Break It Down: Streamlining Video Length with Efficient Chapter Breaks on YouTube

How to Add Chapters to YouTube Videos

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you have seen chapter markers on YouTube of our official channel, you might be wondering how someone can create chapters on YouTube? What is the way to mark different parts of the videos, and how can you add markers to all the existing videos on YouTube? Don’t worry; this article will discuss everything about YouTube chapters that you need to know. Keep reading to find all the details and learn the step-by-step instructions to add chapters to your YouTube videos for better engagement.

• Part 1: What Are YouTube Chapters?
• Part 2: How to Add Chapter to YouTube Video Progress Bar?
• Part 3: Why Add Chapters to Videos?
• Part 4: When Add Chapters on YouTube?
• Part 5: Will Chapter Decrease Watching Time?
• Part 6: Video Chapter Adding Tips
• Part 7: Why YouTube Chapter is Not Working?

Part 1: What Are YouTube Chapters?

YouTube video chapters are an excellent way to optimize your YouTube content. When you have chapters for your YouTube video, each chapter will have an individual preview. Chapters will break your YouTube video into multiple parts allowing your audience to have better context and information.

As per YouTube, chapters let the audience navigate better through videos. Chapters will let your audience watch different video parts, which will eventually lead to better engagement. If you want to organize your YouTube content, chapters are one of the best ways to go about it. By using labeled timestamps, your video will be divided into multiple sections. Your audience will be able to see the preview of the content and easily skip to the part they want to see within the video’s progress bar.

Part 2: How to Add Chapter to YouTube Video Progress Bar?

If you are a YouTube creator and want to know how you can add chapters to your YouTube content, here’s what you need to do. Follow these instructions carefully:

Step 1: First things first, please sign in to your YouTube account.

Step 2: Select the video that you want to edit and add chapters.

Step 3: Click on the edit video option. This option will be there under the video.

Step 4: On the add details page, you will see the description box. Here, you need to add the list of titles and timestamps.

Please keep in mind that you must add the first timestamp with “00:00”. You will have to add a minimum of three timestamps with a minimum of 10 seconds for each chapter. Here is how it looks like in the description after published.

Part 3: Why YouTubers Should Add Chapters to videos?

There are two primary advantages of adding chapters to your YouTube videos. Apart from making your YouTube video look organized and neat, chapters will let you provide a better user experience to everyone watching your video because they will find all the information about your video faster and easier within a video. And the second benefit is that your YouTube video will show up in search results. This is a way to optimize your content for more users to find your content.

YouTube chapters are beneficial for both creators and viewers. On the progress bar, these clickable chapters can be added. This will allow a viewer to skip and scrub through a video quickly and skip to parts they actually want to watch.

This feature is quite helpful for videos that are pretty long. Chapters will let you segment the videos into important chapters so that the viewer can rewatch already watched chapters or skip to other chapters in the video. YouTube chapters have been recently added to this platform for better navigation and engagement.

Better User Experience for Users

Just like Google wants browsers to find what they are looking for when they add a keyword, YouTube also wants to help viewers find what they are looking for. Chapters can be immensely beneficial for extended content. For example, if you are uploading a video of your convert video, let the users jump straight to their favorite songs.

Even in tutorial video content, viewers will now have a chance to get straight to the main part of the video. With chapters being added, viewers will have an opportunity to decide whether they want to watch the whole video or not. They won’t have to keep skipping one part to another blindly. Chapters will allow them to find what they are looking for in an instant.

For Creators: Increased Visibility

If you know about the Google algorithm, you must be aware that it regularly changes its algorithm to let people find the information they are looking for easily. Adding chapters to your video will encourage Google to display them more often when someone searches for them, and this will include adding your videos to its featured snippets.

While adding chapters, you need to make sure that it is labeled with correct keywords, and it is clear and descriptive. YouTube videos are often showed as Google snippet when someone tries to find something on the search engine. Adding a chapter will let Google understand the content better, thereby letting your videos gain more search traffic.

Part 4: When should I add or not chapters on YouTube?

If you are wondering whether all videos on YouTube should have chapters, the answer to this is no. A two minutes long video won’t require chapters because it won’t make sense. Think about whether you would want your audience to have reduced watch time. Another thing to pay attention to is audience retention.

We mentioned earlier that adding chapters to long videos will be a good idea, but before you jump in and start adding chapters, you need to understand whether it will help you and should be done in your particular case?

If you are uploading a video on education, science and technology, how-to, news and politics, Q and A, and other similar videos, adding chapters will definitely help. In these kinds of videos, you will let your audience rewatch a section they liked the most over and over again.

However, if you are uploading music, entertainment, comedy, and film and animation videos, we will recommend not to add chapters because this will reduce the watch time.

Part 5: Do YouTube Video Chapters Decrease Channel Watch Time?

One of the most commonly asked questions regarding adding chapters to YouTube videos is whether it will reduce the watch time of a video. Video chapters are a pretty good feature and can enable your videos to engage with the viewers.

Since chapters allow your audience to skip through video content, they are not really watching the whole video, which can’t be suitable for audience retention! Here’s what we have to say to this: don’t put your 100% focus on watch time right now. Your focus should be creating informative and engaging content, which will keep your audience hooked to their screens. Even if you add chapters, if your audience doesn’t find it engaging, they will choose not to go on with the content.

Video chapters are a tiny part of the overall content. Chapters provide value to your audience, and you should try them. If you are uploading a concise video, animation video, funny video, and more, don’t add chapters.

Even some of the most watched videos on YouTube have chapters. Learn from them. These video makers could have thought about numbers rather than giving value to their audience, but they did just the opposite, and here they are with over a million views!

Part 6: Tips for adding chapters to YouTube video

Each video on YouTube is different, and that’s why there is no one-size-fits-all answer. There are some cases where you should not think about adding chapters at all. Whereas in other cases, you will have to experiment a bit before adding chapters.

Here are some tips that will help you.

Do Some Testing

Before adding chapters to a new video that you are thinking to upload, try adding chapters to an old video. See what happens to that video. Have the views increased? How about average view duration? Track these metrics first, and then try adding chapters to your upcoming videos to benefit from videos. Along with these metrics, you will also have to evaluate if adding chapters decreases or increases the watch time and number of views.

Label Your Chapters Using Keywords

Another thing to do that will help you have better traction is using a good keyword strategy. Look at what people are using while searching for content, which is similar to yours? Using names based on keywords that have better search volume will help your videos to rank higher.

Part 7: Why Video Chapter is Not working? [Problem solved]

There are a few mandatory things that you need to do before adding chapters to your YouTube video. Here are some of the common reasons why the video chapter is not working. See if any one of them is true in your case, and rectify it right away.

• Your video doesn’t have the 00:00 timestamp.
• Your video has less than three chapters.
• You have added a chapter that is less than 10 seconds long.
• You have not added the timestamps in chronological order.
• Rather than using “:” you have entered “.” for timecodes.
• If your channel has active copyright strikes, video chapters won’t work.
• Your channel doesn’t have more than 1k subscribers.
• Your video chapters are not suitable for some viewers.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you have seen chapter markers on YouTube of our official channel, you might be wondering how someone can create chapters on YouTube? What is the way to mark different parts of the videos, and how can you add markers to all the existing videos on YouTube? Don’t worry; this article will discuss everything about YouTube chapters that you need to know. Keep reading to find all the details and learn the step-by-step instructions to add chapters to your YouTube videos for better engagement.

