Source: https://cinematiclab.com/markiplier-net-worth/
"Why am I not getting more views on my YouTube videos?"... "How can I earn money this way?"
Every YouTuber will either eventually encounter these questions or is already grappling with them.
This article wants to help you find answers.
Today we'll be focusing especially on gaming YouTubers, using superstar YouTuber Markiplier as our example of success. This article seeks to find what we can learn from Markiplier to help gamers get more views and improve their channels overall by following in his footsteps. We aren't guaranteeing any gimmicks or 'get subscribers fast' tricks. We're giving you real advice to get real views and subscribes organically.
Markiplier is a beloved YouTuber. He has a genuinely kind personality that is a magnet for a variety of viewers. This is one of several reasons why his channel has found great success. You can't argue with 23 million subscribers and being the number one most searched name on YouTube, afterall.
Below we'll explore five reasons why Markiplier has made such a big name for himself on YouTube and explain the ways you can use Mark's example to improve your own content as a gamer.
Get More Views on YouTube the Markiplier Way :
1. Challenge Videos
Markiplier's try not to laugh series has become a YouTube phenomenon for his hilarious attempts at suppressing giggles in the face of comedy gold.
If you're not familiar with the try not to laugh challenge, have a look at the video below from Mark to get an idea. Basically, YouTubers watch a compilation video of short but hysterical clips and they have to hold in their laughter or else the challenge is lost.
As a gamer, you may think you can't stray too far from the gaming genre, but sprinkling in different types of videos can be refreshing for your viewers. We especially recommend challenge videos because there's already an audience for these kinds of videos thanks in large part to YouTubers like Mark who popularized the genre.
You're not limited to the try not to laugh challenge, of course! Below we've made a list of popular challenges that Mark has tried which would be great for reproduction on your own channel.
To see them all, check out this challenge playlist on the Markiplier channel.
Challenge video ideas from Mark:
- The 7-Second Challenge: This one is pretty old but it's a classic! You'll need at least one other person plus the 7-second challenge app produced by Dan & Phil. Players have seven seconds to do the challenge presented by the app, usually resulting in hilariously bad attempts. The way you edit a 7-second challenge video is important—perfectly timed transitions can be super funny with this speedy challenge). We recommend watching some of the Markiplier videos for inspiration.
- The Whisper Challenge: This is a fan favorite! Get another person to listen to really loud music and whisper something to them so they are forced to read your lips. The other person then takes off their headphones and tries to explain what you whispered. Mark had the great idea of asking fans to tweet him ideas for what to whisper. We love that he got the community to participate in this challenge.
- The Try Not to Smile Challenge: A variation on the try not to laugh challenge, this type of video is a little bit more low-key but often times heartwarming. This one is great because you don't need any other players to try the challenge. You simply try not to crack a smile while watching amusing or sweet video clips. Mark uses a subreddit called r/MadeMeSmile which is chock full of uplifting content.
2. Streaming on Twitch
Who says it needs to be YouTube versus Twitch? Instead you can use both platforms in harmony with one another. You'll just need to decide which is your major priority, YouTube views or Twitch viewers. This article assumes you're a YouTuber hoping to grow your channel beyond its current subscriber count. With that squared away, let's take a look at the way Mark uses Twitch and how you can integrate Twitch streams into your social media in order to get more eyes on your YouTube channel.
We've done the hard (fun?) work for you, binging Mark's Twitch videos and livestreams to understand his approach to using Twitch. See just what we learned below.
Ways that Mark uses Twitch to his advantage:
Streaming games, of course!
We know it may seem obvious since Twitch is originally a platform for gamers, but live streaming games such as speed runs or ordinary playthroughs is a smart way to promote your YouTube channel.
We don't need to explain why live streaming is way more interactive than simply uploading a pre-recorded video, right? And interaction is key to boosting engagement which gets viewers interested in your content. When you end a livestream, make sure to shoutout your YouTube channel. You could also do like Mark and divide your content between Twitch and YouTube—so upload part of the gameplay to YouTube and livestream the second half, for example.
Podcast
Mark broke into podcasting territory on Twitch back in 2018 with his "3 Peens in a Podcast", featuring best friends Bob, Wade and Ethan. As you can imagine, getting this group together for a podcast resulted in a hilarious couple hours of talk time. We recommend watching some of Mark's podcasts which are available as recordings on his Twitch account, or listen to any podcast that interests you—it doesn't have to be gaming-related. Listen to get ideas and see if podcasting on Twitch is something you'd like to experiment with. You can do it solo or with friends, like Mark, and you don't even need to be a big talker. As long as your podcast deals with something you're passionate about, this will attract Twitch users to listen.
Just Chatting
Don't underestimate the power of the Just Chatting category on Twitch. Many gamers, including Markiplier, stream in Just Chatting, presenting various types of content. Mark likes to use it for fan outreach and talking about personal issues or events with viewers. He also uses it when he's on the move, such as during last year's PAX convention, to share his travels and experiences with viewers. These are all fantastic ways to use the Just Chatting category as a gamer. Don't put yourself in a box and branch out to other categories when you have the opportunity.
