If you’re like most creators, you have a goal to get more YouTube subscribers

and monetize your channel. You want to attract real viewers, make them fans, and earn lots of money from the video ads on your channel. The only question is, "How?"

 subscribers to get paid on YouTube in a sustainable way — 1,000 to be exact. 

Reaching this goal is one part of the recipe when it comes to joining the 

 and monetizing your videos with ads. The other part is reaching 

 10 million YouTube Shorts views in the last 90 days.

Ready to get started? The good news is, with this guide, you'll never have to, or should, buy 1,000 YouTube subscribers to meet your goals. 

In this video above, Dan talks about proven strategies that have worked for small creators who have reached their goals. These range from selecting a high stakes niche to maintaining a consistent schedule. Over the months we've also shared similar accounts of successful channels here. But today, let's talk about how you can achieve the same!

1. Break Your 1,000-Subscriber Goal Into Small Chunks

First, here's a bit of raw honesty: Trying to collect a thousand of anything is hard. You know it’s going to take a long time, but you don’t know exactly how long. And that is 

So, chop the goal into manageable chunks. Instead of saying you want 1,000 YouTube subscribers right now, tell yourself that you want to gain:

After all, it's less scary (and more encouraging) to go after smaller, realistic goals.

Female fitness youtuber filming yoga workout

It's important to focus on one target audience when you're chasing the 1,000-subscriber mark on YouTube. By honing in on a specific niche, you'll craft content that deeply resonates with like-minded viewers.

High stakes niches, such as health, personal finance, or education, tend to attract more viewers because they address urgent and important issues. For example, health-related content appeals to individuals concerned about their well-being, while personal finance videos attract those looking to manage their money better. These topics have a higher likelihood of retaining viewers because they seek solutions and valuable information.

The 47 Best YouTube Niches, According to Viewers

Let's say you're aiming at fitness enthusiasts; instead of broad workout videos, delve into niche topics like "HIIT workouts for beginners." This tailored approach will attract viewers who are genuinely interested in your content. They will engage, share, and crucially, subscribe!

It's hard to stand out as a creator, but you'll gain more subscribers on YouTube when you focus your efforts.

3. Create the Most Popular Kinds of Content

There are many YouTube video ideas online, but it's difficult to know which ones will connect with your viewers.

But there's good news: Regardless of your channel type, these 

 are highly entertaining on YouTube. People love seeing someone react to funny or dramatic events, so those videos will always be popular online.

 are appealing because everyone loves a hot debate: Samsung Galaxy or iPhone? Cats or dogs? LeBron James or Michael Jordan?

 — answer questions people never stop asking. A how-to video could be titled "How to Negotiate a $10,000 Pay Raise." Meanwhile, a list video might be "30 Cheap Meal Plan Ideas to Save Money."

4. Take YouTube Keywords, Thumbnails, and Video Titles Seriously

A YouTube video in search, including the thumbnail, title, and description

 to get 1,000 subscribers on YouTube fast. These are the first touchpoints that viewers have with your content, so make them count! 

A compelling thumbnail grabs attention, while a well-optimized title, infused with relevant keywords, ensures your video surfaces in search results.

Imagine a viewer searching for "vegan recipes." If your video title is "Delicious Vegan Pasta Recipe" and is backed by keyword research, it's more likely to appear in their search. Pair that with an enticing thumbnail showcasing the mouth-watering dish, and you've got a click!

5. Create Videos That Deliver on Their Promise

Did you know that every YouTube video makes a subtle promise?

The title tells you what to expect from the video.

The thumbnail is an emotional snapshot of the story.

The video description supports the title and thumbnail.

Everything works together to give the viewer an 

If a video doesn’t live up to the hype, it means you broke the initial promise you made to viewers. And on YouTube, 1,000 subscribers are hard to come by if you let people down!

create a value proposition for your channel, 

such as "tasty meals for every budget" or "high school math made easy." Make videos that align with your slogan, and you'll get your first 1,000 subscribers on YouTube in no time.

