
On YouTube, few milestones are as satisfying as getting 1 million subscribers. After years of filming and uploading, watching your channel go from zero to hero is 

. It’s even better than gaining your real first subscriber (who isn’t a robot or sub4sub operative).

But what does it take to grow your audience and 

receive the infamous gold YouTube plaque?

, we share tips to help creators of all sizes hit 1 million subscribers. Regardless of your niche, Vyyyper (vidIQ executive producer), Daniel Holzhauer (social and community manager), and Rob Wilson (YouTuber-in-residence) share the secret sauce for rapid growth. And guess what? We used these same strategies to grow the 

First, Break Your Million-Subscriber Goal Into Smaller Chunks

One million is a big, intimidating number. To reach that many subscribers on YouTube, you should break the figure into mini-goals that are easier to process.

For example, you can plan your growth as follows:

From there, aim to reach 20,000 subscribers; 30,000; 

Chunking it out this way will keep you focused and motivated. Instead of thinking, 

I must reach 1 million subscribers as fast as possible

, you free yourself from lofty expectations.

11 Strategies to Reach 1 Million Subscribers on YouTube

Increasing your subscribers on YouTube is surprisingly formulaic. While some creators grow their audiences using different topics, one thing remains constant: 

You must hook viewers, deliver the value they’re craving, and convince them to return.

 Do these three things, and you’ll turn casual viewers into loyal subscribers.

Here are 10 actionable tasks that make the journey easier.

Your channel needs a clear niche regardless of the content you upload. It’s hard to accept, but people won’t subscribe if you keep switching your channel’s theme. In fact, they may never return if you switch from lifestyle content to sports commentary to gardening to cryptocurrency. They’ll wonder, 

Where are the videos I subscribed to see?

How to Choose the Best Niche for Your YouTube Channel

On the vidIQ channel, we hit 1 million subscribers by finding a niche and sticking to it. We were all about YouTube education, and people subscribed because we constantly shared YouTube advice, tutorials, and news.

“We were the first channel to really talk about hashtags as a new search traffic driver…. [YouTube] sent that video to the top of the search rankings, and its been there ever since,” Rob says. “That was a catalyst for us to think about how we could be the primary resource for all sorts of basic YouTube education.”

We sort of stumbled into the YouTube education lane, but don't hesitate on your own channel; declare a niche as soon as you're ready.

2. Create a Service-Based Channel That Helps Viewers Succeed

The more you serve your audience, the bigger your channel grows on YouTube.

It sounds like a cliche – an obvious statement that makes creators say, “Duh!” But thousands of people skip this important step.

So when you create your channel, ask yourself a brutally honest question: 

What is the specific value I’m providing viewers?

How to Make the EXACT Videos YouTube Subscribers Want to See

There’s no right or wrong answer to this question. But just know that to gain 1 million subscribers, you need 

 sort of answer. You’re not making content to please yourself; you’re trying to solve a problem in the viewer’s life, whether that’s extreme boredom or needing to buy a single-family home on a tight budget. It all depends on your niche and the challenges people face. How can you help them succeed?

3. Master the Ultimate YouTube Duo: Video Title + Thumbnail

What if we told you viewers spend less than three seconds deciding which videos to watch? How would you make your content stand out on YouTube after hearing that?

There’s only one correct answer this time. To get more subscribers, you need attractive YouTube thumbnails and emotional video titles. Both items are the lifeblood of your channel, and together, they attract viewers before you’ve spoken a word.

“You’re just trying to get someone to see it and stop that scrolling action,” Daniel says. “It’s the same as when you’re looking through your Instagram feed; you’re looking through Twitter, you’re half reading, you see something – and boom. You stop, and you look at it…. that’s how YouTube is.”

4. Add a YouTube Subscribe Button to Your Videos

The easiest way to gain subscribers is to display a watermark that reads, “Subscribe” on all your videos. When viewers click this button, they have the option to…well, subscribe. Pretty simple, right?

Once you have an image you want to use as a subscribe button, all you have to do is upload it to the branding section of your channel.

Here’s how to add that watermark to YouTube videos:

Upload your image and choose when you want it to appear in your videos: at a custom timestamp, the end of your video, or the entire time.

