If you believe in free will, we have terrible news – at least when it comes to YouTube. Because YouTube’s recommendation algorithm determines 70% of what people watch on the platform.
Seventy percent! This is some seriously stunning influence. 2.5 billion Youtube users watch 694,000 minutes of video every minute. And the recommendation system of the platform is responsible for most of these views.
So it’s no surprise that marketers, influencers, and creators are obsessed with unraveling the secret of Youtube’s algorithm. Getting recommended to the right viewers at the right time is your ticket to YouTube glory, but how does it work? What makes it tick? And, most importantly, how can we use this mysterious formula?
Well, think no more my curious YouTube friends, because in this blog post we will tell you all about the Youtube algorithm you have been dreaming about.
- What is an algorithm (and what is not)
- Latest Youtube Algorithm Changes
- Pro Tips for Making YouTube Search and Discovery Work for You
A Brief History of the YouTube Algorithm
What is the YouTube algorithm? To answer this question, let’s take a quick look at how YouTube’s algorithm has changed over the years. And how it works today.
2005–2011: Optimizing clicks and views
According to founder Javed Karim (a.k.a. star of I’m at the Zoo), YouTube was created in 2005 to collect videos of Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake’s famous Super Bowl performance. So it makes sense that the YouTube algorithm started by recommending the videos that got the most views or clicks.
Alas, this has led to an increase in misleading headlines and thumbnails (so-called clickbaits). The user experience plummeted as the video made people feel cheated, unsatisfied, or just plain annoyed.
2012: Watch time optimization
In 2012, YouTube changed its recommendation system to support the time spent watching each video. This also included time spent on the platform as a whole. When people find videos valuable and interesting, they watch them longer. Or so the theory goes.
This transition to reward-for-watch time has been a game-changer. According to Mark Bergan, author of Like, Comment, Subscribe: Inside YouTube’s Chaotic Rise to World Domination, “[watch time] had an immediate impact. Early YouTubers mostly made videos for TikTok…but browsing time created games, beauty blogs, alt-right podcasts…all of these verticals we now associate with YouTube.”
Accounts that were previously successful (such as videos from eHow or MysteryGuitarMan) disappeared almost immediately.
YouTube’s algorithm change has led some creators to try to make their videos shorter to increase the likelihood that viewers will watch them to the end. Others have made their videos longer to increase overall watch time. YouTube has not commented on any of these tactics and has kept the party line: make videos your audience wants to watch and the algorithm will reward you.
However, as anyone who has ever spent time online knows, time spent is not necessarily equivalent to quality time spent. YouTube has changed course again.
2015-2016: Optimization for Satisfaction
In 2015, YouTube began measuring viewer satisfaction directly through user surveys. He also prioritized direct response metrics like Share, Like, and Dislike (and, of course, a particularly hard “not interested”button).
In 2016, YouTube released a white paper describing some of the inner workings of AI: Deep Neural Networks for YouTube Recommendations.
In short, the algorithm has become more personal. The goal was to find a video that each specific viewer wants to watch, not just a video that many other people may have watched in the past.
As a result, in 2018 YouTube’s Chief Product Officer mentioned on a panel that 70% of YouTube’s watch time is spent watching algorithm-recommended videos.
2016-present: Dangerous content, demonetization and brand safety.
Over the years, the size and popularity of YouTube has led to an increase in content moderation issues. And what the algorithm recommends has become a serious topic not only for creators and advertisers, but also for journalists and the government.
YouTube said it takes its responsibility to support diverse opinions while reducing the spread of harmful misinformation seriously. For example, algorithm changes adopted in early 2019 reduced edge content consumption by 70%. (YouTube defines borderline content as content that doesn’t exactly violate community guidelines, but is harmful or misleading. On the other hand, content that breaks the rules is removed immediately.)
This issue affects creators who fear accidentally violating the ever-changing community guidelines. Or be punished by strikes, demonetization or worse.
(Former CEO Susan Wojcicki said one of YouTube’s priorities in 2021 is to make the community guidelines more transparent to creators.)
It also affects brands and advertisers who don’t want their name and logo to be used in conjunction with white supremacists.
Meanwhile, American politicians are increasingly concerned about the public role of social networking algorithms. YouTube (and other platforms) have been called to account for their algorithms at Senate hearings. And in early 2021, Democrats introduced the Protect Americans from Dangerous Algorithms Act.
Next, let’s talk about what we know about how this dangerous beast works.
How does the YouTube algorithm work in 2023?
The YouTube algorithm in 2023 gives clear recommendations to every user. These recommendations are based on user interests and browsing history, and are weighted based on factors such as performance and video quality.
When deciding what to recommend to each user, the YouTube algorithm takes into account the following:
- What videos have they liked in the past? If you’ve watched the 40-minute video essay about flags of the world, liked it, or commented on it, it’s probably safe to say that you found it interesting. Expect more flag content to come your way.
