In December 2020, I completed 1000 blog posts on this website and I was really excited about it. But that was not all. By the end of the year, I also had another happy news come my way. I not only gained first 1000+ subscribers on YOUTUBE channel – PENDOWN by Manjulika but also met the minimum requirement of 4000 watch hours. I was thrilled to another level because this happened unexpectedly. I have never been a Youtube person. In fact, my friends often pushed me to pull up my socks on that front. In the lockdown, I had resumed my channel and had started posting my art blogs. Though the views were few but at least I had started enjoying recording live videos. But what happened with one video that I had posted three years ago still remains a mystery for me. It went viral and it not only made me gain 3000+ subscribers but also helped me qualify the YOUTUBE monetization program. Let me relive the craziness here.
Its all about one video….
Believe me or not, gaining the first 1000 subscribers on YOUTUBE is the toughest nut to crack. It feels like you are stuck there forever. A few weeks ago, I merely had 240 subscribers and I have no one to blame but myself. I have never taken YOUTUBE seriously nor I have been regular with my videos. I enjoying blogging more than anything and I love to create written content over videos.
And to be honest, I have still not found my style and comfort level on Youtube. But yes a lot has changed ever since the stats and analytics of my channel have changed over a month.
I had often heard friends say that, ‘Its all about one video.” I had heard many pro youtubers say that it only takes one video to change your game but I did not know what it meant until it happened with me. One of my videos (3 years old) went viral and in 2 days, I jumped from 240 subscribers to 1250+. the rush of comments and subscribers gain continued for a week. Every few hours, the number of views were rising exponentially. I could not believe what was happening. It was both, unbelievable and magical. It was crazy fun.
So what is the mystery of the viral video and the first 1000 subscribers on YOUTUBE?
I have no clue what made the video go viral after three years. The video was definitely a hit from day one but it only had some fifteen thousand views so far. As I write this, it has crossed 18 lakh views already. There is nothing extraordinary about the video but the people and the conversation that it captures. The interaction between Virat Kohli and Manushi Chillar at an award function makes it worth seeing.
A lot of video influencers suggest say that its important to have a theme, to create great content, to post often but I think nobody knows what works on YOUTUBE. Just like every other social media platform, one has to keep trying to find their style. Another important thing is to be a story-teller. Honest and real videos work for me. I mean the best edited videos have a different charm but even if a simple video has something interesting to offer, I am always game for it. I do not like videos which provide incorrect information or misguide or are made only to capitalize on click-bait tactics. I am definitely not the right person to advise on how to gain subscribers but I have learned my lesson, keep doing your bit.
2021 might be about videos
2021 seems to be the year where the universe is trying to tell me that I must experiment more with YOUTUBE. I won a Go Pro recently from Thailand Tourism for making a creative video and maybe this is a sign that I must go for it. Please do wish me luck and subscribe my channel too.
https://www.youtube.com/manjulikapramod
P.S. – I am not a video influencer. I am very choosy when it comes to watching videos. I prefer to read but I do appreciate the works of some of my friends who regularly make travel videos. But after this jump in subscribers, I have promised myself to take video making seriously.