And here are the image requirements for YouTube watermarks:

PNG, GIF, BMP, or JPEG files (1MB or smaller)

5. Use YouTube End Screens to Promote Your Videos

End screens help you get more YouTube views and attract subscribers. These interactive screens appear at the end of videos and allow viewers to click on extra content from your channel. So instead of someone watching one video, you encourage them to watch two – possibly three if the following video has 

YouTube End Screens - How to Make Cool Video Outros

As you recommend more content, viewers begin to understand the value of your videos. That builds a compelling case for 

 someone should subscribe to your channel. If you add a subscribe button to all of your end screens, that seals the deal too.

Instead of placing two or three videos on your end screen (plus a subscribe button), display just one video.

 who kind of teased this idea of having one very intentional end screen,” Rob says. “If you give someone more than a few options, they’ll have choice paralysis. Give them one option and be very explicit about why they should choose that option.”

6. Be Engaging on YouTube to Retain Viewers

If you want to grow your channel to 1 million subscribers, you should make content people crave. That’s easier said than done, but you can succeed by focusing on one YouTube metric: 

A video has three crucial “moments” for retaining viewers:

 How many people are still watching after the first 30 seconds?

 As you move from scene to scene, are viewers staying or leaving?

 Are people making it to the end to click your end screen and watch more content?

How to Increase Audience Retention on Every YouTube Video

The length of your video doesn’t matter as much if the whole thing is entertaining. To achieve that, 

slowly improve your average view duration

. This is a percentage showing how long viewers watched a video on average.

“Whatever length your video is, get people to watch that video for as long as humanly possible,” Vyyyper says. “I think that’s the real metric.”

Want to introduce your content to potential subscribers? 

 within your niche, then make videos about the ones that matter to your audience. If you include high-volume keywords that aren’t too competitive, your video could really take off.

You might see something like this in the YouTube Studio if that happens:

. Make sure the trend has some crossover between your current viewers and those excited about the trend. Both audiences should have similar goals – learning to cook, discovering new music, etc. – so new subscribers have a reason to watch non-trend-related videos.

“We did quite a lot of trend jacking and surfing two or three years ago when I was looking at the Pewdiepie versus T-Series subscriber race,” Rob says. “We got a lot of traffic from it and a lot of new viewers, but they weren’t necessarily interested in YouTube education. They were interested in the subculture of the subscriber race.”

This tip is pretty straightforward but easy to miss: Create an upload schedule and stick to it no matter what happens. Posting videos consistently will help you retain the subscribers you’ve gained on the road to 1 million.

If you slip up and become inactive on your channel, viewers will depend on another creator for their entertainment or education. That pushes you 10 steps backward when you’re growing a channel.

9. Don’t Be Afraid to Pivot Your Content

We have a confession that will transform your YouTube journey forever.

The videos that attract your first 10,000 subscribers are worthy of celebration, but they won’t attract your next 100,000. Furthermore, videos that help you reach 500,000 won’t take you as far as 1 million – and that’s OK.

On YouTube, viewers change their interests over time. You should explore new video ideas to attract subscribers and retain old ones simultaneously.

7 Tips to Craft Irresistible Video Ideas on YouTube

“Our target audience tends to be YouTube channels that are under 1,000 subscribers, and they are working toward monetization…. But there is so much more untapped audience out there – people who have monetized and want to turn their channels into businesses and full-time professions,” Rob says. “I think there’s also so much in YouTube culture that we just gloss over the surface of.”

No matter how well something is working on your channel, experiment. Test new video concepts to reach more viewers and get your channel discovered.

10. Outsource the Work You Can’t Handle Alone

Can you grow a YouTube channel to 1 million subscribers without help? It’s certainly possible. That’s what we did on the vidIQ channel. 

But imagine how many subscribers we would have if we outsourced our extra work. With a team of people editing videos, writing scripts, and creating thumbnails, we might have 2 million subscribers.

“I think the one thing creators struggle with is giving up control,” Rob says. “You get to a certain size of community and content and quality that you 

Once you have 500,000 subscribers or more, it’s time to audit your workflow. What’s the one thing stifling your productivity? Who could you hire to ease that burden?

