Great video explained very well. I recently pivoted my channel and UA-cam tells me that around 75 percent of my viewers are choosing not to view my new content. However I'm pretty confident that my new content is as good if not better than my old stuff but I just need UA-cam to find a new audience for it. So the BIG question is, how many videos is this going to take before UA-cam realises that it shouldn't keep recommending this new content to the old viewers.
Is it even possible to have multiple audiences as one channel? Like does the algorithm account for that or are you just shooting yourself in the foot by having a vide array of content?
it's quite sad but i think it'd be better for you to start over. when you have a million subscribers and only average about 10k views, your channel is pretty much dead.. you can't revive it. i know a million is alot, it was probably very hard for you to get there but they don't serve much purpose anymore. start afresh with your new better content and a new set of audience will find you. i'm sure you've learned alot in your youtube journey that you can apply to your new channel which will make the growth faster this time around. do not give up!
@@self4341 Thanks Self, very true. UA-cam sent me an email last month to say that they're taking my monitization away as some of my videos break their new policy rules. They don't say which ones so I have to delete all of them to be absoultely sure I can get monitezed again. It's really sad but in a way it was probably for the best, as like you say the reality is I might as well start from scatch. Thanks for your kind words.
Ultimately if it just comes down to making the best stuff you can and that you think will be interesting, then it’s a huge relief. The scary part is trusting your gut and just doing that 😬
I learned all this through trial and error, but from the viewer side, not the content creator side. I noticed that when I click on a video that was recommended, it immediately changed the videos that were recommended on the main feed. But I usually didn't like the video. Then I learned that if I popped into my History (it's in the left sidebar) and removed the video from my list, it immediately cleared the recommendations from my feed. I've been shaping "The Algorithm" to my liking ever since. I usually watch new videos incognito just to see what I think, and then if I like it I'll "watch" it again not incognito, but in a separate window with the volume turned down (so it's still in the foreground even if I'm actually working on another window), and then do the usual commenting and subscribing to boost it further. It does really bother me that it stops recommending channels I love just because a few videos in a row didn't interest me. This is really a poor experience for viewers because it happens a lot. A channel where I watch 95% of the videos has a brief period where something is happening that needs coverage, but I'm not interested in that thing. So as a viewer I just ignore the videos and wait for that thing to be over so I can continue to watch the content I enjoy. As a quick recent example, Minecraft just had a Live event that talked about the next version coming out. I already watched the event so I know everything I need to know about it. But several channels I watch cover all that info anyway. I don't watch it because none of them is saying anything I don't already know. I just want to watch them play the game or make tutorials. But if that's all it takes then the channel isn't recommended to me anymore because I skipped a couple videos. Same thing comes up with channels that focus on one game at a time. Sometimes they play a game that doesn't interest me, so I take a break. Then a month or more passes before they start a new series that does interest me, but by then the channel is no longer in my feed, even though they've now started a series that definitely interests me. They really need to fix that experience. Just to be clear, they may have already made adjustments for this. I'm talking from years of prior experience, nothing recent. So I don't know for sure that it's still a problem. I'm just saying that if it is, it really needs a rework because that's not how real people work. Temporary disinterest doesn't immediately mean long-term disinterest.
i completely agree with everything you say other then the fact that the algorithm doesn’t look at channels. i believe, to an extent, it does. if i don’t upload for 2-3 days (i’m a shorts youtuber) my analytics will dip like crazy. how can that be explained?
Great video as always! On your last point - UA-cam does not differentiate properly between livestream VODS & videos. If you stream daily it spams your subs with your VODS as if they're a proper edited video to your subscribers that don't watch your lives. Of course your lives will not match the quality of your videos, and nor with the thumbnails and so the algorithm defnitely punishes you across the board. Not only this, but it also spams people with your upcoming scheduled streams, actively annoying your subscribers to death. This ends up with you having 3+ vods/scheduled streams on viewers homepages at the same time, destroying your CTR when you actually post a video. But again, if the video is good, it's good and will blow up regardless. However, it seems to increase the lows you get when a video tanks (as the initial burst of viewers in the testing phase is a lot smaller) The most success I've noticed with other streamers/youtubers in this space with 100k+ subs that do well, is streaming less often, maybe once a week on a schedule - then focusing on having a killer title/thumbnail & posting the VOD. The VOD will get a great amount of views during the week and build anticipation towards the next stream! OR not posting your vods and keeping them members only. Genuinely if you want to stream daily and not spend hours focusing on a great thumbnail and title every single stream (which is exhausting) then Twitch is the best option.