• Part 1: What Are YouTube Chapters?
• Part 2: How to Add Chapter to YouTube Video Progress Bar?
• Part 3: Why Add Chapters to Videos?
• Part 4: When Add Chapters on YouTube?
• Part 5: Will Chapter Decrease Watching Time?
• Part 6: Video Chapter Adding Tips
• Part 7: Why YouTube Chapter is Not Working?

Part 1: What Are YouTube Chapters?

YouTube video chapters are an excellent way to optimize your YouTube content. When you have chapters for your YouTube video, each chapter will have an individual preview. Chapters will break your YouTube video into multiple parts allowing your audience to have better context and information.

As per YouTube, chapters let the audience navigate better through videos. Chapters will let your audience watch different video parts, which will eventually lead to better engagement. If you want to organize your YouTube content, chapters are one of the best ways to go about it. By using labeled timestamps, your video will be divided into multiple sections. Your audience will be able to see the preview of the content and easily skip to the part they want to see within the video’s progress bar.

Part 2: How to Add Chapter to YouTube Video Progress Bar?

If you are a YouTube creator and want to know how you can add chapters to your YouTube content, here’s what you need to do. Follow these instructions carefully:

Step 1: First things first, please sign in to your YouTube account.

Step 2: Select the video that you want to edit and add chapters.

Step 3: Click on the edit video option. This option will be there under the video.

Step 4: On the add details page, you will see the description box. Here, you need to add the list of titles and timestamps.

Please keep in mind that you must add the first timestamp with “00:00”. You will have to add a minimum of three timestamps with a minimum of 10 seconds for each chapter. Here is how it looks like in the description after published.

Part 3: Why YouTubers Should Add Chapters to videos?

There are two primary advantages of adding chapters to your YouTube videos. Apart from making your YouTube video look organized and neat, chapters will let you provide a better user experience to everyone watching your video because they will find all the information about your video faster and easier within a video. And the second benefit is that your YouTube video will show up in search results. This is a way to optimize your content for more users to find your content.

YouTube chapters are beneficial for both creators and viewers. On the progress bar, these clickable chapters can be added. This will allow a viewer to skip and scrub through a video quickly and skip to parts they actually want to watch.

This feature is quite helpful for videos that are pretty long. Chapters will let you segment the videos into important chapters so that the viewer can rewatch already watched chapters or skip to other chapters in the video. YouTube chapters have been recently added to this platform for better navigation and engagement.

Better User Experience for Users

Just like Google wants browsers to find what they are looking for when they add a keyword, YouTube also wants to help viewers find what they are looking for. Chapters can be immensely beneficial for extended content. For example, if you are uploading a video of your convert video, let the users jump straight to their favorite songs.

Even in tutorial video content, viewers will now have a chance to get straight to the main part of the video. With chapters being added, viewers will have an opportunity to decide whether they want to watch the whole video or not. They won’t have to keep skipping one part to another blindly. Chapters will allow them to find what they are looking for in an instant.

For Creators: Increased Visibility

If you know about the Google algorithm, you must be aware that it regularly changes its algorithm to let people find the information they are looking for easily. Adding chapters to your video will encourage Google to display them more often when someone searches for them, and this will include adding your videos to its featured snippets.

While adding chapters, you need to make sure that it is labeled with correct keywords, and it is clear and descriptive. YouTube videos are often showed as Google snippet when someone tries to find something on the search engine. Adding a chapter will let Google understand the content better, thereby letting your videos gain more search traffic.

Part 4: When should I add or not chapters on YouTube?

If you are wondering whether all videos on YouTube should have chapters, the answer to this is no. A two minutes long video won’t require chapters because it won’t make sense. Think about whether you would want your audience to have reduced watch time. Another thing to pay attention to is audience retention.

We mentioned earlier that adding chapters to long videos will be a good idea, but before you jump in and start adding chapters, you need to understand whether it will help you and should be done in your particular case?

If you are uploading a video on education, science and technology, how-to, news and politics, Q and A, and other similar videos, adding chapters will definitely help. In these kinds of videos, you will let your audience rewatch a section they liked the most over and over again.

However, if you are uploading music, entertainment, comedy, and film and animation videos, we will recommend not to add chapters because this will reduce the watch time.

Part 5: Do YouTube Video Chapters Decrease Channel Watch Time?

One of the most commonly asked questions regarding adding chapters to YouTube videos is whether it will reduce the watch time of a video. Video chapters are a pretty good feature and can enable your videos to engage with the viewers.

Since chapters allow your audience to skip through video content, they are not really watching the whole video, which can’t be suitable for audience retention! Here’s what we have to say to this: don’t put your 100% focus on watch time right now. Your focus should be creating informative and engaging content, which will keep your audience hooked to their screens. Even if you add chapters, if your audience doesn’t find it engaging, they will choose not to go on with the content.

Video chapters are a tiny part of the overall content. Chapters provide value to your audience, and you should try them. If you are uploading a concise video, animation video, funny video, and more, don’t add chapters.

Even some of the most watched videos on YouTube have chapters. Learn from them. These video makers could have thought about numbers rather than giving value to their audience, but they did just the opposite, and here they are with over a million views!

Part 6: Tips for adding chapters to YouTube video

Each video on YouTube is different, and that’s why there is no one-size-fits-all answer. There are some cases where you should not think about adding chapters at all. Whereas in other cases, you will have to experiment a bit before adding chapters.

Here are some tips that will help you.

Do Some Testing

Before adding chapters to a new video that you are thinking to upload, try adding chapters to an old video. See what happens to that video. Have the views increased? How about average view duration? Track these metrics first, and then try adding chapters to your upcoming videos to benefit from videos. Along with these metrics, you will also have to evaluate if adding chapters decreases or increases the watch time and number of views.

Label Your Chapters Using Keywords

Another thing to do that will help you have better traction is using a good keyword strategy. Look at what people are using while searching for content, which is similar to yours? Using names based on keywords that have better search volume will help your videos to rank higher.

Part 7: Why Video Chapter is Not working? [Problem solved]

There are a few mandatory things that you need to do before adding chapters to your YouTube video. Here are some of the common reasons why the video chapter is not working. See if any one of them is true in your case, and rectify it right away.

• Your video doesn’t have the 00:00 timestamp.
• Your video has less than three chapters.
• You have added a chapter that is less than 10 seconds long.
• You have not added the timestamps in chronological order.
• Rather than using “:” you have entered “.” for timecodes.
• If your channel has active copyright strikes, video chapters won’t work.
• Your channel doesn’t have more than 1k subscribers.
• Your video chapters are not suitable for some viewers.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you have seen chapter markers on YouTube of our official channel, you might be wondering how someone can create chapters on YouTube? What is the way to mark different parts of the videos, and how can you add markers to all the existing videos on YouTube? Don’t worry; this article will discuss everything about YouTube chapters that you need to know. Keep reading to find all the details and learn the step-by-step instructions to add chapters to your YouTube videos for better engagement.

