YouTube algorithm: how does it work and how to use it
Contents:
YouTube is the world’s largest platform for video content. A wide range of content the platform is holding can satisfy any user’s requirement. While for the average internet user, YouTube may be something of a way to pass the time, for marketers, it’s a massive field to research, to create, and to learn.
YouTube has two distinctive features on the internet right now: it is the second most popular search engine and the most popular video platform. The numbers we learn each year about YouTube really are impressive. According to Statista, YouTube has 1.9 billion users worldwide monthly. Only Facebook can outmatch this number. Ninety-five percent of the Internet population can use YouTube in the native language. Such geographic and linguistic mishmash is incredibly convenient for huge or growing businesses alike.
For successful marketing, you have got to understand how the main video platform in the world is really functioning. It is crucial to know how algorithms can make you channel either very visible one or buried underweight of similar content. If you are concerned to convey a message that your business is holding, you must know that the YouTube algorithm learn how users are acting on the platform. In consequence, that has a significant impact on how you should make videos and lead your strategy.
Many people used to perceive YouTube as a sort of entertaining platform; only for the last several years we started to think of it as a great source of education materials – with all the lectures, travel blogs and how-to-do stuff. For marketers, it is one of the essential tools. It’s odd, but some people even today tend to say that they see their audience located on the other platforms. If you one of these people you better rethink this position. Here’s why: one-third of the total time online people spent watching videos. No wonder most of them doing it on YouTube.
For many people, the way YouTube works is a big mystery. In fact, YouTube official faces have never hidden information about this sort of things. Not long ago, at the beginning of 2019, YouTube claims that its algorithm will stop recommending something that they call “borderline content”. That would have seriously restricted everything that could misinform users. If anything changing in the way the platform works, YouTube quickly announces it.
YouTube has something that we can call a “disposition” to arrange a search in a certain way. Let’s figure out the essentials of how it works.
How does the recommendations system work?
YouTube recommendations have an essential role in helping more than a billion users every day find videos that match their interests. What is impressive about the recommendation system is its scale. We all knew how vast YouTube is; to operate successfully with such a huge number of users and perpetually coming content is not easy. YouTube is handling that task brilliantly, not only arranging a unique online experience for each user but balancing new content with an old.
For starters, YouTube tracks users’ interests and try to interpret what content they enjoy the most. It is only part of the way it works. The way of tracking that is much deeper, and it goes far beyond content only. They “measure” likes and dislikes, watch time, comments, average view duration, user’s demographic data and location, click-through rate, previous searching. That is enough information to understand a user’s behavior on the platform. Once YouTube gets the idea of what the user may like, they started to filter videos for recommendations. YouTube uses two neural networks for that goal: the first one is for candidate generation and the other one for ranking. We can see in the picture of how YouTube filters videos for recommendations. Clearly, the information about user aka “user history and context” influences candidate generation and ranking. The impact of deep learning on the system is hard to overrate.
YouTube recommendations system is built on Google Brain and uses various deep neural network architectures to track every aspect. The creators of YouTube say that “[the] system learns one billion parameters and are trained on hundreds of billions of examples”.
Five pillars of the YouTube algorithm
YouTube has divided all their videos into five different sections. There is as follow: home, search, suggested videos, trending, and subscriptions. There is nothing unique about it, and many other resources use a personalized algorithm to satisfy the user’s requirements. YouTube, as very-well-designed marketing project, helps users’ find the videos they would like to watch and enjoy. In exchange what YouTube receives is an increased amount of time, the average user spent on the platform.
Let’s take a look at these sections.
Search
So, search. That is where YouTube has a starting point for every user. YouTube ranks videos in search of information about a video, including hidden videos too. It contains a video title, description, tags, thumbnail, category and subtitles. It is vital to choose the right and proper formulated information in your video. Vague and obscure keywords could be bad news and place it far from the first page of search. For example, tags place your video with similar ones. If you choose the wrong tags first, YouTube will put you in the wrong section. Too common tags also are not good, because you’ll find yourself in the big company and most like blend with it.
