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What is the YouTube algorithm?
Since its launch in 2005, YouTube has tried to remain mysterious about its algorithm. It has updated the algorithm several times due to its success over the past 16 years.
But currently, the main aim of the algorithm is to provide a better user experience. YouTube says the algorithm is a”A real-time feedback loop that recommends videos to individual viewers based on their different interests.”
But things weren't like that at first. Let's go back in time to understand the changes that have occurred in the algorithm since the beginning.
We want to break down the evolution of the YouTube algorithm so that you have a rational idea of the changes that have taken place in the algorithm from time to time.
YouTube algorithm timeline: from 2005 to today
The first video was uploaded to YouTube in 2005. But currently, it has 2 billion users and more than 500 hours of videos uploaded every minute.
How did the algorithm improve from 1 video to 500 hours of video per minute? Let's fill this gap.
2005-2012: It's all about Views
The quality of the user experience was not the motivation of YouTube from the beginning. For the first seven years, it rewarded videos that got more clicks or views.
But content creators abused this algorithmic approach and deceived people into thinking they were getting more views because of:
- Clickbait video titles
- Eye-catching vignettes
YouTube users were upset by this experience. In those seven years, they had reached new heights. With over 72 hours of video uploaded every minute, YouTube had become the next big business.
The number of users has increased significantly. And to maintain the trust of its users and keep them engaged, YouTube realized that it was necessary to change its algorithm.
2012: Enter Watch Time
To combat this abusive use of clicks and views and improve the user experience, YouTube announced an update in 2012. They prioritized considering videos that had a higher attention span; videos that users actually want to watch, which would ultimately lead them to spend more time on the platform.
Most content creators have increased the length of their videos to make people watch them longer, which increases their viewing time. But YouTube was still unable to provide what the individual user was looking for.
2016: Introduction to Machine Learning
Machine learning has changed the complete user experience for a YouTube user. In 2016, YouTube made waves in the market by presenting a white paper.
The document explained how YouTube was going to use machine learning and deep neural networks for its recommendation system.
But they were once again mysterious, just as Coca-Cola is with its secret recipe. With all that lingo, it was complicated and confusing to understand what that meant. Even if you call your tech friend to explain what's inside, the best they can understand and tell you is that YouTube intends to improve the user experience.
What's under the algorithm's hood is still a mystery, but we know for sure that YouTube works to lure users to interesting and addictive content based on their interests.
What has happened since 2016?
Numerous questions have floated to YouTube about the type of recommended videos that the YouTube algorithm favors. To tackle everyone with their fingers raised, YouTube says that the changes made in early 2019 to its algorithm led to a 70% decrease in content viewing.”borderline“.
“What is that?” , you might think. Well, content that is within the limits of YouTube guidelines but is misleading and harmful.
Susan Wojcicki, YouTube CEO, said that YouTube takes full responsibility and is seriously doing its job to stop the spread of dangerous information. In addition, the YouTube algorithm demonetized videos that hinted at the existence of the new coronavirus.
A dynamic evolution is taking place in the YouTube algorithm, and if you are a serious YouTube creator, you should be fully aware of this. As a creator, you need to be rigorous in your content, not violate any policies, and not overstep boundaries in dynamic situations like coronavirus.
If you don't follow the guidelines, YouTube's algorithm won't care about the numbers you make and will immediately demonetize your video or channel if it finds anything objectionable. After 16 years of travel, how does the algorithm work today?
How does the YouTube algorithm work?
We already know what YouTube says about its algorithm.
She has 2 goals to achieve.
- First, find a video recommendation for individuals based on their interests.
- Second, keep them hooked to the platform.
As much as the algorithm values video performance, it closely monitors user behavior to obtain better results. Overall, the YouTube algorithm affects recommendation feeds and search results.
How? We are going to find out.
YouTube algorithm myths
Myths about the YouTube algorithm have existed for a long time. Here are the most common ones, demystified:
Myth 1: Uploading videos as unlisted and then making them public affects the algorithm.
The algorithm doesn't penalize that. Instead, it looks at the performance of a video after it has been published.
Myth 2: Optimizing your titles and descriptions will allow you to rank higher in the algorithm.
SEO is not the only signal that the algorithm takes into account. Optimizing the SEO of your video will help you, but the algorithm takes into account a lot of other factors.
Myth #3: It would be better if the subscriber feed was the default feed rather than the welcome feed.
YouTube tested this method and found that it reduced the number of subscribers who come back and watch on the platform.
Myth 4: Subscribers get all notifications for all new downloads.
Subscribers must choose to receive notifications in order to receive them.
