YouTube Question Subs for subs - when is it acceptable?

[LokiTV]

So I've come to understand that subscription exchange is bad practice. So I'm wondering how far this extends? I have some friends who have their own channel and they have recently subscribed to mine. Is it safe for me to subscribe back? How many reciprocal subs constitute infringement of the rules? Personally I feel bad if someone subscribes to my channel only for me to ignore theirs. It's a little like the follow back on twitter. So my question is just this - can I subscribe to my friends channels to support them, or do I risk losing my channel?!

 

[Ikerot]

There's nothing wrong with friends subscribing to each others channel. It's not acceptable when you decide to sub to people just to get them to reciprocate. If you're doing sub4sub, you're only doing it to increase your sub count.

I think if this was the actual rule, so many channels would've been banned for "sub4sub" xD

 

[LokiTV]

Okay, understood. I guess it's the old adage - everything in moderation...

 

[TubeBuddy]

To answer the title of the thread. Never, it will get you banned, it is against TOS, and it ends up hurting you more in the long run then helping.

 

[LokiTV]

Again, I guess it's okay to reciprocate for a few close friends with channels, but not start harvesting subs on mass scale. If content is related, then at least there is 'some' justification. After all, I want to follow some of the like minded channels and vice versa.

 

[Dimi]

Ask yourself this: Are you going to watch the content of the channel, on a regular basis? If yes, subscribe; if not, don't.

 

[AurigaDave]

I personally think it is down to how it is done...anyone can subscribe to a channel that has subscribed to you without even knowing it, the more subscribers you get the greater the chance of an accidental reciprocal sub. However do not advertise for it...YT are no stupid If you have a million subs, and of those 50 are from channels you sub to, then that is NOT sub for Sub...If you have 50 subs and 35 are from channels you sub to..then it looks very very dodgy...if it is 20/20 it is defo sub 4 sub.

 

[Dimi]

I'm not a YouTube expert, but I would imagine that YT also looks at WHEN you sub to each other.
If you sub to 10-20 channels a day and they within minutes or hours sub back, then I guess it could be a warning flag.

 

[Stanley | Team TB]

This question is inherently strange. There is nothing wrong with subscribing to a channel and there is nothing wrong when someone you subscribe to subscribes back to you.

What is wrong is the mindset that you can game the system by trading subscriptions with a bunch of channels in order to inflate your subscriber counts. The last thing that you want is someone subscribing and then not watching your content or at least appreciating the work that you put into your videos. And if you respect someone else you will do the same. There are plenty of creators that I interact with and appreciate on platform, on social media and in forums and I do not subscribe to their channels. I appreciate who they are and what they do, but their content holds no appeal to me. And there is nothing wrong with that. It's not an insult to not subscribe.

 

[BaldBoldBear]

In all honesty sub for subs with random people is only going to get you so far (as well as being against the ToS so that's another thing), I've had people comment on my video like "Done bro" "sub for sub" expecting me to sub to their channel which will not happen as these people will not come back to the channel or even watch my content anyway. When you say you and your friends are subbing for subbing each other, i wouldn't see how that is a problem as those are the people who will support you from the start and will essentially be your "audience" at the very start and plus they're your friends who will support you. So answering your question as to if you can subscribe to your friend without the risk of losing your channel (although im not an expert) i would say of course you can as it would treat it like you subscribing to any other channel just as long as you are not spamming a subscription to everybody on youtube and commenting on videos saying "sub 4 sub" but in my opinion i think you're good

 

[TakeEachDay]

IΓÇÖve had a few channels subscribe to me after I subscribed to them but all Of them are interest channels or channels with similar content as mine. I donΓÇÖt think sub for sub would be beneficial in the long run. DonΓÇÖt you want people to actually watch your content. I sure do. I see little point in having subs that donΓÇÖt watch. IΓÇÖd rather go the hard yards and work my channel around what my subscribers like. In my mindsub for sub is NEVER! A good idea!

 

[LokiTV]

This topic certainly sparked some debate! Thank you to all that commented. In short, subscribe to those channels you truly wish to engage with and don't be afraid if they happen to also subsribe to yours. Etiquette wise - it's fine not to subscribe back. Subs shouldn't be traded - and your channel should be safe.

 

[Beanie Draws]

It depends on how well you know your friends and how much you chat to each other. If you're on a close or reletively close basis, there's a good chance if you all have time, you're likely to watch each other's videos because you actually want to see each other's videos and how you're all performing.

If you don't know people from a bar of soap (you know they have a user name and they asked for "support" randomly) then chances are they hit subscribe and they're never likely to watch your videos from that point on. That's not going to be good for your channel because youtube (nor your audience) really care how many subscribers you have, youtube care how much of the video's being watched, and audiences care about good videos. If you just have the subscribers and those "sub for subbers" aren't watching your videos, your watch time will tank, youtube will see that as a sign that people aren't interested, and they'll never push your content out to new people.

So if you have a friendly relationship with folks, then it's friends supporting each other, and there's nothing wrong with that.

If you don't know these people and just trading the sub number, it's bad for your channel.

 

[VESam]

I think others have hit the nail on the head, you're allowed to subscribe to your friends if you will be supporting them by watching and interacting with their videos etc. Subscribing just because they subbed to you and not because you like their content won't actually help them out and could get you in trouble potentially.

I subscribe to my brother because I like to watch his videos and comment on them. Hopefully he'll do the same for me, not because I'll ask him to, but because he wants to. I'd much rather have 10 subscribers who all watch my videos, like them and comment than 100 subscribers with only 10 who interact etc.

 

[TakeEachDay]

I think others have hit the nail on the head, you're allowed to subscribe to your friends if you will be supporting them by watching and interacting with their videos etc. Subscribing just because they subbed to you and not because you like their content won't actually help them out and could get you in trouble potentially.

I subscribe to my brother because I like to watch his videos and comment on them. Hopefully he'll do the same for me, not because I'll ask him to, but because he wants to. I'd much rather have 10 subscribers who all watch my videos, like them and comment than 100 subscribers with only 10 who interact etc.

Exactly because isnΓÇÖt that the reason why you start youtube to share your passion. Sub for sub just sounds like another get rich quick scheme really

 

[Kevin Cross]

I'm pretty sure I have watched a creator studio video where it encourages sub 4 sub and collaborating. I could be wrong but I'm 98% certain this is the case

 

[AurigaDave]

I'm pretty sure I have watched a creator studio video where it encourages sub 4 sub and collaborating. I could be wrong but I'm 98% certain this is the case

I would be very surprised if it wa encouraging sub4sub

 

[Kevin Cross]

I pretty sure that you are wrong and they did not encourage sub4sub.

Ok Craig thanks for this. i wasn't a 100% sure but thanks again for clearing this up

 

[TubeBuddy]

I pretty sure that you are wrong and they did not encourage sub4sub.

I'm 100% sure on this one too. Considering it's against their TOS.

 

[Ameen]

I usually sub with my personal acc rather than channel's acc to friends channels