To put your video into a competitive position in the search, YouTube will consider these factors as the most important ones. Other aspects influence this system. It’s matter how many videos have been watched on your channel. The more, the better chances you have to be higher. Well, it is natural, isn’t it? The topic you cover is essential – if people watch the video from the same area lately, it has more chances to stumble upon yours.
Trending
The trending page as it comes from the title is about news – what’s new, what’s become so popular that it became viral and so on. The important thing is that YouTube in the trending section shows broadcast from a user’s country.
Suggested Videos
As we have said before, YouTube managed to create a unique experience for each user. It means that suggestions couldn’t be the same for two users. YouTube engineers claim that they analyze many parameters to make a single suggestion. It includes users’ activity history, the engagement rate, the topic, comments and shares, the stats on video that seems to be relevant for a recommendation.
Subscriptions
Subscriptions allow users to view all the uploaded videos from their favorite channels. It’s a convenient and straightforward section that shapes the user’s page identity. The way the user act on these subscriptions is highly essential. If users tend to watch a video right after it was uploaded, it will affect how YouTube ranks the channel.
How YouTube determines the algorithm
What the algorithm suggests and generally how it works completely depends on a user’s behavior. What people watch, and what they ignore is the most significant part. It creates a bubble, so to speak, that contains the user’s most relevant themes and topics. The algorithm will cover it in suggestions.
How much time people tend to spend watching videos. Watch time matters more than click-through rate, even though it happened to become a rule only recently. For many marketers, it’s the marker of quality the video possesses.
How often a channel uploads a new video. In fact, if you want to have a good ranking, stay consistent. YouTube’s ranking system is very sensitive to consistent channels. And so are the users. When we say “consistency” we mean two things: how often you post new videos and how logically arranged your content is. It is easier for people to decide whether they need to visit your channel or not if they have a clear idea of what you do.
The watch time or how much time people keep staying on the platform. As we said before in this article, the watch time is one of YouTube’s ranking factors. In the suggestions you’re most likely will get videos with a length that YouTube defines as comfortable for you. On the other hand, a video with a higher watch time will be rank higher in results. It increases the chances that your content appears in suggested video lists. The more videos you have with high watch time level, the better your channel will rank.
The engagement rate. That includes all the impressions as likes and dislikes, comments or shares.
“Not interested” choice. Well, all user’s preferences are important. If you didn’t express interest in something, you draw the line of what shouldn’t appear in your suggestions list. YouTube finds it very important.
How to make YouTube’s algorithm working for you?
We have already mentioned some tips on the topic, but let’s learn how you can use all the information about the algorithm in practice.
Take care of metadata. The descriptions, video title, tags, thumbnail, category and subtitles. Make it as clear as the theme of content allows you to.
Adjust your keywords to a user’s search. The words used to describe a video must be the same as people tend to type in the search.
Add subtitles. Did you know that people often watch video soundless? Without subtitles, you might be invisible on YouTube ranking and not reachable for people who will turn it down for some other content.
Choose captivating thumbnails. The image you select to represent your video is as important as description or title. YouTube will offer you some image, but to use it might not be the best decision. Make your own. Some channels on YouTube uses talking heads as a way to draw attention. What you are getting is a different look that may be more relevant to your brand.
Convince people to subscribe to your channel. As odd as it sounds, many channels use different tactics to make people stay on their channels longer. Ideally – as long as possible by subscribing. The more subscribers you get, the higher your position in the rank will be.
Create playlists. It is surprisingly of great importance. People often engaged by stories, and to tell about one of the things that are related to your product or area you work in, could be perfect in the shape of a series of videos. That will affect the audience retention rate.
Analyze how people react to your videos. You can discover that through the YouTube analytics section. Tracking stats on your channel is highly important. By measuring the successes and failures of your strategy on YouTube, you can better understand how to provide an interesting, engaging experience for your viewers and subscribers. If you know your audience, you can change the way of presenting the videos. For example, you expect that your audience is between the ages of 35-40 and from a specific country, let’s say, Ireland. In YouTube analytics in the section demographic, you learn that it is not like that at all. Your audience is younger and its location is mostly in the UK. Now you can change many things in your channel since your audience is different from what you expected.
