You can lose YouTube subscribers because people unsubscribe or YouTube stops counting invalid accounts. Figures can also differ because they are still being updated. Sometimes your new videos are less aligned with what viewers expect. First check when the drop began and which videos you posted at that time. This helps you avoid changing your entire channel straight away.
Below, you’ll read about nine possible causes and how to investigate what is happening with your channel.
Your number of YouTube subscribers is falling: first check the period
A lower total does not tell you how many subscriptions were added and how many disappeared. You need to look at those numbers separately.
A fictional example: you start a week with 800 subscribers. 18 subscriptions are added and 25 disappear. You finish with 800 + 18 − 25 = 793 subscribers. Your total therefore falls by 7, while you lost 25 subscriptions.
First note:
- When you first noticed the drop.
- How large the difference is over a week, rather than between two isolated points in time.
- Which videos you posted during that period.
- Whether many subscribers had just joined shortly beforehand.
A drop does not immediately mean your latest video was poor. First check whether it happens repeatedly.
9 possible reasons why you are losing YouTube subscribers
The first three explanations concern unsubscribing and subscriber counting. Then you can check whether your videos still suit your audience. These are possible causes: one lower number does not tell you which explanation applies to your channel.
1. Viewers develop different interests
Someone may subscribe for videos about a hobby and later stop being interested in it. That does not necessarily say anything about the quality of your videos.
Check whether your subscriber count fluctuates from time to time or keeps falling for several weeks. Do not choose a different topic after every lost subscription.
2. Spam subscribers and closed accounts are not counted
YouTube explains that closed accounts and spam subscribers are not counted in your total subscriber count. According to YouTube, these accounts also do not affect views or watch time.
This type of drop is different from people who actually watched your videos leaving. You cannot tell from the lower total alone whether this is the cause.
Therefore, also check your views and watch time: how often and for how long your videos are watched. Are they staying roughly the same? Then do not immediately change your videos based only on the subscriber count.
3. The figures were updated at different times
YouTube explains why subscriber figures may differ: Analytics can be approximately 48 hours behind your channel total because of additional validity and spam checks.
Different numbers on two screens therefore do not automatically mean that you have lost subscribers.
Note where you saw the number and compare the figures again after approximately two days. Always use the same place and the same period.
4. A popular Short created different expectations
Someone may subscribe after one enjoyable Short without knowing your other videos. If your channel then focuses on something else, that viewer may leave again later.
A fictional example: you make long videos about caring for plants. A funny Short about your cat in a plant pot gets a lot of attention. Some new subscribers mainly want to watch cat videos, not explanations about potting mix.
Make your next Short fit your usual topic. For example, briefly show how you repot a plant. Afterwards, look not only at new subscribers, but also at interest in your next videos.
5. You make videos about a different topic
Someone who subscribed for drawing lessons may not want to watch daily vlogs. Your new direction may suit you well, but be less suitable for some of your existing viewers.
Briefly explain what you will make from now on. Try a new topic first with a recognisable series of videos. This shows viewers more clearly what they can expect than when every video is about something different.
6. Viewers do not know what to expect from your channel
You do not have to make the same video repeatedly. But if you post recipes, games and travel tips together, it is less clear why someone should subscribe.
Complete this sentence: “On my channel, you’ll find videos about …” If you cannot do that in a short sentence, choose one clear topic or a consistent type of video for your next few videos.
7. Your title promises more than your video shows
A big promise can attract attention, but it can also disappoint. Think of a title about a complete room makeover when you only show how you tidy a cupboard.
Read your title and look at your thumbnail, the small preview image for your video. Does your video show what they promise together? If necessary, make the title more precise, for example: “Tidying my messy wardrobe in three steps”.
8. Your videos are difficult to keep watching
Quiet audio, long silences or an extended introduction can make watching difficult. This does not tell you why someone unsubscribes, but you can improve these elements.
Watch your latest video on your mobile without headphones. Can you hear your voice clearly? Is it quickly clear what you are going to show? Shorten a long introduction and check the audio before your next recording.
9. You post more often or differently than viewers expect
Perhaps people followed you for an occasional in depth explanation, while you now post many short updates. Even if a promised series keeps being delayed, viewers are getting something different from what they expected.
Choose a pace you can maintain and only promise what is achievable. Posting more often is not, by itself, a solution for declining subscribers. Above all, check whether each new video adds something.
Which figures should you check for subscriber loss in YouTube Analytics?
Open YouTube Studio and check your subscriber figures and video results in Analytics. Compare periods of equal length, for example the past 28 days with the 28 days before that. This is one way to examine differences, not a fixed benchmark for success.
| What are you comparing? | What do you want to know? | What do you do next? |
|---|---|---|
| New and lost subscriptions, if you can view them separately | Are more subscriptions disappearing, or are mainly fewer being added? | Note both numbers next to the difference in your total. |
| The dates when you posted videos and the drop | Did the drop begin with a new topic or a different type of video? | Check whether this happens with several videos. |
| Shorts and longer videos | Did you lose subscribers after gaining many through Shorts? | Compare the topics and what viewers can expect from both types of video. |
| Views and watch time | Are fewer people watching as well, or is mainly the subscriber count falling? | Look further into your videos if several figures continue to fall. |
Cannot you see new and lost subscriptions separately? Then note only the difference in your total. You cannot calculate from that how many subscriptions were added or disappeared. Do not fill in those missing numbers yourself.
The figures show what is happening, but not why one person unsubscribes. A drop shortly after a video does not prove that the video caused it.
Why are your subscribers no longer watching your videos?
Not watching is different from unsubscribing. A subscriber may have little time, skip a topic or only want to watch your Shorts. Your subscriber count therefore does not predict how many viewers each video will get.
See which topics are still attracting interest. Compare two similar videos, not a short joke with a long explanation.
Test one change to retain YouTube subscribers
Choose the possible cause for which you see the clearest indication. Then change one element. This will help you assess what changes.
- Write down your assumption. For example: “My new Shorts are about something different from my longer videos.”
- Choose one change. Make the next three Shorts about the same topic as your longer videos.
- Keep everything else as similar as possible. Do not change the topic, length, style and posting frequency at the same time.
- Give each video the same amount of time. For example, note the figures each time seven days after posting.
- Review the results together. Compare subscriptions, views and watch time. Three videos provide an initial impression, not solid evidence.
With this approach, you will not automatically get lost subscribers back. You can, however, make a more targeted choice about what to do in a future video. Would you also like to reach new viewers? Then read the tips to get more YouTube subscribers.
What should you avoid doing when you lose YouTube subscribers?
- Do not immediately delete a video. One drop does not prove that the video caused it.
- Do not suddenly post much more often. First check whether your videos still fit what your viewers expect.
- Do not attribute every drop to spam checks. That is one possible explanation, not the explanation for every loss.
- Do not look only at your total subscriber count. Also check whether people continue watching your videos.
Are you considering buying YouTube subscribers? That does not explain or fix the cause of your drop. Purchased numbers are not the same as returning viewers, watch time or people who genuinely engage with your video. To compare quantities and prices, explore our YouTube services, including packages for subscribers and views.
