You’ve set up a YouTube channel and started uploading videos – the next step is figuring out how to get them in front of as many people as possible. Not least because growing your audience is the key to earning big bucks from your content. The first major milestone most creators aim for? How to get 1,000 subscribers on YouTube.
Hit that first thousand subscribers and you’ll get access to the YouTube Partner Program and unlock different ways to make money from your channel. More than 10 million creators are in the program already - there’s nothing to stop you joining them.
Plenty of creators miss out on that first landmark, but we’re here to help you avoid that fate. We’ve shared 15 free and easy steps to get 1,000 YouTube subscribers – from the small tweaks that help your channel get discovered, right through to the often overlooked steps you should be doing with every upload.
- Create videos viewers can’t stop watching
- Know your niche and stick to it
- Double down on content your audience loves
- Customize your channel to stand out
- Don’t be afraid to ask for subscribers
- Keep viewers hooked with recommendations
- Boost views by promoting your videos
- Tempt people into clicking on your videos
- Reach new viewers through creator collaborations
- Invest in your channel’s growth
- Unlock valuable insights with YouTube Analytics
- Click-through rate: Which videos attract new viewers?
- Audience retention: Which videos keep people watching?
- Create YouTube gold with click-through rate and audience retention
- Find out which videos turn viewers into subscribers
1. Create videos viewers can’t stop watching
Content is king on YouTube. Make great videos that keep people watching and you’ll give yourself the best chance of boosting your follower count at the same time. When your content keeps viewers engaged, YouTube takes notice and shows it to more people – giving every upload a better chance to reach new audiences.
Hook viewers early with a strong opening, keep the momentum going with well-paced storytelling, and wrap up with a satisfying finish. Every clip, cut, and transition should serve a purpose, so trim the fluff and keep your edit tight.
Planning ahead makes this much easier. Outline your key points before filming, think about where you can add b-roll or on-screen graphics, and make sure something visually interesting is happening every few seconds. That combination of planning and polish is what keeps people watching – and coming back for more.
And if you’re struggling to come up with what to shoot, check out our list of easy YouTube video ideas!
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2. Know your niche, and stick to it!
The more focused your channel is, the easier it is for YouTube to understand who your content is for and recommend it to the right viewers. A consistent niche also builds trust with your audience, because they know exactly what kind of videos to expect from you.
If someone subscribes to your cooking tutorials, they’ll keep coming back if every upload delivers more of what they signed up for. Switch too often between unrelated topics, and you risk losing that connection.
The simplest way to stay on track is to choose a niche you genuinely enjoy creating content about, then look for different angles or formats within that topic. You can always explore other interests – just keep them on a separate channel so each audience gets the content they came for.
3. Double down on the content your audience loves
The easiest way to grow your channel is to give viewers more of what’s already working. Use your YouTube Analytics to find the videos with the best performance and look for patterns – maybe a certain style of thumbnail, topic, or tone connects especially well.
When you know which videos spark the most views, comments, or shares, you can lean into those topics and formats. Keep refining that winning formula so each upload feels like it belongs to the same “series” your viewers already enjoy. The result is videos that rack up more views, which in turn makes YouTube’s algorithm more likely to recommend them to a wider audience.
4. Customize your channel to stand out
Your channel page is like your shop window and first impressions count! A polished, consistent look can convince a casual viewer to stick around. That means a clear banner, a short and engaging channel trailer, and a layout that highlights your best videos.
Think about the journey from discovery to subscription. Someone who clicks through from a video should land on a page that instantly shows them who you are and what they can expect. Even small updates like branded watermarks or well-organized playlists can make your channel feel more professional and trustworthy.
Don’t miss out on enticing more people to your content and check out our tips for how to customize your YouTube channel.
5. Don’t be afraid to ask for subscribers!
A simple, well-timed prompt can turn a passing viewer into a subscriber. Many creators build this into their videos with quick verbal cues or on-screen graphics, ideally during a high-energy moment when the viewer is most engaged. Just make sure you ask in a short, clear way that doesn’t take focus away from the main point of the video.
6. Keep viewers hooked with recommendations
Once someone finishes one of your videos, the goal is to lead them straight into another. This keeps them on your channel longer and increases the chances they’ll subscribe. Playlists are perfect for this – they automatically roll viewers into the next video in a related series.
End screens are another powerful tool. Use them to display clickable thumbnails for your most relevant content, and mention them in your outro so viewers know what to watch next. This small nudge can turn one view into a binge session.
7. Boost your views by promoting your videos
Don’t be shy about banging your own drum and promoting your YouTube channel! You shouldn’t rely on the YouTube algorithm to do the heavy lifting. Instead, give your videos a push by sharing them in the right places.
Post teasers or clips on your other social platforms to build curiosity before a new upload. Or, if you’re part of relevant online communities (like Reddit threads, Facebook groups, or Discord servers), share your videos where they’ll be genuinely useful. This isn’t about spamming your followers, it’s about getting your content in front of people who are already interested in your niche.