Loading...
Comments
[…] Insider research suggests that the Zetas check Instagram (65%), YouTube (62%) and Snapchat (51%), and of course TikTok and Facebook daily. So you can confidently include […]
YouTube algorithms are constantly changing. There is no evidence of what will they implement tomorrow. But the content should rock, that is for sure.
All the secrets of YouTube in just one article. Thank you very much!
How many secrets this platform hides.
It’s great that you write about it!
With billions of hours of daily uploads and views, Youtube should have the perfect system of ranging videos. No doubt they have a super cool team of developers making this algorithm work efficiently.
Yuotube is a monopoly. What else can I say
I like watching Youtube and thiy method of showing you the videos you will most probably like is quite fair. Cant say for sure anything about animation, as it is comparatively rare
I have never understood the way the YT algorithm really works
Precious information for YouTube users!
Relevant information for our company at the moment!
YouTube algorithms are not that complicated if you understand.
Thank you for helping with this.
I want to say thank you for the material collected in this article! 🙂
Useful publication.
My gratitude
The article is filled with useful information, read without breaking away.
In general, all the material on the site is of great benefit to various employees in our field. And it makes me happy.
YouTube is truly one of the most popular platforms on the internet. And for those who want to develop in the field of online, it is very correct to master YouTube, and of course to know its algorithms.
How many new facts I learned is incredible.
This is a really useful and informative article!
Very useful information for YouTube users. I noticed a lot of new things for myself. Thanks
Enjoyed examining this, very good stuff, thank you.
An effective algorithm for working with YouTube! Checked personally!
I couldn’t even imagine learning so much from your article. It turns out not so simple. You need to know a lot to be successful on YouTube.
YouTube is a very popular platform. Not surprisingly, not everything is so simple.
I think this will help me improve my interaction with YouTube!
Class, exactly what I was looking for.
Good job guys! It is not a shame to send such an article to friends.
Just a source of necessary information for me. I’m glad I came across this blog on the Internet.
My opinion is that you can write a lot more about YouTube. I hope you will.
At first I thought this blog was just about animation. But you cover so many different topics. How do you manage to be an expert in so many industries at once?
Great article, I liked it. Thank you for that)
Maybe YouTube is not the most popular platform, but it is quite successful. I think this is relevant information.
My YouTube channel will say thank you when I finally use it all for him.
Good article and site in general. I like to spend time here.
I join other comments. You are cool!
Continue in that direction. You are doing great!
Please tell me, do you take any courses on writing articles and running websites? Very relevant for me. Thanks for the answer.
I hope there will be additional information. Because every day new changes are made, which I would like to know about.
After all, you are fantastic. A talented person is talented in everything. It is said as if about you.
There is not always time to look for and learn new things, new rules. That’s why I turn to this site. Here everything is gathered together. And you do not need to look for anything extra.
I shared this blog on my page. I hope you will not mind.
Interesting, informative, useful. There is much more to be said. But probably you already say it many times)
I just want to thank you for this great material.
Article on solid 5! You know what you’re writing about. This deserves respect.
The YouTube algorithm is well described. I’ll make bookmarks.
YouTube is very popular right now. Therefore, this information is relevant and necessary.
Useful Information
A difficult topic for me. YouTube’s algorithms are not so easy to understand.
I want to express my admiration for your ability to present information in an accessible and interesting way!
It will be useful in the near future. I plan to create my own page on this platform. While studying the information.
Which site do you find as popular as YouTube? Who can compete with him?
I love reading this site. He is good)
YouTube has millions of users. No wonder there are so many important rules.
Are you interested in cooperation? Where can I write about this?
Very informative. Thanks for the article.
All your efforts are noticeable. All the work will not be in vain!
This is important information for YouTube users. It is a pity that so few people see the site.
Tell me how you can subscribe to news and newsletters?
