From a marketing perspective, I would like to share my experience to understand how the YouTube algorithm works and help you gain visibility for your videos. YouTube is the second platform with the highest number of active users. Since its launch in 2005, its development has been in competition with TV and now it is even the winner of the competition.
It’s safe to say that YouTube’s algorithms are successful in terms of their contribution to our watchlist, but how does it manage this impact? There is a basic study to discover how the youtube algorithm works by examining youtube creator guides, and I wanted to compile it for you.
What is Youtube’s algorithm?
An algorithm is a method designed to solve a problem or achieve a goal. This definition, which is widely used in mathematics and information systems, is described as a set of operations from the beginning to the end of a specified end state. The Youtube algorithm is an artificial intelligence-supported recommendation system designed to present users with the content they may be most interested in.
By processing this algorithm correctly, you can get your content in front of users who are interested in your video content and bring your content to your target audience.
What does the Youtube Algorithm include?
- Removal of content that violates policies
- Preventing false information and news
- highlighting more authoritative sources for news and information
- rewarding trusted content creators
YouTube tells us that it has four pillars in its algorithm design approach.
E.E.A.T criteria, which are important for SEO, are actually the cornerstone of all content.
How will the Youtube Algorithm work in 2025?
You can also visit https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/ for detailed information. Youtube uses machine learning to understand user behavior, and this algorithm structure, which tries to model and learn behaviors in a way that prioritizes videos that are most likely to be watched, liked and interacted with, is now evolving towards the position of “finding videos for viewers instead of finding videos for viewers”.
The short summary of this process, which is handled in two stages, is as follows: offering a personal experience to the viewer and video performance.
The first stage is based on the video content the user watches, signals which topics the user engages with or ignores, and video performance is based on viewer performance. so how does youtube measure viewer satisfaction?
video watch time
video shares
engagement (likes, comments, subscriptions)
The cycle built on these pillars, in turn, can make youtube content producers more demanding in terms of likes and comments. Let’s take a closer look at how the YouTube app manages each step in the user experience.
Youtube video search
To access a video content, we don’t just use the search button on youtube, we also include our content in google searches, google search engine results (SERPs) and video sections in the google search tab. If your video stands out in a search, it can also mean meeting an audience that doesn’t know you. In this context, SEO criteria are exactly the same, in fact, it is necessary to evaluate them specifically for video.
- İnterest level
- Video watch time
- Video quality
We can illustrate this image with the video below. Same search but different results.
Youtube Home page
The home page is the first screen that most users encounter in their youtube sessions, full of ads, relevant videos and suggestions that may be of interest to the user, this screen is the most tangible indicator of the youtube personalized experience.
If you visit without logging in, you will see general trending videos and content.
Recommended Videos
YouTube shares recommended videos on the home page and in the “Next” sections. YouTube makes it clear that the recommended video algorithm is always changing. YouTube constantly tests and adjusts recommended videos to individual users to ensure maximum relevance.
- The algorithm takes the user into account where possible:
- Watch history
- Search history
- Channel Subsricription
- Country and time of day for news or trending content.
Another factor in the recommended video algorithm is video quality. YouTube takes into account the behavior and interactions of similar audiences, whether they click on the same video or watch it to the end. These are important quality indicators for the algorithm regarding the content’s relevance and potential interactions.
Finally, YouTube collects its own data on how useful a video is using polls that appear on the homepage and in the app. This direct feedback is used to improve the algorithm and recommendation system for all users, not just the respondent.
YouTube creators say;
YouTube Strategist Zach Mitchem;
“Recommended video is the number one thing to focus on, the number one thing that’s important to understand. 70% of views come from recommended. “Mitchem shares the importance of users watching multiple videos from a single channel. If YouTube sees that users are watching more than one video from a channel, it will recommend other videos on the channel.
One tactic to help users stay engaged with content is to use a thumbnail template. Mitchem adds:
“If people like the video, see the thumbnail again later and click on it, YouTube learns that people are watching more than one video. We want to teach YouTube that people don’t watch one video from a channel, they watch ten videos. When YouTube realizes that people are watching multiple videos, YouTube will see that people are staying on the platform, staying longer, and watching more ads. YouTube will want to show them more.”
The important thing here is to use thumbnails to keep users engaged and encourage them to watch your other videos.
Trending
Trends are a unique part of the YouTube algorithm as they are not personalized, and it is quite possible to appeal to a wide audience through Trends. For the average content creator, trending is a key element of correctly identifying what’s catching viewers’ attention. Sometimes it’s a viral video, sometimes it’s a piece of content that’s trending or a hot topic.
YouTube Short Videos
With the rise of short videos, Tiktoks and Instagram videos, it’s now more obvious that YouTube is encouraging creators to use Shorts. YouTube-powered hashtags like #shorts30 encourage creators to upload one video a day for a month. On the mobile version of the homepage, short videos are highly prioritized and featured after an ad and a long video.