“There is a low note that is resonating here. I’ll find it and let you know how to EQ it out” unfortunately nothing fun, just looks like a note from Harris to editor.
This is exactly why I make videos for "People" and not the algorithm!! I realize it'll take a "LOT" for my channel to grow and i'm 100% ok with that, but I take comfort in knowing that I make my videos for ppl to enjoy and if they want to sub, they can..... and if not, i still had fun making every video I've decided to upload!! 400 subscribers are not easy to come by so I appreciate everyone that watches!! Also, JUST GOT THAT COMMUNITY TAAAAAAAB lol!! Love your work Harris and Streambeats is one of the best things you could've done for creators
Exactly what I’m doing! It’s rewarding to see every subscriber notification and it encourages me to make even more videos for the people that want to see my content. I’m close to 370 subs and that means the world to me! I used to have only 10 making videos😅
Just got over 500 subs and unlocked the community tab too. Congrats! How did you get it with 400 subs? Did it appear automatically or did you have to apply?
@@LucaAnamaria you know what, that's a really good question that I wish I had the answer to 🤔🤔!! I didn't apply, I actually had been waiting to get my subs to 500 which will still take longer because I haven't uploaded in a while (I am still very active & vocal on UA-cam though) I just woke up to an email and a notification on my channel that let me know I had the community tab!! I couldn't began to tell you how it happened 🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️!! Congratulations on over 500 subs, don't take those ppl for granted and when you reach 1k, be just as humble then as you are now😁 I'm genuinely excited for you 😊 👏 👏
@@Leada1ne After I posted my comment, I saw a video saying that UA-cam has started rolling out the community tab to all channels under 500 subs. Apparently, the update was announced a couple of weeks ago.
Well now I have to test this with gameplay since that’s typically the hardest thing to appease for “the algorithm” in my opinion. Interesting and solo video!
This is the kind of video that is really helpful for people trying to grow their channels and their communities. It dispels a lot of myths that other UA-camrs keep putting out there. Thanks Harris!
I feel like this is probably the most no-nonsense explanation as to how everything works. Had my own assumptions of it working in a similar way as to what you're describing, but I guess this confirms my hypotheses
What I really need is a very easy to reach toggle that tells YT "this is NOT something I want more of, I just need this for the moment" Like when I repair my headphones, or replace my tail light, or ask myself wtf is in that thumbail?
since i made a longer break my videos do not get recommended anymore AT ALL even though the thumbnails and quality is better than before...WHY? i feel so demotivated , animationg is really time consuming and hard so thats even more frustrating :(
Thanks so much for this video mate! This answers the many questions that I've had about UA-cam as I make videos and livestream. Keep up the great work!
As someone who is diagnosed with DID. CPTSD ADHD AND AUTISM, following MOST Of this can get VERY difficult. We've had a music channel for at least a year now, and we'd almost PREFER THE SLOW trickle = Shorts HAS HELPED A bit, but also just having different videos every so often, weekly CAN help, but not ALL of our videos literally have done much - we're getting there, and videos like this do give us hope :#
The problem is that this approach simply forces creators to produce the same old stuff. I do international politics. I know what tends to work. I could just bang out video after video on that specific subject (as sone channels do). I could sit back and just enjoy the revenues. But I want to look at less covered areas. I know there is an audience, but it is slightly different from my usual audience. But because it doesn’t conform to the usual audience YT doesn’t push it out to them. It could. It wouldn’t be hard to do it. But it doesn’t. (Or certainly doesn’t do it well.) It’s actually really frustrating. This is a downside to the system. And I think it has got worse recently.
This makes a lot of sense but also completely explains why gaming UA-camrs have such a hard time when their game starts to dwindle or they want to switch. Your own audience that you built up works against you in a way
Thank you and I hope you're right! I was so afraid of uploading both long gaming playthroughs with shorts less than a minute and shorts videos over a minute but not as long as the gameplays 😩😩
Absolutely spot on. Excellent video once again 😊 Once I got my head around how audience profiles work it resulted in a very noticeable increase in growth and engagement on my channel and a much healthier work/life balance because I stopped worrying about “pleasing the algorithm” with videos just for the sake of it.
