How to get 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours fast and easy? Arguably, this has to be the most asked question about YouTube.
Why? Simply because these are the basic requirements for qualification into the platform’s Partner Program. Reaching these targets is often the first major milestone any newcomer to the YouTube platform will want to attain soonest.
And if like most YouTubers, your goal is to actually earn money on YouTube, attaining that subscriber and the watch hour milestone is necessary to access other monetization features. This means you need at least 1,000 subscribers and 4000 to become a YouTube Partner and start earning ad revenue. Also, the more subscribers and watch hours you have, the higher you rise on YouTube’s benefit level ladder.
The biggest challenge to this goal is the multitude of other creators. Newcomers will find it hard since most of the other creators might have created a name for themselves in whatever niche they are. So technically, you will be competing with both new and established content creators on the platform.
This competition will naturally limit the visibility of your content and its chances of being recommended amongst already established competitors. To attain your goal faster, you need to take a calculated approach in your YouTube content creation journey. This is not to say that you won’t see success if you post videos without a strategy but it will consume much time and resources.
In this article, I will be taking an in-depth look into the various hacks, tricks, and means of how to get 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours fast and easy.
How to Get 1000 Subscribers and 4000 Watch Hours Fast and Easy
To be candid, attaining the target of 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours is not going to be an easy task. As mentioned above, the competition is high and you most likely aren’t the only player in your niche. But if you can implement some or all of the tips shared here, you are bound to attain these milestones sooner than you think.
Let’s get started!
Ask your viewers to subscribe
This has to be the oldest method of how to get 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours fast and easy on YouTube. A simple ask request can’t hurt to try and sometimes, your audience just needs to be reminded. The subscribe button is conspicuous enough and you might also want to remind them to use the bell beside it. It sounds easy, right? The truth is you are simply making it easy for them to keep up with the awesome content you create.
Many YouTubers are using this and if you’re one, always remember to showcase why your channel is worth subscribing to. And make sure you do it right when they love you the most. For instance, right after you’ve provided new and useful information, or you’ve made them laugh.
Another way to directly appeal to your audience for a subscription is to write a comment and then pin it to your videos. When you do this, that pinned comment appears at the top of the comments list.
Create Longer Video content
Asides from the quality and uniqueness of your video content, longer videos can help you attain your goal faster. Many YouTubers are now seeing the value of creating videos longer than 10 minutes. So don’t shy away from it, incorporate some longer content in your channel and see your watch hour rise. Here are a few hacks on how to create longer video content:
- Create Podcasts: Podcast offers an awesome way of creating content that is longer than 10 minutes and you should consider starting your own podcast. This will allow you to squeeze as much watch time from each viewer. Another benefit is that you get to publish videos with less effort and time spent on editing. You can press record, do your podcast, press end, and then publish the raw video.
- Live Stream: Another hack to arrive at 4000 watch hours faster is through Live streaming. As with podcasts, it requires no editing and it counts towards your 4,000 hours. A simple extrapolation can give you an idea of the watch time you stand to gain from a live stream session. Simply multiply the average viewers by the length of your stream to estimate your watch time. Take, for instance, a live stream session that lasts for 2 hours and you had an average of 50 viewers, this will equate to around 100 hours of watch time.
Apply subscription string to your Channel URL
This is one smart way to get your first 1000 subscribers on YouTube. And it’s simple, all you have to do is add your channel link with “?sub_confirmation=1”.
So if your channel link is initially: https://www.youtube.com/user/danielshustle. Once you add a subscription string, it becomes https://www.youtube.com/user/danielshustle?sub_confirmation=1.
Once a viewer clicks on your link that contains the subscription string, they immediately get a pop-up to quickly subscribe to your YouTube channel. It is advisable to use a YouTube subscription string when promoting your content on blogs, social media, or any other place.
Optimize Your YouTube Contents
A newcomer to the YouTube platform has a huge challenge to surmount. As with any new start-up, it’s not going to get recommendations and visibility instantly.
The YouTube algorithm will not recommend your content to audiences and your channel will have slow organic growth. This is because the platform doesn’t have enough data about your channel as well as your content.
This makes it difficult to recommend for anyone interested in watching them. This is where channel and video optimization comes in. Optimize your video title, description, and keywords for YouTube SEO.
When it comes to video optimization, your first point of call is the keyword. A popular keyword with less competition will give the chances of your video appearing at the top of searches by the audience.
