What are Youtube Subscribers? A Complete Guide

YouTube Subscribers

What are YouTube Subscribers?

Subscribers on YouTube are users who choose to follow specific YouTube channels. By subscribing, they opt to receive updates and have the channel's videos prominently displayed in their YouTube feed. Subscribers are a critical part of a channel's audience, as they are more likely to watch new videos than non-subscribers.

Here’s an example:
As a user on YouTube, I enjoy watching content about YouTube growth strategies. I specifically like the YouTube channel for Creator Essentials, which teaches YouTubers how to start and grow their channels. In order to stay up to date and get notified of any new videos, I decide to subscribe. This makes it easier to find their content on my YouTube homepage and ensures that I will be notified of future videos.

Why are YouTube Channel Subscribers Important?

Channel subscribers are crucial as they regularly engage with the channel's content, increasing the channel's watch time and visibility. They act as a loyal audience base, boosting the channel's reach and performance in YouTube's algorithm.

How Do You Check Your Channel Subscribers?

You can check your channel subscribers in YouTube Studio. Here’s how:

Sign in to YouTube Studio.
Select Analytics from the left menu.
On the Overview tab, find the Realtime card.
Click "See live count" to view your subscriber count over time.

How Can You Grow YouTube Subscribers?

Growing your YouTube subscribers involves a combination of strategies focused on creating appealing content, engaging with your audience, and leveraging YouTube's features. There are seriously so many factors that influence subscriber growth on YouTube. That said, here are some approaches to help you increase your subscriber count:

1. Creating Professional Channel Art and Clear Channel Icons

Channel Art: Your channel art (banner) is the first visual element that potential subscribers will see. Ensure it reflects your brand and clearly communicates what your channel is about. Use high-resolution images, and include your upload schedule or tagline.
Channel Icon: Your channel icon (profile picture) should be easily recognizable and consistent with your brand. This could be a logo or a professional photo of yourself.

2. Structuring Your Videos Effectively and Responding to Comments to Build a Community

Video Structure: Start with a strong hook in the first few seconds to grab attention. Follow with valuable content, and end with a clear call to action (e.g., asking viewers to like, comment, and subscribe).
Engagement: Actively respond to comments to build a sense of community. Engaging with your audience makes them feel valued and more likely to subscribe and participate in future discussions.

3. Focusing on a Niche to Stand Out

Niche Content: Identify a specific niche where you can offer unique content. This helps attract a dedicated audience interested in your particular subject matter.
Consistency: Consistently produce content within your niche to establish yourself as an authority and keep your audience engaged.

4. Using Clear Calls to Action in Your Videos

Verbal Prompts: Throughout your videos, remind viewers to subscribe. You can include prompts at the beginning, middle, and end of your videos.
Visual Cues: Use on-screen graphics, annotations, and end cards to encourage viewers to subscribe.

5. Promoting High-Performing Videos

Analyze Performance: Regularly review your video analytics to identify high-performing videos.
Promotion: Promote these videos through social media, email newsletters, and collaborations. High-performing videos are more likely to attract new subscribers due to their proven appeal.

6. Increasing Viewer Engagement Through Strategies Like Playlists and End Screens

Playlists: Organize your videos into playlists to keep viewers watching more of your content. Playlists increase watch time and the likelihood of viewers subscribing.
End Screens: Utilize end screens to direct viewers to other videos, playlists, or your subscription button. This keeps viewers engaged and encourages them to subscribe before they leave your channel.

7. Leveraging YouTube Shorts to Reach a Broader Audience

YouTube Shorts: Create short, engaging videos that capture attention quickly. Shorts are prominently displayed in YouTube’s mobile app, offering a great opportunity to reach a larger audience.
Trends: Take advantage of trending topics and challenges in your Shorts to attract new viewers and potential subscribers.

8. Collaborating with Other Creators to Expand Your Reach

Find Collaborators: Identify creators in your niche or related niches who have a similar audience.
Collaborative Content: Work together on videos that provide value to both audiences. This could be through guest appearances, joint projects, or shoutouts.
Cross-Promotion: Promote each other's channels through your collaborative content to introduce your subscribers to the other creator, encouraging mutual growth.

Additional Tips for Growing Your YouTube Subscribers

SEO Optimization: Optimize your video titles, descriptions, and tags with relevant keywords to improve discoverability.
Thumbnails: Create eye-catching thumbnails that accurately represent your content and entice viewers to click.
Consistency: Stick to a consistent upload schedule to keep your audience engaged and anticipating your next video.
Engage on Other Platforms: Promote your YouTube channel on social media, blogs, and other platforms to drive traffic and gain subscribers from various sources.
Community Engagement: Utilize YouTube’s community tab to interact with your audience through polls, updates, and behind-the-scenes content.

Looking for more? Book a YouTube consultation or ask me about my YouTube channel management services today!

How Many Subscribers Do You Need to Get Monetized?

To monetize your channel, you need at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months. This grants access to the YouTube Partner Program, allowing you to earn revenue from ads.

Risks of Buying YouTube Subscribers

Buying subscribers can be tempting for those looking to boost their channel's numbers and appear more popular quickly. However, this approach comes with significant risks and potential drawbacks that can negatively impact your channel in the long run.

1. Violation of YouTube’s Policies

YouTube’s Terms of Service explicitly prohibit artificially increasing views, likes, comments, or subscribers. Buying subscribers can lead to penalties, including video removal, demonetization, or even channel termination.

2. Low Engagement Rates

Purchased subscribers are often bots or inactive accounts, which means they won’t engage with your content by watching, liking, commenting, or sharing. This low engagement can hurt your channel’s performance in YouTube’s algorithm, which prioritizes active and engaged viewers.

3. Damage to Credibility

Viewers can often spot a discrepancy between subscriber count and actual engagement. A channel with thousands of subscribers but very few views and comments on videos can appear suspicious, damaging your credibility and trustworthiness.

4. Financial Cost with Little Return

Investing in fake subscribers can be costly and provides little return on investment. Genuine growth strategies, though potentially slower, often yield better long-term results and real audience engagement.

How Many Subscribers Are Needed to Receive Creator Awards?

YouTube Creator Awards, also known as YouTube Play Buttons, are a series of awards given by YouTube to its content creators to recognize their achievements based on subscriber milestones. These awards celebrate creators who have built substantial audiences and encourage them to continue producing high-quality content.

Silver Play Button

Eligibility: Channels that reach 100,000 subscribers.

The Silver Play Button is the first milestone award, presented to channels that have successfully built a strong, dedicated audience. This award features a silver-plated plaque with the creator's channel name engraved on it.

Gold Play Button

Eligibility: Channels that reach 1,000,000 subscribers.

The Gold Play Button is awarded to channels that have amassed one million subscribers. This award is larger than the Silver Play Button and is gold-plated, featuring the creator’s channel name engraved prominently.

Diamond Play Button

Eligibility: Channels that reach 10,000,000 subscribers.

The Diamond Play Button is a prestigious award given to channels with ten million subscribers. It is a large, diamond-shaped award with a silver-plated front and a piece of clear, faceted crystal embedded in the center, symbolizing the creator’s monumental success.

Red Diamond Play Button

Eligibility: Channels that reach 100,000,000 subscribers.

The Red Diamond Creator Award is the pinnacle of YouTube’s Creator Awards, presented to channels that have achieved an astonishing one hundred million subscribers. The award features a large, red crystal in the shape of a play button encased in a silver frame.