Hidden message at 0:48 says "[Harris Heller Oct 24, 18:22] There is a low note that is resonating here. I'll find it and let you know how to EQ it out."
Now it makes sense that videos that have launched to the top of UA-camrs are responsible for their channel becoming so big. Thanks for sharing this with us👍
This video makes tons of sense! When I watch a video from you Harris, I end up seeing similar type videos in my recommended almost immediately. There are only a few UA-camrs that make videos that I watch from beginning to end. And those always end up being the theme of my recommended videos.
Thanks for this! I know I need to work on my story telling… I also know that the only thing I have for consistency is that I’m consistently inconsistent. Unfortunately I have fun making such a wide array of videos that I struggle with it all 🤷♂️
I heard someone replace the phrase "UA-cam Algorithm" with the audience a while back. That perspective shift made the algorithm more understandable and has helped me understand why videos are/aren't doing well.
If a video is "tested" by being recommended to people who have recently clicked on that UA-camr's videos, as proven by your example of Captain Disillusion, doesn't that go against the quote you begged the question with? "The algorithm doesn't look at channels. The algorithm only looks at videos." - If the videos it looks at are being tested based on channels, than it looks at channels... no?
This is insanely helpful. Thanks so much for making this content! Hoping to implement some of this stuff into my future videos and "think like a viewer". Keep the good stuff coming!!
Hey Harris! You’ll probably never see this but I’ll give it a shot anyways. Have you made any videos on how you make your streambeats? Or just how to make music in general? Like what software to use, how to use it, etc?
I've studied UA-cam a ton over the past 3 years and here's the question I still can't seem to crack: Does UA-cam primarily look at the channel when considering what to show viewers based on their watch history OR does it weight the TYPE of content more heavily? Of course, I mean within the same niche. An example would be posting a video about the new Zelda trailer one day, a Mario tip video the next day, and then maybe a Metroid Let's Play the next day. They're all somewhat related, but different types of content. I know it all comes back to "your audience," but audiences are complex. No 2 people are alike much less the hundreds, to thousands, to potentially millions of people who could be watching a video. I think this is what makes the "niche" question so difficult for something like gaming, especially when you cover games that aren't big enough on their own to build entire channels around - such as Fortnite, Minecraft, etc.
Thanks for sharing this with us, man. Thinking of the algorithm more as the audience helps put things into perspective a little better. Loving your videos lately!
Do you ever experience desire that is so deep, so profound that you tear up from intensity? Emotions want to pour out? You've been a very helpful source of information since I've discovered you one, two months ago. Thanks Harris. 😎🙃
Just literally took the thoughts out of my brain that I want to tell to my friends. On other platforms this concept or idea explained can be different but the reality of UA-cam is some videos, streams etc are just not as interesting to your audience sometimes. But learning to accept that and find ways to be more appealing for the future is a step we all will have to take going forward. Thanks Harris as always! … oh yeah Favorite emoji 🔱
I love this video for the information, but more because it highlights an important point for content creators: CONTENT IS KING. Spend less time thinking about pleasing the algorithm and more time into making the best content you can. 👍
I feel like UA-cam needs to make a whole page called "UA-cam Live" or something to make it easier to find live channels, i find it difficult to find live channels currently so maybe a change to that will help the live streaming on youtube? Just an idea! :) A lot of people from Twitch are transitioning to UA-cam livestreaming and they are finding it so much better but also so much more difficult as well. If UA-cam upgraded their livestreaming i think there would be a lotttt more people interacting with youtube especially from the gaming/twitch communities that want to transition. I hope this makes some sense to someone LMAO
The part that I have trouble with is how UA-cam decides that a video is 'good'. This will generally be by engagement, so it makes sense that larger youtubers will see more engagement on their videos than smaller channels - due to them already having a substantial fan base. Given two similar videos, the one from the larger creator will generally get offered in preference to the smaller creator (especially when hitting search terms).
You are correct but it is much less a factor than you might think. There are channels with over a million subs that get less traffic than my 70k sub channel. There are channels a quarter my size in the same niche who outperform me. These are exceptions to the general rule but it does show how the little guy can take advantage. The size-beats-all problem is IMO way less of a problem on YT than anywhere, though it does exist.
For sure. We’ve all seen the channels that have several thousand views on each video and they’re fantastic. Then the big channels have the same video topic and it ain’t good. But that channel has the 400 K views or some bs.
