Your YouTube subscriber count isn’t just another vanity metric. Getting more subscribers is the best way to maximize your organic reach on the second-largest website in the multiverse.
And if your goal is to actually make money on YouTube, hitting subscriber milestones is necessary to access many monetization features. For instance, you need at least 1,000 subscribers to become a YouTube Partner and start earning ad revenue. And the more subscribers you have, the higher you rise on YouTube’s fancy “benefit level” ladder (think: awards, managers, production aid.).
But for those of us who aren’t trying to go viral or become YouTube stars—we can hear you out there, you’re saying “But I’m just here to support my brand’s digital strategy with long-form video!”—subscribers are still crucial. Why?
Because 70% of the one billion hours of video that people watch on YouTube every day is decided by the YouTube algorithm. Which means that your ability to reach new eyes improves when you have subscribers who are bumping up your play counts, watch time, and engagement.
If you’re looking to get more YouTube views, check out our guide over here. But if you’re looking to turn viewers into subscribers? Read on for a list of actionable tactics.
Why you shouldn’t buy YouTube subscribers
Maybe you found this article because you were looking for an easy hack. A hack so easy that it could make a person YouTube famous with zero effort?
Look, we understand. We aren’t shame nuns; we get that busy people need to be efficient.
But the creators behind the world’s best YouTube channels aren’t spending their time or money on bot subscribers. They’re too busy making awesome videos.
They don’t bother, and neither should you.
First let’s look at how free YouTube subscriber services work. It’s a two-step process:
- You earn your ‘free’ subscribers by subscribing to and liking other channels, as instructed by the service. Most ask you to subscribe to 20 channels and like a certain number of videos. In return, 10 channels will subscribe to yours.
- After a few days of hiring yourself out as a one-person clickfarm, you get bored and decide to spend the $10 USD (or $30 or $100) to get your fake followers without all the hassle.
The whole set-up is fairly similar to the time we tried Instagram engagement pods. Either way, the service wins: they either get your time or your money. What do you get?
- Bot subscribers that don’t engage
- A bad look for your real audience, who are probably quite keen on authenticity
- The risk of running afoul of YouTube’s fake engagement policy (tl;dr you could get banned)
- Potential stink-eye from any brands looking to partner with you
At the end of the day, it’s just not worth it.
Meanwhile, there are a lot of prank videos out there that purport to have the secret to millions of subscribers. While we love the inventiveness—for instance, begging an anonymous Google employee who seems to operate akin to something out of The Secret to grant you your subscriber request—these videos are really only useful if you are the person that made them. (Because the person that made this one got 600,000 views.)
How to get free YouTube subscribers: 17 tips
First, if you’re just starting out, take a look at our guide to creating a YouTube channel from scratch. It’s a lot of work but it’s also a clean slate. And, to help you save time, we’ve compiled a list of beginner tips for YouTube.
And now, in order from easiest to most complicated, our best practices for converting viewers into subscribers. Don’t tackle them all at once. Try out one of these tips for each new video you post, or implement one a week. Here we go.
1. Ask your viewers to subscribe
I told you we’re starting with the easiest ones first.
Sometimes your audience just needs to be reminded. The big red subscribe button is omnipresent, but you might also want to point out the bell beside it that turns on notifications for your new videos. Simple.
Does this tip seem too salesy to you? This is your reminder that you’ve got valuable content, and you’re just making it easier for them to keep up with the work you do.
If you’re already doing this, remember to demonstrate why your channel is worth subscribing to. And make sure you do it right when they love you the most (e.g., right after you’ve provided new and useful information, or you’ve made them laugh). Don’t do it too much, or you’ll risk turning people off.
2. End your videos by mentioning the one you’re working on next
Subscribing to a YouTube channel is an act of anticipation. Viewers who’ve just seen what your brand is about are primed to want more, if you’ve done your job right.
Hyping your next video, and making it clear why it’s not to be missed, is the most organic way to encourage people to tap subscribe.
Of course, this requires having a good handle on your content schedule, and knowing what’s coming next. (More on that soon.)
3. Interact with your audience and make friends
If you form relationships with your viewers, they’re more likely to want to keep watching your work. Respond to comments. Follow their channels back.
Yes, it’s exciting if a famous YouTuber comments on your video, but who knows who’ll be famous next year. Form a community of peers and promote each other. (Yes, I’m talking about shine theory.)
Also, once you’re plugged in, your audience will provide you with plenty of free content ideas for your next video. Don’t worry, you don’t have to take all of them.
Manage your YouTube presence using Hootsuite and not only can you upload and schedule videos, you can also add comment streams to your dashboard. That makes it easy to review, reply, and/or moderate comments on all your videos from one place.
