure to look at how your Youtube channel art looks on mobile devices and desktop computers.
If you need help with setting up your channel art, follow this guide to create your own YouTube channel art.
3. Brand Your Youtube Thumbnails
A video thumbnail is the still image that acts as the cover for your video. Even though they can seem insignificant, the Youtube video thumbnail acts as your best chance to persuade people to click on your video.
Every Youtube channel is different, so the way you present your Thumbnails is essential for attracting attention. Choose something that is on-brand for your style and the content you share.
The best way to make sure your video thumbnails are consistent is to look at your videos page. Ensure the video thumbnails present a professional and consistent look for your videos.
Ideally, you want to aim for consistent branding across all your thumbnails. Using the same font, color palette, and same frame composition helps people know that they’re looking at another video from your channel.
4. Embed Your Videos on Your Website
People who visit your website are much more interested in the content you offer. For this reason, if you can entice them to visit your Youtube channel at the same time, there’s a high chance they will subscribe.
From an SEO perspective, embedding video on your website can also help your website’s search rankings with the Google algorithm. If you create blog content, it can be a great idea to record a video that matches the written content. That way, you have two chances to attract new readers and viewers.
5. Use YouTube’s Video Tools
In the early days of Youtube, many videos had annotations that let people click away from the video.
YouTube eventually removed annotations in 2019 but added new tools to keep viewers engaged. Here are two ways to add flair to your videos with clickable tools.
End screens: still images at the end of your video to remind people to subscribe or insert another call to action. These are the last chance to get viewers’ attention before YouTube’s algorithm moves them to the next video.
Branding watermarks: this tool offers an extra subscribe button that will hover over your video throughout, even in full screen. This feature can be another way to entice Youtube subscribers to click the button and stay connected to your channel.
6. Follow a Consistent Schedule
When you keep adding new videos to your channel, it gives you a chance at more exposure. Many Youtube experts offer rule-of-thumb as to how often content creators should post videos to their channels.
One new video a week is an excellent place to start, increasing to 3-4 videos per week as your channel grows.
Remember that prioritizing quantity over quality is not always the best approach, especially in the beginning.
If your goal is to convert viewers to subscribers, you should focus on quality first and consistency second. As you grow, you can create more videos at a higher level of quality due to experience. Over time, this approach will attract more new subscribers than any cheats or hacks.
These simple tips will help you continue to grow your Youtube subscribers and encourage the Youtube algorithm to keep suggesting your content to new people. Youtube is a very popular platform and is also overcrowded with content creators who want to make it big. In all things, quality rises to the top, so make sure to focus on creating valuable, entertaining content that attracts new people to stay connected to your channel.