11. Almost at a Million Subscribers? Live Stream the Final Moments

Let's say your channel is sitting at 980,000 subscribers and slowly creeping toward a million. There are two things you can do in this situation:

Let people subscribe at a natural pace (within a few weeks).

Live stream the experience to reach 1 million in a few days.

We chose to stream those final moments, and it paid off; viewers joined the celebration and started subscribing to help us reach our goal.

Here’s how we set up our million-subscriber live stream:

We ran a continuous stream on the vidIQ channel for a few days.

 None of us were talking or appearing on the stream yet, but we had a screen showing our live subscriber count. It was steadily ticking toward 1 million subscribers, so people knew the point of the video.

When we were close to 1 million, several creators at vidIQ hopped on the live stream.

 We continued to show the subscriber count, but now there was more discussion and intrigue. We talked about the journey to 1 million subscribers and shared YouTube growth advice.

Lastly, we displayed channel names as a free shout-out whenever someone subscribed.

 This really boosted our subscriber count. You can achieve the same thing using a plug-in from 

In 11 steps, you can take your YouTube channel from its current size to 1 million subscribers. Keep reading to learn how.

How to Reach 1 Million YouTube Subscribers In 5 Years or Less


Growing a YouTube channel is frustratingly difficult. It’s easy to create a channel, customize it, and make your first video. But everything that comes next is an extreme test of willpower.

Imagine posting for an audience of zero while earning 50 views at best. Or gaining one subscriber per video. That’s the kind of slow burn that makes creators give up before they’ve started.

But here’s the good news: Plenty of people 

making it on YouTube. Small creators grow their channels from zero subscribers to several thousand every year.

7 Beliefs You Need to Have to Grow a YouTube Channel

Rene Ritchie, a tech journalist who’s now a full-time YouTuber, says there are two keys to achieving this goal. First, you must understand how YouTube works. And second, you have to adopt the creator mentality.

, Rene shares powerful tips that helped him grow 

 to nearly 300,000 subscribers. Some of his advice will sound familiar to budding creators. But there are lesser-known tips – strategies people don’t explicitly think about – that make or break a YouTube channel.


When your channel isn’t growing, here are five things to remind you of what it takes to win on YouTube.

1. You Must Honor the Promise You've Made to Subscribers

When a viewer subscribes to your channel, they do so for two reasons:

They’re interested in your channel’s topic.

Gaining a new subscriber is exciting, but the real work begins after that. Viewers expect similar content of the same value, and it’s up to you to deliver that promise. That means you can’t go 

 or suddenly become less entertaining. If you do, viewers will abandon your channel for a new one.

“You’re nurturing and creating an audience, and that audience is nurturing and creating your channel at the same time,” Rene says. “It’s like a symbiotic relationship. And once you understand that, you’re not thinking about what’s algorithmically good – because that can lead you down all sorts of dark paths – but what’s good for your audience.”

Don’t think of viewers as an obstacle between you and more views. Instead, focus on 

. And when you create something your audience loves, ask yourself, 

2. It’s OK to Recreate an Existing Video

Picture this. You’ve just started a cooking channel on YouTube, and you want your first video to be a salmon tutorial. It seemed like a good plan at first, but days later you realize dozens of channels have posted the same video. Even worse, some of the videos have gone viral.

Now you have a choice to make. Do you proceed with your plan or abandon the idea?

There may be hundreds of videos on a topic, but yours will be different.

You’ll bring a new perspective to the discussion, which sets your content apart from others.

 alongside popular videos of the same topic.

The beauty of creating on YouTube is that video ideas come from everywhere – even your competitors.

“You can’t steal somebody’s script; that’s still plagiarism and copyright infringement, but if you want to make a video on the world’s tallest building, and I want to make a video on the world’s tallest building, nobody owns that idea,” Rene says.

3. You Can Grow Your YouTube Channel, But Only If You Upskill

Did you know that upskilling is the key to success on YouTube? While some creators focus on video editing and production, those aren’t the only skills you need to learn.

Want to Make YouTube Your Full-Time Job? Master These 5 Skills

Depending on the channel, a creator should master:

That’s a long list, but you can do it if you 

. For example, Rene likes to spend two or three months learning one YouTube skill, and when he masters that thing – lighting, audio, intros, etc. – he moves on to the next skill.

