Message:Subscriber count and video views are not related. "Subscribing" to a channel doesn't mean one intends to watch everything that channel produces, it just means the thread is bookmarked to find easily. 220k subs with 6k views on a video isn't atypical. My tutorial channel has 5k subs. If I put up a new video I'll quickly rack up about 100-150 views. After that, nothing. I do stuff for FXHOME. 200k+ subs, most videos get 5-10k views in that first week. Some more, some less. My "play around" channel has 300 subs, but my videos get about 200 views. Some 10-second test shot of a 3D model gets a higher percentage of views than a tutorial. Why? 30 seconds vs 30 minutes.
YouTube is driven by its algorithm and YouTube will cheerfully give you tips on growing a channel.
Yes, your face will help. A big toothy grin "engages" the audience more than a shot of the Epic Table interface. I don't do that. Who wants to see my face? Laura, and she's the only one who counts.
Asking a question and/or saying the word "You" in the first ten seconds of your video helps "engage the viewer." Yes, that stupid manipulation works. Ending your video with questions works too. "What did you think of..." or "What's your favorite game?"
Don't forget talk with your hands! Looking like you're air-cupping boobs or waving away gnats, for some reason, reads as being animated and excited about your topic. Or, don't put yourself in your video. I don't.
Don't forget to be at 4k resolution and 60fps! The kiddies love that There is no advantage to watching Epic Table at 60fps, but the algorithm prioritizes 4k, 60fps over 1080p at 24 fps. Incidentally YouTube gives 4k/60p three times the bandwidth of a 1080/24p stream, even though it's 10 times the pixel information... YouTube is selling the resolution and flat out counting on the fact that people don't know (or care) that you canNOT see the extra detail of 4k resolution on a phone, tablet or 30" monitor on your desk. You need a 50" monitor or larger at a five foot viewing distance to see the additional detail if you have 20/20 vision! The lower relative bandwidth means the 4k stream has massive macroblocking artifacts that get crunched away by the small screens being used.
Oh - 80 - 90% of all streamed video is watched on a phone or tablet. Make your thumbnails to read on a 5" screen.
Shorter is better. Two nearly identical videos on the same topic? The algorithm will push the 4 minute video harder than the 15 minute video. Attention span? Nah!
Upload every day or every week... On the same day and time. Streaming might be accessible anytime/where but the algorithm rewards you for releasing like a 1960's TV show - same Bat time, same Bat channel!
If all else fails, lie, be racist or put a hot chick in your thumbnail. All attract views.
Or, ignore all this. You're not trying to be "a YouTuber." Believe it, those guys running big channels are putting in all the work and time of a full-time job and more to scrounge a few ad-dollars from Google. If it's some show where people get together, talk about games and actually play the game together, that's a valid logistical effort. And they'll never do as well as the guy who spouts antisemitic crap while playing a first person shooter (PewDiePie), or the guy who tases corpses or uploads the "secret" footage of banging his girlfriend while being antisemitic (Logan Paul) or someone opening a box and going "Hey! Here's the thing I ordered! I'll give it a review after three minutes, for certainly I know all I need to know at that point and I'll never ever have to post a retraction video of everything I got wrong that gets 1% of the views of my lies." (Casey Netstat. At least Casey doesn't get blatantly racist and/or homophobic once a month like Logan Paul and PewDiePie).
I had a point, but, with my current back injury it's lost in a fog of digressions and vicodan.
Oh, right, there's a bunch of stuff you can do to boost your channel, but you won't, cuz you don't care enough because you're really doing the channel to amuse yourself and, maybe, the people who visit this site. And that's fine.
Yours,
IronMike
20-Oct-2020