Release videos on a consistent schedule
Again, there are no standard rules for this. But many experts suggest the rule-of-thumb as to how often creators should post videos to their channel. For instance, you can start with one video a week and then increase it to 3 or 4 per week as your channel grows.
The idea behind this is that more videos equal more watch time from viewers. But prioritizing quantity over quality will definitely hurt you and your YouTube business.
If your goal is to convert viewers to subscribers, you need to focus on quality first then consistency before quantity. Uploading quality videos consistently creates awareness for subscribers that more awesome content is on the way. And they’re more likely to tap on the subscribe button.
Utilize Playlist
Video playlist is one of the ways YouTubers can work around the challenge of how to get 4000 watch hours on YouTube. Playlists are a way of gently urging viewers to further watch your content.
It helps create more of a gradual viewing experience which has the potential of increasing a channel’s Watch Time on YouTube. Content creators can design several video playlists to encapsulate all their videos. The simple trick is to ensure that the playlist is organized in sequences and is of relevance to each other.
By leveraging the effectiveness of Playlists, channels can gain viewership by attracting more audiences to their content in a viewing session. This helps improve channel visibility and increases YouTube Watch Time. Here are ways to leverage the playlist:
- Playlists can be leveraged in a normal or series manner. With a “normal” or no playlist at all, there is no way of knowing if YouTube would suggest the concluding part as the next recommended video. The series playlists guaranties that your contents are played one after the other. So long they are serialized in a playlist. YouTube will automatically play your videos and you get to achieve your aim of 4000 watch hours.
You can also share your playlist instead of individual video links. To do this, find the playlist containing the video you wish to share. Select the video you want to share and copy the long convoluted URL. You can then start to share this link and watch your watch hour increase.
Interact with your audience
Forming relationships with your viewers can help you keep them and attract new ones as well.
By creating a bond with your audience, they can provide you with plenty of free content ideas for your next video. You don’t have to take all the ideas but you sure can get valuable reviews and opinions from them.
Create a Video Ad Campaign on Google Ads
Not everyone has the patience to wait for YouTube watch hours to grow organically. If you fall in that category, then you can opt to create a video ad campaign for your content. Keep in mind that you can use any ad platform but I suggest using Google Ads.
Use other social media platforms
This refers to you actively cross-promoting on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook even WhatsApp. Basically just about anywhere you have a community of fans established.
You can use other social media platforms to reach your first 1000 subscribers by simply encouraging viewers to check out your YouTube channel in your Instagram or Twitter bio. That is one way.
Another way of utilizing social media is to cross-post your content across all platforms you are present on.
If your goal is to reach your first 1000 subscribers and more, you should consider posting teaser snippets on social media. Then ensure to link to your YouTube channel in order to drive your audience there.
Appear as Professional as possible
If you still wondering how to get 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours fast and easy, appearing as professional as possible is another trick you can bank on. Here are few ways to appear professional:
Optimize your video descriptions: YouTube’s search algorithm often relies on video descriptions in other to understand what the video is all about. So, your description will not only let your videos be found in search engines, they’ll also explain to potential viewers what your video is about. Optimize your description but don’t overdo it. Keep it short and only include important information as well as your keyword.
End screens: these are still images at the end of your video where you can remind people to subscribe. You can place another call to action here before YouTube’s algorithm moves them on to the next video.
Branding watermarks: this is an extra subscribe button that will hover over your video throughout, even on full screen.
Brand your thumbnails: create professional, consistent branding in all your thumbnails. Use the same font, the same color palette, or even the same frame composition. This can stand as a form of brand recognition to viewers both old and new. And most importantly, make them clickable.
Improve your YouTube channel homepage art: Your YouTube banner is like the gate of your house. It welcomes everyone who clicks over to check out your channel. Maybe they just watched a video and are looking for more. Maybe they’re a potential subscriber. Use clean, compelling, and on-brand banners. And ensure to optimize for all devices. You don’t want important details covered up by your social media buttons or whatnot.
Conclusion
The tip list on how to get 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours fast and easy is diverse and this list is by no means exhaustive. The tips shared here will work differently depending on the channel handler, the content created as well as the niche.
YouTube is great and earning money on it even makes it more interesting. You don’t necessarily need to have 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours before earning can begin but doing so has many perks. Simply pick from the pool of tips provided, see what works for you and double down on it!