- What topics or channels have they watched before? If you subscribe to the Food Network YouTube channel, the algorithm will likely show you more food content.
- What videos are usually watched together? If you watch “How to Change a Monster Truck Tire”and most of the people who watch it also watch “Monster Truck Repair 101”, YouTube might recommend this as a follow up watch.
That’s why a millennial mom, a fan of comedies and designers, has a homepage that looks like this:
Of course, YouTube wants to recommend relevant and quality videos to each of its precious users. It’s not exactly a positive experience to follow a suggestion to watch 36 Most Stylish Cats in the World and find it boring, low quality, or oddly racist.
So how does YouTube judge whether a video deserves a recommendation?
First, it’s not about the content. The actual content of your video is not evaluated by the YouTube algorithm at all. Videos about how good YouTube is are no more likely to go viral than videos on how to tie a beret for a hamster.
“Our algorithm does not pay attention to video; it draws attention to the audience. So instead of trying to make videos that make the algorithm happy, focus on making videos that make your viewers happy,” says YouTube.
Instead, YouTube considers the following metrics for its recommendation algorithm:
- Do people even watch it? When a video is recommended, do people actually watch it, ignore it, or click “not interested”?
- How long do people watch it? YouTube’s algorithm takes into account both watch time and average view percentage to determine rankings.
- Did the audience like it? Likes and dislikes are assessed, as well as the level of engagement and the results of the survey after viewing.
- What is your regional context? The time of day and the language you speak also affect the YouTube algorithm.
How YouTube defines the algorithm
Over 500 hours of content is uploaded to YouTube every minute. The search engine would be absolute chaos without YouTube’s algorithm trying to help you find the most relevant content.
That’s right: the goal is not to provide you with the most popular or latest video for your search term. This is to provide you with the video that you find most helpful.
This is why two different users searching for the same term may see completely different lists of results.
The YouTube search algorithm prioritizes the following elements:
- Relevance: The YouTube algorithm attempts to match factors such as title, tags, content, and description with your search query.
- Engagement: Signals include watch time and view percentage, as well as likes, comments, and shares.
- Quality: To evaluate quality, the algorithm analyzes the signals to determine the authority and reliability of a channel for a given topic.
- User search and browsing history: what did you like or what did you view in the past? This will affect which search results the YouTube algorithm considers useful.
However, these factors are combined slightly differently, depending on where on YouTube you get recommendations.
YouTube recommends videos in three different places on the platform.
House
This is what you see when you open the YouTube app or visit the YouTube website. It is individual for each viewer. The recommendation engine selects videos for the home screen based on…
- Video performance
- User Browsing and Search History
Suggested videos
These are the videos that are recommended along with the videos you’re already watching: the list of videos that appears in the Up Next section. The algorithm suggests videos here based on…
- Topic of the current video
- Viewer’s browsing history
Search
The keyword obviously plays a role here. But each user’s search results will be slightly different thanks to the personalized signals that the algorithm takes into account. These signals include:
- Relevance of the title, description, and video content to the search query.
- Video performance and engagement
What is the algorithm for YouTube shorts?
YouTube shorts are short, vertical videos created with a smartphone and uploaded directly to YouTube from a YouTube app such as Stories. Millions of YouTube viewers watch short films every day…so stay awake with this new format.
YouTube’s VP of Product Management described Shorts as “a new way to create short videos for creators and artists who want to make short, memorable videos using just their mobile phones,”and continued, “Shorts is a new way to express yourself in 15 seconds or less”.
But how do you get your shorts to be detected?
YouTube users can find and watch shorts from the YouTube home page or from the Shorts tab on the website or app. The same referral signals apply to short videos as to “long”videos on YouTube. (Classic YouTube?)
Here’s what the YouTube Shorts algorithm takes into account:
- Relevance: Are the title, tags, content, and description relevant to the search query?
- Engagement: Are other people liking and commenting on this video?
- User Browsing History: What did you like or watch in the past?
- Related Content: What other shorts do similar viewers like to watch?
- Watch time: less important than for classic videos. But if someone can’t even sit through a 15-second video, that’s probably not a good sign.
Cool Tip: You can schedule your YouTube, uh, Longs through your Hootsuite dashboard so you have time to focus on more spontaneous YouTube Shorts on the go.
Paige Cooper is YouTube’s Lead Inbound Specialist for Hootsuite. She runs Hootsuite Labs, our Youtube channel, and sees Shorts as an opportunity to take advantage of.
“The advent of vertical video hasn’t changed the core algorithm per se, but YouTube Shorts open up a big new opportunity for creators,” she says. “If you’re already using an Instagram Reels or TikTok strategy, posting to YouTube Shorts seems like an easy win.”
