How to Get Your First 1,000 Youtube Subscribers
Many or all of the links on this page compensate me. Here is a list of our partners and how I make money.
One of the biggest hurdles for Youtubers is reaching your first 1k subscribers. Most Youtube channels have nowhere near 1k subscribers and reaching this goal will help seperate your channel from the masses.
You also need at least 1k subs to apply for the Youtube partner program to earn money with ads from your videos. So many people get started on Youtube but quit before reaching this important goal.
How Long does it Take to Reach 1k subs?
On my first channel, it took me 1 year to reach 1k subs.
On my 2nd channel, I reached 1k subs in 6 months with very inconsistent uploading.
You don’t have to create a video every day to reach 1k subs fast but the more you upload, the quicker you will reach your goal.
Of course, you must be careful because many Youtubers suffer from burnout and this will destroy your channel quickly.
I’ve successfully built 2 Youtube channels over 1k subscribers and I wasn’t even investing that much time into my channel. My videos get lots of views & watch time on a daily basis because I talk about evergreen topics in several different niches.
Can you reach 1k subscribers for free?
The point is I got to 1k subscribers for free and didn’t spend any money on advertising or subscribers buying schemes.
You can do this too and if I had followed these tips in the beginning, I could’ve reached 1k subs in a few weeks or months.
1. Create Content Around Popular Topics in Your Niche
My biggest tip for you is to do plenty of research on a topic before you create a video. After looking at my most popular videos, there is a HUGE connection between popular topics and watch time.
Create content that people want to watch. There are several ways to do this:
Type in some keywords into the Youtube search bar and see how many views the top videos are getting. Also look at engagement metrics like likes and comments. If you see a video with lots of views and comments, then make a video on the exact same topic.
Don’t worry about stealing someone’s idea. Just think about your favorite soft drink. There are literally hundreds of different drinks available at your local supermarket.
Why?
Because companies know there is a lot of money to be made in the non-alcohol beverages industry.
The same theory applies to Youtube. Go to where the views are and make videos around the same topic.
This was my biggest eyeopeners and I’ve been able to grow my subscribers fast even if I don’t upload any new videos.
2. Invest in a Good Microphone
Sound quality is huge on Youtube. One of the mistakes I made early on was using a cheap crappy microphone.
Once I upgraded to the Samson Gomic, I got a lot of positive feedback from my subs. This helped my channel a lot and made me sound more professional.
All the big Youtubers have good mics. My Samson Gomic only cost $40 but the sound quality is excellent for the money.
3. Upload a Custom Youtube Art Banner to Your Channel
Most Youtube channels are blank but you’ll notice Youtube channels with lots of subs have custom Youtube banner art. Your channel art is a great opportunity to market your channel using a visual element. You can tell people to subscribe, display your website, Instragram channel or whatever you want to get exposure to.
It also shows you care and your subscribers will notice the extra effort. I got a huge boost in subs once I uploaded custom Youtube art.
Best of all, you can desigh your own art for free using Canva or hire a designer on Fiverr for only $5.
4. Upload on a Regular Basis and Be Consistent
You’ve probably heard this a thousand times but it’s one of the biggest success tips. Whether you upload daily or once every 6 months, be consistent.
Each video you upload is a new doorway to your channel. It only takes a few videos for your subscribers to enjoy your content and subscribe for more.
Be consistent but don’t overwhelm yourself because if you try to upload too much, your video quality will suffer and you will experience burnout.
Set a schedule that works for you and go from there. If you want the fastest growth possible, ask your subs how many videos they want to watch per week.
5. Reply to comments on your channel
Most Youtubers don’t reply to comments but it’s worked wonders for the growth of my channel.
Replying to comments builds trust with your viewers and forces them to come back to your channel to reply. It also forces you to moderate your comments section for spam and vulgar comments.
Some people bring negative energy to your channel and you need to delete those comments to protect your viewers. Don’t let anyone insult, harass or abuse your subs.
6. Start a Blog and Build an Email List
Starting your own blog is a smart way to complement your Youtube channel and earn more money. A good example is this site where I always create a blog post around each video and embed it within the post.
Not everyone will see your video on Youtube. A good portion of your views come from embeds, which can lead to more subscribers.
Once you start your blog, build an email list using Convertkit and ask people to join your mailing list. Whenever you upload a new video, send an email to your list.
You can ask people on your list to subscribe to your Youtube channel, too.
7. Ask viewers to subscribe at the end of the video
A simple but effective tip. When you are first starting out, every sub helps. Ask people to subscribe at the end of your video.
8. Let your audience give you ideas for new videos
Read your comments and let your viewers give you ideas on new videos. This guarantees the content will be popular and makes it much easier for you to figure out exactly what people want to watch.
9. Focus on what’s working and keep delivering value
Dive into your Youtube Analytics and find out what types of videos are getting the most watch time, comments and views. These are the topics you need to focus on.
Looking at this data is a big eyeopener and you’ll be shocked at which videos get the most attention.
When I first started my travel Youtube channel, I was focusing on slideshow videos at first. After looking at my views, I realized my audience wanted to learn more about meeting women abroad. Once I changed my focus, that’s when my channel started getting lots of views and subs.
Let the data speak for itself and focus on what’s working.
10. Once you reach 1k subscribers, set a new goal: 10k Subs
Goals will keep you motivated on your Youtube journey. Once you reach 1k subs, set your next goal at 10k. This is important because you’ll get subs much easier once you reach 1,000.
People are like sheep and are much more likely to subscribe when your channel starts getting bigger.
That’s it! Hope this helps!
