If you’re getting views on YouTube, but those viewers aren’t subscribing, there may be a psychological reason they leave without clicking the subscribe button.

In this post I’m helping you use human psychology to get grow on YouTube.

Have you ever wondered if there’s something that you could do to get more subscribers on YouTube? What if I told you getting subscribers wasn’t just luck, but could be explained by human psychology?

In today’s blog post, I’m breaking down:

• What makes people click, watch, and subscribe
• And 6 ways that you can use psychology to get people to subscribe to your channel

As always, if you’d prefer to watch instead of read, click the video below. Let’s jump right in..

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How to Use Human Psychology Grow on YouTube

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior, and when you understand these two things and apply them to your content, you’ll be amazed at what a powerful tool this becomes.

These days, if you want someone to subscribe to your channel because of a specific video you’ve made, your strategy starts long before you press record. Of course, my biggest advice is always to be yourself and show up authentically. But here are a few extra things you can do to gain subscribers.

Getting the Click

First things first, you won’t get subscribers if you’re not getting viewers. Basically, to grow on YouTube, you need people clicking to watch your videos.

How can you make sure this happens? Your thumbnail drives about 50% of your video’s success. And when you focus on video packaging (aka how your thumbnail and title work together), you can start to understand what drives people to click on your specific videos.

This isn’t just a superpower on YouTube; it’s actually vital. And that’s why you need to spend more time on video packaging than you think.

On YouTube, most of us create backward. We come up with the video idea, outline, film, and edit, and then, when we go to upload the video, we realize we still need a thumbnail and title.  

In reality, we should start with ideating your thumbnail and video packaging before we start anything else.

And I’m not just talking about your Canva designs. I mean coming up with a title and thumbnail that work so well together they convince someone to stop and click on your video.

Since this is so important, let’s talk more about it.

What Drives People to Click?

The biggest driver of clicks on your YouTube video is curiosity. I’ve talked about this before in this YouTube video, but let’s do a quick recap.

Our brains are wired to work in loops, or in other words, our brains are wired to close loops. You can use this to your advantage with video packaging.

You can create loops on YouTube through ‘Curiosity Gaps’.

A curiosity gap is the mental space between what you currently know and what you want to know. When someone gets partial information or an intriguing tease, their brain wants to close that gap by looking for the missing details.

How can you apply this to YouTube, specifically to gaining subscribers? You need your title and thumbnail to create a curiosity gap so strong that someone feels the need to click your video to close it.

In other words, they have to watch your video to get the rest of the information in the loop.

This is actually why to-do lists are so effective–they create a nagging loop in our brains that we are hardwired to need to close. Let’s take a look at this thumbnail, for example:

He says in his title that he tested 1-Star Hotels, then shows himself opening a hotel room door, even though the 1-Star review in his thumbnail reads: DO NOT open door.

It’s a very simple title and thumbnail, but it immediately creates a curiosity gap. You’ll be thinking, what’s going to happen when he opens the door?

Ryan Trahan is one of my favorite creators for this, he is so good at using human psychology to grow on YouTube. His videos are simple, but compelling. And the real magic is in how he packages them.

If you want to learn how to steal Ryan’s strategies to grow on YouTube, read this deep dive I did into his channel.

Once you’ve convinced someone to click on your video, you need to keep them watching. If they like what they see, they’ll subscribe. So to keep viewers’ attention and make sure they keep watching, we’re going to look at your hook next.

Capturing (and keeping) Attention

It’s no secret that people’s attention spans are getting shorter. According to the American Psychological Association, our attention spans have dropped significantly since records began, back in 2004.

In 2004, the average attention span (for someone on a computer screen) was about 2.5 minutes. Today, it’s around 47 seconds, with the median being 40 seconds.

And it’s usually even less than that when we’re on our phones.

That means you typically have less than about 30 seconds to grab someone’s attention and convince them not only to keep watching, but also to take action on your content.

​But when we talk about shortened attention spans, we’re often talking about two very different brain processes.

We have two types of attention:

• Involuntary attention: this is what happens when something grabs your attention suddenly, like a loud noise, a flashing notification, or someone calling your name.
• Voluntary attention: this is when you choose to shift focus, like deciding to check your phone.

The first is automatic; the second is a choice, even if it doesn’t always feel that way in the moment.

So, as creators, we want to use our hooks to capture both elements of human attention. We want to grab their attention involuntarily on social media to stop their scroll—and we want them to choose to stay on our video and keep watching.

That is why hooks matter, even on YouTube. You need something in those first few seconds of your video to grab someone’s attention involuntarily. Then you need to follow that with something so interesting or intriguing that it makes them choose to stay and watch your video to the end.

