How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube

YouTube subscribers are exactly what they sound like – users who subscribe to your YouTube channel. 

If a YouTube user likes your content they can subscribe to your channel, which means that your videos will appear in their subscription boxes and they’ll be recommended more of your content. 

By subscribing to your channel users don’t have to go looking for your content and they can even turn on notifications to be notified every time you upload something new. 

The more YouTube subscribers you have, the more social value you’ll give to your brand. An account with a high number of subscribers suggests your content is of value, that you upload regularly, and that you’re worth subscribing to. 

It all comes full circle – the more subscribers you have, the more people you can encourage to subscribe to your channel.

So, let’s take a look at some of our top tips on how to get more subscribers on YouTube in 2023. 

First things first, you need to create a brand for your YouTube channel. If your YouTube is an extension of your existing brand then it should feature the same branding as your other platforms. 

If it’s a totally separate entity, however, you need to hone in on the key elements of branding including a name, color scheme, and image style. 

Everything from the header of your channel page to the name of your YouTube channel and even what you wear in your videos will contribute to the overall branding of your channel, so think carefully before you get started. 

If you’ve had your YouTube channel for a while, chances are there are some old, poor-quality videos on there that you would rather nobody saw. 

Perhaps the quality isn’t up to scratch or you filmed them when you weren’t as successful or knowledgeable as you are now – either way, old and poor-quality videos won’t win you any new subscribers. 

Go back through your channel and determine if you’re happy with the public videos you have uploaded, and if not, delete them. 

Ask yourself, “would I be happy to upload that video today?” If the answer is no, don’t leave it on your page for people to view.

Once you’ve set up your YouTube channel you can upload a trailer to promote it. 

Your channel trailer should aim to entice people to your channel and encourage them to subscribe to your videos. 

You can include footage from previous videos or content you’ve already filmed and speak directly to your target audience, asking them to subscribe and showing them why they should. 

Take the time to make sure your YouTube channel trailer is perfect – you only get to make one first impression and there’s a good chance your trailer will be the first piece of content potential subscribers see…so make sure it’s good! 

Thumbnails are the still images that a user sees before they decide to click on your video. 

Your video’s thumbnail will be displayed on your channel, in subscription boxes, in recommended sections, and in search listings… so it’s important that you get it just right.

In fact, the thumbnail of your video has one of the biggest influences on a user clicking on your video and in turn, subscribing to your channel. 

You can use platforms such as Canva or Adobe to create eye-catching thumbnails. 

Make sure they are high-quality and reflect your brand. Opt for bright colors and don’t use too much overwhelming text. Your thumbnails are a great place to show off that all-important channel branding too. 

YouTube shorts are a new kind of YouTube content that are continuing to grow in popularity. 

YouTube shorts are the platform’s answer to the likes of TikTok and Instagram reels. They’re exactly what they sound like, short videos that can be created totally within the YouTube app. 

Unlike traditional YouTube videos that you film and edit on another platform, you can film, edit, and upload shorts all within the YouTube app. 

With online users looking for fast-paced and engaging content, YouTube shorts are able to capture the attention of users and drive them to your channel, opening up the rest of your content to them and encouraging them to subscribe. 

Capturing viewers’ attention in the first 10 seconds is crucial if you want them to watch your content, engage, and subscribe to your channel. 

It doesn’t matter how long the rest of your video is, the first 10 seconds are the most important. If it’s boring and doesn’t hook viewers to keep watching, they’ll turn it off and find something else to watch.

With over 800 million videos on YouTube – yes you read that right! – you’ve got an awful lot of competition to contend with. 

Hook viewers in from the moment they press play with an engaging intro. Your intro should give viewers a reason to keep watching, not a reason to turn off. 

As YouTube has grown, and with it the ability to make money on the platform, so too has the rise in people buying subscribers. 

It’s not hard to see why. Why spend months growing your subscriber list when you could pay someone to populate your channel with hundreds or even thousands of subscribers overnight?

The reality is however that bought subscribers are of little use to you. They’re usually bot accounts (aka they’re run by robots, not humans) and they don’t offer any of the benefits that real subscribers do such as video views, engagement, and sharing your content. 

Also, you don’t want to run the risk of falling foul of YouTube’s strict community guidelines. The platform takes a dim view of buying subscribers and the YouTube algorithm won’t hesitate to penalize your account if they think you’ve been trying to boost your subscriber numbers the wrong way. 

A YouTube ban or penalty could see your videos not appearing in search results or your account being suspended or banned altogether. 

If you ask us, it’s just not worth it. 

So there you have it, our ultimate guide on how to get more subscribers on YouTube in 2024. 

The video streaming platform continues to grow and is now the perfect place for existing brands to branch out and showcase more content or for individuals to build a brand and community of their own. 

Building your YouTube subscribers takes time, there’s no quick fix (not one that actually works anyway) and you’ll need to be willing to put the time and effort into implementing the tips we’ve laid out for you in the article. If you do, however, you’ll see your subscriber numbers continue to grow. 

If you want to find out more about YouTube and utilizing the platform then check out our guide on how to become a YouTuber as well as these video marketing mistakes to avoid!