3. Horror Games
Spooky, or as Mark would say "spoopy", games are high key a huge part of the gaming genre on YouTube. In fact, as many fans will know, Mark's channel really took off thanks to his gameplay of horror game Amnesia: The Dark Descent. What pushed these videos over the edge in terms of popularity were his hilarious reactions to the game's jump scares and frequent overreactions to, well, seemingly nothing.
You don't even need to be a huge fan of horror to earn some success from recording horror gameplay. In fact, those who slightly dislike horror can be extremely entertaining to watch as they usually scare more easily (insert evil Darkiplier laugh here). If your channel is feeling a bit stagnant recently and you haven't tried uploading any horror gameplay, we recommend going for it! The horror genre certainly gave a huge boost to Mark's channel, so why not see what it can do for you?
To give you inspiration, below we've listed some of our favorite horror games that Mark has played on his channel. If you're looking for how to break into the horror genre, give one of these games a try!
Markiplier's best horror gameplay:
- Amnesia: The Dark Descent: This is the ultimate spooky game if you are a fan of Markiplier. Mark suffered through the scares to create an 18-part series of this game! You can certainly get a lot of great scary content from Amnesia, and there's more than just the Dark Descent. In fact, the game series includes three full-length games as produced by Frictional Games plus loads of fan-made games. Taking on Amnesia will be a journey for any YouTuber, but you won't be left wanting for content.
- SOMA: Mark made a 14-part series playing this creepy little thriller called SOMA, a survival horror game released by Frictional Games in 2015. If you love sci-fi, then start with this horror game for sure. This was a highly anticipated released because SOMA was the first new game released by Frictional following Amnesia: The Dark Descent. The gameplay is beautiful and the storytelling thoughtful.
- Dead Space: Do you like space? Do you like or can tolerate horror? Try out third-person survival horror game Dead Space by Visceral Games, with the original being released in 2008, there have since been five more games released plus two feature films! Become a part of the fandom and try to start from the beginning because the first two games are amazing. Mark made a whopping 36-part series of the first game in the series back in 2012, so you may want to check out some of his gameplay ahead of time.
4. Build Community
Mark has done something truly special on his channel—he's created a sense of community not commonly seen on the YouTube platform to the point that we would call Markiplier fans part of a YouTube family of viewers.
Creating a tight knit community should be one of your goals as a YouTuber, and it's honestly just as important as getting views and subscribers. Let's take a look at the history of the Markiplier channel first to see how his community has grown from back in 2012 when he posted his first video until currently in 2019. Next, we'll give some tips for creating your own community on YouTube.
As you can see, charity has played a large role in bringing the Markiplier community together, which we love! Below, let's explore other ways Markiplier has unified his online following so that you can follow his example.
- He makes followers feel like they're a part of something bigger by regularly making videos directly addressing viewers as a community.
- He is honest about his feelings and lets everyone know when he needs to take a break (and fans largely support him!).
- He interacts with fans across all platforms and encourages fan participation such as by praising fan art or asking questions on Twitter.
- He constantly thanks fans for viewing his content and supporting him. This is simple but so important.
5. Get Personal
Mark isn't afraid to show his true emotions on camera. If you've been a fan of Mark's for a while, you will probably have even witnessed him crying in front of the camera a few times.
If you don't believe us, check out the video below, "Markiplier Reacts to 8 Million Fan Reaction Video".
We're not saying you need to turn on the waterworks to get more views on YouTube, but becoming comfortable in front of an audience to the point that you can be your authentic self is something you'll want to work towards if you're not quite there yet.
Below we'll discuss some tricks you can try so you can work towards becoming just as natural as Mark is when recording.
Tricks to feel comfortable on camera:
- Practice talking in front of a mirror and imagine filming at first if seeing a camera makes you freeze up every time. Get familiar with yourself!
- Eventually, move on to using your phone's camera. Film yourself regularly throughout the day. Constantly talk to the camera until it stops feeling weird and starts feeling natural. Then you will be ready to relax in front of your filming set up.
- Whenever you talk to the camera, don't think of it as a camera but imagine it's your actual audience. We speak more naturally when we imagine someone sitting in front of us listening.
- Lastly, try not to judge yourself so critically if you cringe whenever you see your face on the screen. Be gentle with yourself, and try to work towards becoming your own biggest fan rather than the harshest critic.
The more comfortable and natural you become with filming, the more this will translate through the screen to viewers. Your real personality will shine through and be a magnet for attracting new viewers and subscribers.
6. Step Up Your YouTube Game
Getting more views on YouTube doesn't need to be stressful or overly complicated.
From try not to laugh challenges to horror game jump scares, we've covered some of the key elements that have launched the Markiplier channel into YouTube fame. We hope you learned something from this article that you can incorporate in your own channel.
We have other articles below all for the benefit of YouTubers, from gaining subscribers to making money online. Check them out if you're feeling productive today and want to give your channel a boost.