Are people reluctant to subscribe to small channels?

[JeriKane]

Something I want to bring up (not sure if it's been mentioned), and it's not always the case, however:

Smaller channels are a little less trustworthy, I guess I'll say. Meaning, with smaller channels, it seems like there's a higher chance that one day they'll just stop posting and fall off the face of the earth. It happens with bigger channels too, I'm well aware, but it's certainly less common than with smaller channels. Therefore even if someone finds a channel with content they like, they might not want to subscribe because that YouTuber might just give up onday and then they'll be subscribed to them afterwards for no reason.

I don't know. Just something that popped into my mind as a reason for why someone might not subscribe to a smaller channel.

 

[nikkisy]

I don't know about other people, but my process of subscribing is this. I click on a channel, and take a look at their banner, and avatar to see if it's something they care about enough to make sure looks good. If they have a channel trailer playing, I'll watch that first, and see what their channel is about. I then go to their video section, and click on their most recent, and first video (to see how far they've come). I really only subscribe if the content is something useful to me (tutorials I need), or I find it interesting. I don't subscribe to friends, or people that want me to subscribe just because they subscribed to mine. Do I feel bad? Yes, though I'm very picky about the channels I subscribe to, and will only do it if I intend on watching the content, otherwise it'd be just me giving them a subscriber number which doesn't help them.

I do the same as you. I only subscribe to channels I know (or at least suppose) I'm gonna be active, because they have content that's relevant to me.

 

[babyteeth4]

I think there's also a peer pressure aspect, when people discover a channel for the first time and they see that it's already popular, they don't want to feel left out. Also the smaller channels, no matter how good the quality, have a harder time getting credibility in the eyes of the viewer. It's a shame because some of my favorite content has come from small channels.

 

[KingKarrot]

I just subscribed to someone who has just reached 100 subscribers because I thought that he had really good quality, entertaining content.. For me, its the quality of the videos... If it looks like they don't put much effort into the videos then I don't see why i should put the effort into their channel if that makes sense.. haha. But thats just my way of thinking

 

[Sabrina]

Meaning, with smaller channels, it seems like there's a higher chance that one day they'll just stop posting and fall off the face of the earth.

Yes, that's like being reluctant to start watching a TV show when there's a chance that it gets cancelled after 6 episodes!... and ends with a cliffhanger! Which makes me think, why aren't more YT videos ending with cliffhangers?

 

[nikkisy]

Yes, that's like being reluctant to start watching a TV show when there's a chance that it gets cancelled after 6 episodes!... and ends with a cliffhanger! Which makes me think, why aren't more YT videos ending with cliffhangers?

That's heartbreaking

 

[jackdarke]

I think it definitely happens. My second hundred subscribers was much faster than my second... Although that could be because my content is getting better - It's a strange one.

 

[CynicalChinchilla]

What I mean is, are there people who go to someone's channel, realise they only have a few subscribers, and then decide not to subscribe because of that? Or are people just as likely to subscribe to small channels as bigger ones?

I'm sure there are many, many superficial people who do it - just because millions like a channel it must be good?

Most of the channels I follow are considered small and under the radar. I seem to steer clear of the big 'successful' ones as they all look and sound exactly the same.

 

[SuckMyDax]

I don't know that it's so much they are reluctant to subscribe to smaller channels as it is they are more likely to subscribe to larger ones.

 

[TennentSpace]

I'd say yes but only so it makes me feel better haha!