We understand you. We’re not here to point fingers and understand that busy people need to be efficient.
But the creators behind the best YouTube channels don’t spend their time or budget on buying bots to boost their subscriber numbers. They are too busy creating videos, each one more amazing than the last.
They have absolutely no interest in buying followers, and so should you.
First, let’s take a look at how services that offer free YouTube subscribers work. This is a two-step process:
You earn your “free” subscribers by subscribing and “liking” other channels, according to the service’s instructions. Most of them will ask you to subscribe to around twenty channels and “like” a certain number of videos.
After a few days of turning yourself into a click farm, you start to get tired of it and decide to pay the $10 (or $30 or $100) to get fake followers without the hassle.
This procedure is very similar to what was done in the days of Instagram engagement pods . But whatever the method, the service remains a winner: it either deprives you of your time or your money. And what do you get in return?
Bots for subscribers and zero commitment
A negative image for your real subscribers, for whom authentic-social-media/authenticity is probably an important element
The risk of violating YouTube’s Artificial Interaction Rules (tl;dr your account risks being suspended)
The potential to attract bad looks from any brand wishing to associate with you
Ultimately, the risk is simply not worth the effort.
In the meantime, you’ll find plenty of fake videos claiming to know the secret to getting millions of subscribers. While we recognize the inventiveness of their creators (like begging a mysterious Google employee who might be straight out of The Secret and who is the only one who can grant your request for subscribers), these videos are only really useful to the person who created them. (And the person who created this one got 600,000 views.)
Now let’s look at some real, proven strategies that won’t waste your time.
17 Tips to Gain Free YouTube Subscribers
First, if you’re just getting started, take a look at our guide on how to start a YouTube channel from scratch. It takes a little effort, but you’ll be building on a clean base. Additionally, to save you time, we have put together a list of tips for any beginner looking to get started with YouTube .
And now, in increasing order of difficulty, here are our best practices for converting your visitors into subscribers. Practice one of these tips for every video you post or once a week. Let’s go.
Ask your visitors to subscribe.
I told you we started with the easiest tactics.
Sometimes your audience just needs a little reminder. The big red “Subscribe” button is omnipresent, but also remember to remind them of the existence of the little bell right next to it which activates notifications for your latest videos. Quite simply.
Does this advice seem a little too commercial to you? It allows you to remind your visitors that you publish valuable content, and that you make it easier for them to follow the work you do.
If this is something you already do, remember to highlight why your channel is worth subscribing to. And be sure to do this when you have their full attention (i.e. immediately after posting useful, new information, or after making them laugh).
End your videos by mentioning the one you are currently working on.
Visitors who have just discovered what your brand can offer them are ready to learn more, provided you have done it right.
The best way to encourage visitors to click the Subscribe button is to promote your upcoming video and clearly explain why they shouldn’t be missed.
This obviously means that you must fully control your broadcast schedule and know the rest of your program. (More on this soon.)
Interact with your audience and make friends
If you create connections with your visitors, they will be more likely to continue following your work. Reply to their comments. Subscribe to their channels.
And yes, it’s exciting when a famous YouTuber leaves a comment about your video, and who knows who will be next year’s celebrity. Form a community of creators and support each other.