8. Tempt people into clicking on your videos
Consider how people find your videos on YouTube and do everything you can to hook viewers in. A strong thumbnail and title are your video’s first impression, and they need to stop people mid-scroll. Think bold, clear images with minimal text, and titles that promise a benefit or spark curiosity.
If design isn’t your strength, use online thumbnail makers or tools like TubeBuddy to test what works best for your audience. That extra bit of polish can mean the difference between a casual impression and a new viewer.
9. Reach new audiences through creator collaborations
Teaming up with other creators is one of the fastest ways to reach people who are likely to enjoy your content. When you appear on each other’s channels, you’re introducing yourselves to an audience that already trusts the person recommending you.
Look for creators in your niche or with a complementary audience size. Whether it’s a joint video, a shoutout, or a livestream together, collaborations help you tap into fresh viewership while building relationships in your space.
10. Invest in your channel’s growth
While this article mainly focuses on free ways to hit 1,000 subscribers, you can accelerate your growth by putting money into smart promotion if you have a little budget. Running targeted YouTube Ads or offering a prize giveaway can give your channel a short-term boost in visibility.
The key is to keep it strategic – target ads to audiences similar to your existing viewers, or make sure giveaway rules encourage people to genuinely engage with your content, not just subscribe and disappear.
11. Unlock valuable insights with YouTube Analytics
Your analytics dashboard is more than just a collection of numbers – it’s a guide to what’s working and what’s not. By digging into the data, you can see which videos are attracting viewers, which keep them watching, and where they’re dropping off.
Use this information to refine your content plan. If you spot a topic or format that consistently performs well, make more of it. If a certain style isn’t landing, adjust before investing more time in it.
Discover the different ways you can use insights to grow your channel by checking out our guide to YouTube Analytics. Or if you’re just looking for some pointers, we’ve picked out some of the most useful terms you’ll find in your dashboard below.
12. Click-through rate: Which videos attract new viewers?
The click-through rate (CTR) on a YouTube video is the percentage of your audience shown the thumbnail who then decided to click through to view the video. You can use this to see which of your videos are grabbing people’s attention and driving clicks.
Take a look at which videos have the highest CTR on your channel and see why they might be attracting more viewers. It could be those videos have particularly eye-catching thumbnails, or clear and catchy titles. See if you can learn any lessons to help your future videos.
13. Audience retention: Which videos keep people watching?
After you’ve taken a deep dive into which of your videos people are clicking on, it’s time to figure out which videos are keeping people entertained for longer by checking out their watch times.
Take a look at whether there are certain points when viewers stop watching, and see what you might do differently at that point in the video. Perhaps you could consider making your intros punchier, or make your edits quicker if people are dropping out before the end.
14. Use click-through rate and audience retention to create YouTube gold
Now you have stats showing which of your videos are star performers, you can use these insights to concoct YouTube alchemy and level up your future videos!
The perfect scenario is for a video to draw people in and keep their attention all the way through. Any videos not doing this will give you valuable pointers for your next upload. You might need to create better thumbnails to get people to click, or improve your future edits to keep people’s attention for longer.
To make it super simple, check out our grid on what your next steps should be depending on what the CTR and audience retention rate is for each of your videos.
15. Find out which videos turn viewers into subscribers
When you’re looking to grow your subscribers, it makes sense to dig into which videos are actually getting people to subscribe already. It’s the simplest way of finding out what your audience loves about your channel!
On the Audience tab, click on Subscribers and head to Advanced Mode. From here you can sort all your videos by the number of people who subscribed to your channel after watching, and use this to figure out what type of videos are attracting people to your channel.
Upload videos consistently and keep going!
Racking up 1,000 free YouTube subscribers is more than just a numbers game. It’s about making those small changes that help build an engaged community of viewers who can’t wait to watch your videos. And while there are no shortcuts, it’s an achievable goal to aim for.
Once you hit the magical 1,000 subscriber mark, you’ll unlock your channel’s earning potential. Explore the different ways you can make money from YouTube so you can make the most of your ever-growing army of subscribers.
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Expert guides to help grow your YouTube channel
Take your YouTube channel to the next level with our related guides on boosting your audience, racking up more views, and maximizing your monetization:
- 27 Easy Steps To Get More Subscribers on YouTube
- How to Get 1,000 Subscribers on YouTube for Free in 15 Easy Steps
- How to Join the YouTube Partner Program and Make Money from your Videos
- How to Make Money on YouTube
- YouTube Shorts Monetization: How Much Can You Earn From YouTube Shorts?
- How Much Does YouTube Pay for 1 million Views?
- YouTube RPM: What Is RPM and How to Maximize It
- How to get a YouTube Play Button: A Guide to YouTube Creator Awards
- How to Get More Likes on YouTube
- 8 Easy Steps To Get More Views on YouTube
- How To Title YouTube Videos: 13 Tips To Boost Clicks and Views
- The YouTube Algorithm: How It Works
- YouTube SEO: How to Rank and Optimize YouTube Videos to Get More Views
- YouTube Analytics: Data, Metrics and Tools to Grow your Channel
