How to Grow DEAD YouTube Channel in 2023 (3 Reasons For Dead Channel)

Summary

This video script addresses the common issue of 'dead' YouTube channels, which have many subscribers but minimal views. It explains that channels become 'dead' due to low impressions from YouTube, often caused by a wrong audience or a viral video that doesn't connect with other content. The script offers solutions like creating a new channel or making old videos private to attract the right audience, and suggests consistency and content improvement for growth. It also advises on leveraging viral success by creating related content to engage viewers and build a loyal audience.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Understanding a Dead Channel: A dead channel usually has many subscribers but gets minimal views due to low impressions, low click-through rates (CTR), and low watch time.
• ❓ Why Channels Become Dead: Channels become 'dead' because viewers are not watching their content, leading YouTube to reduce impressions.
• 🎯 Reason 1 - Wrong Audience for the Right Videos: Uploading content that doesn't align with your channel's main niche can lead to attracting the wrong audience, which lowers engagement.
• 🚫 Dealing with a Wrong Audience: If your content has attracted the wrong audience, consider making unrelated videos private and focus on producing niche-specific content.
• 💥 Reason 2 - Viral Video Misalignment: A viral video can attract subscribers who are only interested in that specific type of content, leading to low engagement on your other videos.
• 🎬 Solution to Viral Video Issues: Leverage the viral video's momentum by creating related content that appeals to the audience who subscribed because of it.
• 📅 Reason 3 - Inconsistency: Long gaps in uploading can lead to a decline in views. However, consistency can gradually revive a channel’s engagement.
• 👍 Continuing with the Same Channel: Even if views drop due to inconsistency, it’s usually better to stick with the existing channel unless you plan to switch to a completely different niche.
• 📈 Improving Content Quality: If none of the above issues apply and your channel is still not growing, focus on improving your content—better thumbnails, scripts, and editing.
• 🎥 Actionable Tips: Consistency, aligning content with audience expectations, and continuously refining your content are key to reviving and growing a dead YouTube channel.

Q & A

What does the term 'dead channel' typically refer to in the context of YouTube?

A 'dead channel' generally refers to a YouTube channel that has a decent number of subscribers but receives minimal views or no views at all, indicating a lack of engagement or visibility from YouTube's algorithm.

Why might a channel's videos receive fewer impressions on YouTube?

A channel's videos might receive fewer impressions due to two main reasons: low click-through rate (CTR) and low watch time, which means people are either not clicking on the videos or not watching them for long periods.

What is the relationship between audience interest and a channel's growth?

If people are not interested in the videos, YouTube will not show those videos to them, resulting in fewer impressions and hindering channel growth. It's crucial for the content to align with the audience's interests to maintain and increase views.

Why can uploading content that is not aligned with the channel's niche lead to a dead channel?

Uploading content outside the channel's niche can attract the wrong audience, leading to low CTR and watch time, which signals to YouTube that the content is not engaging, and thus, it stops recommending the videos.

What should a creator do if their channel has attracted the wrong audience due to a viral video?

The creator can either start a new channel or continue with the existing one, making the old videos private and consistently creating content that aligns with their desired niche to attract the right audience.

How can a viral video paradoxically lead to a dead channel?

A viral video can attract subscribers interested only in that specific type of content. If subsequent videos do not match the viral video's theme, these subscribers may not engage with the new content, leading to low views and a 'dead' channel.

What is the recommended strategy for a channel that has gone viral with a single video type?

The creator should make more videos similar to the viral video, creating a series or related content to keep the audience engaged and gradually introduce them to other types of content on the channel.

Why might a channel experience a drop in views after a long period of inactivity?

Inconsistency in uploading videos can lead to a drop in views as the audience's interest may wane, and YouTube's algorithm may not prioritize the channel due to the lack of recent activity.

What is the advised approach for a channel that has become inactive and is now struggling with views?

The creator should become consistent with video uploads to regain the audience's interest and YouTube's algorithm favor, gradually rebuilding views and engagement.

If a channel is not growing despite having the right audience and being consistent, what might be the issue?

The issue might be with the content quality itself. The creator should focus on improving basic skills such as thumbnail design, scriptwriting, and video editing to enhance the content's appeal.

