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Because YouTube does not reveal its algorithm, myths sometimes surround which videos are suggested on the viewer’s homepage. Nevertheless, various YouTubers have succeeded in eliciting a few secrets from the algorithm.
The YouTube algorithm – short and sweet
Multiple factors play a role in making a video appear on the home page of potential viewers. The algorithm YouTube uses is secret.
- The algorithm recognises related videos. For example, if someone is watching a video about cinema, your video is more likely to be suggested if it talks about the latest cinema films.
- Channel maintenance increases viewership: Better thumbnails, or cover images, as well as descriptions attract more viewers.
- Pay attention to the watchtime, i.e. the playback time of the viewers. Because the more people spend time on your channel, the more likely YouTube is to suggest your videos.
The linchpin of the algorithm: YouTube watch time
YouTube calculates the score for a video based on the watchtime. Several factors contribute to this:
- YouTube has chosen watchtime because it cannot be falsified by views or clicks that come from click farms in India or China.
- It depends on how long your video is watched. Do viewers stop watching after just a few seconds, or do they watch most of the video in its entirety? This is how YouTube determines the percentage that goes into the score.
- In addition, the length of a watch session on YouTube influences the score. Let’s say a user spends one to two hours at a time on YouTube. Is your video watched at the beginning or towards the end of the session? Or is your video viewed in between?
- The algorithm also rewards users who maintain their channel consistently, i.e. upload content regularly.
Generate watch time on YouTube: How to use the algorithm
Researchers have found out how to get more attention for your video. You can use the following rules to do this:
- Upload a video two to three times a week.
- Longer videos increase the attention of users. They should therefore be between 7 and 16 minutes long.
- Videos should be engaging so that the average time spent by a viewer is between 5 and 8 minutes.
- Create a playlist that contains several related videos. If a user has activated the autoplay function, the next video in the playlist opens automatically.
- Pay attention to the metadata of a video: The length of the title and description do not matter to the algorithm. The content should simply be relevant to the viewers. Also, design stunningly good title images. Provide videos with keywords or tags that users enter in the search engine.