Interesting thoughts, there is something to think about.
Joined on the recommendation. Decent site! It is very interesting to read all the articles.
Good job. Thanks for the info!
It is difficult for me to understand all the algorithms of the platform. A difficult topic for me.
These algorithms are constantly changing. It is unrealistic to follow them.
To create cool projects – you need to constantly improve. Here you are absolutely right.
I also really wanted to visit this forum. But this year, unfortunately, did not work out. I hope next year everything will work out!
Did you go there with your studio?
This article will be useful for people like me. I’m going to study in more detail.
Well, now everything has become clearer.
This article will be useful for people like me. I’m going to study in more detail.
I see a lot of information about you on YouTube. Are you researching this platform on your own?
I wish you more subscribers. All the best)
Quite interesting. Thank you for that.
Of course, it is good that the algorithms are changing and improving. You need to constantly monitor this.
I have my own Utah channel. Therefore, such information is always relevant to me.
Thanks for the helpful tips. I’m going to gain new views)
I can only wish good luck to beginner channels)
I really like your articles. I always read from beginning to end. Good luck!
Not sure how to view your YouTube stats?
Simply put, it takes a lot of work to succeed in any business. Whether it’s a regular job or a seemingly simple YouTube.
You raised a topical issue. I hope there will be more such articles.
Thanks for the info. We will apply in practice.
I read a lot about it. New information appears everywhere.
Interesting, thanks for the article!
The article is very useful, a lot of necessary information. Especially for beginners.
Good blog. Always useful and interesting tips.
Let’s try. I hope it works. The development of my channel is very important to me.
I’d like to hear more about keywords.
I still can’t fully understand this platform. I thought it was easier here. And it turned out that no.
Very informative. Thank you from the bottom of my heart)
It is difficult to succeed on YouTube. Too many competitors. But you can at least try.
I’m truly enjoying the design and layout of your website.
It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more pleasant for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme? Exceptional work!
I never understood on the basis of which the investment in the Trend is formed. Not based on views exactly. And here’s how?
In principle, everything is logical. it never hurts to learn something new. Thank you for this opportunity.
I’m promoting my channel. That’s why you help me a lot with such articles. Thank you very much for that!
I have the impression that the algorithms of YouTube are constantly changing)
How difficult it is to promote your channel on YouTube. There are many different factors.
Thank you for writing about this. Your advice helped me a lot.
Well, now everything is completely clear. Not everything is as complicated as I thought.
I want to wish good luck and patience to beginner channels)
Everything has changed so much lately. Well, let’s get used to the changes and adapt to the new.
YouTube has never hidden information. Here you are right. But few people read it.
How important it is to understand these algorithms. Without them, you will not be able to work on the platform.
Our success depends only on our efforts. Everything is in our hands. Anyone who wants to grow their YouTube business will do so.
It looks like a real study. Cool article!
How do you know everything about YouTube algorithms?
These algorithms change so often that I simply do not have time to follow them.
Great information. Thank you.
This information is relevant at all times. Great help for the development of my channel. Thanks!
Is it possible to promote your YouTube channel using your Instagram page?
I have been working with YouTube since 2019. I stopped following all these details a long time ago. The main thing is to create quality content.
How difficult it is to promote your channel now. Even with good content. Very difficult.
You are very cool. Thanks for trying for us!
Please tell us more about how to promote your YouTube channel. I think this would be of interest to many.
Algorithms are not easy to understand. One article will definitely not be enough. So we are waiting for the continuation of the topic 🙂
Quality and creative content. Cool articles, as always!
How often do you need to release your videos on the channel? Or does it not affect anything? Do I need to cut content every day?
It would be interesting to read more about the algorithms of Instagram and TikTok. Are they there too?
Youtube’s algorithms are unpredictable. They are unpredictable even for the most popular bloggers.
A very popular blog. I watch you all the time. Thanks for the information!
I am planning to create my own channel. But for now, I’m just learning. It’s not as simple as I first thought. Your articles are very helpful too.
More cool content like this!
