12 Expert Growth Tips to Get More YouTube Subscribers in 2024

Here are a few fun facts for you:

• YouTube has over 2 billion users globally—almost a quarter of the total world population

• It’s considered to be the second-largest search engine in the world, just behind Google

• The number of YouTube users is expected to increase by 30.3% between 2023 and 2028

• As of April 2022, every minute, 500 hours of video are uploaded to the website

• You can be eligible for monetization by having at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. 

YouTube is still considered one of the most popular digital marketing channels—making it a primed space for brands wanting to grow their digital presence. 

But, like any other social media channel, new features and trends keep popping up, keeping marketers on their toes all the time. 

If you're wondering how to ride the wave and grow a YouTube subscriber base in 2023, you're in luck. In this article, we'll review 11 tips on how to get more subscribers on YouTube fast and analyze brands that have successfully done this.

12 tips to get more subscribers on YouTube in 2023

Let’s look at 12 time-tested tips to get more subscribers on YouTube and grow your channel:

1. Create a strategy for your YouTube channel

Before starting the process, curate a solid video marketing strategy first. This is crucial as your schedule won't have any head or tail without one. You'll be throwing spaghetti on the wall, hoping it sticks.

First, define your channel's goal. For instance, if you're a homemade cosmetics brand, you might want to get more sales. On the other hand, if you're a software company, you might want to create educational resources to increase customer retention. In either case, have a single goal and work towards that.

Next, think about who your target audience will be. Find out what content they want, the potential demographics, and their online/offline behavior. These aspects will help you hone in on how to write your scripts, how to produce them, and where to promote them.

Josh Summer, Owner of Go West Ventures LLC, has a different take on it: 

“First and foremost, if you're not creating quality content that resonates with your audience, you're not going to grow your YouTube subscribers,” says Josh. 

“I know a lot of people who preach "consistent content, but I think the most important tactic was to maintain focus on a 'consistent audience.' In other words, I want the content I create to continue to appeal to the same avatar. Not only does this keep my current subscribers happy, but it also helps YouTube understand who my channel avatar is so it can find similar people to show my videos to.”

This is why it's crucial to research whom you're creating for and help YouTube's algorithm hone in on that too.

2. Hone in on your channel’s branding

An excellent way to stand out from the crowd is to brand your channel page—and brand it well with captivating copy and channel art. There are several ways in which you can do that:

• Channel banner and logo: Create a unique banner that shows the name of your channel and any background information you'd like the viewer to know. Keep the design as minimal as possible. You can add a few pictures (if you're taking a personal branding approach), a headline, and a tagline that tells the viewer what the channel is about.

• Create a 1-min channel trailer: If you’re still wondering how to get your first 1000 subscribers on YouTube, your viewer base is small. Create a 60-second channel trailer to tell them who you are, what you do, and why they should consider subscribing to the channel. It’s your elevator pitch to grow your channel—so make sure it’s clear, concise, and engaging.

• Channel description: Write a clear and engaging description for your channel. Describe who you are and what you typically talk about. For instance, a finance expert, Ramit Sethi, adds his bio, a short quip about his core beliefs and the topics he discusses. If you have a book or course to promote, add those links to funnel viewers to another channel.

3. Create custom video thumbnails

Create distinct ones that entice viewers to click on them. For example, look at Oversimplified's thumbnails. They include their channel name, the video title, and animated art to distill the video's message in one scene. Even though the upfront effort is a lot, viewers are interested in what they have to say—evident from the fact that they amass more than 10 million views per video.

Oversimplified brands each of its thumbnails with their channel name and have a distinct animated thumbnail

4. Post high-quality video content consistently

No matter what channel you’re trying to grow on, consistency is the name of the game. YouTube is no different. The more consistent you are with posting new videos, the better your chances of growth. And this is key for several reasons:

• Viewers have a reason to stick around for more content

• YouTube knows you’re an active channel—increasing chances of discovery

• Viewers turn into an engaged audience base or community over time

• Improve your chances of increasing overall channel watch time 

• Adjust your content strategy using data-driven decision (analytics)

This is where having an actual strategy is essential. You already have a set number of topics in place, making it easier to consistently roll out a new video. The more you create, the more you hone in on your audience's desires. Sometimes it might not be what you think.

Sintija Petersone, Chief Marketing Officer at Desktime, also resonates with this sentiment. For instance, her team’s video on timeboxing is continuously picking up steam since its launch, resulting in the most subscriptions. While it's not very different, the algorithm favors it. So, create your own luck.

Ahrefs posts about 3 videos each week on YouTube, creating a mark of consistency

5. Break up your videos into YouTube Shorts 

With the rise of channels like TikTok and Instagram Reels, YouTube launched its competing feature, YouTube Shorts. In 2022, the feature amassed over 30 billion views daily, indicating the potential of this tactic. These are short, vertical bite-sized videos created using a smartphone. 