YouTube's algorithm affects search results
Our search results are heavily affected by the YouTube algorithm. Unsurprisingly, if you search for “games to play in the United States” and someone on your team is looking for the same thing, the 2 results will be different.
Factors that will cause your video to appear in a user's search query include:
- Comments, “likes”, and viewing time for your video, that is, overall engagement.
- The title, keywords, and description of your video, that is, the metadata and whether or not they match the user's search query.
With recommended videos, things are different.
YouTube's algorithm affects recommended videos
The algorithm goes through a 2-step process to recommend videos to a user. First, it ranks videos based on performance analysis data. (Videos that are in fashion have priority).
Then, it matches the videos based on the user's history and similar content that they've already watched. The idea is to match users with videos that they would gladly watch.
So, in the end, they would end up spending more time on the platform, browsing through as many ads as possible. Now you have an idea of the end goal of the YouTube algorithm and how it works to create a better user experience.
And as a content creator, you want the algorithm to work in your favor and not against you. So what can you do to improve your organic reach in such a dynamic and competitive YouTube environment?
How does the YouTube algorithm work for trendy streams?
The YouTube Trending stream is a list of new and popular videos on YouTube in a viewer's country. In the Trending stream, some trends are predictable, like a new song by a popular artist or a new movie trailer, but others are totally surprising.
Therefore, YouTube seeks to combine popularity and novelty by sorting videos for the trend feed. This list takes into account the total number of views (especially the growth rate of views), where the views come from, and other signals. As a result, the video with the most daily views won't necessarily be number 1 on the trending list.
The list of trending videos also includes Creator On the Rise and Artist On The Rise, where every week, promising creators and artists are highlighted for an entire day. Trendy videos are never sponsored, which simply means that creators can't pay to have their videos appear on the trending video list.
How do you classify yourself in tight flows?
Consider making videos that are broadly engaging and shareable. When you create such videos, they have the potential to reach tons of different audiences in addition to your subscribers.
Focus on metrics like total video uploads, view growth, and subscriber growth.
See how often your videos appear in the trends tab by looking at the traffic sources of YouTube Analytics.
How do you beat the YouTube algorithm?
One of the best ways to stand out from the competitive space on YouTube is to make sure you're creating quality content and using the right ones. Youtube SEO tools and techniques to optimize your videos for the YouTube algorithm. Besides the tips mentioned above for optimizing your videos for specific sections, here are some tips for beating the YouTube algorithm.
Focus on your audience, not on the algorithm.
YouTube's goal is always to get people to watch more of the videos they enjoy so that they come back to the platform regularly.
YouTube's systems have no opinion on the type of video you're making and don't favor any particular video format. On the contrary, they do their best to keep up with the public by paying attention to aspects such as:
- What they watch the most
- What they don't look at
- How much time do they spend watching videos from a particular creator or channel?
- Like and dislike your videos
- Viewers are not interested
Rather than focusing on what the algorithm “likes,” it's better to focus on what your audience likes. If you do that, the YouTube algorithm will automatically follow you.
Expect fluctuation and seasonality in your views
It's natural for your channel's performance to fluctuate over time. Today's audience has a lot of options. They may like your videos one week and less the following week — or maybe they're on vacation and not browsing YouTube. Expect seasonal fluctuations and variations in your video views and performance, and try not to jump to conclusions based on a few downloads. Get an overview of the overall performance of your channel.
Keep experimenting
Experimentation is super essential for creative people. When you start a new YouTube channel, you have to try almost any kind of video until something works. Then, if you want to try something new, listen to the reactions of your audience.
If you've been posting the same type of videos for a long time and they're not getting as much engagement as they used to, it means it's time to try something new. Indeed, even the best video formats have a limited lifespan, and experimenting with different video formats can help you identify the next wave to maintain or increase your engagement.
Use long-tail keywords as YouTube tags
There is a limit to the number of tags you can include in your videos. So you can search for long-tail keywords or multi-word tags that relate to the general subject of your video. Remember that you should never use copyrighted or trademark material in your metadata unless you have explicit permission from the owner.
Search for your competitors on YouTube
Before you start creating videos for your target audience, it can be helpful to research the types of videos that your competitors are creating. This will give you a good idea of what your competitors are doing to get the attention of the target audience:
- The type of videos they create
- The level of their commitment
- The number of views they have
- The metadata they use
Once you know all of these aspects of your competitors' videos, it will be easier for you to produce better content.
Optimize your video thumbnail
Thumbnails are like a thumbnail visual window or a mini-poster for your YouTube videos. They help your viewers decide if they want to see your video or not, because thumbnails are the first thing viewers see. Keep the points below in mind to optimize the first look of your video and get the most clicks and views on your video.
- Prioritize the added value of your video when creating thumbnails.
