How to Stay Motivated When Subs Are Dropping

[kenziecantdraw]

I started building my channel in Fall of 2018. By December I had over 700 subscribers. Unfortunately, due to a mental health issue, I had to take a break from YouTube and was inactive for 6 months.

During that time I lost a couple subs, but mostly gained. I was even invited to become a verified YT partner, which I am now.

Yesterday, I posted my first video in 6 months. I was feeling confident as it was a highly requested video and I had been receiving a lot of support from subs when it comes to uploading again.

However, I've lost like 6 subs overnight.

I knew this would happen. It's inevitable that people who forgot they subbed will unsub or people decide that they don't really want to see your content.

However, I've been so nervous about starting up my channel again and I've put so much time into creating and editing new content that this step backwards is...disheartening.

Like I said, I know it's the nature of the beast and I'm not going to quit because of it, but how can I stay motivated when I feel like my channel is moving backwards instead of forwards.

Any advice would be appreciated.

-McKenzie Hope

 

[Starscream]

Hi! I'm new to youtube . Started around Feb 2019 so what I saying is coming from a newbie perspective.
What I do is that I upload gameplay videos from a closed alpha game called "Spellbreak". This game does not have much search volume despite being the single biggest Discord channel (250k members which is insane!). I've talked to a few other youtubers who also found it weird that all of us aren't getting much views when they have so many members in the discord channel.

Even tho it is a massive discord channel, Thank god this is a very tight and positive community. You get to chat with the game developers, get insight on what they are doing/thinking, Get to discord chitchat with random teammates that you find ingame. All of it is super great. If it wasn't for this super community, I would have stopped playing and uploading a long time ago.

Personally, one of other thing that keeps me going is a saying from a friend - "there is always room for improvement in whatever you do". I try my best to try something in every video that I do. It could be "I should try and polish this transition", "I should try to improve my timing in videos", "I should add sound effects with words that are popping into the screen", "I should try and polish up my thumbnails", "I should try a different SEO approach" etc etc
So every video I try to focus on improving one thing -and one thing only- just so my focus would not be spread out too much.
However it sucks that I do not have many viewers - I don't know what's working and what's not. I have to be my own worst critic. Something that feels a bit off is bad. Something that's good is barely passable. Something that's really good should be standard.

Cool story tho - My recent video, I've played with one of the more active community members. One of the viewers actually asked me "Hey doesnt that player only plays that specific playstyle? Why did he change?" I was wow-ed. Someone actually paid attention

(Having 700 subs over a couple of months is great! And I'm here just happy to get 25 subs )

 

[Dutchie Abroad]

that this step backwards is...disheartening.

Don't see it as a step backwards! Especially after a break, any new upload will remind subs of your existence and they'll realize if they do or do not like that notification. If they unsub because of it, you're better for it! Because those are 6 inactive subs you just got rid of. 300 active subs are much more valuable then 700 with only 300 active once. Why? Because of watch time, retention time and views. If you have 700 subs but only get 200 views, that will not help you!

And you can see it from a different perspective as well. It's been 6 months. You've grown, you've changed. And those subs might have changed as well. Interests change. So see this as a new start, cleaning out the house, ready to redecorate! New subs will come and they will love you for the person you are now, not the person you were 6 months ago

 

[UhoohExtra]

That can happen after a break. There is a couple of things you can do to negate this. 1. Make the new content of a similar theme/topic to your previous videos which drove the most subscribers. 2. If your new video has great search demand and will stand up by itself but is off topic then don't press 'notify subscribers' option when uploading/publishing.

Also the ones you lost were not worth keeping. If they decide they don't like your content is best to ditch them as they won't have engaged or watched your new content for very long. Which is harmful maybe for your new content as Youtube will think people don't like the new uploaded content.

 

[zerocache]

Ok, just stop! Don't plant the seed for another trigger!

You say you know why but then waddle across to uncertainty - stop looking for it! It's just a number, you know generally why it happened and now move on.

You were able to do it before and you have it in you to do it again. You don't need motivation, because YOU ARE ALREADY DOING IT!!!

 

[Ezrider92356]

Some unsubscribe activity every time you upload is normal happens to everyone. I just think of it like replacing subs for better ones

 

[Hulio]

I'm not sure I understand. You mentioned how your channel is moving forwards - even during a period of inactivity. And then you mentioned a couple of channels became unsubscribed one night and how you feel your channel is moving backwards. Did something happen other than on that one night? If it's just that one night, that's not even a blip on the radar. It has no bearing on anything. Keep going, there'll be a lot bigger challenges than that.

 

[Steves World]

I don't even worry or think about my unsubscribers, If you have more Subs than unSubs I would be happy.
And just keep putting out more content, try one a week or two a week, just keep grinding.
What is your channel, can you add it to your signature?

 

[kenziecantdraw]

I'm not sure I understand. You mentioned how your channel is moving forwards - even during a period of inactivity. And then you mentioned a couple of channels became unsubscribed one night and how you feel your channel is moving backwards. Did something happen other than on that one night? If it's just that one night, that's not even a blip on the radar. It has no bearing on anything. Keep going, there'll be a lot bigger challenges than that.

I had a video go viral around the time I took a break from posting. It continued to gain views and subscribers over the duration of my break before tapering off at around 725-730 subs in mid-spring.

 

[kenziecantdraw]

I don't even worry or think about my unsubscribers, If you have more Subs than unSubs I would be happy.
And just keep putting out more content, try one a week or two a week, just keep grinding.
What is your channel, can you add it to your signature?

Oh wow, I didn't realize my channel wasn't in my signature haha It's youtube.com/McKenzieHope. Thanks for letting me know!