8 Ways to Help Viewers Subscribe to Your YouTube Channel

If you want to make a living on YouTube, gaining subscribers has to be among your top priorities. Here's how to accomplish that in 8 powerful ways.

If you're a content creator looking to grow your channel, you probably know that getting people to subscribe is one of the most important things you can do. In fact, getting 1,000 subscribers is a prerequisite for earning advertising revenue through the YouTube Partner Program.

Although it's natural to assume that people will subscribe, some practices make the job easier. Keep reading to learn what they are!

Strategy 1: Use Buttons and Links to Get More Subscribers

Sometimes, all you need to do on YouTube is make it easy for people to hit subscribe. That's where custom links and buttons come in handy. These assets allow people to subscribe to your channel in seconds by simply tapping a button or clicking on a link.

Add a Subscribe Button to Your Videos

This is the first step on your journey towards getting more subscribers. You've probably seen a subscribe button on YouTube here and there, but this hack is so good that it's worth mentioning again.

That's because adding a subscribe button to your videos is one of the easiest ways to grow your audience. It reminds viewers that they can subscribe to your channel and stay up to date with your latest content.

Adding a subscribe button is fairly simple. Just follow these steps:

1. Log in to your YouTube account and go to the YouTube Studio dashboard. Click on the "Customization" tab in the left-hand menu.

2. Within the customization tab, click on the "Branding" tab.

3. Scroll down until you see the "Watermark" option. Click "Upload" to select an image for your watermark.

Note: Your watermark (or subscribe button) appears in the bottom right-hand corner of your videos. You may have to choose which part of the image you want to display using the image selector.

4. Choose a display time for your watermark: at the end of a video, the entire video, or a custom start time.

And that's it. Save these changes to get the most out of your content.

Use End Screens

End screens are those little pop-ups that appear at the end of your videos. You can use them to promote your other videos or encourage viewers to subscribe to your channel. While the end screen is active, be sure to tell viewers what you want them to do. If you're reading this post, you probably want them to hit subscribe more than anything!

To add a subscribe button to your end screen, do the following:

1. Upload a YouTube video as you normally would. There are five steps to complete: video details, monetization, video elements, checks, and visibility.

2. On the video elements screen, look for “Add an End Screen” and click "Add."

3. Click "Element" at the top of the screen.

4. Choose "Subscribe."

Now you can place a clickable subscribe button near the end of your video. The button will look like your channel's profile photo, so you don't have to upload any more images.

Tip: Use the video timeline to determine how long each element appears on the screen, including subscribe buttons. Save the changes and continue uploading!

Add a Subscribe Link to Your Video Description

Links are another handy tool for driving more subscriptions to your YouTube channel. Best of all, they allow viewers to click and subscribe without having to search for a proper button.

Here's how to make your own subscription link:

1. Go to your channel's homepage, then copy the URL from the address bar of your web browser.

Image Credit: wikiHow

2. Open a text editor on your computer, then paste in the URL. Add ?sub_confirmation=1 to the end.

Image Credit: wikiHow

For example, if the URL you pasted is https://www.youtube.com/user/WikiHow?view_as=subscriber, it should now look like https://www.youtube.com/user/WikiHow?view_as=subscriber?sub_confirmation=1.

Once you've created your subscribe link, test it to make sure it goes to your channel's subscribe page.

You can also use a phone or a tablet to create a subscribe link for viewers who aren't go-to desktop users.

Embed a Subscribe Button on Your Website

Every viewer doesn't come to your channel from the YouTube homepage or a featured section on the app. A few of them come from different regions of the internet. If you have a website, embedding a subscribe button there is a great way to grow your channel outside of YouTube.

Here's how you can do it:

1. Click here to go to the YouTube subscribe button page.

2. Customize your button. You can choose the layout, theme, and size of the button to fit your website's design.

3. Copy the code below your button, then paste it into the appropriate section of your website.

This will embed the button on your site, and you'll gain a new subscriber whenever someone clicks it.

Strategy 2: Use Content and Community to Grow Your Subscribers

Now that you know some "technical ways" to boost your subscribers on YouTube, here's another alternative to explore: Use the power of community! Sometimes that's all you need to spread the word about your channel and attract more fans.

You can make it happen in four different ways:

Create YouTube Playlists

Creating playlists on YouTube is a great way to grow your channel, and earn you more subscribers in the process. Organizing your videos under specific playlists allows your viewers to go on a binge session, giving you more watch time and increasing the likelihood of them subscribing.

Playlists also play a role in making you more discoverable and improving your channel's SEO. So, don’t forget to use optimal titles and descriptions for them, just like your regular videos.

Collaborate with Other YouTubers

Collaborating with other YouTubers is a great way to expand your audience and get more viewers. If they like what they see, they might even subscribe! Find other creators in your niche and reach out to them to see if they're interested in collaborating on a video or project.

No matter the size of your channel, collabs are refreshing because your viewers get to see unique content from you. If you feel that your content has been sluggish lately, collabs may be something you could consider doing.

Read more: The Top 5 YouTube Collaboration Ideas to Try Right Now

Promote Your Channel on Social Media

Don't forget to promote your channel on social media. Share your videos on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and any other social media platforms where your target audience hangs out.

Not only does this broaden your horizon and bring you more viewers, but it also keeps your options open and enables you to migrate to another platform if need be.

Welcome New Subscribers and Celebrate Old Ones

The best way to build a strong and loyal community is by including and appreciating both new and returning subscribers. Engaging with your viewers in the comment section because you never know how it might make someone’s day!

Remember, if someone took time out of their day to click on your video and leave a comment or a like, there's a chance they'd be willing to subscribe to you. And putting in just a little effort to give them a good reason might go a long way.

Getting subscribers on YouTube can be very difficult, and simply buying them may seem like a good alternative. But did you know that could hurt the growth of your channel in the long run?

Here's a secret formula you can use to get more subscribers instead.