You’ve probably noticed that YouTubers often ask for likes at the beginning or end of their videos.
Usually, they say something similar to, “Don’t forget to give this video a thumbs up” or “This video took a lot of editing and time, so please like it.“
While some watchers may find it repetitive or irritating, there are a few significant reasons why so many YouTubers, big or small, ask for likes.
Why Do YouTubers Ask for Likes?
Likes help the YouTube algorithm determine how popular and relevant content is, affecting how often it’ll be recommended to other viewers.
By asking for likes, YouTubers try to increase the chance that their video will be seen by more people, which could lead to more subscribers and views.
Engagement and algorithm
Recent data shows over 400-500 hours of content is uploaded to YouTube every minute. It becomes difficult for YouTube to determine which content is worth recommending and to whom. This is where the algorithm comes in.
The YouTube algorithm promotes videos that have high engagement rates, which means people are watching the videos and taking action on them, such as liking, disliking, commenting, and sharing.
If a video has a lot of likes, YouTube will assume that it’s high-quality content and give it a boost.
This could lead to the video being recommended on the home page or in the video suggestion section.
Better search rankings
Not only does a high number of likes help with YouTube’s algorithm, but it also helps with the search rankings.
When someone searches for a keyword on YouTube, the platform displays a list of videos that are most relevant to that query.
But YouTube doesn’t just look at the keywords in your title and description; it also looks at engagement metrics such as likes, dislikes, comments, and views.
This means that if your video has a high number of likes, it’s more likely to show up in the search results for that keyword.
Increased social proof
Likes also work as social proof, which is a psychological phenomenon where people are more likely to do something if they see that others are doing it.
In the context of YouTube, social proof means that if a video has a lot of likes, viewers will be more likely to watch it.
They’ll think, “If all these other people liked this video, it must be good.”
More opportunities for monetization
As a YouTuber, one of your goals is probably to make money from your videos. And one of the ways you can do that is by getting sponsorships.
Sponsorships are when a company compensates you for promoting their product in your video. This compensation could be monetary or in the form of free stuff.
However, companies will only want to sponsor videos with high engagement rates because they want their product to be seen by as many people as possible.
If your videos have a lot of likes and higher engagement, you’ll be more likely to get sponsorships and make money from your YouTube channel. What’s more, you can negotiate better rates the more engagement you can show for your channel.
Boosts morale
Lastly, it’s important to remember that YouTubers are people too. And just like everyone else, they need a morale boost every once in a while.
Creating videos is a lot of work. It can be disheartening when you don’t get many views or engagement on something you put your heart and soul into.
When YouTubers see that their videos are being liked, it reassures them that people are enjoying their content and that all their hard work is paying off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do YouTubers get paid by likes?
No, YouTubers don’t get paid directly by likes. However, as we mentioned before, likes are one of the factors that help a video get more views, which could lead to more earnings.
When you like a video on YouTube, is it anonymous?
Yes, when you like a video on YouTube, it’s completely anonymous. The only way the creator would know is if you left a comment or sent them a message.
How many likes does a YouTuber need?
There’s no magic number of likes that all YouTubers need to be successful. It varies depending on the engagement rates of other videos in your niche and how competitive your keywords are.
What happens when I like a video on YouTube?
If you’re signed in to your Google account and like a video, it will be added to your “Liked Videos” playlist.
More importantly, with just a few seconds of effort (and for free), you will help a video creator have better chances of reaching more people.
What happens when I dislike a video on YouTube?
The algorithm will probably show fewer videos related to the one you disliked.
For the creator, if a video gets too many dislikes, the algorithm will not recommend it to others, leading to fewer views. However, if the video’s watch time is good, it will still be recommended to people who might like it.
Conclusion
To sum up, YouTubers ask for likes as it helps everyone:
- Likes help you get more personalized content on topics you enjoy
- Likes help increase video engagement, which leads to more views of the video
- Likes help YouTubers get better advertising deals and sponsorships
Moreover, likes also boost morale and let creators know their hard work is paying off.
So, the next time you are enjoying a video and the YouTuber asks for a like, don’t forget to give it a thumbs up.
