Starting a career in YouTube and content creation is a tough decision. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work. And even then the payoff is not guaranteed. What you have to offer might not catch on with people quickly. Here is how does the YouTube algorithm work?
But what you can do is use the algorithm in your favour. It’s not rocket science, it is quite tactical. Once you have realised what the algorithm does and does not support, your job becomes a lot simpler.
Let us first get a clear idea of what YouTube is. YouTube as a company was started as a home video sharing application, where the founders of YouTube, namely Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim uploaded their videos.
They were colleagues from the company of PayPal and wanted to share their home videos since they found that to be entertaining.
The company was registered on the 14th of February of 2005. Shortly after the uploading of the first few videos on the platform, in May of 2005, it was recorded to attract more than 30,000 visitors per day.
By the time, the public version of YouTube was launched, there were already more than two million views on the available videos, recorded till December of 2005.
Needless to say, the application crafted with the modest intention of sharing unprofessionally made videos had attracted tremendous attention, across the world and the company was forced to improve their facilities and their broadband services.
There were more than 25 million videos on the platform, by 2006 and the founders were by now, running into troubles regarding copy written content.
They then began the quest for selling their company. Google bought YouTube, for the price of 1.65 billion in stocks, in November of 2006.
Basic criteria for how does the YouTube algorithm work
Within a year of launching an application, YouTube reached the pinnacle of success and has never looked back, since. Google took care of the lawsuits made for the copy written content and negotiated with some companies to allow their copy-written content to be used on the platform.
It is one of the most astonishing records in business ventures by people who left a very successful company, to create history. Today, the platform has over 800 million content creators on the platform and millions and billions of more watchers.
There are stricter regulations on the platform and they are maintained strictly. The platform has now created paid and unpaid versions which allow certain content creators to partner with YouTube and create exclusive content.
This once humble start-up now employs an unthinkable number of people and today, many kids grow up, idolizing the profession. Many creators have made their presence known with the help of this platform. This platform has been the reason for many artists exploring their inner desire to create art instead of working at a 9-5 job.
But enough about YouTube itself, let's talk about clearing the clouds on how does the YouTube algorithm work?
There are there basic criteria that the YouTube algorithm works on
- Increase watch time.
- Keep the viewer on the platform for longer.
- Optimise the choice of videos suggested.
No, for the most part, YouTube puts the videos on the suggested page, if to increase the traffic to a particular channel's video. The video of the channel that goes on the suggested videos page is either trending for the country or is the only source of the traffic to that channel.
From a user point of view, you will be suggested videos based on your watch history.
The watch time of the existing videos suggests that the viewer was interested in the topic. The higher the watch time, the higher are your chances of getting your video on the suggested videos page.
To experience increased traffic to your account you need more and more engagement. The more likes and shares you get, the better is your engagement on the app.
