Have a well-established YouTube channel.
Starting fresh might seem like a good idea if you’re reworking your YouTube plan, but keep in mind that more subscribers to a channel mean more views on videos (Gielen, 2019). If you already have a subscriber base, you don’t want to lose them by creating a new channel.
Saurabh (Saurabh, Gautam, 2019) found no statistically significant difference in channel views between times when videos were uploaded regularly (which we know does affect channel views) and times when they were not. They theorize that the age of the channel, which might help results show up more often in YouTube search results, could be balancing out the fact that they did not upload videos regularly in the later part of the studied time frame. So, how long your channel has been around is an important factor in how your videos show up for viewers in search results or suggested videos.
If you have videos on the channel that seem outdated or irrelevant, you might consider switching those videos to “Unlisted,” rather than “Public.” This will allow you to refresh your channel without starting from scratch.
The goal here is to keep the subscribers you have and to get more subscribers as your channel becomes more established. There are varying ideas on how to get more subscribers to your YouTube channel. We talked about using end screens in the YouTube features section. Other tips include:
- Experiment with videos of different lengths to see how that affects where your videos show up in search results. (See video length section.)
- Include your subscribe link on your end screen. (See YouTube features section.)
- Reply to comments and “heart” comments on your videos. This can foster community and ultimately result in a larger fanbase.
- Make a channel trailer and use it in the “Featured” spot on your channel page (“Create a channel trailer for new viewers”).
- Consider a “YouTube-first” promotion strategy. Instead of direct uploading videos on other social media platforms like Facebook, direct people to watch the video on YouTube where they can use the interactive features, like your subscribe button in the end screen. You can use short teaser videos to entice your audience to click through to the YouTube video.
