What do you think of Sub4Sub & Shout-outs?

[Betta]

Subscribe for subscribe or Sub4Sub is a common and popular practice among YouTubers. This practice involves a YouTuber subscribing a particular YouTuber, for this example I use channel X to earn a subscribe from channel X. The other popular practice is Shout-outs where a YouTuber (most of them are small) who subscribe to other YouTubers as a form of "mission" for obtaining a promotion by the other YouTubers.
I think subbing other people to earn subscribers is a form of cheating. Why? You or the people you subscribed could just unsubscribe. Instead of that, it will be unfair for people who earns subscribers and deserve more subscribers than people who earn subscribers by subscribing others because many underrated channels actually make good content (I don't know if mine is one of 'em). There are services that you could find in the internet that allows people to auto-subscribe and even buy subscribers. These services and requests are actually a violation although many people did that in practice.

The next practice I would like to criticize is Shout-outs. I think it's just ridiculous where people subscribe others or doing a favor to get promoted on their channel by video mentions. It doesn't advantage the smaller channels who got the shout-out but the host channel who created the shout-out to gain more views and subscribers (although I've ever done it before). If there are more subscribers in a particular channel, the subcribers may see the videos posted by the YouTuber they subscribe and could watch them.
What do you think? I would like to hear from all of you!

 

[Crazylawrence]

I agree with you that it is a form of "cheating", and it is against the terms of both Freedom! and YouTube. Subscribers are supposed to be a metric on your channel which you can use to understand and compare your channels growth between one another. Sub4Sub is an act of which you don't legitimately "earn" them, you "steal" them.

 

[zeke morgan]

I agree, with lawrence, both the idea of sub4sub and asking for a channel to subscribe in order to gain a shout-out are a form of cheating the system by manipulating your Youtube metrics. I admit I do shoutout's on my channel but I don't ask for anything in order to get one and do it really just to promote channels who have been doing well or have been really active with say helping other members.

Personally I think Youtube and other forums ( and this is a great reason why I like Freedom) need to crack down on these kinds of offers, and the idea of manipulating of metrics, as this doesn't achieve anything for the channel, either doing the shoutout or receiving it, or indeed the channels that are participating in sub4sub. As discussed previously again by Lawrence (sorry to pick on you by the way ) all Youtube metrics are flawed in their approach but all these ideas do is juts dilute the whole idea even further.

A novel idea that people seem to forget is if you like someone content, watch it - if you really enjoy it subscribe because you want to, not because your going to get something out of it.

 

[TwilightPrinze]

My personal opinion regarding both things is that it destructive for your channel. I have seen it many times where people thinks this actually helps them grow but gaining a channel full of subscribers who don't care about your content only harms in the end.
A proper Shout-out can give you some active subs but it is best to avoid such things.

 

[OnlyUltimate]

I don't see anything wrong with shoutouts, it's the creators choice and that's pretty much it. It's nothing "illegitimate" and the argument that it helps the bigger channel giving the shoutout is unfair, YouTube isn't made for charity work. Not that I endorse this, but paying (or having to subscribe, like, etc) for a shoutout is no different than being paid to promote a product or brand.

 

[Fredman]

personally, I don't think they will help ya in the long run. yeah sure you get more subs, but it doesn't mean they'll watch your content. shoutouts might work. but not very well.

 

[JayLazoris]

Sub4sub are pointless empty subs you should only really be subbing to channel you enjoy and want to keep up to date with. I think shout-outs could be good if used the right way. "Shout-outs" are worst in my opinion then sub4sub because the only person that is really gets any benefit from a "shout-out" is the person doing the "shout-out." If a bigger channel shouts out a smaller channel without the whole " sub to me then comment on my videos then you might get a shout-out" a true shout-out to me needs to be something that the bigger youtuber just does to help out the smaller youtuber.

 

[7BitBrian]

Sub4Sub is a waste, as those are not real active subs who contribute to your channel by watching and commenting. They're literally nothing more than a number.

 

[Nuke]

Subscribe for subscribe or Sub4Sub is a common and popular practice among YouTubers. This practice involves a YouTuber subscribing a particular YouTuber, for this example I use channel X to earn a subscribe from channel X. The other popular practice is Shout-outs where a YouTuber (most of them are small) who subscribe to other YouTubers as a form of "mission" for obtaining a promotion by the other YouTubers.
I think subbing other people to earn subscribers is a form of cheating. Why? You or the people you subscribed could just unsubscribe. Instead of that, it will be unfair for people who earns subscribers and deserve more subscribers than people who earn subscribers by subscribing others because many underrated channels actually make good content (I don't know if mine is one of 'em). There are services that you could find in the internet that allows people to auto-subscribe and even buy subscribers. These services and requests are actually a violation although many people did that in practice.

The next practice I would like to criticize is Shout-outs. I think it's just ridiculous where people subscribe others or doing a favor to get promoted on their channel by video mentions. It doesn't advantage the smaller channels who got the shout-out but the host channel who created the shout-out to gain more views and subscribers (although I've ever done it before). If there are more subscribers in a particular channel, the subcribers may see the videos posted by the YouTuber they subscribe and could watch them.
What do you think? I would like to hear from all of you!

Yeah it's pretty much cheating. Shoutouts kinda help but the person giving a shoutout has to have a extremely receptive and engaged audience or you might just get one subscriber or none at all. As for sub4sub, it's just absolutely pointless to do if you want to be successful on YouTube.

 

[VloggingWithIanDominic]

Sub4Sub - It's useless, it makes the YouTuber uncomfortable.
Shoutouts - Same reason.