Here are 5 ways you can do that based on what our brains are wired to pay attention to:

1. Curiosity

Your title and thumbnail already piqued curiosity, but keeping that curiosity going through the hook is a great way to keep someone interested and watching your video. Some ways you can do that include:

• Starting your video with the peak or most intense moment, which helps to tease what’s to come
• Propose some questions that your audience can start asking themselves, and let them know the answers are coming

Remember that curiosity is a great way to open a loop and get someone to keep watching to close it.

2. Contrast

Our brains are contrast amplifiers. They rely on differences in light and color to make out the world; this process helps us read black text on white paper or see lines on the road, even at night.

If contrast is quite literally how our brains make out the world, then adding contrast like light and dark to your videos and thumbnails is an easy way to get more clicks and views. That’s why thumbnails like this and this work so well.

You could add contrast to your hook by turning on a light at the start of your video, or by walking in front of a dark wall as you start talking.

3. Movement

An easy way to capture someone’s attention at the start of your video is through movement. You can start your video by shaking your camera, picking up your phone, or with b-roll. B-roll is honestly my secret weapon for adding movement and visual variety to my hooks.

And I know what you’re probably thinking: “Millie, I do not have time to go film a bunch of extra b-roll for every video.” I get it. Neither do I. That’s why I use Storyblocks.

Storyblocks is my number one resource for b-roll, especially when I’m in a pinch and need footage I couldn’t film myself. What is Storyblocks? They’re a 100% human-made stock media library for creators.

A real filmmaker, artist, or musician creates every single asset in their library. They don’t accept AI-generated content.

So let’s say you’re making a video and you want to add more movement to your hook, but you don’t have the exact shot you need. Instead of stopping everything to film it yourself, you can search Storyblocks for a clip, download a few options, drop them into your edit, and see what works for your project.

And because downloads are unlimited with your subscription, you can actually experiment with your edit without feeling like you have to commit to the first asset you find.

Storyblocks has millions of assets, including footage, music, sound effects, images, and templates, so you’re not jumping between five different websites to try and find everything you need.

Something I really love about Storyblocks is that every download supports a real working artist.

So you’re saving time in your own creative workflow while also supporting the creators who actually made the work you’re using.

To get access to the human-made stock media library that’s been built for creators and has honestly become essential to my workflow, head to storyblocks.com/modernmillie.

4. Novelty

The next way to grab someone’s attention is through Novelty. This is newness. Innovation. Not only do our brains seek new things, but novelty also gives our brains a dopamine boost that can be a powerful motivator. We should all keep this in mind when creating content.

Psychology Today talks about the ‘Magic of Novelty’ because experiencing new things can boost memory, creativity, and happiness.

Novelty activates our brains in powerful ways, and as a content creator, you can use it creatively; all you need to do is break the pattern of what viewers expect to see. You can do this through contrast (like I said before), with an element of surprise, curiosity, or movement.

The start of this video is a great example of starting with an element of surprise–people are expecting me to pour my coffee. I caught them off guard by missing the glass completely.

5. Storytelling

The last way to grab someone’s attention with your hook is through strong storytelling. My favorite example of this is (again) Ryan Trahan. His hooks for his long-form videos are so well done that they really make you want to stay through his video.

In his intros, he does a good job of confirming what you saw in the title and thumbnail, which instantly builds trust and confirms that you’re in the right place. Then he immediately gives himself challenges that hook the viewer in to see what’ll happen if he doesn’t complete them.

He creates so many curiosity loops at the beginning of his videos that it makes you feel like you have to keep watching.

I did a full breakdown of his channel, his hooks, and how he creates them, so if you want to learn more about his style, read this post next.

Alright, you’ve gotten someone to click on your video and watch past the hook; now you need to turn that viewer into a subscriber.

Here are six ways that you can use psychology to get someone to subscribe to your channel.

6 Ways You Can Use Human Psychology to Grow on YouTube (and Get More Subscribers)

1. Solve a Pain Point

We’re starting strong with one of the best ways to get viewers to subscribe to your YouTube channel: pain points. Solving a problem or using pain points means creating content that directly serves your audience. And hopefully, solves a real problem the viewer is facing.

I know it can be hard to feel like this applies to every niche, especially if your content or niche is more lifestyle-focused. Still, if you want to grow quickly on YouTube and convert viewers into subscribers, you need to serve your audience FIRST.

And well, solving a problem is the best way to do this. The main problems that we face in our lives are:

• Money
• Relationships
• Family
• Career
• Health (both mental and physical)

As I said, you might not be able to make content that is directly related to any of these things, but you can try to take what’s called ‘one standard deviation’ away from one of them—and then allow your audience to leap the rest of the way.

Let me give you an example of this. I make content that teaches you how to grow on social media. That means I might make a video talking about how to use Trial Reels to grow on Instagram.

Trial Reels and Instagram don’t solve one of the problems I shared before, but people watch videos like that because they want to make more money as a creator, or because they’re ready to change careers and become a creator. Both of which social media and my video could help you do.