• Part 1: What Are YouTube Chapters?
• Part 2: How to Add Chapter to YouTube Video Progress Bar?
• Part 3: Why Add Chapters to Videos?
• Part 4: When Add Chapters on YouTube?
• Part 5: Will Chapter Decrease Watching Time?
• Part 6: Video Chapter Adding Tips
• Part 7: Why YouTube Chapter is Not Working?

Part 1: What Are YouTube Chapters?

YouTube video chapters are an excellent way to optimize your YouTube content. When you have chapters for your YouTube video, each chapter will have an individual preview. Chapters will break your YouTube video into multiple parts allowing your audience to have better context and information.

As per YouTube, chapters let the audience navigate better through videos. Chapters will let your audience watch different video parts, which will eventually lead to better engagement. If you want to organize your YouTube content, chapters are one of the best ways to go about it. By using labeled timestamps, your video will be divided into multiple sections. Your audience will be able to see the preview of the content and easily skip to the part they want to see within the video’s progress bar.

Part 2: How to Add Chapter to YouTube Video Progress Bar?

If you are a YouTube creator and want to know how you can add chapters to your YouTube content, here’s what you need to do. Follow these instructions carefully:

Step 1: First things first, please sign in to your YouTube account.

Step 2: Select the video that you want to edit and add chapters.

Step 3: Click on the edit video option. This option will be there under the video.

Step 4: On the add details page, you will see the description box. Here, you need to add the list of titles and timestamps.

Please keep in mind that you must add the first timestamp with “00:00”. You will have to add a minimum of three timestamps with a minimum of 10 seconds for each chapter. Here is how it looks like in the description after published.

Part 3: Why YouTubers Should Add Chapters to videos?

There are two primary advantages of adding chapters to your YouTube videos. Apart from making your YouTube video look organized and neat, chapters will let you provide a better user experience to everyone watching your video because they will find all the information about your video faster and easier within a video. And the second benefit is that your YouTube video will show up in search results. This is a way to optimize your content for more users to find your content.

YouTube chapters are beneficial for both creators and viewers. On the progress bar, these clickable chapters can be added. This will allow a viewer to skip and scrub through a video quickly and skip to parts they actually want to watch.

This feature is quite helpful for videos that are pretty long. Chapters will let you segment the videos into important chapters so that the viewer can rewatch already watched chapters or skip to other chapters in the video. YouTube chapters have been recently added to this platform for better navigation and engagement.

Better User Experience for Users

Just like Google wants browsers to find what they are looking for when they add a keyword, YouTube also wants to help viewers find what they are looking for. Chapters can be immensely beneficial for extended content. For example, if you are uploading a video of your convert video, let the users jump straight to their favorite songs.

Even in tutorial video content, viewers will now have a chance to get straight to the main part of the video. With chapters being added, viewers will have an opportunity to decide whether they want to watch the whole video or not. They won’t have to keep skipping one part to another blindly. Chapters will allow them to find what they are looking for in an instant.

For Creators: Increased Visibility

If you know about the Google algorithm, you must be aware that it regularly changes its algorithm to let people find the information they are looking for easily. Adding chapters to your video will encourage Google to display them more often when someone searches for them, and this will include adding your videos to its featured snippets.

While adding chapters, you need to make sure that it is labeled with correct keywords, and it is clear and descriptive. YouTube videos are often showed as Google snippet when someone tries to find something on the search engine. Adding a chapter will let Google understand the content better, thereby letting your videos gain more search traffic.

Part 4: When should I add or not chapters on YouTube?

If you are wondering whether all videos on YouTube should have chapters, the answer to this is no. A two minutes long video won’t require chapters because it won’t make sense. Think about whether you would want your audience to have reduced watch time. Another thing to pay attention to is audience retention.

We mentioned earlier that adding chapters to long videos will be a good idea, but before you jump in and start adding chapters, you need to understand whether it will help you and should be done in your particular case?

If you are uploading a video on education, science and technology, how-to, news and politics, Q and A, and other similar videos, adding chapters will definitely help. In these kinds of videos, you will let your audience rewatch a section they liked the most over and over again.

However, if you are uploading music, entertainment, comedy, and film and animation videos, we will recommend not to add chapters because this will reduce the watch time.

Part 5: Do YouTube Video Chapters Decrease Channel Watch Time?

One of the most commonly asked questions regarding adding chapters to YouTube videos is whether it will reduce the watch time of a video. Video chapters are a pretty good feature and can enable your videos to engage with the viewers.

Since chapters allow your audience to skip through video content, they are not really watching the whole video, which can’t be suitable for audience retention! Here’s what we have to say to this: don’t put your 100% focus on watch time right now. Your focus should be creating informative and engaging content, which will keep your audience hooked to their screens. Even if you add chapters, if your audience doesn’t find it engaging, they will choose not to go on with the content.

Video chapters are a tiny part of the overall content. Chapters provide value to your audience, and you should try them. If you are uploading a concise video, animation video, funny video, and more, don’t add chapters.

Even some of the most watched videos on YouTube have chapters. Learn from them. These video makers could have thought about numbers rather than giving value to their audience, but they did just the opposite, and here they are with over a million views!

Part 6: Tips for adding chapters to YouTube video

Each video on YouTube is different, and that’s why there is no one-size-fits-all answer. There are some cases where you should not think about adding chapters at all. Whereas in other cases, you will have to experiment a bit before adding chapters.

Here are some tips that will help you.

Do Some Testing

Before adding chapters to a new video that you are thinking to upload, try adding chapters to an old video. See what happens to that video. Have the views increased? How about average view duration? Track these metrics first, and then try adding chapters to your upcoming videos to benefit from videos. Along with these metrics, you will also have to evaluate if adding chapters decreases or increases the watch time and number of views.

Label Your Chapters Using Keywords

Another thing to do that will help you have better traction is using a good keyword strategy. Look at what people are using while searching for content, which is similar to yours? Using names based on keywords that have better search volume will help your videos to rank higher.

Part 7: Why Video Chapter is Not working? [Problem solved]

There are a few mandatory things that you need to do before adding chapters to your YouTube video. Here are some of the common reasons why the video chapter is not working. See if any one of them is true in your case, and rectify it right away.

• Your video doesn’t have the 00:00 timestamp.
• Your video has less than three chapters.
• You have added a chapter that is less than 10 seconds long.
• You have not added the timestamps in chronological order.
• Rather than using “:” you have entered “.” for timecodes.
• If your channel has active copyright strikes, video chapters won’t work.
• Your channel doesn’t have more than 1k subscribers.
• Your video chapters are not suitable for some viewers.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you have seen chapter markers on YouTube of our official channel, you might be wondering how someone can create chapters on YouTube? What is the way to mark different parts of the videos, and how can you add markers to all the existing videos on YouTube? Don’t worry; this article will discuss everything about YouTube chapters that you need to know. Keep reading to find all the details and learn the step-by-step instructions to add chapters to your YouTube videos for better engagement.

• Part 1: What Are YouTube Chapters?
• Part 2: How to Add Chapter to YouTube Video Progress Bar?
• Part 3: Why Add Chapters to Videos?
• Part 4: When Add Chapters on YouTube?
• Part 5: Will Chapter Decrease Watching Time?
• Part 6: Video Chapter Adding Tips
• Part 7: Why YouTube Chapter is Not Working?

Part 1: What Are YouTube Chapters?

