on the term "Subscribe"

the1janitor

the1janitor

subscribe if you like my hair
You may have noticed that on some youtube channels, you'll see a link or annotation that says, "Subscribe! It's Free!" At first I thought this was just a joke, but I learned from a couple partners that a lot of people who aren't familiar with YouTube think the word "subscribe" implies that they have to pay. I really don't know how widespread this is, but if this is happening, that's a huge problem for up and coming creators.
Now, YouTube could take a cue from Tumblr and Twitter and change it to the word "Follow", and I think that word fits perfectly, but that could confuse people who have gotten used to the term "subscribe", and they may think that "Following" is something different.
I don't really know though, and I don't expect this to change, but it's just a thought I've had.
What do you guys think?
 
the1janitor said:
You may have noticed that on some youtube channels, you'll see a link or annotation that says, "Subscribe! It's Free!" At first I thought this was just a joke, but I learned from a couple partners that a lot of people who aren't familiar with YouTube think the word "subscribe" implies that they have to pay. I really don't know how widespread this is, but if this is happening, that's a huge problem for up and coming creators.
Now, YouTube could take a cue from Tumblr and Twitter and change it to the word "Follow", and I think that word fits perfectly, but that could confuse people who have gotten used to the term "subscribe", and they may think that "Following" is something different.
I don't really know though, and I don't expect this to change, but it's just a thought I've had.
What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
bu now someone has to be a super n00b to think subscribing to a youtube channel costs anything..... maybe back then when YT was this new innovative thing... but not nowadays.
 
I'll tell you this much. I have strayed from saying "Like this video" many times. But noticed that even "non noobs" STILL forget to click the button quite a bit... it may SEEM kinda "whorish" but reminding people to like and subscribe may be more beneficial than we think...
 
I mean, I can see where the confusion comes from. Look at subscription-based video games (like World of Warcraft). They pay a monthly fee. and on the point about how much the general public knows, very few people actually know how the inner-mechanisms of Youtube work. When I went to college, I found that few people actually knew how to subscribe to someone. To the vast majority of people, youtube is just a place to watch videos, not necessarily follow a specific person's content.

as for changing from "subscribe" to "follow", I think it should remain the same. if it ain't broke for the people using it, don't fix it!
 
FlipRJ said:
I mean, I can see where the confusion comes from. Look at subscription-based video games (like World of Warcraft). They pay a monthly fee. and on the point about how much the general public knows, very few people actually know how the inner-mechanisms of Youtube work. When I went to college, I found that few people actually knew how to subscribe to someone. To the vast majority of people, youtube is just a place to watch videos, not necessarily follow a specific person's content.

as for changing from "subscribe" to "follow", I think it should remain the same. if it ain't broke for the people using it, don't fix it!
Click to expand...
great post! I agree! I also agree with Symph as well...we still gotta remind ppl to like and what not...what we think may be second nature to us, may not be for someone else! :D
 
I always remind people to like and subscribe. I really don't care what people think. It takes a whole 5 seconds to say and if I can get 10% of viewers to hit the button because I say it than its worth it. If people really would stop watching my videos becasue I say a few words, than perhaps I did not need them anyway. Just my 2C
 
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