Common issues that keep you under 1,000 subscribers

[LadyDewinter]

I'm sorry your network gave you that advice. Just look at your audience retention in YouTube analytics on videos with a branded intro and those without. Those that have it often see a much higher abandonment rate UNLESS the intro is craft to be 3 seconds or less and provide additional value to the viewer.

Basically, a branded intro is the little video bumper you put at the beginning of the video, often displaying your logo or something.[DOUBLEPOST=1425309059,1425308948][/DOUBLEPOST]
Right. It's just easier to have a "victim mentality" and assume the world is against you than it is to actually figure out how you're going to make it work, even if the algorithm IS against you, which it's not.[DOUBLEPOST=1425309290][/DOUBLEPOST]
You're right, that is a challenge, but it sounds like you're on the right path. Being terrible on purpose only works in some rare cases. It's must easier to do the best you can than to hope that someone finds your terrible videos terrible to actually make fun of it in public. You need to be Rebecca Black for that to happen. haha

Instead, implement the bullet points you suggested and I'm sure you'll start to see some growth.

I have an intro, that shows what games I play...I dont have any thing that 'brands' it other then my game avatars playing the games. Is that what you mean? And I have no idea what a video bumper is. Please, Im 57 years old and new to video making. I dont know the terminology in volved so could you explain a bit more?

 

[Tim Schmoyer]

I have an intro, that shows what games I play...I dont have any thing that 'brands' it other then my game avatars playing the games. Is that what you mean? And I have no idea what a video bumper is. Please, Im 57 years old and new to video making. I dont know the terminology in volved so could you explain a bit more?

You got it right. If you have an intro clip that you put at the front of all your videos, that's a video intro. A video intro and bumper are pretty much the same thing. Just different terms people use to describe the same thing, that's all.

I'd recommend removing it and get the viewer straight into the content they clicked to see.

 

[LadyDewinter]

You got it right. If you have an intro clip that you put at the front of all your videos, that's a video intro. A video intro and bumper are pretty much the same thing. Just different terms people use to describe the same thing, that's all.

I'd recommend removing it and get the viewer straight into the content they clicked to see.

Okay! Thanks! Ya know its funny, my son told me the same thing while he was helping me make the intro Im using...LOL

All my next weeks worth of video have an intro, but for the vides after that Ill drop it and see how that goes...thanks for the advice and help. Being my age and trying to break into youtube isnt easy. LOL, but it sure is fun![DOUBLEPOST=1425326603,1425325436][/DOUBLEPOST]According to this NO ONE is watching my videos all the way through! Maybe I should make them shorter?

 

[Tim Schmoyer]

According to this NO ONE is watching my videos all the way through! Maybe I should make them shorter?

Maybe shorter. Maybe start the video with a stronger hook. Maybe use better thumbnails and titles. There's a lot of things it could be. Experiment and see what you find.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

According to what? YT's Analytics? That's just averages. AFAIK YouTube won't show you individual viewing sessions.

 

[Tim Schmoyer]

According to what? YT's Analytics? That's just averages. AFAIK YouTube won't show you individual viewing sessions.

According to Audience Retention in YouTube analytics. If the graph is at 0% before it hits the end of the video, then she's right -- no one is watching her video to the end.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

According to Audience Retention in YouTube analytics. If the graph is at 0% before it hits the end of the video, then she's right -- no one is watching her video to the end.

Derp, I wasn't reading the graph properly.

Carry on!

#SomeDumbDude

 

[Squeal Cat]

You're right, that is a challenge, but it sounds like you're on the right path. Being terrible on purpose only works in some rare cases. It's must easier to do the best you can than to hope that someone finds your terrible videos terrible to actually make fun of it in public. You need to be Rebecca Black for that to happen. haha

Instead, implement the bullet points you suggested and I'm sure you'll start to see some growth.

Believe me, my videos are terrible. I totally can not sing, and my channel is all about me singing. So it's like trying to grow with a handicap. Like having a swimming race, with your both legs tied. But that's my challenge.

Now I'm growing a bit, but I'm trying to do whatever is in my reach, without spending any money.

 

[jamesswansondrums]

Thank you for sharing dude, this is really helpful!

 

[XXLRay]

I have an intro, that shows what games I play

That would be just an intro without branding if I understand you correctly. A branded intro uses elements from your existing branding on logo, banner and thumbnails. This could be colors, fonts, icons or a combination of all these.
If you have a look at my channel for example you will see that I use the same color scheme in all the mentioned and my annotated end card. Furthermore you will find my icon also in the (very short) intro, on all my (newer) thumbnails and encoded into my videos.

@Tim Schmoyer There is certainly a formula for a certain kind of videos that simply works on YouTube. But channels like slomoguys, kurzgesagt, simonscat or devinsupertramp show that you e.g. don't necessarily need a short regular upload schedule. Their videos take simply too much effort and they don't need to stuff the gaps with random channel update videos (to a certain extend).

All of them only chase trending content once in a while if any.

The latter three show that that you don't need to be a talking head or show your face to build a fanbase.

What they all have in common is that they produce top notch content that is not even highly searchable.

So yes, there is a recipe for success on YouTube and I even know it in principle. Unfortunately it doesn't fit my channel but the examples show that the needs to be a different way.