YouTube video chapters are an excellent way to optimize your YouTube content. When you have chapters for your YouTube video, each chapter will have an individual preview. Chapters will break your YouTube video into multiple parts allowing your audience to have better context and information.

As per YouTube, chapters let the audience navigate better through videos. Chapters will let your audience watch different video parts, which will eventually lead to better engagement. If you want to organize your YouTube content, chapters are one of the best ways to go about it. By using labeled timestamps, your video will be divided into multiple sections. Your audience will be able to see the preview of the content and easily skip to the part they want to see within the video’s progress bar.

Part 2: How to Add Chapter to YouTube Video Progress Bar?

If you are a YouTube creator and want to know how you can add chapters to your YouTube content, here’s what you need to do. Follow these instructions carefully:

Step 1: First things first, please sign in to your YouTube account.

Step 2: Select the video that you want to edit and add chapters.

Step 3: Click on the edit video option. This option will be there under the video.

Step 4: On the add details page, you will see the description box. Here, you need to add the list of titles and timestamps.

Please keep in mind that you must add the first timestamp with “00:00”. You will have to add a minimum of three timestamps with a minimum of 10 seconds for each chapter. Here is how it looks like in the description after published.

Part 3: Why YouTubers Should Add Chapters to videos?

There are two primary advantages of adding chapters to your YouTube videos. Apart from making your YouTube video look organized and neat, chapters will let you provide a better user experience to everyone watching your video because they will find all the information about your video faster and easier within a video. And the second benefit is that your YouTube video will show up in search results. This is a way to optimize your content for more users to find your content.

YouTube chapters are beneficial for both creators and viewers. On the progress bar, these clickable chapters can be added. This will allow a viewer to skip and scrub through a video quickly and skip to parts they actually want to watch.

This feature is quite helpful for videos that are pretty long. Chapters will let you segment the videos into important chapters so that the viewer can rewatch already watched chapters or skip to other chapters in the video. YouTube chapters have been recently added to this platform for better navigation and engagement.

Better User Experience for Users

Just like Google wants browsers to find what they are looking for when they add a keyword, YouTube also wants to help viewers find what they are looking for. Chapters can be immensely beneficial for extended content. For example, if you are uploading a video of your convert video, let the users jump straight to their favorite songs.

Even in tutorial video content, viewers will now have a chance to get straight to the main part of the video. With chapters being added, viewers will have an opportunity to decide whether they want to watch the whole video or not. They won’t have to keep skipping one part to another blindly. Chapters will allow them to find what they are looking for in an instant.

For Creators: Increased Visibility

If you know about the Google algorithm, you must be aware that it regularly changes its algorithm to let people find the information they are looking for easily. Adding chapters to your video will encourage Google to display them more often when someone searches for them, and this will include adding your videos to its featured snippets.

While adding chapters, you need to make sure that it is labeled with correct keywords, and it is clear and descriptive. YouTube videos are often showed as Google snippet when someone tries to find something on the search engine. Adding a chapter will let Google understand the content better, thereby letting your videos gain more search traffic.

Part 4: When should I add or not chapters on YouTube?

If you are wondering whether all videos on YouTube should have chapters, the answer to this is no. A two minutes long video won’t require chapters because it won’t make sense. Think about whether you would want your audience to have reduced watch time. Another thing to pay attention to is audience retention.

We mentioned earlier that adding chapters to long videos will be a good idea, but before you jump in and start adding chapters, you need to understand whether it will help you and should be done in your particular case?

If you are uploading a video on education, science and technology, how-to, news and politics, Q and A, and other similar videos, adding chapters will definitely help. In these kinds of videos, you will let your audience rewatch a section they liked the most over and over again.

However, if you are uploading music, entertainment, comedy, and film and animation videos, we will recommend not to add chapters because this will reduce the watch time.

Part 5: Do YouTube Video Chapters Decrease Channel Watch Time?

One of the most commonly asked questions regarding adding chapters to YouTube videos is whether it will reduce the watch time of a video. Video chapters are a pretty good feature and can enable your videos to engage with the viewers.

Since chapters allow your audience to skip through video content, they are not really watching the whole video, which can’t be suitable for audience retention! Here’s what we have to say to this: don’t put your 100% focus on watch time right now. Your focus should be creating informative and engaging content, which will keep your audience hooked to their screens. Even if you add chapters, if your audience doesn’t find it engaging, they will choose not to go on with the content.

Video chapters are a tiny part of the overall content. Chapters provide value to your audience, and you should try them. If you are uploading a concise video, animation video, funny video, and more, don’t add chapters.

Even some of the most watched videos on YouTube have chapters. Learn from them. These video makers could have thought about numbers rather than giving value to their audience, but they did just the opposite, and here they are with over a million views!

Part 6: Tips for adding chapters to YouTube video

Each video on YouTube is different, and that’s why there is no one-size-fits-all answer. There are some cases where you should not think about adding chapters at all. Whereas in other cases, you will have to experiment a bit before adding chapters.

Here are some tips that will help you.

Do Some Testing

Before adding chapters to a new video that you are thinking to upload, try adding chapters to an old video. See what happens to that video. Have the views increased? How about average view duration? Track these metrics first, and then try adding chapters to your upcoming videos to benefit from videos. Along with these metrics, you will also have to evaluate if adding chapters decreases or increases the watch time and number of views.

Label Your Chapters Using Keywords

Another thing to do that will help you have better traction is using a good keyword strategy. Look at what people are using while searching for content, which is similar to yours? Using names based on keywords that have better search volume will help your videos to rank higher.

Part 7: Why Video Chapter is Not working? [Problem solved]

There are a few mandatory things that you need to do before adding chapters to your YouTube video. Here are some of the common reasons why the video chapter is not working. See if any one of them is true in your case, and rectify it right away.

• Your video doesn’t have the 00:00 timestamp.
• Your video has less than three chapters.
• You have added a chapter that is less than 10 seconds long.
• You have not added the timestamps in chronological order.
• Rather than using “:” you have entered “.” for timecodes.
• If your channel has active copyright strikes, video chapters won’t work.
• Your channel doesn’t have more than 1k subscribers.
• Your video chapters are not suitable for some viewers.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

The Formula to Fame: Elevating Subscriber Numbers on Youtube

How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Working hard to produce exciting, informative and beautiful YouTube videos only to miss out on the exposure you’re hoping for can be very demoralizing, and many people give up the practice of video production after failing to generate interest in their work.

However, don’t accept defeat just yet if you’re not quite getting the numbers you’ve been aiming for. Take these steps to if you need to get subscribers for YouTube videos. Read on to find out more about the best ways to attract new YouTube subscribers for your online video channel.

• Part 1: How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube for Beginners
• Part 2: How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube for Pros
• Part 3: How to Get Free YouTube Subscribers [With Proven Methods]

Part 1: How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube for Beginners

1. Be Real and Approachable

You should always be yourself when you vlog. People will subscribe when they feel invested in you as a person, and that happens when they feel like you are being sincere. You do not need to share all of your innermost secrets on your vlog, but you should let your viewers feel like they know you.

2. Don’t forget to add a call to action

Some people need to be prompted to subscribe to your channel, no matter how much they enjoy your content. At the end of all your videos, ask your viewers to subscribe to your channel and like your social media page.