Or let’s say you make content that helps people get off their phones. People are watching your videos because being on their phone might be hurting their relationships or mental health. So ultimately, you are solving a problem bigger than ‘Analog Hobbies’ might initially suggest.

There are many ways to solve a problem for your viewers, but value-first, pain-point-driven content is one of the fastest ways to get people to subscribe to your YouTube Channel.

2. Gain Their Trust

Another way to use human psychology to grow on YouTube is by gaining viewers trust. There are plenty of ways to do this with your videos. You can use:

• Social proof: as simple as screenshots of comments from people who’ve asked you a question or reviewed a product you offer.
• Case studies: I do this a lot when I have a student success story that directly aligns with the topic I’m teaching.
• Screenshots (that back up a claim): this could be bank accounts, emails where a big brand says YES to a collaboration, payouts from your top affiliate, and more.  

A powerful way to gain someone’s trust is to close the curiosity loop you opened when they first clicked on your video. Basically, whatever method you’ve used to open that loop in the first place, make sure to close it, and do that fairly early on in your video.

You can always keep them engaged by opening a new loop. This brings us to the 3rd way you can use human psychology to grow on YouTube.

3. Re-Hook Them

When you close one curiosity loop, keep viewers engaged by re-hooking them with another. A great way to keep people engaged throughout your videos is to keep opening and closing curiosity loops.

As I mentioned before, this is how our brains are wired, so remind people why they’re watching. You can say things like, “Hey, I know you’re here for THIS, but before we get to that, let me tell you something else incredible that will 100% help you.” (Obviously don’t say things exactly like that…but you get the idea.)

You can also keep using visual elements to re-hook them. This is where b-roll can be a powerful tool. You can also use sound effects, motion graphics, and music to keep people hooked throughout your video.

4. Start Simple

Relationships are give and take—and that’s true for all human interactions. People love to feel like they’re getting something, and you can tap into that feeling with your YouTube videos. YouTubers do this all the time.

They say things like, “Hey, if you learned something new in this video, consider liking it. It’s a free way to support me, and it tells YouTube that other people like you might find it useful.”

By letting someone know, “hey, I’ve taught you something you didn’t know before…would you mind giving me a thumbs up in return?” You start building a give-and-take relationship with that viewer. And once they’ve done something small for you, it’s easier to get them to do the next, slightly bigger thing: subscribing.

So don’t be afraid to use that in your videos. Start with a simple ask, and move on to the bigger ask as the video gets more valuable. Bigger asks could include subscribing to your YouTube channel, joining an email list, or even buying something you recommend.

No matter what action you want them to take, remind them of what they’re getting in return. This is the whole point of email freebies: give someone something in return for doing something for you—joining your email list.

If you want to learn more about this, read this article next.

5. Be Likable

Another way to get people to subscribe to your YouTube channel is to be likable. Being likable automatically encourages people to support you. At the end of the day, people are mirrors. They reflect what you give them, so if you want people to subscribe, give them high energy, humor, emotion, simple solutions, and authenticity.

You don’t have to be perfect; in fact, you shouldn’t be. But you can also bring an energy to your videos that helps people like you.

And that actually brings us to the last strategy for using human psychology to grow on YouTube.

6. Being Authentic and Relatable

My last piece of advice for getting more YouTube subscribers is to be authentic and relatable, especially today.

We’ve all seen the rise in “authenticity content” over the last year. People are craving content that makes them feel connected. They’re craving creators who are real and might not be the most ‘aesthetic,’ but are the most honest and authentic to themselves.

For me, Emma Chamberlain is the OG at this. For years, she has shown up exactly as she is. Unpolished, funny, and so relatable. Even though she got her start years ago, ‘authenticity’ is making a comeback.

But here’s the thing: if you want to make really addictive YouTube content and grow subscribers quickly, remember that not everyone is going to like you.

For example, every time I talk about money online, I get a lot of hate. It’s a topic that makes people really uncomfortable, and it ruffles a lot of feathers. Still, it’s also very relatable, and for the people who know and support me, it gives them a peek inside my business.

Plus, it ticks a lot of the psychology boxes that we’ve covered in this video: relatability, authenticity, social proof, and usually, solving a pain point. So while many people find value in what I’m sharing, there will still be haters—keep that in mind.

So to recap…

At the end of the day, our brains are amazing little machines that crave novelty, work in contrast, and are wired to solve these problems and close the endless loops around us. So by understanding all of this, you will 100% be able to become a better creator.

All of your favorite creators, the biggest creators on YouTube, they’re not ‘just creating.’ Human psychology is the biggest secret to their success—and now it can be yours too. Don’t forget to use these tips around human psychology to grow on YouTube.

If you want more help growing your YouTube channel, download my Free YouTube Starter Workbook.

I’ll see you in the next one. Follow your joy! Bye!