You can break up your existing videos into small chunks to promote them or reuse your TikTok and Reels videos to garner more views. Keep it under 30 seconds to make it easy to watch, and add a call to action to subscribe or watch another video on your channel. Since it offers a chance for organic growth, leveraging them is your best bet.

An example of a YouTube Shorts collection from Dr. Amina Yonis’s channel

6. Spend time and research on YouTube SEO

It's important to note that YouTube also doubles as a search engine. With 1.5 billion monthly users,investing in search engine optimization (SEO) and thorough keyword research is essential so that the right viewers find your videos. Here are some of the elements you need to consider:

• Video title: The title is the first thing viewers see. Ensure that it contains relevant keywords and communicates the content of the video. Do a quick keyword research using Ahrefs, SEMRush, or even Keywords Everywhere. You'll find popular topics and see the structure of the top-ranking videos on that topic.

• Video description: Your description should provide a summary of the video’s content. It should contain relevant keywords, a call-to-action, and any necessary links. Describe the video and include timestamps to make the internal content searchable too. These aspects will help you rank on YouTube (and Google) easily.

Create a comprehensive video description like how Hootsuite does

• Video transcript: Having a video transcript allows search engines to crawl and index the content within the video. Transcripts also make videos more accessible to individuals with disabilities or those who prefer reading. Just switch on the transcript option, and the platform will auto-generate it.

An example of an auto generated video transcript from Fiverr on YouTube

• Video meta tags: Tags are another way to ensure your video is easily searchable. Use tags that are relevant, specific, and targeted to the content of your video. Also, add tags with high search volume to improve the chances of your video being found.

• Hashtags: Hashtags are keywords that follow the # symbol. Add relevant hashtags in your video description, making it easier for people to discover your video through YouTube search.

7. Ensure your videos and channel are easily accessible by viewers

With video content, viewers can't "scroll" and quickly find the needed parts. This is why you must ensure your videos are accessible, even for disabled viewers. Here are a few ways you can do that:

• Create playlists for topical videos: Creating a series or discussing specific topics? Club these videos into a topical playlist. For example, Ali Abdaal, a YouTube influencer, created a playlist to guide new visitors on his most watched or preferred topics. It gives viewers a gist of what topics he creates videos on—increasing the potential for subscribing.

An example of curated playlists to guide viewers to specific topics on your channel

• Add video captions (or auto-generate) them: Usually, YouTube automatically transcribes your video so that viewers can read it instead of listening to it. But it might not be completely accurate, so it's best to add your own captions to the video. 

• Add timestamps to your video: When you segregate your video using timestamps, the platform automatically separates it into chapters for viewers. It makes it accessible to those looking for specific answers and makes it easy to jump around essential bits.

YouTube creates chapters out of your videos for easy access

7. Collaborate with influencers in your niche

Collaborating with popular niche influencers is an excellent way to drive subscriber growth for your channel. 38% of brands on YouTube are already leveraging influencer marketing and finding success with it. 

Choose influencers based on their niche, target audience, channel engagement rate, number of followers, and case studies of past influencer campaigns. Leverage their audience and funnel them back to your channel—encouraging them to subscribe. Here are a few ways to do that:

• Conduct giveaway contests and ensure that they’re subscribed first

• Collaborate with influencers for advertising campaigns

• Invite influencers to your channel and conduct a challenge or interview

Here's an example of how Dyson partnered with several tech influencers to review its new vacuum product. It exposed its product to a new audience, increasing awareness and sales.

9. Promote your videos on different channels

Promoting your YouTube video is crucial to reach a broader audience and increase subscriber growth. In most cases, social media is a great place to start. Whether it is LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook, millions of active users are on these platforms. 

Conduct target audience and competitor research to validate demand and promote it on these channels. You can then promote it via email to your entire subscriber list and encourage them to watch your video. 

Additionally, you can embed the video in your blog post to cater to traffic from search engines. It helps you increase your on-page time and increases awareness for your YouTube channel page.

10. Use subscription tools or end cards to redirect viewers to subscribe

Keep viewers on your channel by adding additional videos in the end card of your videos. The end card refers to the last few seconds of your video, where you can showcase clickable elements that lead to other videos on your channel. 

It creates a long loop of watch time, encouraging viewers to check out other videos on your channel. The more videos they watch, the higher the chances of them subscribing. 

You'll need to use YouTube's built-in end screen tool to create an end card. This tool allows you to add up to four clickable elements, including videos, playlists, channels and calls to action (CTA). Choose videos related to the topic and extend your brand's "narrative," so to speak.

Notice how L’Oréal links back to the product featured in this video and another tutorial the viewer might be interested in?