It is very difficult to get promoted on YouTube. Is your channel really profitable?
Thank you for your work and for all the information that you give to novice bloggers.
You need to take part in a contest for one of the most useful blogs on the net.
I am going to recommend this web site!
I understand why you produce such cool content. You just love your job!
The main thing is that the information on the channel is interesting to the viewer. Without this, you will definitely not achieve success.
Everything about YouTube is just right. Thanks. As always the best!
Youtube’s algorithms are absolutely unpredictable. It is very difficult to predict and understand something here.
I don’t believe in any algorithms. I just want to wish good luck to all all channels 🙂
It is quite difficult to determine at least some YouTube algorithms. This platform defies logic.
Okay, I’ll include these tips for future reading.
You understand exactly the topic that you highlight in the blog. Thank you for the article.
Interesting, but not sure if it will work.
Quite often I meet information about YouTube. You also write quite interestingly.
I’ve tried so many things but nothing has changed. I’ll just continue to do vtdeo and that’s it.
It is difficult to understand at least a little YouTube algorithms. Such a complex network. Probably one of the most difficult. They themselves have not yet fully understood it, the developers 🙂
Good advice. Maybe I’ll think about it later
I was interested to hear your thoughts on this.
After reading the comments on various forums, I realized that there was more than one such loser on YouTube and calmed down)
In a year and a month, I managed to gain nine thousand subscribers. And these are living people. Who like and watch me. Can this be considered a success?
It’s truly a great and useful piece of info.
I am happy that you shared this helpful info with us.
Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
What a stuff of un-ambiguity and preserveness of precious
knowledge on the topic of unpredicted emotions.
Magnificent website. Plenty of helpful information here. I am sending it to several friends ans also sharing in delicious.
And certainly, thanks to your effort!
Once I get to the page of your blog, I always go here. You have been helpful to me and for that I want to express my gratitude!
Thanks to the author for a valuable blog!
Do you have a youtube channel? It would be interesting to watch you.
I think you should update the information. Everyone would be interested in learning new things about this topic.
Added article to bookmarks. In general, I collect such and similar material for myself because I plan to start blogging. and I want to do it professionally.
Do other platforms have their own algorithms too?
Useful reading for my free time!
How many difficulties with maintaining your channel. But if everything was too simple – it would not be interesting.
Is there something similar for Instagram?
You can make good money on YouTube. So I will try to develop myself there. Thanks for your help on this.
You should definitely write a follow up on this topic. Information about YouTube is always popular among users.
It was fun to read about this from you. The article was good. Thank you!
All the owners of YouTube channels are dedicated. How many worries with maintaining your channel. But I like.
Fascinating reading awaits me tonight
YouTube algorithms are unknown and incomprehensible. It is difficult to predict something in this regard.
Informative and interesting. You guys are great for writing!
Moved to analog platforms. The only way. There are also easier options.
What about channel promotion? What are the effective methods? Is it possible to do it for free
What else can you read to learn more about YouTube? Any advice. Thanks!
I have long wanted to ask about subscribing to the news of the site. How can I do that? Any hints would be helpful.
My favorite blog. Thank you for all your postings.
Definitely like and subscribe!
Thanks for the info!
I’m starting my journey with this platform. And that was my mistake. It’s all too complicated there.
Grerat article daysZ)
Only you help me a little with YouTube. However, this knowledge is still insufficient.
Youtube probably doesn’t know how to deal with its algorithms correctly
Are you able to bypass all these algorithms?
I have constant problems with this topic.
Is there anything on YouTube itself about its algorithms?
Your blog is amazing. I love your style. You are cool! Truth
It is convenient to search by hashtags, maybe someone did not know, I write for them
Hope something helps me
What has changed in modern times?
Where can I see the prices for the animation you make in your studio?
I was interested in reading the article. Truth)
Everything works for me with YouTube. Patience guys. just patience!
I am an illustrator and would like to join your team. How to do this?
I learn a lot of new things here. And it’s cool. After all, other blogs copy information from each other. Sad horse. But that’s the reality