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YouTube is the second most popular website in the world.
It’s also the fastest-growing search engine and one of the most powerful marketing tools in existence.
But with so many videos on YouTube, it can be difficult to grow your Youtube following.
Here Are 20 Tips to Grow Your Youtube Following
for people just starting out on building their channel and some tried-and-true advice for those who have been doing this for years.
1. Stay True to Your Brand
Before you start thinking about how great it would be to have a million subscribers, figure out who you want to talk to and what kind of videos you’ll be making.
Your business plan might change over time – that’s okay – but at least when you start, know where you’re headed.
2. Be Consistent
This is essential to building a following.
People need to know when they can expect new videos from you. Otherwise, they’ll lose interest and won’t stick around for the long haul.
Once a week? Once every other day? It really doesn’t matter what your schedule is as long as it’s reliable and you’re not constantly changing it on your subscribers.
Even if you make a mistake and miss a week, it’s okay. People will understand. But don’t make that mistake more than once.
3. Stick to One Topic at a Time
Doing a series of related videos is fine, but focus on what your channel is all about before you branch out too much and try to cover everything under the sun.
You’ll lose credibility, and once people get confused about what they’re watching, they’ll leave.
4. Have a Hook and Stick to It
You’ve probably seen channels that seem to have the same format – but each one is just slightly different.
Whatever you do, don’t steal other people’s ideas! But if your channel seems like a novelty at first, embrace it fully so you can stand out from the crowd.
5. Promote Yourself
This is why we’re here, right? You want to get your videos out there so you can grow your Youtube following and then turn that into an even bigger presence.
That means sharing links on social media sites, blogging about what goes on in your channel, selling ads or merchandise – whatever it takes to get your videos in front of more people.
6. Use a Call to Action
Just because you’re asking them to subscribe doesn’t mean they’ll do it.
You need to give viewers a reason why they should be interested in your channel – and one way is by offering fresh content that will be exclusive only to subscribers.
7. Use Annotations
These are what the messages, links, and advice pop up on your videos.
Some YouTubers find them annoying, but they can be incredibly useful for guiding viewers toward areas of interest.
For example, if you’re talking about a new release and want to make sure people hit play immediately rather than go off and find another video to watch, annotations are your friend.
8. Network with Other YouTubers
If you want to grow your Youtube following, you need an audience – which means it’s important to connect with others who have the same interests as you do.
Asking for feedback on your videos or offering advice in return is a good way to make connections, just be sure to watch what you share because it could end up on someone else’s channel.
9. Try Something New Every Once in a While
You might be the one-trick pony who has perfected a certain formula over time – and that’s fine too!
But you also don’t want to get too comfortable or you’ll lose your audience.
So mix things up with fresh content, new features, and even a different format once in a while for variety’s sake.
10. Don’t Be Afraid to Make Mistakes
Don’t worry about having professional-quality videos right from the start – it takes practice to get that smooth, polished look.
However, the biggest mistake you can make is giving up too soon or trying to cover up your mistakes with a lot of unnecessary editing.
People notice when something isn’t right and it usually drives them away.
11. Keep It Real
One of the best things about YouTube is that it’s a democratic medium. If you’re putting out quality videos on a regular basis, people will find you.
Don’t try to artificially inflate your popularity by buying views or subscribers – it looks weird and is easy for viewers to detect. You might gain those kinds of numbers at first, but they’ll disappear in no time.
12. Engage with Your Audience
You want to build a relationship with the people who watch your videos, so don’t just put up content and walk away.
Respond to comments, answer questions in the video and consider starting a discussion via Q&A or weekly live-streaming sessions where you chat with subscribers face to face.
13. Be a Storytelling Machine
It’s one thing to stand in front of a camera and talk about your favorite subject, but you can do better than that.
Think about how you can bring your stories to life by adding visual elements to make them more compelling or informative – like doing research ahead of time or bringing props – anything goes!
14. Get Yourself out There
YouTube is a massive platform and that means you have access to an equally massive number of viewers.
But it’s also a very noisy place, so you need to find ways outside the site – on other social media platforms or via blogging – to make sure people are aware you exist and want them to watch.
15. Be Responsive and Patient
There are several ways to grow your YouTube channel – but none of them happen overnight!
You need to be willing to experiment with new ideas, work on grow your Youtube following and accept that it takes time.
16. Keep Track of What Works and What Doesn’t
Once you put that upload button to use, the only thing you can do is wait.
But monitoring your stats and keeping track of what content does well and what doesn’t is invaluable feedback that will help you improve in the future.
17. Treat Your Videos Like a Business
Just because you don’t have to pay to join YouTube doesn’t mean that there’s no work involved.
You need to promote your channel, create consistent content, and be aware of copyright issues – especially if you’re planning to do anything like cover songs or use other people’s images without their permission.
18. Learn from Other Youtubers (and Non-YouTubers)
You aren’t the only one making videos on YouTube and you’re in good company.
There are plenty of successful creators offering advice to newcomers or sharing their tips for success, so read up and watch a few videos before trying to strike out on your own.
19. Be Prepared for Challenges
YouTube isn’t easy – even for the most successful YouTubers out there.
You might face copyright issues, struggle to build an audience, or hit a creative wall – but you’ll be able to handle those difficulties better if you have a plan in place beforehand.
20. Promote Another Video at the End of Playback
In order to keep your watcher longer and convince them to watch more videos, promote another video at the end of the current one.
The more they linger, the higher the chances of subscribing to your channel and a guarantee to grow your Youtube following.
Conclusion
YouTube is a great platform for building an audience and developing a following.
The best part?
There’s no paywall – anyone can set up an account and start uploading videos.
Don’t be intimidated by the size of YouTube or put off by negative comments from people who don’t understand how it works – just do you!
Make sure your channel is in order, that you have a solid plan in place, and don’t quit – no matter how hard it gets!
The key is to keep trying, learn from other YouTubers (and non-YouTubers!), and be patient.
Keep your head up and remember to enjoy the process!
I hope this article helped you learn how to grow your Youtube following, and I wish you nothing but success on your way to becoming a YouTuber!
Thanks for reading! 🙂
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