What additional steps can a creator take to make their audience more loyal and engaged?

A creator can use end screens, cards, and pinned comments to connect different videos and encourage viewers to explore more content on the channel, fostering loyalty and engagement.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Reviving a Dead YouTube Channel

This paragraph addresses the common question of how to revive a 'dead' YouTube channel, which typically has a significant number of subscribers but minimal views. The speaker clarifies the definition of a dead channel and suggests that it's not as difficult to revive as one might think. The main reasons for a channel becoming 'dead' are identified as low click-through rate (CTR) and low watch time, indicating a lack of audience interest. The speaker emphasizes that understanding why people are not watching the videos is crucial to channel revival.

05:00

🎮 Misalignment with Audience Interests

The speaker discusses the first reason for a dead channel: uploading content that does not align with the audience's interests. For instance, a gaming channel uploading a cooking video may attract few views from its gaming audience. This mismatch leads to low CTR and watch time, causing YouTube to stop recommending the video. The speaker advises making old irrelevant videos private and consistently creating content that aligns with the desired audience's interests, using relevant keywords to attract the right viewers.

🔥 The Consequences of Viral Videos

The second reason for a dead channel discussed is the impact of a viral video that attracts subscribers interested only in that specific type of content. The speaker uses the example of a Minecraft gaming channel that gained many subscribers from a tutorial video but failed to retain their interest with subsequent gameplay videos. The solution proposed is to create more content similar to the viral video to satisfy the audience's interests and gradually introduce them to other types of content through end screens, cards, and pinned comments.

🔄 Overcoming Inconsistency in Uploads

The final reason for a dead channel outlined by the speaker is inconsistency in video uploads. The speaker shares personal experience, explaining how breaks from uploading can initially lead to a drop in views upon returning. However, consistency in uploading can help restore views. The speaker dispels myths about shadow banning and advises against starting a new channel unless there's a significant change in content niche. The paragraph concludes with a reminder to focus on improving content quality if other reasons do not apply.

Keywords

💡Dead Channel

A 'dead channel' refers to a YouTube channel that has a significant number of subscribers but receives minimal views on new content. This term is central to the video's theme, as the script discusses why channels become 'dead' and how to revive them. The script mentions that a dead channel may have a variety of reasons for its lack of views, such as low click-through rate or watch time.

💡Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Click-Through Rate (CTR) is a metric that measures the number of times an ad or video is clicked divided by the number of times it's shown (impressions). In the context of the video, a low CTR indicates that viewers are not interested in clicking on the videos, which contributes to a channel being considered 'dead'. The script uses this term to explain one of the primary reasons for decreased impressions from YouTube.

💡Watch Time

Watch time is the total amount of time viewers spend watching a video or a channel. It is a crucial metric for YouTube's algorithm, as it helps determine video recommendations. The script points out that low watch time is a reason for a channel becoming 'dead' because it signals to YouTube that viewers are not engaged with the content.

💡Audience Misalignment

Audience misalignment occurs when the content of a video does not match the interests of the channel's primary audience. The script uses this concept to explain how uploading content that deviates from the channel's niche can lead to low CTR and watch time, resulting in a 'dead' channel. An example given is a gaming channel uploading a cooking video, which may not interest its gaming-focused audience.

💡Viral Video

A viral video is a piece of content that becomes extremely popular in a short amount of time, garnering a large number of views and shares. The script discusses how a viral video can lead to a 'dead channel' if it attracts an audience interested only in that specific type of content, and not in the channel's regular offerings.

💡Inconsistency

Inconsistency in the context of YouTube refers to irregular uploading schedules or breaks in content creation. The script mentions that inconsistency can lead to a perceived 'dead' channel, as viewers' interest may wane during periods of inactivity. However, the script advises that consistency in uploading can help revive a channel's viewership.

💡Content Quality

Content quality pertains to the overall appeal, production value, and relevance of a video. The script suggests that if a channel is 'dead' despite having the right audience and being consistent, it may be due to poor content quality. Examples of improving content quality include better thumbnails, scripts, and editing, as mentioned in the script.