Don’t forget to explain the benefits of subscribing to them, such as to benefit from your informative tips and gain a deeper insight into your projects. If you have any interesting videos in the pipeline, let them know about them.

3. Listen To Your Subscribers

It feels nice to get positive comments on your videos. If people feel comfortable enough to leave you suggestions and requests then that is even better. It means that you have succeeded in making them feel like they are part of your community.

If you get a video request, try to do it. People like to feel that you are open to trying the things they want to see. However, there are also times when you should just ignore requests and suggestions. If the majority of your subscribers enjoy your jokes and you get one comment telling you to stop trying to be funny then it is fairly obvious that that ‘suggestion’ does not really reflect the wishes of your community.

4. Optimize your title

Try not to underestimate the importance of a great eye-catching title. Include relevant words and phrases that you think people will search for and don’t just hastily add the first title that comes into your head. The better your title is, the more viewers and subscribers you are likely to amass.

5. Be Patient

Almost all vlogs grow slowly at first; the first 1000 subscribers take the longest to get. It takes a lot of patience to keep producing content on a regular schedule when it seems like not many people are watching, but you need to stick with it in order to grow.

Part 2: How to Get more Subscribers on YouTube for Pros

1. Set goals

You can gain extra drive and momentum by setting yourself attainable goals and encouraging your followers to help you achieve them. These goals can include milestones such as reaching 500 followers, 1,000 followers and so on. Don’t hesitate to tell your viewers about these goals – if they think your content is of real value, chances are they will be only too happy to assist you.

2. Contests can be funny – why not enter one?

One way to increase subscribers is to take part in a contest. A site called Gleam can oversee a contest for you. It’s up to you to choose how you want the contest to work, and you can gain an edge over your competitors by getting people to leave comments, follow you on Instagram, subscribe to your channel and more.

You will be provided with a landing page for promoting your channel, and you can share this in a variety of places, including on your Facebook, Twitter and blog. The best way to heighten your chances of success is to have a clear goal in mind.

3. Make a trailer

YouTube’s channel interface allows you to add a trailer to entice viewers into watching your videos and following you on the platform. Your trailer gives you a valuable opportunity to quickly explain what your channel is all about and what the benefits of following you are.

Don’t waffle on – try to get your clip down to 90 seconds maximum. Include clips from your videos and don’t forget to add a strong call to action at the end. The more effort you put into your videos, the bigger the rewards are likely to become. And here are some of the best trailer makers that you can use on both Windows and Mac .

4. Make a Schedule and Stick To It

You want to vlog at least once a week, and making a schedule will help you keep on top of that. It will also give your subscribers a chance to anticipate your videos and get excited. They are more likely to watch an update they have been expecting than one that was not already on their minds.

Sticking to your schedule is a good wait to build up credibility with your audience, but late or skipped updates will cause you to lose that credibility. If you do not post for a month then people who already subscribed to you might still ignore your update because it has been too long and they forgot about you.

5. Collaborate With Other Vloggers

Collaboration videos are always big hits. When you collaborate with another vlogger you are essentially introducing each other to your subscribers. This is a great way to grow your community quickly: by connecting it to another community.

Collaborations work best when the other vlogger is located close enough to you that you can actually meet up, but you can do distance collaborations too. When you collaborate you and the other vlogger should have close to the same number of subscribers, so the video will benefit you both equally.

Bonus: How to Get Free YouTube Subscribers [6 Proven Methods]

There are lots of ways to get free YouTube subscribers. This proven method involves networking with other creators! Making your presence felt on YouTube is an important part of creating your network of subscribers that watch, share and talk about your videos. Interaction with your subscribers, reaching new audiences every day, and a plethora of other factors influence how well your YouTube channel is doing.

In this part, we will show you how you can build your own network of loyal YouTube supporters and prove that you don’t need the services of paid providers who promise better reach for your channel.

1. Find YouTubers in your niche

The first step to building an enviable army of YouTube subscribers starts with the realization that you are not alone. Regardless of the niche, your videos are covering, there are probably thousands of people who are just starting out or that have as many subscribers as your YouTube channel. Focus on finding them. You may even want to make a list.

2. Subscribe to YouTube channels you really like

Of the channels you found in Step 1, choose the ones you genuinely like and subscribe to them.

It goes without saying that everyone enjoys support, especially if you are not asking for anything in return. By subscribing to YouTube channels in your genre you appreciate, you will make yourself known to the channel’s owner, and there is a chance they will check out and subscribe to your channel.

3. Spend time watching videos each day

Knowledge is power and, if you want to attract real people to your channel, you should learn how to use your knowledge to your advantage. By paying attention to other new videos in your genre you’ll gain insight into what is going over well with audiences like yours, and what isn’t.

Also, be especially sure to watch videos from those channels you found in Step 1 and subscribed to in Step 2. Try to watch at least two minutes of content from those channels whenever they upload.

4. Comment thoughtfully. Don’t ask for anything in return

Most YouTubers are delighted to hear someone else’s positive opinion or constructive criticism regarding their work. The reason you are watching 2 minutes of content per video in Step 3 is so that you will really have something to say in this step.

If you do make a thoughtful comment, and especially if you use the time stamp of the part of the video you’re referring to, the video creator will know you have watched the video and that you are not just another spammer. Avoid the sub-4-sub strategy, and don’t be the person who’s always saying ‘Subscribe to my channel’. You will be ignored by both the creator and other viewers, and the creator will find you annoying. However, if you comment regularly without asking for anything, the creator and some of their viewers will naturally decide to check out your channel.

5. Reach out on social media

YouTube is just one out of many channels through which you can reach like-minded people. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or any other social network can help you network with other creators and potential subscribers. Create accounts on social networks you find the most suitable for your video category and share links to your videos on these accounts as often as you can. Furthermore, if you try to foster real discussions about topics that are relevant, people who get to know you through these other platforms will probably decide to check out your YouTube channel.

Social media is also a great place to reach out to other creators, whether it’s for collabs or just to chat about doing YouTube.

6. Do it all again. And again. And again

You aren’t going to see great results overnight. You have to spend time almost every day repeating the steps we just described. This might seem intimidating, but as time passes it will become routine.

When you build your presence on YouTube in this way, other creators and their subscribers will naturally start becoming your subscribers. What’s your best tip for free YouTube subscribers?

Conclusion

Some people might need to watch multiple videos by you before they decide they want to subscribe. If you stop making videos because you did not get any subscribers or comments on your first few then chances are there were people who were paying attention who may have subscribed if you had kept at it.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Working hard to produce exciting, informative and beautiful YouTube videos only to miss out on the exposure you’re hoping for can be very demoralizing, and many people give up the practice of video production after failing to generate interest in their work.

However, don’t accept defeat just yet if you’re not quite getting the numbers you’ve been aiming for. Take these steps to if you need to get subscribers for YouTube videos. Read on to find out more about the best ways to attract new YouTube subscribers for your online video channel.

• Part 1: How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube for Beginners
• Part 2: How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube for Pros
• Part 3: How to Get Free YouTube Subscribers [With Proven Methods]

Part 1: How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube for Beginners

1. Be Real and Approachable

You should always be yourself when you vlog. People will subscribe when they feel invested in you as a person, and that happens when they feel like you are being sincere. You do not need to share all of your innermost secrets on your vlog, but you should let your viewers feel like they know you.