6. Identify Which Videos Attract the Most Subscribers

If you have 30 or more videos on your channel, why not see which ones attracted the most subscribers? The proper term for this metric is called 

, and you can find it in the YouTube Studio.

Click your profile picture, then select YouTube Studio (below "your channel")

which is below the YouTube dashboard showing monthly views, subscribers, revenue, and watch time.

5. See which videos attracted the most subscribers. Make similar content to get more subscribers on YouTube!

list of videos that gained the most subscribers

7. Do a YouTube Collab to Reach New Viewers

Creators put a lot of work into video collaborations. They search for like-minded partners, brainstorm collab ideas, and film several videos together. But after all that hard work, the two creators earn a priceless reward. They get to 

and fast-track their way toward 1,000 subs on YouTube!

Here's how it works: In collab videos, people will discover creator A and creator B for the first time. If things go well, some of these viewers become

So, if you're serious about growing, it's time to collaborate on YouTube. 

Here are six tips to nail your first collab.

Woman holding up sign that says "like and subscribe" while filming

To get people to subscribe to your channel, dedicate some time to promoting your videos to a wider audience. You have various options to do this, like posting on the YouTube Community tab, 

But that's just a small taste of what you can do. You can also:

Add YouTube cards and end screens in your videos to promote extra content.

Comment on other YouTube videos within your niche.

Here's how to promote your YouTube channel to get more subscribers.

9. Use 'Related Links' in Shorts to Get More Subscribers

Related link near the bottom of a YouTube Short

Guess what? YouTube has rolled out a game-changing feature just for you: 

. With 'Related Links', you can guide your Shorts audience straight to your long-form content, and turn them into loyal subscribers!

The best part is that it's super easy to set up. Just pop into your YouTube Studio, pick a Short, and link it to one of your in-depth videos. Make sure the two videos are related in topic and complement each other well. When you've saved the changes, a clickable link will appear near the bottom of the Short!

This new strategy isn't just about boosting views, although it never hurts to do that. Placing related links in your content is about building a community and turning those casual viewers into loyal subscribers.

10. Add a YouTube Subscribe Button to Your Videos

Red Youtube subscribe button in corner of video frame

Want an easy way to get 1,000 subscribers on YouTube? Create an attractive subscribe button for your videos!

These little buttons are clickable and appear in the lower right corner of your YouTube videos. When viewers click on them (also known as video watermarks), they instantly become a subscriber to your channel!

11. Place a YouTube Subscribe Link in Video Descriptions

The description box is more than a holding place for your video's about section. You can also add links there, such as affiliate links, website links, and your social media profiles. More importantly, pasting in a 

lets viewers join your community in just a few taps!

To create a subscription link, simply add "

How hard is it to get 1,000 subscribers on YouTube? 

It's pretty tough, but not impossible when you're posting videos consistently. By crafting good videos often, you can influence the 

 and boost the number of subscribers on your channel.

13. Ask Viewers to Subscribe to Your Channel

Finally, it never hurts to ask viewers to tap that big, white button and join your community! Use a clear call-to-action near the middle or end of your videos, sincerely asking viewers to subscribe. You can even use a Y

 to place a subscribe button on the last few frames of your video.

Growing your subscriber base isn't easy, so we know you have lots of questions! This FAQ will answer the biggest ones.

What happens when you reach 1,000 subscribers on YouTube?

Having 1,000 subscribers makes you eligible for the YouTube Partner Program so you can make money from ads and fan support. The other requirement is getting 4,000 hours of watch time in the last 365 days 

 10 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days.

How do you get monetized on YouTube without 1,000 subscribers?

Woman holding a subscribe sign while filming a video

Gaining 1,000 subscribers on YouTube just got easier. Here's how to attract viewers and encourage them to subscribe in 13 powerful steps.

How to Get 1,000 Subscribers on YouTube (Fast and Free)

As a short-form creator, you're probably wondering if you can monetize your YouTube Shorts like long-form creators monetize their videos. 