💡Shadow Ban

A shadow ban is a practice where a user's content is suppressed or made less visible on a platform without their knowledge. The script addresses a common misconception among creators that their channel is 'dead' due to being shadow-banned by YouTube, when in reality, other factors like inconsistency or audience misalignment may be at play.

💡Engagement

Engagement refers to the interaction between viewers and content, such as likes, comments, and shares. The script implies that higher engagement is a sign of a healthy channel. To increase engagement, the script suggests making videos more clickable and engaging, which can help attract and retain the right audience.

💡Niche

A niche is a specific topic or area of interest that a channel focuses on. The script emphasizes the importance of sticking to a niche to maintain audience interest and relevance. It also discusses the consequences of deviating from a channel's niche, which can lead to attracting the wrong audience and a 'dead' channel.

💡Consistency

Consistency in the context of YouTube content creation means regularly uploading videos to maintain viewer interest and channel growth. The script highlights the importance of consistency as a factor in reviving a 'dead' channel, as it helps in rebuilding the channel's presence and trust with the audience.

Highlights

A 'dead channel' on YouTube typically has many subscribers but receives minimal views.

Channels become 'dead' when YouTube doesn't give their videos enough impressions, often due to low click-through rate (CTR) and watch time.

People not watching videos is the cause of a channel becoming 'dead', not the other way around.

The first reason for a dead channel is having the wrong audience for the content being produced.

A viral video that doesn't align with a channel's niche can attract an uninterested audience, leading to a dead channel.

To fix a channel with the wrong audience, consider making old, irrelevant videos private and start creating niche-specific content.

Opening a new channel can be beneficial when the current audience is not aligned with the channel's niche.

A viral video can lead to a dead channel if it doesn't connect with the rest of the content, causing a lack of views on other videos.

To leverage a viral video, create more content similar to it to satisfy the audience's interest and encourage loyalty.

Inconsistency in video uploads can lead to a drop in views, which some creators mistakenly interpret as a dead channel.

Continuing with the same channel and becoming consistent with uploads can revive a channel that has become 'dead' due to inconsistency.

If a channel is not growing despite having the right audience and consistency, it may be time to improve content quality.

Improving basic YouTuber skills like thumbnail creation, scriptwriting, and editing can help revive a stagnant channel.

The video offers a playlist with resources to improve content quality, including tips on thumbnails, scripts, and editing.

Transcripts

How to grow a dead channel on YouTube.

This is a question I always receive through comments, direct messages, or emails.

When I check the channels of these creators, I see that they have a few common issues that,

if fixed, can help their channels grow again.

So, in this video, I will discuss these key points.

And to be honest, growing a dead channel is not as difficult as you might think once you

understand why a channel becomes dead.

But first, let's clarify what a dead channel means.

For different people, a dead channel may have different interpretations, but in general,

it refers to a channel that has a decent number of subscribers, but its views are either not

coming in or coming in very minimally.

So, people call it a dead channel.

Now, the question is, why do channels become dead?

Why do they face this issue?

Well, if a channel's videos are not getting views, it means YouTube is not giving those

videos enough impressions.

And there are mainly two reasons for fewer impressions - low click-through rate (CTR)

and low watch time.

This means people are either not clicking on the videos, or if they are, they are not

watching them.

So, the simple explanation is that people are not interested in those videos, and that's

why YouTube is not showing those videos to them, not sending impressions.

Understand this clearly - it's not that the channel is dead, and that's why people are

not watching the videos; it's because people are not watching the videos that the channel

is dead.

But now the question is WHY?

Why are people not watching the videos?

Well, there can be multiple reasons behind it, and I will discuss each one of them.

Reason no.1: Wrong Audience for the Right Videos

Let's say a channel's primary audience is interested in gaming, and they upload a video

about cooking, which is a completely different topic.

Of course, YouTube will initially show this video to the channel's current audience.

However, since the audience is interested in gaming videos, very few might click on

the cooking video, and even if they do, they might stop watching it early on.

Both of these factors - low CTR and low Watch Time - will lead YouTube to believe that the

video is not clickable or engaging, and hence YouTube will stop recommending it.

And this is the first reason for a dead channel - a wrong audience, which can hurt your videos.

This wrong audience can come to your channel due to various reasons, like uploading a video

that's completely different from your usual niche, and let's say it goes viral.

