JUMP TO SECTION:
Want to grow your YouTube channel quickly? The first step is paying attention to your audience. On YouTube, each viewer has a desire to be entertained, informed, or challenged. Figuring out which topics will satisfy those desires, within your niche, is the key to discovering your “growth factor.” And that could be almost anything these days. You could make videos about raising chickens or building Lego towers at the top of a mountain. If your content is specific enough, someone will find those videos interesting.
Read More: 7 Beliefs You Need to Have to Grow a YouTube Channel
Once you’ve found your niche and a specific audience, move on to the next step. Build an active community that engages with you and attracts more subscribers.
In this episode of TubeTalk, we chat with British creator David, who runs a channel called Mr H and Friends. As a UK citizen, he reacts to American culture. Foreign candy, the weather, and even the U.S. military are hot topics on his channel.
David’s channel has more than 50,000 subscribers. He has hundreds of comments on each video, which is more than most creators receive.
Want to build a community that’s equally engaged? Do these five things.
What kind of videos are you making right now? Are they tutorials, reactions, reviews, or something else?
No matter what they are, just know that your video format can lose popularity over time. That’s why David decided to give vlogging a try, in addition to reaction videos.
“A lot of these guys are really interested in me and what I’m doing,” David says. “Even down to the cat. They love our cat.”
Vlogging brings you and your audience closer together. Viewers get to peel back the curtain and learn more about you, and you get to discover what they love about your channel. This bond helps you grow faster, especially if people are addicted to your personality.
Our opinion on vlogging? Post them once you’ve built a cult following. It’ll be easier for people to transition once they know who you are and why they should watch.
Have you noticed any creators offering Channel Memberships? These paid subscriptions give viewers access to your exclusive content. You can unlock this feature by:
Additionally, Channel Memberships must be available in your location and your channel must be in good standing.
The wonderful thing about Channel Memberships is how much you get to bond with subscribers. It’s a tiered service, with each level offering more value. On the cheaper end ($2.99/month), David offers loyalty badges and custom emojis to use in live chats. On the pricier side ($24.99/month), viewers get every perk in the lower tiers plus the opportunity to collaborate with him virtually.
Read More: Make More Money on YouTube With Channel Memberships
“With each tier you get more perks, up to getting a free merch item or free T-shirt of your choice,” David says.
So how will a Channel Membership grow your channel? Well, take a scroll down David’s comment section. There are several people with member badges, and that creates curiosity. New viewers may think, “Where do they get those badges from?” And, “Who is this creator with a comment section full of colorful, badge-having viewers? Is there something different about his channel?”
A lot of your success on YouTube is harnessing curiosity. The more you entice people to click a thumbnail, watch a video, and subscribe – or in this case, become a member – the better your chances of growing your channel. Plus, Channel Memberships are exclusive. That creates major FOMO.
When you want more YouTube views, sometimes the solution is simple. Just ask viewers what they want to see.
You can do this easily with the YouTube Community tab. Like Channel Memberships, you need 1,000 subscribers to unlock it. But once you have access, you get to engage with your community using text posts, GIFs, polls, and more. It’s an extra way to gain exposure and discover what viewers like at the same time.
Read More: YouTube Community Tab - The Underrated Growth Tool You NEED to Use
“Pay attention to your community,” David says. “What do they want? What do they like seeing? What do they like about you? It’s just a great gauge. Hitting 1,000 subscribers and having that Community tab has been wonderful.”
When posting on the Community tab, always remember to...
As we mentioned before, you need a niche to grow on YouTube. But don’t make it too broad! That’s a mistake many creators make before tightening the focus of their channel.
“I thought comedy, making people laugh, was a niche…. But there’s just so much to comedy,” David says. “There are so many different ways of making people laugh and feel good.”
That’s why David makes funny videos in a specific, targeted way. He does reaction videos to American food and customs, not general comedy. It also helps him bond with his audience over a shared interest.
Read More: 3 Steps to Create Valuable, Highly-Watched Videos on YouTube
Are you having trouble finding your niche? David recommends making three or four videos to see which one performs the best. The best video topic is probably worth exploring on YouTube.
One thing to realize with absolute clarity is that real humans are watching your videos. They want you to be your authentic self on camera because that creates a better experience for them.
Creators who bond with viewers and grow their channels year after year aren’t faking it. They don’t live a manufactured lifestyle, and they don’t become who they think subscribers want them to be. They share their passions on YouTube and attract like-minded people. If their passion is gardening, they won’t create a channel about real estate to fit in.
“People aren’t stupid,” David says. “They will soon see if you’re [faking]. With myself, what you see is what you get. Of course, I have my down days. Everyone does. But I’m not trying to put on an act.”
In a word, it’s all about originality. Just be yourself!
Growing a YouTube channel is about building a community. And before that, it’s about overcoming self-doubt so you can grow with confidence. Avoid these six YouTube myths to rise to the top.
Dan got his start on YouTube in August of 2011, recording gameplay videos as a fun hobby while attending school for video production. Joining the vidIQ team in 2020 allowed Dan to combine his hobby and professional talents to now help others grow their own YouTube channels.
12 abr 2024
3 min read
27 oct 2023
3 min read
12 abr 2022
4 min read
