YouTube has been changing. Currently, removing the dislike count is trending, but there’s one more optional change that YouTube has allowed its creators to make. Hide their subscriber count.
My first impression was why would someone ever do that but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense, but for sure, it’s not meant for everyone.
Breaking Biases
In today’s world, content is not simply judged by its quality but often facts like who made it, how popular they are, how many followers they have ended up influencing the decision.
This is not something new though, humans always have had these biases.
Cornell University did a survey where they offered the same food for two price points, at $4 and $8. On average, people who paid more for their food were more satisfied with their eating experience.
This survey shows that we are biased towards more expensive products and often give them more of a chance than the products that are priced lower. When people pay more, they often question themselves more than the product itself.
If we apply the same theory to content on social media if nobody knew about the follower count, likes, would they still follow the same people?
I understand that hiding your subscriber count won’t be enough, but in the beginning, I think it will help you get less biased viewers.
Does it affect your growth?
There’s not much proof to support the argument that it will help you grow faster.
Some people believe that when you have a subscriber count less than 100 or 500, it may be better to hide it and then make it public when you cross the 500-1000 milestone.
How to Do it?
- Sign in to your Google Account.
- Go to YouTube Studio.
- Click Settings Channel. Advanced settings.
- Under “Subscriber count,” uncheck “Display the number of people subscribed to my channel.”
- Click Save.
Should You do it?
There’s no right answer, to be honest.
There are no real metrics that prove that one choice is better. These are just things that, if you want, you can try.
Just before finishing this, I would like to leave you with a contradicting statement.
Why does it matter how many people follow you if you are doing something you like and actually enjoying it? If you keep following the number, then the road is going to be tough.
Check out our article on Why Youtube is hiding the public dislike count.