2. Don’t forget to add a call to action

Some people need to be prompted to subscribe to your channel, no matter how much they enjoy your content. At the end of all your videos, ask your viewers to subscribe to your channel and like your social media page.

Don’t forget to explain the benefits of subscribing to them, such as to benefit from your informative tips and gain a deeper insight into your projects. If you have any interesting videos in the pipeline, let them know about them.

3. Listen To Your Subscribers

It feels nice to get positive comments on your videos. If people feel comfortable enough to leave you suggestions and requests then that is even better. It means that you have succeeded in making them feel like they are part of your community.

If you get a video request, try to do it. People like to feel that you are open to trying the things they want to see. However, there are also times when you should just ignore requests and suggestions. If the majority of your subscribers enjoy your jokes and you get one comment telling you to stop trying to be funny then it is fairly obvious that that ‘suggestion’ does not really reflect the wishes of your community.

4. Optimize your title

Try not to underestimate the importance of a great eye-catching title. Include relevant words and phrases that you think people will search for and don’t just hastily add the first title that comes into your head. The better your title is, the more viewers and subscribers you are likely to amass.

5. Be Patient

Almost all vlogs grow slowly at first; the first 1000 subscribers take the longest to get. It takes a lot of patience to keep producing content on a regular schedule when it seems like not many people are watching, but you need to stick with it in order to grow.

Part 2: How to Get more Subscribers on YouTube for Pros

1. Set goals

You can gain extra drive and momentum by setting yourself attainable goals and encouraging your followers to help you achieve them. These goals can include milestones such as reaching 500 followers, 1,000 followers and so on. Don’t hesitate to tell your viewers about these goals – if they think your content is of real value, chances are they will be only too happy to assist you.

2. Contests can be funny – why not enter one?

One way to increase subscribers is to take part in a contest. A site called Gleam can oversee a contest for you. It’s up to you to choose how you want the contest to work, and you can gain an edge over your competitors by getting people to leave comments, follow you on Instagram, subscribe to your channel and more.

You will be provided with a landing page for promoting your channel, and you can share this in a variety of places, including on your Facebook, Twitter and blog. The best way to heighten your chances of success is to have a clear goal in mind.

3. Make a trailer

YouTube’s channel interface allows you to add a trailer to entice viewers into watching your videos and following you on the platform. Your trailer gives you a valuable opportunity to quickly explain what your channel is all about and what the benefits of following you are.

Don’t waffle on – try to get your clip down to 90 seconds maximum. Include clips from your videos and don’t forget to add a strong call to action at the end. The more effort you put into your videos, the bigger the rewards are likely to become. And here are some of the best trailer makers that you can use on both Windows and Mac .

4. Make a Schedule and Stick To It

You want to vlog at least once a week, and making a schedule will help you keep on top of that. It will also give your subscribers a chance to anticipate your videos and get excited. They are more likely to watch an update they have been expecting than one that was not already on their minds.

Sticking to your schedule is a good wait to build up credibility with your audience, but late or skipped updates will cause you to lose that credibility. If you do not post for a month then people who already subscribed to you might still ignore your update because it has been too long and they forgot about you.

5. Collaborate With Other Vloggers

Collaboration videos are always big hits. When you collaborate with another vlogger you are essentially introducing each other to your subscribers. This is a great way to grow your community quickly: by connecting it to another community.

Collaborations work best when the other vlogger is located close enough to you that you can actually meet up, but you can do distance collaborations too. When you collaborate you and the other vlogger should have close to the same number of subscribers, so the video will benefit you both equally.

Bonus: How to Get Free YouTube Subscribers [6 Proven Methods]

There are lots of ways to get free YouTube subscribers. This proven method involves networking with other creators! Making your presence felt on YouTube is an important part of creating your network of subscribers that watch, share and talk about your videos. Interaction with your subscribers, reaching new audiences every day, and a plethora of other factors influence how well your YouTube channel is doing.

In this part, we will show you how you can build your own network of loyal YouTube supporters and prove that you don’t need the services of paid providers who promise better reach for your channel.

1. Find YouTubers in your niche

The first step to building an enviable army of YouTube subscribers starts with the realization that you are not alone. Regardless of the niche, your videos are covering, there are probably thousands of people who are just starting out or that have as many subscribers as your YouTube channel. Focus on finding them. You may even want to make a list.

2. Subscribe to YouTube channels you really like

Of the channels you found in Step 1, choose the ones you genuinely like and subscribe to them.

It goes without saying that everyone enjoys support, especially if you are not asking for anything in return. By subscribing to YouTube channels in your genre you appreciate, you will make yourself known to the channel’s owner, and there is a chance they will check out and subscribe to your channel.

3. Spend time watching videos each day

Knowledge is power and, if you want to attract real people to your channel, you should learn how to use your knowledge to your advantage. By paying attention to other new videos in your genre you’ll gain insight into what is going over well with audiences like yours, and what isn’t.

Also, be especially sure to watch videos from those channels you found in Step 1 and subscribed to in Step 2. Try to watch at least two minutes of content from those channels whenever they upload.

4. Comment thoughtfully. Don’t ask for anything in return

Most YouTubers are delighted to hear someone else’s positive opinion or constructive criticism regarding their work. The reason you are watching 2 minutes of content per video in Step 3 is so that you will really have something to say in this step.

If you do make a thoughtful comment, and especially if you use the time stamp of the part of the video you’re referring to, the video creator will know you have watched the video and that you are not just another spammer. Avoid the sub-4-sub strategy, and don’t be the person who’s always saying ‘Subscribe to my channel’. You will be ignored by both the creator and other viewers, and the creator will find you annoying. However, if you comment regularly without asking for anything, the creator and some of their viewers will naturally decide to check out your channel.

5. Reach out on social media

YouTube is just one out of many channels through which you can reach like-minded people. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or any other social network can help you network with other creators and potential subscribers. Create accounts on social networks you find the most suitable for your video category and share links to your videos on these accounts as often as you can. Furthermore, if you try to foster real discussions about topics that are relevant, people who get to know you through these other platforms will probably decide to check out your YouTube channel.

Social media is also a great place to reach out to other creators, whether it’s for collabs or just to chat about doing YouTube.

6. Do it all again. And again. And again

You aren’t going to see great results overnight. You have to spend time almost every day repeating the steps we just described. This might seem intimidating, but as time passes it will become routine.

When you build your presence on YouTube in this way, other creators and their subscribers will naturally start becoming your subscribers. What’s your best tip for free YouTube subscribers?

Conclusion

Some people might need to watch multiple videos by you before they decide they want to subscribe. If you stop making videos because you did not get any subscribers or comments on your first few then chances are there were people who were paying attention who may have subscribed if you had kept at it.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Working hard to produce exciting, informative and beautiful YouTube videos only to miss out on the exposure you’re hoping for can be very demoralizing, and many people give up the practice of video production after failing to generate interest in their work.

However, don’t accept defeat just yet if you’re not quite getting the numbers you’ve been aiming for. Take these steps to if you need to get subscribers for YouTube videos. Read on to find out more about the best ways to attract new YouTube subscribers for your online video channel.

