Consistency Really matter on YouTube? Let me answer that for you. Whenever you’re reading articles about being successful on YouTube, you’ll probably come across a line telling you that you need to be consistent. So, how true is it? Do you really need to be consistent to be successful? And what does consistent even mean when it comes to YouTube?
What is Consistency On YouTube?
So there are a couple of different meanings to being consistent on YouTube. Most people assume it means having a regular upload schedule. But, it also means consistently uploading videos on the same kind of topic or theme with the same kind of vibe.
Schedule Consistency On YouTube
When most people talk about consistency, they’re talking about your schedule being consistent. The classic “New videos every Wednesday and Sunday!” style of consistency.
It’s been known for a while that YouTube is trying to take the space that TV once held in our hearts before Netflix came along, so it makes sense that YouTube might prefer channels that have a strict upload schedule. Almost like a TV “Tonight at 9, Jenna Marbles is annoying her dogs!”. Of course, because the YouTube algorithm is a tricky little beast, there’s no way to know if the algorithm gives you any kind of reward for that type of on-the-nose consistency, but chances are with the direction YouTube is going, there could be bonus points for it.
There are plenty of YouTubers out there who have become successful without any hard schedule beyond “new videos once a week” without specifying a day or time. It does seem to work fine for some people, so don’t feel like you 100% need to be consistent if it doesn’t work for you.
Consistency is the Key
The consistency idea was originally one for your audience’s benefit. It can encourage viewers to come on YouTube at a certain time of day to get your latest video.
The truth is, now there are a billion different ways to notify your audience when a new video is up. YouTube has a built-in notifications system. YouTubers hop onto a zillion different social media platforms to let audiences know that a new video is going live.
So is consistency really as important as it once was?
Personally, I’d say that consistency isn’t so much about your audience anymore; it’s more about the YouTube algorithm. Videos on YouTube tend to have more of a chance of reaching a wider audience. If they do well within the first day or two of being uploaded. That means you want to get as many people to see that video as possible straight out of the gate. If your subscribers know that you always release a video at 8 pm on a Wednesday, then that could be helping your video get off to a great start. Even if those people miss all your tweets and posts about your new video. They’re still going to know one is going up and hopefully hop on to watch it.
The one thing you want to watch out for is failing to meet your schedule. I see many people complaining when a YouTuber fails to meet the schedule they’ve created for themselves, especially if they’re consistently failing. If you feel like you might end up in that pit, it’s better to stick to a less strict schedule rather than continually disappointing your subscribers.
Basically, it seems like being consistent can help your channel from a YouTube algorithm point of view, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a super strict time and date kind of schedule. Having a more general “New Videos Twice a Week” kind of schedule can work just as well if you struggle to stay on top of anything stricter than that.
Topic Consistency On YouTube
The second type of consistency, staying in the little topic box you’ve created for your channel, is pretty important. You only have to look at other channels that have strayed out of their niche to see the effect it has on your audience. PewDiePie is a great example of this; he started as a predominantly gaming channel and in recent years, has shifted away from games and into a more vlog style of video. While he still has a huge audience, many of them have stopped watching most of his videos, and out of his 111 million odd subscribers, he pulls in around 4 to 8 million views per video. It’s not a number to be sneezed at, but it does seem like his audience isn’t as interested in his new style of content.
What Kind of topics does YouTube Promote?
YouTube is also less likely to promote videos that aren’t in your topic as much as they would an on topic video. Suppose you’ve been releasing makeup tutorials and suddenly released a gaming video. In that case, YouTube is going to notice and may not promote that video to your audience as much as they would your other videos. Your audience subscribed to see a video on one thing and you’re giving them a video on something completely different. There’s no guarantee they’re going to like it so YouTube probably won’t promote it as much.
Ultimately, it is best to stay consistent with the topics of your videos. YouTube will treat your videos better, and your subscribers that are coming for that kind of content will probably appreciate it more.
Tips for New YouTubers
For YouTube newbies, things are a little different. In all honesty, growing an audience on YouTube is hard because you’re relying on your videos to get found, and that means you have to play into YouTube’s algorithms as much as possible to make that happen.
If you’re new, you’ll also be working on figuring things out, what style works for you, how long it actually takes to put together a video, what kind of topics you want to cover etc. That might mean that for your first couple of months, you’re floundering around a little trying to get on top of things.
Don’t panic too much if you’re still in that phase, but once you’ve started to get the hang of it you’ll want to knuckle down more. While you don’t necessarily need a strict upload schedule, if you feel like you can manage one it’s definitely worth giving it a try. If you’re struggling with a strict upload schedule, then take a step back and try something more relaxed such as “3 videos per week!” without giving the specifics of what and when those videos will be going live. Every YouTuber has to find their own rhythm so don’t try and force yourself to release a crazy amount of videos on a really strict schedule if it’s not working for you.
Topic Consistency
For topic consistency, again, you might find that while you’re finding your feet with YouTube, you dip your toe into a few different niches. That’s nothing to worry about, but once you’ve found your niche, stick with it as much as you can, especially once your audience has started growing. At the end of the day, they’re subscribing for the type of content you are putting out, so give them what they want.
By the way, if you want to start being more consistent with your uploads, I’ve written a little post with some tips on staying consistent on YouTube to help you out.
How important do you guys think consistency is to your channel growth? Does it really need to be as on the dot as people are making it out to be?
Related Reads
Conclusion: Consistency Really matter on YouTube
Yes, It does. Consistency on YouTube is crucial since it gives your viewers a feeling of regularity. Your audience will know when to expect fresh content from you if you post videos on a regular basis, and they’ll be more likely to view and interact with your channel. Moreover, consistency in the quantity and quality of content you upload can help you build your channel’s identity, which is crucial for bringing in and keeping an engaged community of viewers. Last but not least, consistency might aid in SEO as YouTube’s algorithms may favour channels that consistently post new videos over those that do not.
So, If you wish to grow on YouTube, make sure you are posting fresh and unique content consistently. Let me know your suggestions in the comment section below.