In such a case, there's a high chance that your channel will attract an audience that

is not interested in your other videos.

Another reason could be uploading mixed content that might not align with your target audience.

But if this is the case for your channel, what should you do?

Well, you have two options: either open a new channel or continue with the same one.

It's your choice.

The advantage of a new channel is that YouTube won't have any data, and it will start finding

a new and fresh audience for you right from the first upload.

That's the reason why, in this situation, I would go for a new channel.

But since the title of this video is "How to grow a dead channel," I know that most

of you would prefer to continue with the same channel.

In that case, I recommend making your old videos private, especially the ones that are

not related to the niche in which you want to create videos in the future.

This is especially important if those videos are still getting views, so that you can stop

attracting the wrong audience as soon as possible.

Then, start consistently creating videos on the topic that your desired audience is interested

in.

Use necessary keywords in the titles and descriptions, make your videos clickable and engaging.

It might take some time, but gradually, YouTube will find the right audience for those videos,

and you'll start getting views.

Reason no.2: Viral Video You might wonder how a viral video can lead

to a dead channel.

Well, let's say I have a gaming channel focused on Minecraft, where I do gameplays, builds,

challenges, and more.

One day, I uploaded a tutorial video, and it went viral.

I got thousands of views, and as a result, I got thousands of subscribers.

I thought my channel had grown, but when I uploaded the next video, which was a gameplay,

it hardly got any views.

The same happened with a challenge video; hardly any views.

Basically, the other videos didn't get views.

But why?

It's a simple thing - the majority of people subscribed only for that one type of video,

the tutorial, and since there was no connection between that video and the rest of my content,

they probably wouldn't click on any other video at that moment.

That's why, due to a viral video, you might get a lot of subscribers, but there's a chance

that views won't come on your other videos.

But the question is, should we call the channel dead in this case?

I don't think so.

The problem here is that the audience on the channel is not loyal.

They came for a specific type of video, and they don't care about the rest.

The solution?

Give them more of what they want!

Make more videos similar to the viral video.

It's a very simple advice, but it always works.

You can make a part 2 of the viral video, create a series based on it, or anything related

to it.

And in the follow-up videos, you'll see comparatively more views.

Soon, when those viewers watch 3-4 videos on your channel, you'll notice that they are

interacting with the channel and checking out the other videos too.

So, you can maintain a 1:1 ratio of videos based on their interests and videos based

on your interests.

You can also connect the different videos on your channel with end screens, cards, and

pinned comments.

This way, you can make your audience loyal.

Reason no.3: Inconsistency Okay, because of this mistake, my old channel

has literally died 5-6 times.

Basically, if you haven't uploaded any videos on your channel for a long time, let's say

for 1 year, and then you come back and upload a video, you might get fewer views initially.

Why is this happening?

There's no direct reason for it, and YouTube itself doesn't provide a clear explanation

because there are exceptions to this; it doesn't happen with everyone.

Now, this is quite normal, but some creators get scared and think that their channel is

dead.

They believe that YouTube has shadow-banned them and things like that.

So, I get emails like, "I haven't uploaded videos for so long, and now I'm not getting

views.

My channel is dead.

Should I start a new channel, or should I continue with the old one?"

In 99% of the cases, my answer is that you should continue with the same channel.

Yes, the views might have decreased by 50%-60%, but they haven't gone to zero suddenly, right?

So, the viewers you still have are precious.

So, don't start a new channel.

You can start a new channel only if you plan to upload videos in a completely different

niche.

In my old channel, I had to take breaks due to exams, so whenever I came back and started

uploading videos, the views would go down,

but, of course, I would be consistent for a few days, and the views would start coming

in again.

So, if your channel is dead due to inconsistency, simply become consistent, and you'll see growth.

Alright, these are the 3 reasons I mentioned for a channel becoming dead.

If none of them apply to your channel, meaning you don't have the wrong audience, you're

not inconsistent, and still your channel is not growing, then chances are that you simply

need to improve your content.

So, focus on improving the basic skills YouTubers need, like making better thumbnails, writing

good scripts, and improving your editing.

I have videos on all these topics on my channel, so you can check out that playlist.

So, that's it for now.

I'll see you there.

Bye!