It seems like yesterday when I celebrated reaching 100 subscribers on my YouTube channel. It took roughly a year to reach that number, though I think about 40 subscribers came in the final month.
It’s funny how these things work because this week, roughly a month later, my channel reached 200 subscribers.
100 in a year then 100 more in the next month
By looking at the YouTube analytics page for the channel, I was able to determine that the increase in subscribership coincided with an increase in video-views from videos published last year.
By no means have any of my videos gone viral (or can even be considered popular), but as views for individual videos went up, so too did likes, then comments, then subscribers.
This isn’t rocket science, but it does take time. It has taken time and content.
I suppose this is when an astute YouTube contributor would continue analyzing videos and select markers that coincide with popularity. The contributor would find out what viewers enjoy most and continue making similar videos.
Make Better Content
Watching my channel grow motivates me. Having the channel has always been about a journey, my journey specifically, to redefine myself after a career in the military. Though I have to say that just about any journey is a lot more fun in the company of others.
Naturally, I want to make more content, and I want to improve my work. I’m limited in what I can do since breaking my leg, but that injury won’t last forever, and I’ll do what I can until I’ve healed.
How often in life do we try something new, like going to the gym or eating healthily, only to hit an obstacle begging us to quit? It always happens to me. There is always a turning point, a test-of-will put before me, and now is no different.
Now, as my channel has started to gain a modicum of momentum and a small amount of success, I break an ankle. It’s laughable, but I recognize the pattern. Life always gives you a chance to quit.
Failure is an option!
What I don’t get is why he’s so underrated
One of my newest subscribers recently commented on one of my videos and wrote, “what I don’t get is why he’s so underrated.”
Normally, I like to interact with those who leave comments, but this didn’t seem like a comment directed at me. The fact that he asked other viewers threw me for a loop. I hope he realizes that I’m just a regular guy like him.
I’m nothing special, quite the opposite, actually. I struggle with everything that I try to do. I have to learn and experiment and fail on such a regular basis that sometimes I wonder if I’m doing something wrong.
It was the same way in the Army. I worked relentlessly to be the best I could be. Soldiers would often ask me, “Chief, how much time did it take you to learn that?” and I would often reply, “All of it!”
You can’t cheat your way to success. You either put in all of the sets and reps required to achieve your goal, or you don’t, and you fail. The choice is yours.
But, in my new subscriber’s defense, and to answer his question, being underrated (especially on YouTube) is par for the course.
200 Subscribers put into context
According to YouTube, it has over One Billion registered users. In other words, roughly ⅓ of the internet logs in and watches YouTube videos every month.
Do the math. 200 divided by a billion, times a hundred comes to 0.00002 percent.
So 2e-5% (0.00002%) of YouTube viewers have subscribed to my channel, and a little more than that watch my videos.
You might argue that with so many people watching YouTube, then your channel is underrated, and there are so many other potential viewers just waiting for the chance.
There may be some truth to that, but it comes down to the cost of gaining attention. YouTube thrives because of all the attention-grabbing content already on the platform. It continues to grow because of the new content that is published every day.
One doesn’t exist without the other. As YouTube’s viewership continues to increase, the number of channels also increases, all competing for a smaller and smaller share of the market. All are competing for one viewer’s attention.
For the average Joe like me, to grow a channel on YouTube takes time and consistency. There’s a bit of a learning curve in the beginning, as with most things, but if you don’t keep driving forward, you’ll get left behind, and you won’t get noticed.
The Future of the Channel
The channel will go on, because my journey isn’t complete, and making videos for YouTube is fun!
Right now, it’s a hobby that I’m taking more and more seriously because it has turned out to be such an effective way to motivate me to get up off the couch and do something. That alone is a huge success.
Now that the channel has reached 200 subscribers, my next goal is to get to 1000!
Once a YouTube channel reaches 1000 subscribers accompanied by 4000 watch-hours in the past 12 months, it can be monetized. (that’s watch-hours, not watch-minutes)
This is a fundamental goal to want to achieve, and perhaps advertising revenue will help offset some of the costs of the channel.
Make Better Content
In addition to hitting the 1000 subscriber level, I wish to strive to make better content. As I continue to learn and hone my skills, I want to continually improve the content that I’m uploading.
I’ll continue to focus on woodworking, blacksmithing, restorations, and I plan to start doing some leatherworking.
The future is bright!
Photo by Sara Kurfeß on Unsplash
