Why Am I Not Getting Subscribers on YouTube?
Sep 14, 2020Have you ever asked yourself: "Why am I not getting subscribers on YouTube?" If so, you aren't alone. Many creators on YouTube struggle to gain subscribers. Often, there are common issues present that make getting YouTube subscribers difficult. However, these issues can be fixed!
It's important to recognize that getting subscribers on YouTube is difficult. Knowing this, you must put yourself in the best position possible to be successful. If you make the mistake of uploading too many types of videos, or you don't upload frequently enough, it will be difficult for you to get YouTube subscribers.
While subscribers might not be as valuable as they used to be, they can still be beneficial to have. If you are not getting subscribers then it would be in your best interest to evaluate your channel and videos. While evaluating your channel and videos, determine if you're making any of the mistakes I mention in this article and fix them.
Why Is It So Hard to Get Subscribers on YouTube
Why is it so hard to get subscribers on YouTube? After all, with so many successful channels, getting subscribers shouldn't be so difficult, right? While there are a lot of successful channels, it's important to recognize that they are in a different position than you. Just because gaining subscribers is easy for them, it doesn't mean it will be for you.
Believe it or not, many YouTube users aren't even aware that subscribing to channels is an option. That's right, even a basic function that has been present on YouTube for years is not very well known about. This, in my opinion, perfectly illustrates the importance of having a strong call-to-action.
Having a strong call-to-action is important because it will lead to more gained subscribers. If you tell users to subscribe, they'll be more likely to subscribe (who would've thought). As I mentioned, many users don't even know subscribing is an option. So, making users aware that they can subscribe will result in more subscribers gained.
As we move into the future, gaining subscribers will continue to be difficult. YouTube has been prioritizing subscribers less and less over the years. Due to this, you must remind users that they can subscribe to your channel. After all, YouTube doesn't make much of a point to inform users of this fact anymore- so you'll have to.
Why Am I Not Gaining Subscribers on YouTube
Whenever I talk with YouTube creators, the question: "Why am I not gaining subscribers on YouTube?" typically comes up at some point. Gaining YouTube subscribers is an issue many creators struggle with. So, if you're struggling to gain subscribers, make sure you aren't making any of the following mistakes:
- Lack of specificity
- Lack of upload frequency
- Low video quality
Let's dive a little deeper into these issues.
Lack of Specificity
One of the big mistakes I see made when reviewing channels is a lack of specificity. Meaning, I see a lot of inconsistency with the types of videos that a channel is creating. One day the channel is publishing a video about email marketing, and the next day they're publishing a video about biohacking. This is the wrong way to do things.
When a user visits your channel, they try to get a sense of what your channel is about. If a user visits your channel and has a difficult time determining what it's about, they'll be less likely to subscribe. Want to know what causes a lot of confusion for users? Visiting a channel and seeing that the channel uploads multiple different types of videos on different topics.
I'm all for experimenting with different types of videos. If you're a new content creator, you should try creating different types of videos. This way, you can learn what types of videos you like to create. If you're making a conscious effort to gain subscribers, however, it's in your best interest to select a type of video and a topic and to stick with it.
Lack of Upload Frequency
When users subscribe to a channel, they do so because they want to see more videos from that channel. Knowing this, why do so many creators only upload 2 new videos a month and wonder why they aren't gaining subscribers? Think about it- would you subscribe to a channel that only posts 2 new videos a month? Probably not.
Upload frequency is important for a variety of different reasons. Typically, when we speak of upload frequency, it's because a channel is struggling to grow. Upload frequency can benefit you in a more technical, algorithmic sense. However, upload frequency can also benefit you in a human sense.
By having a consistent flow of new videos on your channel, you will "program" users to expect new videos from you. If you barely publish any new videos, users will forget about you. Think about a YouTube channel you watch a lot- you can probably name the days and times they publish new videos. Why is this? Well, it's because of their upload frequency.
Low Video Quality
Usually, I shy away from giving my input on the quality of a creator's videos. I don't know what your situation is. So, it might be useless for me to suggest to you to buy a new camera or microphone. You might simply not be in a position financially to be able to do so. However, for the sake of this discussion, I must touch on video quality.
Here's the deal: People subscribe to channels who make good videos. Part of making good videos is making videos that are comfortable to view. This means having decent audio and video quality. Of course, the best equipment in the world won't save a low-value video, but the equipment is important.
A good camera doesn't need to cost $10,000. A good microphone doesn't need to cost $400. There are plenty of high-quality, cost-effective options for recording equipment. So, if you want to get more subscribers, consider investing some money into some equipment that will improve your video quality.
Easy Way to Gain Subscribers on YouTube
At this point, you're probably looking for an easy way to gain subscribers on YouTube. As you will know, gaining subscribers is quite difficult. However, there are things you can do to give yourself a better chance of getting more subscribers. One thing you can do that is quite effective and easy to do is engage with targeted users.
Engaging with target users is an easy thing to do on YouTube. All you need to do is find a video similar to the videos you create, and scroll to the comments section. Then, start responding to comments from users. Do not self-promote your channel, just engage. Naturally, the users you converse with will become curious and will visit your channel.
The key when it comes to engaging with users is making sure they're targeted. This is why I recommended that you find videos similar to the videos you create. If a user is interested in videos similar to yours, they might be interested in your videos as well. Engaging with users is a simple way to get your channel in front of target viewers in a natural manner.
Conclusion
If you are not getting subscribers on YouTube, chances are there is a reason for it. Maybe you're not uploading enough, or maybe your videos lack consistency. Or, you might need to upgrade your video quality. Whatever the issue is, the sooner you fix it, the sooner you will be able to begin getting subscribers on YouTube.