• Part 1: How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube for Beginners
• Part 2: How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube for Pros
• Part 3: How to Get Free YouTube Subscribers [With Proven Methods]

Part 1: How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube for Beginners

1. Be Real and Approachable

You should always be yourself when you vlog. People will subscribe when they feel invested in you as a person, and that happens when they feel like you are being sincere. You do not need to share all of your innermost secrets on your vlog, but you should let your viewers feel like they know you.

2. Don’t forget to add a call to action

Some people need to be prompted to subscribe to your channel, no matter how much they enjoy your content. At the end of all your videos, ask your viewers to subscribe to your channel and like your social media page.

Don’t forget to explain the benefits of subscribing to them, such as to benefit from your informative tips and gain a deeper insight into your projects. If you have any interesting videos in the pipeline, let them know about them.

3. Listen To Your Subscribers

It feels nice to get positive comments on your videos. If people feel comfortable enough to leave you suggestions and requests then that is even better. It means that you have succeeded in making them feel like they are part of your community.

If you get a video request, try to do it. People like to feel that you are open to trying the things they want to see. However, there are also times when you should just ignore requests and suggestions. If the majority of your subscribers enjoy your jokes and you get one comment telling you to stop trying to be funny then it is fairly obvious that that ‘suggestion’ does not really reflect the wishes of your community.

4. Optimize your title

Try not to underestimate the importance of a great eye-catching title. Include relevant words and phrases that you think people will search for and don’t just hastily add the first title that comes into your head. The better your title is, the more viewers and subscribers you are likely to amass.

5. Be Patient

Almost all vlogs grow slowly at first; the first 1000 subscribers take the longest to get. It takes a lot of patience to keep producing content on a regular schedule when it seems like not many people are watching, but you need to stick with it in order to grow.

Part 2: How to Get more Subscribers on YouTube for Pros

1. Set goals

You can gain extra drive and momentum by setting yourself attainable goals and encouraging your followers to help you achieve them. These goals can include milestones such as reaching 500 followers, 1,000 followers and so on. Don’t hesitate to tell your viewers about these goals – if they think your content is of real value, chances are they will be only too happy to assist you.

2. Contests can be funny – why not enter one?

One way to increase subscribers is to take part in a contest. A site called Gleam can oversee a contest for you. It’s up to you to choose how you want the contest to work, and you can gain an edge over your competitors by getting people to leave comments, follow you on Instagram, subscribe to your channel and more.

You will be provided with a landing page for promoting your channel, and you can share this in a variety of places, including on your Facebook, Twitter and blog. The best way to heighten your chances of success is to have a clear goal in mind.

3. Make a trailer

YouTube’s channel interface allows you to add a trailer to entice viewers into watching your videos and following you on the platform. Your trailer gives you a valuable opportunity to quickly explain what your channel is all about and what the benefits of following you are.

Don’t waffle on – try to get your clip down to 90 seconds maximum. Include clips from your videos and don’t forget to add a strong call to action at the end. The more effort you put into your videos, the bigger the rewards are likely to become. And here are some of the best trailer makers that you can use on both Windows and Mac .

4. Make a Schedule and Stick To It

You want to vlog at least once a week, and making a schedule will help you keep on top of that. It will also give your subscribers a chance to anticipate your videos and get excited. They are more likely to watch an update they have been expecting than one that was not already on their minds.

Sticking to your schedule is a good wait to build up credibility with your audience, but late or skipped updates will cause you to lose that credibility. If you do not post for a month then people who already subscribed to you might still ignore your update because it has been too long and they forgot about you.

5. Collaborate With Other Vloggers

Collaboration videos are always big hits. When you collaborate with another vlogger you are essentially introducing each other to your subscribers. This is a great way to grow your community quickly: by connecting it to another community.

Collaborations work best when the other vlogger is located close enough to you that you can actually meet up, but you can do distance collaborations too. When you collaborate you and the other vlogger should have close to the same number of subscribers, so the video will benefit you both equally.

Bonus: How to Get Free YouTube Subscribers [6 Proven Methods]

There are lots of ways to get free YouTube subscribers. This proven method involves networking with other creators! Making your presence felt on YouTube is an important part of creating your network of subscribers that watch, share and talk about your videos. Interaction with your subscribers, reaching new audiences every day, and a plethora of other factors influence how well your YouTube channel is doing.

In this part, we will show you how you can build your own network of loyal YouTube supporters and prove that you don’t need the services of paid providers who promise better reach for your channel.

1. Find YouTubers in your niche

The first step to building an enviable army of YouTube subscribers starts with the realization that you are not alone. Regardless of the niche, your videos are covering, there are probably thousands of people who are just starting out or that have as many subscribers as your YouTube channel. Focus on finding them. You may even want to make a list.

2. Subscribe to YouTube channels you really like

Of the channels you found in Step 1, choose the ones you genuinely like and subscribe to them.

It goes without saying that everyone enjoys support, especially if you are not asking for anything in return. By subscribing to YouTube channels in your genre you appreciate, you will make yourself known to the channel’s owner, and there is a chance they will check out and subscribe to your channel.

3. Spend time watching videos each day

Knowledge is power and, if you want to attract real people to your channel, you should learn how to use your knowledge to your advantage. By paying attention to other new videos in your genre you’ll gain insight into what is going over well with audiences like yours, and what isn’t.

Also, be especially sure to watch videos from those channels you found in Step 1 and subscribed to in Step 2. Try to watch at least two minutes of content from those channels whenever they upload.

4. Comment thoughtfully. Don’t ask for anything in return

Most YouTubers are delighted to hear someone else’s positive opinion or constructive criticism regarding their work. The reason you are watching 2 minutes of content per video in Step 3 is so that you will really have something to say in this step.

If you do make a thoughtful comment, and especially if you use the time stamp of the part of the video you’re referring to, the video creator will know you have watched the video and that you are not just another spammer. Avoid the sub-4-sub strategy, and don’t be the person who’s always saying ‘Subscribe to my channel’. You will be ignored by both the creator and other viewers, and the creator will find you annoying. However, if you comment regularly without asking for anything, the creator and some of their viewers will naturally decide to check out your channel.

5. Reach out on social media

YouTube is just one out of many channels through which you can reach like-minded people. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or any other social network can help you network with other creators and potential subscribers. Create accounts on social networks you find the most suitable for your video category and share links to your videos on these accounts as often as you can. Furthermore, if you try to foster real discussions about topics that are relevant, people who get to know you through these other platforms will probably decide to check out your YouTube channel.

Social media is also a great place to reach out to other creators, whether it’s for collabs or just to chat about doing YouTube.

6. Do it all again. And again. And again

You aren’t going to see great results overnight. You have to spend time almost every day repeating the steps we just described. This might seem intimidating, but as time passes it will become routine.

When you build your presence on YouTube in this way, other creators and their subscribers will naturally start becoming your subscribers. What’s your best tip for free YouTube subscribers?

Conclusion

Some people might need to watch multiple videos by you before they decide they want to subscribe. If you stop making videos because you did not get any subscribers or comments on your first few then chances are there were people who were paying attention who may have subscribed if you had kept at it.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Working hard to produce exciting, informative and beautiful YouTube videos only to miss out on the exposure you’re hoping for can be very demoralizing, and many people give up the practice of video production after failing to generate interest in their work.