11 Tips to Increase Your Organic Reach on YouTube
That said, when it comes to working with the YouTube algorithm, remember that the algorithm follows the audience. If you already have a YouTube marketing plan in place, these tips will help you increase your channel’s views.
Do Keyword Research
There is no person sitting at YouTube headquarters who watches your video and ranks it.
Instead, the algorithm looks at your metadata when it decides what the video is about, what video or categories it belongs to, and who might want to watch it.
When it comes to describing your video for the algorithm, you want to use the precise, concise language that people already use when searching.
For example, if you’re uploading a comedy sketch, you should probably include the words “comedy”and “funny”in the title and description, and clearly state the themes or theme of the video.
Since YouTube is not only a video platform but also a search engine, you can do keyword research the same way you would for a blog post or web copy: using free tools like Google Adwords or SEMrush. Learn more about social SEO here!
Once you’ve determined your main keywords, you’ll want to use them in four places:
- In the name of the video file (for example, laparoscopic-appendectomy.mov)
- In the title of the video (using catchy natural language, such as “Real life, step by step, laparoscopic appendectomy”)
- In the YouTube video description (especially the first two lines at the top of the page)
- In the video script (and therefore in the subtitles and subtitles of the video, which means loading the SRT file).
But there is one place where you do not need to specify keywords:
- In video tags. According to Youtube, tags “play a minimal role in video discovery” and are most useful if your keyword or channel name is often misspelled. (i.e. laparoscopy, laparoscopy, appendectomy, appendicitis, etc.) Adding unnecessary tags to your video description can even damage your video. This is against YouTube’s spam, deception and fraud policies.
Make it so people can’t resist clicking on the thumbnail
But no clickbait, obviously.
“Attraction”is the word YouTube uses to describe how a video encourages a person to take a risk (however small) and watch something new. While YouTube itself doesn’t care how your thumbnail visually looks, it does keep track of whether people actually click on.
YouTuber JJ McCullough uses the same style for his thumbnails, which usually feature his face, a brief title, and intriguing images.
To increase the appeal of your video:
- Upload your own thumbnail (and keep the visual style the same for all your thumbnails).
- Write an intriguing, catchy headline – one that you can’t help but click on
- Remember that the first sentence or so of the description will show up in search, so make it interesting and relevant.
Learn more about YouTube channel promotion tactics here.
Let people watch your video and all your videos
Once a viewer views one video, make it easy for them to keep watching your content and stay in your channel ecosystem.
For example, at the end of the Taskmaster episodes there is a card with links to other videos and an offer to subscribe to the channel.
To this end, use:
- Cards: Tag other relevant videos in your video.
- End screens: End with a call to action to watch another relevant video.
- Playlists: related videos
- Subscription watermarks (read more about converting viewers into subscribers in our guide to getting more YouTube subscribers)
Pro tip: Creating a series of videos is a great way to capitalize on the recent surge in viewership. Using a scheduling tool like Hootsuite makes it easy to schedule your monthly factory tour or interview in advance.
Attract views from other sources
Views that are not associated with the YouTube algorithm can still tell you that the algorithm was successful. For example: YouTube ads, external sites, social media cross-promotion, and partnerships with other channels or brands can help you earn views and subscribers, depending on your strategy.
For example, on the Murphy Beds Canada website, the support section has links to a selection of videos that open on YouTube.
The algorithm will not penalize your video for a large amount of outside traffic (such as a blog post). This is important because click through rates and watch time often drop when the majority of video traffic comes from ads or an external site.
According to the YouTube development team, the algorithm only pays attention to how the video performs in context. This way, a video that performs well on the home page will be shown to more people on the home page, no matter what its blog view metrics look like.
Pro Tip: Embedding a YouTube video on your blog or website is great for both the SEO of your blog on Google and the number of views your YouTube video has.
Interaction with comments and other channels
In order for your audience to grow, you need to develop relationships with your viewers. For many viewers, part of YouTube’s appeal is that they feel closer to the creators than traditional celebrities.
Building relationships with viewers and other creators can build bridges that will help you down the road. The Hootsuite Community Engagement Tools are a great way to stay on top of this.
Don’t stoop to creating clickbait
Gaining views for the sake of views is a losing situation. You may have created the most compelling combination of thumbnails and headlines of all time and garnered a huge amount of attention… but viewers will quickly realize you’ve fooled them and stop watching.
So what did it really give you?
Not only will you tarnish your brand reputation with bait and spoof, you will also be penalized by the YouTube algorithm. Misleading or sensational There is no chance that clickbait will impress the recommendation system.
Stick to accurate and quality content and create headings and thumbnails that properly represent what viewers will see.
The challenge is, as YouTuber Alec Wilcock says, “to make sure your videos are really valuable to your audience. You can’t just want them to be valuable.”