YouTube has several paths for monetizing short content, and this guide explains all of your options.

One of the best ways to monetize your Shorts is through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). Upon joining, you have access to all of YouTube's money-making tools, like the ability to place ads on videos or monetize your audience directly through fan-funding.

There are two ways to enter the YPP (you only need to choose one!).

Upload 3 public videos in the last 90 days.

Get 3,000 public watch hours in the last 365 days or 3 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days.

 from long-form videos in the last 365 days or 

If you're a Shorts creator or someone who makes long and short videos, option 2 or 3 is your best bet for joining the YPP!

 will earn advertising revenue. So, do these four things to stay in the clear:

YouTube's Advertiser-Friendly Content Guidelines

Avoid using unedited clips from movies and TV shows that you don't have rights to.

Avoid uploading another creator's content without adding a new perspective or transforming the content.

Monetizing YouTube Shorts Through Ads: A Quick Rundown

 is a bit different from monetizing a regular YouTube video. Notably, all Shorts revenue is split between different parties, including the creators who make them and the music publishers who provide songs for those videos.

The four steps of YouTube Shorts monetization 

 all of the Shorts ad revenue on its platform.

 how much money goes to the creator pool, which depends on views and music usage across all Shorts. If creators use no music in their Shorts, they retain all of the revenue at this point. If they use music, the revenue is split between the creator pool and music publishers.

 the ad revenue to monetized Shorts creators. This is based on a creator's total share of Shorts views on the platform, whether that's 5%, 10%, 15%, etc.

Can You Monetize YouTube Shorts Without 1,000 Subscribers?

If you're just starting out on YouTube, getting 500 subscribers is a quick way to join the YPP and monetize your Shorts. You won't earn ad revenue, but you can monetize most of your content — Shorts included — through fan-funding tools.

For example, with just 500 subs, you can collect 

 revenue on your YouTube Shorts. These are "video tips" ranging from $2 to $50 that your fans can send to support individual videos.

 are an option as well, especially if you love streaming on YouTube.

When you host a vertical or horizontal live stream, viewers in the live chat can reward you with monetary donations ranging from $1 to $500. These can appear as Super Chats — colorful comments pinned to the top of the live chat — or as Super Stickers, which are fun, digital animations that appear on the screen.

Channel Memberships offer exclusive perks, such as members-only videos, badges, Community posts, emojis, and livestreams, to a creators' super fans. It's a great way to make money, but did you know that you can get your YouTube Shorts monetized through channel memberships? 

After all, Shorts count as videos too! You can make these exclusive to your members just like regular, horizontal content.

How Much Money Will You Earn from Shorts?

Are YouTube Shorts monetized in a sustainable way? Can they become a side hustle or help you quit your day job?

We'd have said it's hard to make decent money from Shorts only a year ago, barring times when you get a nice chunk of revenue. For example, we got 

 for a vidIQ Short that got 468,500 views.

The content performance dashboard showing we earned $16.61 from YouTube Shorts

With recent updates on advertisements, RPM on our Shorts has seen an impressive 150% increase. Currently, we are seeing an RPM of $0.10 on our Shorts., without any external changes like location of viewers, topic of videos, etc.

This hasn't happened overnight. YouTube has steadily increased Shorts revenue on the vidIQ channel throughout the year. It seems like advertisers have finally found the sweet spot for their products in the Shorts ecosystem as other creators have also talked about experiencing similar surges on their channel! Watch Rob discuss all of that in the video below!

It's easier than ever to become a monetized Shorts creator, but you'll need 

OK, so getting into the YPP to monetize your Shorts is a real challenge. You either have to go viral a lot or face the difficult task of earning 1,000 subscribers plus thousands of hours of watch time.

. There are other ways to make money from Shorts, and one of those golden opportunities is through

When a brand sponsors you, they’re paying you to advertise a product or service in one of your videos. That could be a new line of laptops, the latest leggings from Lululemon, or even a squeegee that removes pet hair from dirty carpet.