However, don’t accept defeat just yet if you’re not quite getting the numbers you’ve been aiming for. Take these steps to if you need to get subscribers for YouTube videos. Read on to find out more about the best ways to attract new YouTube subscribers for your online video channel.

• Part 1: How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube for Beginners
• Part 2: How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube for Pros
• Part 3: How to Get Free YouTube Subscribers [With Proven Methods]

Part 1: How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube for Beginners

1. Be Real and Approachable

You should always be yourself when you vlog. People will subscribe when they feel invested in you as a person, and that happens when they feel like you are being sincere. You do not need to share all of your innermost secrets on your vlog, but you should let your viewers feel like they know you.

2. Don’t forget to add a call to action

Some people need to be prompted to subscribe to your channel, no matter how much they enjoy your content. At the end of all your videos, ask your viewers to subscribe to your channel and like your social media page.

Don’t forget to explain the benefits of subscribing to them, such as to benefit from your informative tips and gain a deeper insight into your projects. If you have any interesting videos in the pipeline, let them know about them.

3. Listen To Your Subscribers

It feels nice to get positive comments on your videos. If people feel comfortable enough to leave you suggestions and requests then that is even better. It means that you have succeeded in making them feel like they are part of your community.

If you get a video request, try to do it. People like to feel that you are open to trying the things they want to see. However, there are also times when you should just ignore requests and suggestions. If the majority of your subscribers enjoy your jokes and you get one comment telling you to stop trying to be funny then it is fairly obvious that that ‘suggestion’ does not really reflect the wishes of your community.

4. Optimize your title

Try not to underestimate the importance of a great eye-catching title. Include relevant words and phrases that you think people will search for and don’t just hastily add the first title that comes into your head. The better your title is, the more viewers and subscribers you are likely to amass.

5. Be Patient

Almost all vlogs grow slowly at first; the first 1000 subscribers take the longest to get. It takes a lot of patience to keep producing content on a regular schedule when it seems like not many people are watching, but you need to stick with it in order to grow.

Part 2: How to Get more Subscribers on YouTube for Pros

1. Set goals

You can gain extra drive and momentum by setting yourself attainable goals and encouraging your followers to help you achieve them. These goals can include milestones such as reaching 500 followers, 1,000 followers and so on. Don’t hesitate to tell your viewers about these goals – if they think your content is of real value, chances are they will be only too happy to assist you.

2. Contests can be funny – why not enter one?

One way to increase subscribers is to take part in a contest. A site called Gleam can oversee a contest for you. It’s up to you to choose how you want the contest to work, and you can gain an edge over your competitors by getting people to leave comments, follow you on Instagram, subscribe to your channel and more.

You will be provided with a landing page for promoting your channel, and you can share this in a variety of places, including on your Facebook, Twitter and blog. The best way to heighten your chances of success is to have a clear goal in mind.

3. Make a trailer

YouTube’s channel interface allows you to add a trailer to entice viewers into watching your videos and following you on the platform. Your trailer gives you a valuable opportunity to quickly explain what your channel is all about and what the benefits of following you are.

Don’t waffle on – try to get your clip down to 90 seconds maximum. Include clips from your videos and don’t forget to add a strong call to action at the end. The more effort you put into your videos, the bigger the rewards are likely to become. And here are some of the best trailer makers that you can use on both Windows and Mac .

4. Make a Schedule and Stick To It

You want to vlog at least once a week, and making a schedule will help you keep on top of that. It will also give your subscribers a chance to anticipate your videos and get excited. They are more likely to watch an update they have been expecting than one that was not already on their minds.

Sticking to your schedule is a good wait to build up credibility with your audience, but late or skipped updates will cause you to lose that credibility. If you do not post for a month then people who already subscribed to you might still ignore your update because it has been too long and they forgot about you.

5. Collaborate With Other Vloggers

Collaboration videos are always big hits. When you collaborate with another vlogger you are essentially introducing each other to your subscribers. This is a great way to grow your community quickly: by connecting it to another community.

Collaborations work best when the other vlogger is located close enough to you that you can actually meet up, but you can do distance collaborations too. When you collaborate you and the other vlogger should have close to the same number of subscribers, so the video will benefit you both equally.

Bonus: How to Get Free YouTube Subscribers [6 Proven Methods]

There are lots of ways to get free YouTube subscribers. This proven method involves networking with other creators! Making your presence felt on YouTube is an important part of creating your network of subscribers that watch, share and talk about your videos. Interaction with your subscribers, reaching new audiences every day, and a plethora of other factors influence how well your YouTube channel is doing.

In this part, we will show you how you can build your own network of loyal YouTube supporters and prove that you don’t need the services of paid providers who promise better reach for your channel.

1. Find YouTubers in your niche

The first step to building an enviable army of YouTube subscribers starts with the realization that you are not alone. Regardless of the niche, your videos are covering, there are probably thousands of people who are just starting out or that have as many subscribers as your YouTube channel. Focus on finding them. You may even want to make a list.

2. Subscribe to YouTube channels you really like

Of the channels you found in Step 1, choose the ones you genuinely like and subscribe to them.

It goes without saying that everyone enjoys support, especially if you are not asking for anything in return. By subscribing to YouTube channels in your genre you appreciate, you will make yourself known to the channel’s owner, and there is a chance they will check out and subscribe to your channel.

3. Spend time watching videos each day

Knowledge is power and, if you want to attract real people to your channel, you should learn how to use your knowledge to your advantage. By paying attention to other new videos in your genre you’ll gain insight into what is going over well with audiences like yours, and what isn’t.

Also, be especially sure to watch videos from those channels you found in Step 1 and subscribed to in Step 2. Try to watch at least two minutes of content from those channels whenever they upload.

4. Comment thoughtfully. Don’t ask for anything in return

Most YouTubers are delighted to hear someone else’s positive opinion or constructive criticism regarding their work. The reason you are watching 2 minutes of content per video in Step 3 is so that you will really have something to say in this step.

If you do make a thoughtful comment, and especially if you use the time stamp of the part of the video you’re referring to, the video creator will know you have watched the video and that you are not just another spammer. Avoid the sub-4-sub strategy, and don’t be the person who’s always saying ‘Subscribe to my channel’. You will be ignored by both the creator and other viewers, and the creator will find you annoying. However, if you comment regularly without asking for anything, the creator and some of their viewers will naturally decide to check out your channel.

5. Reach out on social media

YouTube is just one out of many channels through which you can reach like-minded people. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or any other social network can help you network with other creators and potential subscribers. Create accounts on social networks you find the most suitable for your video category and share links to your videos on these accounts as often as you can. Furthermore, if you try to foster real discussions about topics that are relevant, people who get to know you through these other platforms will probably decide to check out your YouTube channel.

Social media is also a great place to reach out to other creators, whether it’s for collabs or just to chat about doing YouTube.

6. Do it all again. And again. And again

You aren’t going to see great results overnight. You have to spend time almost every day repeating the steps we just described. This might seem intimidating, but as time passes it will become routine.

When you build your presence on YouTube in this way, other creators and their subscribers will naturally start becoming your subscribers. What’s your best tip for free YouTube subscribers?

Conclusion

Some people might need to watch multiple videos by you before they decide they want to subscribe. If you stop making videos because you did not get any subscribers or comments on your first few then chances are there were people who were paying attention who may have subscribed if you had kept at it.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

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