Another way to encourage more subscriptions is to use the multiple "Subscribe" CTAs and watermark features the platform offers. Here are a few examples of how you can do that:

Add a subscribe button by adding your channel’s logo on the video

Add a subscribe button on your end card to give a clear call to subscribe to your channel

11. Use Youtube analytics and regularly monitor your channel

Monitor your channel's analytics and adjust your strategy for continuous growth. Keep an eye on metrics like retention rate, video completion rate, click-through rate (CTR), and impressions. These metrics help you understand how many new visitors you're drawing in and whether or not the videos resonate with them. If any of these are low, you know there are elements you can optimize.

Also, trends change, as does the algorithm, so hire an expert to stay on top of these issues.

“Very few people are experts at every facet of what it takes to create a solid YouTube channel. And even if you are doing everything, it's easy to get to a point where you can't see the forest for the trees,” says Summers. “In other words, you're so busy DOING YouTube that you can't develop a proper YouTube strategy. Hiring somebody helps provide either the expertise or the time to step back and find more efficient ways to grow.”

Tip: If you’re a creator that has over 5000 subscribers already, why not partner with Fiverr? You get access to Fiverr’s freelance talent, credits, and exclusive tools to grow your channel this year. Learn more about Fiverr’s Influencer program.

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Brian Dean, Founder of Backlinko, recommends adding subscriber magnets to your videos. Go to your Analytics and identify the video that brought the most viewers in a specific period. Link that video everywhere since it’s audience-tested already.

Ultimately, monitoring these metrics helps you stay ahead of the algorithm. Plus, outsourcing this job lets you take the long view and focus on what's important.

12. Be responsive and build a community of loyal viewers

Ideally, you should be working towards building a loyal audience base. You must make your videos "sticky," so they continue to follow and engage with them.

Do this by responding to videos, asking your audience for feedback, and creating community-focused programs. Every time you "like" or "heart" a comment, the commenter receives a notification (sometimes, even an email) that brings them back to your video. You can also conduct contests and giveaways to incentivize viewers to subscribe to your channel.

YouTube allows you to post regular updates under the "Community" tab—as you'd do on Instagram or Twitter. Additionally, offer loyalty programs that are paid—indicating the popularity of your channel. Take advantage of these tools to get your first 1000 subscribers fast.

YouTube displays an “Our Members” section to encourage viewers to sign up for your paid program

Examples of successful YouTube channels

1. CaribbeanPot

Caribbeanpot, with over 846,000 subscribers, is run by Chris de la Rosa, who has been creating for over 13 years. His entire channel is super focused on Caribbean cuisine, and he does an excellent job at keeping up with the trends. 

Despite being an old channel, he has several playlists on different food types and even Shorts videos. Over these years, the channel has amassed over 98 million views as he kept up with the new trends.

2. Make Up For Ever

Make Up For Ever, a beauty brand has grown its channel using search-focused campaigns, tutorials, and promotional videos to market its products. 

For instance, when they wanted to reach a multicultural audience, they dug into search data and found that 70% of general-complexion queries were related to a brand compared to 33% of complexion-specific queries. So, they created a full-funnel campaign with a celebrity makeup artist known to work with persons of color. 

By targeting individuals looking for these queries, they achieved an 11% increase in subscriber count, a 44% lift in brand recall, and an 18% lift in product searches—in one month. Since then, they've been able to increase their subscribers by creating targeted content.

3. HubSpot

HubSpot, a popular marketing tool, is well-known for its "inbound marketing" strategy. They lean on content to drive inbound leads and grow their revenue. YouTube is one such channel that helps them achieve that.

By creating videos that are hypertargeted toward their audience of business owners and marketers, they've been able to amass over 25 million views and 290,000 subscribers in 15 years. To date, they post three videos on average each week on different business and marketing topics, nurturing their audience and becoming a thought leader in their space.

Avoid buying Youtube subscribers

When it comes to YouTube, it's always a good idea to grow your subscriber base organically. Buying new subscribers might seem like a quick solution, but it has its downsides. For one, it's not in line with YouTube's guidelines about genuine engagement, and there's always a risk of facing some platform restrictions. \

Plus, potential collaborators might hesitate to team up if they feel your subscriber count isn't authentic. And let's not forget about the trust of your true subscribers — they value authenticity and may not appreciate shortcuts. Instead of looking for quick fixes, tapping into YouTube's vast audience who are genuinely interested in your content is a more sustainable approach.

Hire freelance experts for YouTube growth 

Growing on YouTube is a challenge—especially when considering how crowded the space is. Even though there's potential for growth, you can't get there without the right strategies. Consider implementing the tips we've discussed to reach your video marketing goals.

If you need a more streamlined process, hire freelance experts to help you get over the line. You might not have the in-house experience or bandwidth to execute the strategy, where they can fill the gaps. They can provide tailored solutions that grow your channel faster.

Petersone recommends looking at testimonials, previous experience, and case studies (increase in subscriber count and engagement) to ensure you’re hiring someone who knows what they’re doing. You work with someone who sets you up for success and makes your channel thrive.

Ready to take your YouTube channel to new heights in 2023? Sign up for Fiverr today and hire your next YouTube expert.