Here’s an example of a sponsored Short. In this video, actress Eliana Ghen advertises Vita, a mobile video editing app.

If you’re looking at this video and thinking, 

You don’t need millions of views and subscribers to 

 —just the right audience and a strong YouTube resume.

 said they plan to invest in short-form content more than they did in 2021.

Brands are excited to partner with short-form creators.

As for that last detail, don’t just take our word for it. 

“At the end of the day, most brands don’t want to partner with you and feel like the only thing you’re good at is long-form video,” Moore says. “They want to feel that you may have some flexibility to create different types of content.”

Read this post to avoid the common mistakes YouTubers make while pitching brands

There are a few mountains to climb when monetizing short-form content, but don't worry! 

 Our blog has many tips and tricks to help you get 500 subscribers, 1,000 subscribers, 4,000 watch hours, and even 10 million Shorts views. Just click the hyperlinks throughout this post to get a winning plan for YouTube success!

Now that you know how to monetize YouTube Shorts, let's take things up a notch and show you how to increase your views!

A smartphone displaying "Shorts Feed Ads" on its screen

Are you ready to finally monetize your YouTube Shorts? Here's how to make money with short, vertical videos in 2024.

YouTube Shorts Monetization: How to Profit from Short Videos

For many years, YouTube has been guilty of not fully explaining how and why demonetization due to restricted ads actually happened. Well, creators, your cries have been answered!

20 YouTube Updates that Will Affect Your Channel in 2024

Restricted ads notification on YouTube studio

YouTube has recently launched a monetization feature that will not only help you avoid that dreaded yellow icon for your videos but also give insights on tour past videos and mistakes that caused your content to get demonetized. And who better than our expert Rob Wilson to explain all of that to you! Click on the link below.

Only for those using the desktop upload process.

Creators must honestly self-certify their videos during the upload process.

Creators can appeal if a video receives a yellow icon indicating restricted ads. A human expert will review the video based on the following factors. In the video above by Creator Insider, you can learn how you appeal for the removal of these yellow icons. In short, here is what is required:

The review will detail which guidelines were breached.

Specifics on how the breach affects ad placement.

Identifies the exact moment the issue occurred in the video.

 Includes details if the issue was with the thumbnail or title.

Given that this process is fairly new and still pending results, there are some limitations that we have to accept. The intention is for creators to learn and avoid future mistakes, and not abuse the process. So, creators need to request a review to get this detailed report--there isn't an automatic alternative yet.

While you can still look at past mistakes, you cannot retroactively change them by just editing out the contentious part. However, YouTube may consider re-reviewing content in the future.

But all in all, it's a huge step taken in favor of creators moving forward!

, YouTube has taken a more hands-on approach with ad placements on your videos. Instead of allowing you to select the ads you want to show, such as pre-rolls, post-rolls, skippable, or non-skippable, YouTube makes those decisions for you. Not only that, but YouTube also decides 

This means you don't have to manually insert video ads anymore; YouTube will place them along the best possible timestamps, effectively doing the hard work for you. But why is this happening? 

 while ensuring that creators make the most money possible. It’s a win-win because creators will spend less time placing ads and (potentially) earn more ad revenue overall. But more on that later!

What Happens to My Watch Time If YouTube Handles My Ads?

If you're concerned about how this might affect your watch time, YouTube has some insights. Their data suggests that enabling non-skippable ads can 

, with only a minor decrease in watch time of less than 1%.

Additionally, activating pre-roll ads can potentially 

, with a watch time reduction of less than 5%.

So, yes — watch time will take a small hit, but the tradeoff is that you can make more money in the long run. This video has all the details, so give it a watch if you need more information about the update.

While these changes offer a streamlined approach, it's worth noting that the 

ad settings of your existing videos won’t change

. And for those who want to use mid-roll ads, you still have the option to place those manually.