- Create your thumbnail creatively
- Synchronize your thumbnail with video content
Meet YouTube's specific video thumbnail requirements:
- 16:9 aspect ratio
- Optimal resolution of 1280×720 (minimum width of 640 pixels).
- Image formats: JPG, GIF, or PNG.
- Under the 2MB limit
5 tips to put the algorithm at your service
Here's how you can play nicely with the algorithm and get successful organic results for your YouTube campaign:
1. Video description is the most underrated weapon
The text that you see under your video after downloading may be a gold mine for you. You should not take your video description lightly.
You need to spend time developing a useful, SEO-focused video description so that the algorithm clearly understands the intent of your video.
For example, in the image above, a user is looking for a keyword, and videos that have the exact keywords in their descriptions or even similar to the keyword will be visible in the search results.
After you've done the keyword research correctly, adapt these keywords in natural language to increase your chances of being visible in YouTube SERPs. The second tip for increasing your organic reach is as follows:
2. Be consistent
Consistency in your content will help you get into the good graces of the YouTube algorithm. By consistently providing value to your audience, you'll end up increasing your subscribers and your engagements.
In addition to consistent uploads, you need to be consistent in your brand voice, tone, colors, and personality.
For example, the First We Feast channel has been consistent in its downloads, approach, and strategy. Looking at their video grid, you can tell that this channel is all about food and celebrities.
People who like these 2 things, and who continue to research them, will automatically receive recommendations from this channel, all thanks to the YouTube algorithm.
It's not enough to have your video appear in search results or in the recommendation feed. Users also need to click on your videos and watch them. The first thing you need to do to make this happen is:
3. Optimize your title and thumbnail
Metadata, your video engagement, and a variety of other factors will help you be visible in search results or user recommendation feeds. However, other content creators like you are waiting for this click. Optimizing your video title and creating engaging social media images for your thumbnail will help you get that click over others.
Also, try including keywords in your video titles or thumbnails to increase your click rate.
Remember: Optimization can only be done through regular testing. So keep trying different titles and images to find out what works and what doesn't.
Once the user clicks on your videos, they should stay glued to your video from the first minute because you don't want to have a higher bounce rate.
4. Keep your audience engaged
If you can keep your audience engaged for longer, you'll undoubtedly increase your viewing time and other engagement metrics. And if people love your engaging content and as you ask them to share it with friends and family, word-of-mouth marketing will start to work for you, which can do wonders for any creator.
And guess what? YouTube's algorithm is smart enough to take that into account. Another thing you can do is recommend that they watch more of your related videos. As a result, they will consume more and more of your content and stay engaged.
The higher the engagements, the larger the audience, and the YouTube algorithm will start ranking your videos in the user recommendations section. Once your videos are in the recommendation feeds of new users, no one can stop your success on YouTube.
As in the example below, after completing a video, the user can switch to the other video on the same channel. Just like an internal link in a blog post. So be sure to add maps to your own videos as well.
And now, our best piece of advice that we saved for last.
5. Relevance is your weapon
Relevance is one of the key factors that all social networks, including YouTube, take very seriously. They want to provide a great user experience to their users so that they stay glued to their platform. So if you don't generate useful and relevant content, you'll be left on the sidelines.
You know how the algorithm has evolved over the last 16 years and how vital a great user experience is for YouTube. So be sure to create relevant content that automatically provides a better experience in terms of value.
If you can do it for your target audience, there's nothing stopping you from succeeding.
FAQs
How does the YouTube algorithm determine rankings?
Your ranking on YouTube is determined by the YouTube algorithm, which uses a measure called velocity. It measures the number of your subscribers who watched your videos right after they were published.
Does the YouTube algorithm include live videos for my 4000 hours of viewing?
No The 4000 hours of viewing time required for your videos to be monetized cannot include live videos or private videos. Your videos should be public.
Can the YouTube algorithm remove my videos?
If your video didn't violate any of YouTube's terms of use, it can't be removed. Your video can stay on YouTube forever. You are the owner of the content on your YouTube channel.
How can you improve visibility on YouTube?
There are plenty of ways to get YouTube's algorithm to search for your channel and videos more often. One of the easiest ways is to create lots of valuable content for your audience. You can also optimize metadata and engage with your audience more often so that the algorithm notices your activities on YouTube.
Conclusion.
With YouTube's algorithm getting smarter every day thanks to machine learning and artificial intelligence, there's nothing you can do to get around the guidelines. If you try to trick him with a few tricks, you will end up not knowing what to do.
Now that you know how to use the power of the YouTube algorithm to grow your channel, optimize your YouTube campaign with this valuable information. And if you've already done so, let us know what change has benefited your channel the most in the comments below.
