- Leveraging advanced AI language models to better understand content topics and viewer interests.
- Optimizing the discovery experience with improved layouts and content pathways to reduce “choice paralysis.”
Strategies For Creators
With viewer satisfaction as the overarching goal, this is how creators can maximize the potential of having their videos recommended:
- Focus on creating content that drives high viewer satisfaction through strong audience retention, positive survey responses, likes/engagement, and low abandon rates.
- Develop consistent series or sequel videos to increase chances of being suggested for related/sequence views.
- Utilize playlists, end screens, and linked video prompts to connect your content for extended viewing sessions.
- Explore creating content in newer formats, such as Shorts, live streams, or podcasts, that may align with changing viewer interests.
- Monitor performance overall, specifically from your existing subscriber base as a baseline.
- Don’t get discouraged by initial metrics. YouTube allows videos to continuously find relevant audience segments over time.
- Pay attention to seasonality trends, competition, and evolving viewer interests, which can all impact recommendations.
In Summary – 20 Key Facts About YouTube’s Algorithm
- YouTube has multiple algorithms for different sections (homepage, suggested videos, search, etc.).
- The recommendation system powers the homepage and suggested video sections.
- The system pulls in videos that are relevant for each viewer.
- Maximizing viewer satisfaction is the top priority for rankings.
- YouTube uses survey responses, likes, dislikes, and “not interested” clicks to measure satisfaction.
- High audience retention percentages signal positive satisfaction.
- Homepage rankings combine performance data and personalized relevance.
- Performance is based on click-through rates and average view duration.
- Personalized relevance factors include watch history, interests, and subscriptions.
- Suggested videos prioritize content that is co-viewed by the same audiences.
- Videos from subscribed channels are prioritized for suggestions.
- Consistent series and sequential videos increase suggestions for related viewing.
- Playlists, end screens, and linked videos can extend viewing sessions.
- Creating engaging, satisfying content is the core strategy for recommendations.
- External factors like competition, trends, and seasonality impact recommendations.
- YouTube aims to help new/smaller creators get discovered through recommendations.
- AI language models are improving content understanding and personalization.
- YouTube optimizes the discovery experience to reduce “choice paralysis.”
- Videos can find audiences over time, even if initial metrics are discouraging.
- The algorithm focuses on delivering long-term, satisfying experiences for viewer retention.
Insight From Industry Experts
While putting together this article, I reached out to industry experts to ask about their take on YouTube’s algorithms and what’s currently working for them.
Greg Jarboe, the president and co-founder of SEO-PR and author of YouTube and Video Marketing, says:
“The goals of YouTube’s search and discovery system are twofold: to help viewers find the videos they want to watch, and to maximize long-term viewer engagement and satisfaction. So, to optimize your videos for discovery, you should write optimized titles, tags, and descriptions. This has been true since July 2011, when the YouTube Creator Playbook became available to the public for the first time.
However, YouTube changed its algorithm in October 2012 – replacing ‘view count’ with ‘watch time.’ That’s why you need to go beyond optimizing your video’s metadata. You also need to keep viewers watching with a variety of techniques. For starters, you need to create a compelling opening to your videos and then use effective editing techniques to maintain and build interest through the video.