, there are updates in that arena as well. Creators can choose to let YouTube determine the optimal times for mid-roll ads during streams or set regular intervals, such as every 6, 8, or 10 minutes. However, if you're using third-party streaming tools, like StreamYard, be aware that they might not support these new ad features (yet).

These changes won’t impact every creator. But it's good to understand them as you navigate YouTube, the new ad settings, and the monetization goals you’ve set for your channel.

And, speaking of monetization, are you looking for ways to boost your YouTube AdSense revenue? This guide will show you how!

a graphic showing the dollar sign symbol and the phrase "plus 15%"

Calling all monetized creators! Learn all the recent ads updates coming directly from the YouTube office.

YouTube Monetization Update: Key Changes for Video Ads

If you're reading this, you probably know that getting 

 is a critical checkpoint on the road to YouTube monetization. It's not easy, and many creators spend a year or more getting there, but it's ultimately worth it. Achieving this goal means you can monetize your videos with advertisements through the 

. It's a hands-off way to boost your income!

But first, what is watch time, and how is it calculated on YouTube?

Watch time is the cumulative duration that individuals spend watching a video. Each YouTube video has a watch time count, which contributes to your channel's overall count.

For your watch time to count toward monetization, you must gain 4,000 viewing hours in 12 consecutive months. The videos don't have to be published in the last 12 months, as long as viewers watched them over the previous year.

Also, only certain types of videos can collect watch time. Make sure you're getting 4,000 

 watch hours, as this is the main qualifier — so don't set your videos to private!

YouTube Monetization — Which Videos Count Toward 4,000 Hours of Watch Time?

Notably, you don't need 4,000 hours to get into the YPP. 

 and then monetize your videos through fan funding instead of ads. These include Super Chats, Super Thanks, channel memberships, and more. Below are the minimum requirements to join the YPP, but remember that 

you'll still need 4,000 hours to earn ad revenue

New requirements for joining the YouTube Partner Program

So, how many watch hours have you collected so far? Knowing this number is extremely helpful, especially when building a strategy to keep viewers' attention.

The Earn option on the YouTube Studio navigation bar

2. On the Become a Partner page, scroll down to 

. And there, you'll see how much watch time your channel has.

How to Get More Watch Time on YouTube: 9 Powerful Tips

Now that you know where you stand, use these powerful tips to increase your watch time on YouTube.

1. Master the Art of YouTube Storytelling

 is crucial for keeping viewers engaged, and thus, boosting your watch hours on YouTube. In every video, you want to grab viewers' attention, take them on a journey, and create emotional scenes that hook them along the way.

To do this effectively, master three areas of YouTube storytelling:

The title and thumbnail (convince people to click)

The video introduction (persuade people to keep watching)

Emotional connectivity (keep viewers invested in the story)

Your title and thumbnail are like two sides of the same coin. They should give viewers a snapshot of what the video is about and communicate how it will 

to watch it. For example, notice how the creator's dread in this thumbnail reinforces the video's title: "

Big Mistakes Small YouTubers Still Make."

Man looking devastated in YouTube thumbnail

get straight to the point by mentioning what viewers care about in the first three seconds. If you're struggling to 

, study the best–performing YouTube Shorts and the introductions they have. Introductory phrases like "They don't want you to know this secret" or "I never do this, and here's why" are effective curiosity drivers.

Emotion makes your content 10 times more relatable. Try using 

Ready to reach 4,000 watch hours and make money on YouTube? Keep reading for 9 solid strategies.

Posts Written By Lydia Sweatt

How to Get 1,000 Subscribers on YouTube (Fast and Free)

YouTube Shorts Monetization: How to Profit from Short Videos

YouTube Monetization Update: Key Changes for Video Ads

YouTube Watch Time: 10 Ways to Reach 4,000 Hours and Monetize Your Channel

10 Small YouTube Channels that Hit 1,000 Subs FAST [May]

When to Delete Those Old, Embarrassing Videos on Your YouTube Channel

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