This plan will keep you busy all year, but you’ll emerge with six new skills that are perfect for YouTube growth.

4. The Best YouTube Videos Get Straight to the Point

Creating a long intro is a dangerous way to start a YouTube video. It’s a risky bet because viewers, like most people, are

wildly impatient. They’ll click away if you spend 30 seconds introducing the main point.

But it’s not just the intro you need to worry about; every chapter of a video has what Rene calls 

. These lulls or uninteresting parts of a video prompt viewers to leave.

An exit point can also be an overstated transition, where you tell someone you’re about to shift from one topic to another. In the viewer’s mind, having every chapter “announced” makes them continuously ask one question: 

 And that’s the last thing you want your audience thinking about.

“If the next thing is already playing, nobody has time to hit that X button,” Rene explains. “And yes, it breathes less. It’s a little less human. But TikTok has trained us to be a little less human. We’re competing with all those eyeballs.”

So instead of saying, “Lastly, let’s talk about” or “Next up, I want to discuss,” roll into your next point with no warning. Don’t tell viewers what’s coming next because that introduces the option of clicking away.

Do your first round of edits (eliminating bad clips).

Watch the video in full. If you’re distracted at any point or see sections that aren’t useful, cut them. Mercilessly.

5. There’s a Formula for Writing Good Video Titles

We shared a shortcut for writing video titles in one of our previous posts: 

With this formula, you can write titles like “Why You Should Avoid the World’s Tallest Roller Coaster” or “The Cheapest Airplane is Just $500.”

It’s a good starting point, but Rene adds an extra layer to that strategy. He goes one step further by asking three questions about his videos:

“On YouTube, why it matters is the most important part,” he says. “So titling [a video with] what it 

Check out the video below as an example. It’s from Rene’s YouTube channel and covers how Apple managed to block Facebook’s data-harvesting spyware. And the title is pure gold. Instead of saying, “Apple creates [insert strategy here] to protect users from Facebook spyware, Rene goes for the emotional gut-punch: 

 the video matters. No one wants to be spied on by the largest tech giant in the world. In that case, wouldn’t 

appreciate a company “destroying” that threat?

If your titles are falling flat, think of why your videos matter in the first place. Could you rewrite a few titles to bring the

These YouTube growth tips are no secret. Deep down, creators know these five points (and plenty others) are the key to success. It’s just a matter of putting the advice to work.

What else could you be overlooking on your journey to YouTube success? Here are five mistakes to avoid at all costs.

When your YouTube channel stops growing – or never even started – it’s time to identify your problem areas. Here are five things you could be overlooking on your channel.

5 Things to Remember When Your YouTube Channel Isn’t Growing

Starting a tech channel on YouTube is challenging but worth it. While it’s tough deciding which products to film about, it’s almost impossible to make the wrong choice. People use all kinds of tech these days, from smartphones to laptops to earbuds. That means you have plenty of options for making tech videos on YouTube.

How to Start a YouTube Channel - 10 Brilliant Tips

 about starting a thriving tech channel. Sagi has 380,000 subscribers, so you’ll learn a lot from his journey. He shares tips for finding your niche in tech, making money on YouTube, and not overspending on the latest electronics.

Want to create the best tech channel possible? Here are six tips to get you started.

1. Start with Just One Piece of Tech – Something Cheap

Imagine this. You want to buy the new Apple M1 laptop so you can film a product review for your channel. The computer costs $1,300 and is way outside your budget. But you take the risk because Apple reviews are popular on YouTube.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case with your video; it completely bombs. There are less than 50 views the next four, five, six weeks later. What’s even worse is that you spent too much money for little gain.

“You can’t win by having the most recent tech,” Sagi says. “That’s not realistic for someone coming in with a limited budget.”

You can avoid losing money and motivation on YouTube by:

Buying a cheap product to build your channel around.

Creating videos that answer questions about that product.

Making dozens of videos with your chosen tech.

The Canon M-50 isn’t cheap, but Sagi made a 16-video playlist about it to justify the cost. Check it out below:

Are you feeling inspired yet? You can adopt this same strategy on your channel with an affordable product.

2. Experiment with Different Tech Videos on Your Channel

 video possible about one product, start experimenting. Explore different tech verticals to see what appeals to your audience.

