A successful YouTube channel isn’t just about views, it’s about building a real audience.
To do that, you need loyal subscribers. Here’s how to get them.
Whatever stage your channel is at, whether you are just starting out or you are looking for ways to take it to the next level, understanding how you can drive people to hit that subscribe button can make all the difference. More subscribers mean more credibility, more reach and, ultimately, more money.
In this article, we are going to take a look at proven strategies to help creators like you gain YouTube subscribers fast. It’s not by guesswork, or hoping for the best – it’s by tracking results and knowing what tactics to implement to grow your YouTube channel faster.
How to Use YouTube Analytics to Find Out What’s Working
Before you can come up with a plan to get more free YouTube subscribers, you need to understand what you’re already getting right. This will be the platform on which you build your strategy.
To access YouTube Analytics:
Head into YouTube Studio → Analytics → “Advanced Analytics” at the top right.
Once there, you can sort your videos by ‘subscribers gained’. The image below shows you exactly where to find it.
This metric will show you which videos have been most successful in getting you more subscribers. It’s important to realise that the outliers are probably not the ones that gained the most views.
Now you need to engage your own analytical brain. What patterns can you spot between your best performing videos? Are they covering similar topics? Are they a similar length? Do they share a particular style or tone? Are they solving a particular issue for viewers?
These videos will act as your blueprint going forward. You’re trying to understand exactly what they (and YouTube’s algorithm) want.
Build On What Works
Once you’ve identified what has been working well in your existing YouTube videos, it’s time to double-down. This doesn’t mean you should upload videos that are exactly the same, but it should help you streamline your plan for other videos so that you can hone in on what has been getting you subscribers.
For example, if a particular topic has resonated with your audience, come up with a fresh angle to tackle it. Perhaps break down the issue into a short-form series, going more in-depth on various elements, or you could expand new videos into subtopics. There’s a reason why spin-offs, prequels and sequels are so popular in Hollywood – the audience has already shown interest.
Build on it…
This is a screenshot from one of our channels. Notice how the most viewed video was sixth in line when it came to gaining subscribers.
Why is this? The answer is simple – it didn’t provide as much value as the videos above it. Viewers wanted more of the content above it, which in turn, gained subscribers faster.
How To Ask Viewers To Subscribe:
Asking for subscribers feels cringy, but you should be doing it. But do you know how and when to ask people? Getting this right is pretty big, so here are some pointers:
- Ask after you’ve delivered valuable content, not before. Get people when they are impressed, entertained or informed
- Utilise visual prompts like graphics, animations or text that contain your subscribe link
- Use advanced analytics to find when viewer retention is at its highest, and insert a subscribe button
- Mix it up – you don’t always just need to ask on end screens, include a natural call-to-action where it fits
You can experiment with this in different videos and see which methods work best with your YouTube users.
Also, always include a subscribe link in your video descriptions – if they’re looking at that, they must be interested.
Value-Driven Content
Why does your channel exist? What do people get out of watching your YouTube videos? Why should viewers subscribe to your content?
The answers to these questions should be obvious to you, but you should keep asking them before you make every new video. Ultimately, by increasing your overall watch time, you will inevitably attract more YouTube subscribers. So make sure people have a reason to keep watching.
Hone in on your niche, solve a real problem and deliver the information clearly and concisely to improve your video quality. Have a look at our article How to Boost YouTube Watch Time to master the art of viewer retention.
Key insight: YouTube isn’t just a video platform, it’s a search engine. Think about what your audience is actively looking for (and answer them).
Video Title & Thumbnail Optimisation
To increase your YouTube subscriber count, you first have to get people to watch your videos. Video titles and thumbnails are your first, and often only, chance to grab potential viewers’ attention. Don’t miss this opportunity. Todd Beaupré from YouTube talks about this here with MrBeast’s thumbnail artist, Chucky.
The best video titles are clear and benefit-driven. They will show the viewer what they will get out of the video, and also tweak their curiosity without resorting to clickbait. Get this wrong and people will switch off very quickly. Get it right and you’ll see your video rank higher everywhere. Also bear in mind that 80% of YouTube views come from the suggested feed. Is your offering clear?
Creating eye-catching thumbnails isn’t rocket science. Try to include a human face, and use minimal text (that’s what the title is for). It needs to be clean and bold, not too busy. It’s also a great opportunity to push your branding, so that eventually your videos will become instantly recognisable as your viewership and subscribers grow.
Here’s one of ours:
Optimise Your YouTube Channel Page for Subscribers
A well-structured channel page can be the push new viewers need to hit that subscribe button, so don’t underestimate its importance.
Here’s how to make your channel page work harder:
- Use a clear channel banner that tells people what your content is about and how often you post, with your channel art
- Pin a channel trailer that quickly introduces who you are and what your channel offers
- Organise videos into playlists to showcase your best content
- Write a focused channel description using relevant keywords so YouTube understands the video more easily
- Include your YouTube Subscribe Link in a prominent position – don’t make people search for it (they won’t!)
Your YouTube channel page is a great opportunity to build trust with your audience, and a good one will encourage viewers to become a new subscriber.
Engage with Your Viewers
Viewers watch a video, subscribers feel a connection.
One of the quickest ways to gain real YouTube subscribers is to connect with your viewership. This means replying to comments and pinning any interesting questions to the top of the section. It also means using the Community tab to ask for input from fans, or share some behind-the-scenes updates (make them feel included). Refer to some of the comments in your next videos, and thank people by name.
This takes a little time, but it’s absolutely worth it. You may find that by connecting with your fans, your content gets more appealing as well. Win-win!
Final Thought: Growth Comes From A Considered Strategy
To gain YouTube subscribers fast, you don’t need hacks. Yes, it is possible to buy YouTube subscribers, but this is not the way to go for someone serious about growing a channel. For a start, this won’t help you join the YouTube partner program (which you need to earn ad revenue), which takes into account watch time – only ‘free’ subscribers are going to give you that.
The best way to increase YouTube subscribers count is through YouTube content. Use the insight in this blog, and be consistent. Schedule time to focus on the various tactics here, and always measure how successful you are. Finding out what works and building around it is the key to increasing your subscriber count.
Your target audience is out there, and they want to subscribe to your channel. All you need to do is keep making engaging videos, and give them a little nudge following the advice in this article.
Recommended Next: Understanding YouTube’s Algorithm (This Will Never Change)