New YouTube review: how its video recommendation system works



The source – YouTube, Social Media Today

A helpful review from YouTube came out. His theme is the operation of the video recommendation system. This presentation should help video creators attract more viewers with their clips. You don't need to be an analytics expert to be successful on YouTube!

The review was presented by Rachel Alves, YouTube Product Manager.

It talks about how the main goal of video hosting is being achieved - guaranteeing users such a positive experience with the platform that viewers will want to come back.

In its early days, YouTube received reviews that expressed dissatisfaction with populating people's home channels with sensational or repulsive videos. Therefore, more attention began to be paid to such an indicator as video viewing time. But it does not guarantee a positive response to the quality of the content after views.

Therefore, YouTube has been guided by the principle of "quality or value" ever since, striving to satisfy the needs of viewers. It does it with:

  • user surveys, revealing what people like and why (according to Alves, the platform sends out millions of surveys to users every month);
  • prioritizing content from authoritative sources, especially news;
  • reducing the distribution of "borderline offensive content" videos.

Thus, YouTube is committed to providing users with a positive experience with the platform and is ready to be held accountable for this.

Yes, there are various issues with conflicting content, including misinformation, conspiracy-themed videos, and politically divisive material. But YouTube is trying to improve its approach to what videos it recommends to users, despite the lack of a perfect solution.

As mentioned, the platform collects monthly feedback on a wide range of uploaded videos. Alves says that at this stage, YouTube employees are not sharing this information with content creators due to the lack of feedback on each individual clip. However, this information is used to improve their algorithms and systems.

In addition to direct feedback through surveys, YouTube also uses signals such as:

  • clicking on the "Not interested" option in a separate video menu;
  • likes and dislikes for videos;
  • publishing clips.

As with other social platforms, these steps are important in determining the reach of videos through the YouTube homepage and Featured lists. These fast response rates also play a role in determining your performance.

The hypothesis that there is one central YouTube algorithm is wrong. The homepage and the "Featured" lists actually use different algorithms. Creators looking to maximize home page views are better off exploring their content from the perspective of someone new to their particular channel but with an interest in similar videos.

Continuous posting of new releases can help keep your videos appearing in relevant user video feeds. Alves also notes that if these people have already watched some of your other videos, then they will know about the latest videos you have submitted.

In the Featured feed, these videos tell viewers what to watch next after the current clip.

The most effective tactic for increasing your presence on the Featured lists, according to Alves, is to develop a video series or create thematically related clips. She also recommends using a consistent headline and sketch style to create a strong, recognizable brand identity.

“See More” call-to-action buttons, playlists and end screens are effective tools for encouraging viewers to keep watching your content. So if you go to the homepage, YouTube will try to show you content based on individual recommendations (like history, location, trends, etc.). If you go to a specific video, the recommended content will be determined by that specific clip. The YouTube system is trying to be as personalized as possible.

Basically, content creators need to release videos that appeal to their target audience, and then consistently accumulate videos on topics that encourage viewers to come back to the channel again. In addition, it is worth maintaining branding elements to increase awareness. Part of that comes with knowing what works in your niche, but strategizing and adhering to the process is also key to building YouTube audiences.

There are some valuable tips here that can help promote your video channel. Considering YouTube has over 2 billion monthly active users, this is something to consider when creating your marketing plan.

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