“Viewers can see fluff or filler from a mile away, so you don’t have to make a phone call or you’ll notice a reduction in watch time,” advises Cooper. “It’s a cliché at the moment, but every time you say ‘algorithm’, replace that word with ‘audience’. We don’t make videos for robots, we make them for smart, insightful people who have countless other ways to spend their time.”Ask yourself: “Would I watch this?”as much as possible.
Follow the conversation
Your YouTube channel can be a great way to join in on trendy topics. But it’s hard to make a smart response video or give your opinion on an issue if you don’t pay attention to what’s going on.
Hootsuite keyword search streams are very useful for social listening. Insert an industry term or hashtag to keep up with the conversations in your community.
For example, a child literacy charity may want to follow other popular literacy topics or the hashtag #volunteering.
Creating engaging, relevant content is one of the best ways to impress this YouTube algorithm.
Google Trends is another great source for keeping up to date. If you notice a problem that people want to solve, be the one to solve the problem.
One recent video that works really well for Hootsuite is our video on how to share a 60 second Instagram reel to your Instagram story without interrupting it. “We did research to find a workaround for a common problem people are having, and it paid off with a retention rate of 78%,” explains Cooper. (Of course, videos like this have a pretty short shelf life because Instagram will update the app sooner rather than later. “I’m already looking for our next hack,”she says.)
Grow by experimenting
The only way to find out what really captures the attention of the audience and earns you valuable viewing time is to try, try, try. You’ll never find this secret recipe for success without a little experimentation… and maybe a few setbacks (also known as learning about opponents) along the way.
Mister Beast didn’t become the richest YouTuber in the world overnight. Through trial and error, he found that the crazier and more extravagant his stunts were, the better his views and engagement. And now he’s curing blindness. What a time to be alive!
“These are small changes and course corrections that add up over time!” says Cooper. “As a small channel, obviously the dream is to create a piece of gold that goes viral. But for a small educational channel, it’s important to focus on practical, valuable videos that we know people already need.”
Two tactics that have paid off for Hootsuite Labs are getting more specific (i.e. “niche down”) with a topic (i.e. instead of “Instagram vs. TikTok”followed by “Instagram vs. TikTok for business”; and 2) make a video first on this topic. “But what really means both is knowing your audience: what they care about, what their problems are, what they are interested in, and what they want to know,” says Cooper.
Take heart from the fact that if the experiment really fails, this low-performing video will in no way lower the rankings of your channel or future videos. (Unless you’ve really alienated your audience to the point where they won’t want to watch you anymore.) According to the YouTube development team, all of your videos have an equal chance of attracting viewers.
Get to know your audience
It’s almost impossible to surprise an audience if you don’t know who they are. That is why it is so important to understand your target audience and their behavior.
Get to know your audience on YouTube by delving into your analytics either directly through YouTube or with the Hootsuite audience analysis tool.
Understanding their location, gender, and age can help develop a content strategy. Seeing how they actually interact with your videos—engagement, watch time, and all those important social media metrics—will also point you in the right direction.
Knowledge! Is! Power!
Post at the best time
The YouTube algorithm doesn’t directly base its recommendations on what time or day you post. But the algorithm takes into account the popularity and engagement of the video. And one surefire way to get more YouTube views is to post your video while your audience is online.
Prepare your videos ahead of time and then use the scheduling tool for maximum coverage. The Hootsuite Scheduler, for example, provides customized recommendations for the best posting times for your audience. Here’s how it works:
Don’t Just Make Long Videos: Make Good Videos
While YouTube’s algorithm rewards watch time, it’s all relative. “Our discovery system uses absolute and relative watch time as signals when deciding on audience engagement, and we encourage you to do the same,” YouTube says. “Generally speaking, relative watch time is more important for short videos, and absolute watch time is more important for longer videos.”
So when creating a video, think less about the overall length and more about creating compelling content that keeps the viewer watching until the end, no matter how long or short your video is.
If they disappear by 25%, that’s not good, whether your video is 6 or 60 minutes long.
Pro Tip: Check Audience Retention to understand how long your unique viewers like to watch. You can then customize your content accordingly.
“You’re constantly learning about your audience, and every win and every loss will tell you something about what they appreciate (or don’t appreciate) that you can apply to your next video,”notes Cooper.
“If you’re losing fifty percent of your audience in the first 30 seconds, try cutting back on that content. If your average watch time is two minutes out of 10, see what happens if you make a five minute video. Each video is judged on its own merits, which means that each video is a new chance to succeed…or fail. (Sorry!)”
Of course, mastering the YouTube algorithm is just one way to get your YouTube channel the attention it deserves. To learn more about how to succeed on YouTube, check out our guide to creating a custom YouTube marketing strategy. And, ahem, while you’re there… maybe you’d like to like our channel and subscribe?