There are so many gadgets to make videos about:

And that’s just one part of your content strategy. You can cover products from specific brands, too, such as Apple and Samsung.

Cover a range of tech from different brands.

 Soon you will have enough videos to answer two questions: Which products am I passionate about, and does my audience support those videos?

“I looked at where there was demand…. Demand that overlaps with stuff I’m interested in and use,” Sagi says. “Apple, Samsung, and consumer electronics were definitely something that fit the Venn diagram.”

3. Identify Your YouTube Niche, But Don’t Get Boxed In

Do you struggle with brainstorming tech content for YouTube? Many creators face this hurdle after 

 for their channel. They think to themselves, 

My channel is about Apple tablets, so I should make videos within that sphere. 

Unfortunately, that’s the fastest way to run out of ideas.

4 Honest Reasons Why You're Running Out of YouTube Video Ideas

“I think when people look at niching down, they’re thinking about topics instead of audience overlap,” Sagi says. “They’re saying, ‘Oh, I can only do this topic.’ They’re not necessarily thinking, ‘Someone interested in this topic might also be interested in another topic.”

For example, someone who is interested in photography gear might also be curious about laptops. Why? Photographers need computers to edit images in Photoshop, Lightroom, or other programs.

These subtle relationships are the key to growing a tech youtube channel. Instead of covering one product, explore groups of interrelated tech and 

Deep within the YouTube comments, it’s easy to gain inspiration for growing your channel. Viewers will suggest video ideas, give positive feedback, and point out areas for improvement. So listen closely; this is your audience telling you 

The Secret to YouTube Success - Reply to More Comments!

That’s why you should reply to the comments below every video, Sagi says. Converse with viewers so you can learn how to serve them better.

“I get a thousand comments saying, ‘I’m taking this camera to my kid’s sporting event, and I’m getting blurry pictures,’” Sagi says. “That’s clearly a pain point for a lot of people who are buying these cameras. Let me address that.”

5. Make Money Faster With Affiliate Marketing

These are the requirements for applying to the YouTube Partner Program and monetizing your content. But becoming a creative partner isn’t the fastest way to make money on YouTube – affiliate marketing is.

While you can spend six months to a year getting monetized, affiliate revenue is faster.

Sign up to be an affiliate with different companies.

Market your affiliate product links on YouTube.

Earn a commission when someone buys a product using your link.

Affiliate marketing is a lucrative side hustle for tech creators. Electronics like laptops, cameras, and smartphones are expensive and garner high commissions.

7 Lucrative Ways to Make Money Beyond YouTube

“You start realizing how many thousands of views you need to get to make $10 of AdSense revenue versus one camera sale that’s going to make you more than that,” Sagi says.

6. Don’t View Big Tech Creators as Your Competition

This tip sounds a tad backward, but hear us out. Tech channels with 100,000, 500,000, or even 1 million subscribers are not your competition. 

The creators running these channels are members of the greater tech community.

 They are a resource to help you learn about new tech and share ideas.

So don’t be jealous of a successful tech creator. Instead, learn from their mistakes and try to replicate their success on your channel.

Now you know the best tips and tricks to start a tech channel. To keep progressing, avoid these six YouTube myths that, if believed, stop your channel from growing.

Tech creators have a unique opportunity to win on YouTube. Here’s an in-depth guide to build and grow your tech channel the right way.

6 Tips to Start a Thriving Tech Channel on YouTube

The benefits of getting a brand deal are hard to deny. If you’re a YouTube creator, the perks include:

What does it take to get brand deals as a YouTube creator? You can start by avoiding these 10 mistakes around pitching, negotiating and more.

Posts Written By Lydia Sweatt

How to Reach 1 Million YouTube Subscribers In 5 Years or Less

5 Things to Remember When Your YouTube Channel Isn’t Growing

6 Tips to Start a Thriving Tech Channel on YouTube

Getting a Brand Deal on YouTube: 10 Terrible Mistakes to Avoid

7 Lucrative Ways to Make Money Beyond YouTube

How to Make the EXACT Videos YouTube Subscribers Want to See

4 Tips to Make Money Outside of YouTube Like Roberto Blake

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