I got recommended this video, watched the whole video. And I disagree. Completely. I mean I understand the concept of "testing" the audience, but I feel like UA-cam is lying to you - and is employing (or shall I say, deploying) an algorithm to peek on what you're doing. I uploaded a video, made it private, waited weeks, "PUBLISHED" the video, ONLY... ONLY to find out days later... its age-restricted. When you comment on videos, the algorithm removes comments that are not conducive to the platform it gets removed. This is why people call it the algorithm; a robot removing things at their own volition.
I’ve been trying to push for 1K subs (I’m so close!) and the MAIN THING I’ve learned is that between UA-cam, Twitch, Tiktok, Instagram and more… YT is the only one that feels like it WANTS me to succeed. It tries to push my content and it WANTS to find the right people to watch it. My job is to make something worth watching. The other platforms feel like I’m fighting the algorithm, UA-cam feels like I’m working with it.
Based video. I just started streaming and am really happy with the impressions. UA-cam definitely pushes properly uploaded videos out to a lot of people. It’s just up to you to capture your audience. This is the basics of marketing
what confuses me, why does one of my shorts get 2k views and then another one with an identical format get 0, 20, maybe 50 views tops. And why do my videos with a very high like-view ratio, still cap out at 2k views max?
I honestly think that this is one of your best advice videos on growth due to its simplicity and clarity, or rather, a bit more directly saying that it's about the audience~
Here’s a weird one. Sometimes my UA-cam short doesn’t pick up. I remove it, reupload at a different time and it gets tens of thousands of engagement. Is it still “not the algorithm”? UA-cam claims “time of upload” doesn’t matter, but I have had four videos where it seemed to matter.
My mind is going to explode like a grenade. I watch this video, everything sounds super reasonable and makes sense... go look at my analytics to see what videos have the most retention and... and... it's literally our advertising videos. 77% retention rate, streams and uploads not great. But we kill it on UA-cam with ads. Man I'm super glad I found this channel... seriously. Helpful to know where to look for clues.
finally a realistic look at what matters on this topic!! love your content but i REALLY love your editor! forget his name but he is epic btw... incase you forgot for 22 seconds.
Now that you say it, that makes a LOT of sense, actually! It makes me think the UA-cam web developers didn't want to go through all that trouble of making the algorithm complex. I've noticed similar videos pop up when I click on them.
Great video Harris. I love all your content. Plus you got my attention for this video with the algorithm of the catch rates for Silver and gold. Good hook right there.
In your discussion with YT folks about the "algorithm, what's the story on dislikes on videos? Do they also push a video into suggestions just because they get lumped with likes for a total number of interactions or are they seperate and can negatively affect a video being pushed?
Does UA-cam just look at active click throughs or do they also take into consideration auto continue (i.e. when a viewer allows the recommended feed to continue playing without actively clicking on it)?
I've noticed trends more than individual channels, ei subjects or hobbies. First it was sewing, then dog grooming, then landscaping (its all about the transformation for me, so I guess I can see the link). Most recently that I can think of is puzzles. Sprinkled in throughout there is Japanese culture videos, like a couple where one is white, the other is Japanese and they have cats, or white people born and raised in Japan. Don't get me wrong, its fascinating, but I wish I could tweak it just a little. Like my boss is Chinese, I'd like to learn more about Chinese culture.
Love the video as always, though 48 seconds in you left 1 frame with Production Notes "[Harris Heller OCT 34, 18:22] There is a low note that is resonating here. I'll find it an dlet you know how to EQ it out" That might be an interesting video idea...how you produce your video's from idea to final product. I know I would watch it.
I mentioned part of this to a YT channel I watch, who started doing Streams in addition to the standard YT videos. They would post the stream a few hours, many hours, to even a day ahead of going live. I’m not sure if I am a typical consumer but I would check my YT feed for stuff I want to watch NOW, not in an hour from now, that evening or in a couple of days, but right then, that’s when I have the time and desire to watch some YT. It’s a very right now and not planned interaction and I have a lot of channels I’m subbed too so if this channel is not giving me the content I want there are a TON of others that are. Anyway, I see this channel I follow with a super familiar and insta recognizable thumbnail slip into my feed and I make a beeline to watching their video as I enjoy their content. I get the “stream starting soon” splash page but it’s actually in X number of days. I click off and find other content to watch. Now I am not sure if you have to be in a video/stream for a certain amount of time but I found that Stream wasn’t suggested to me again. So because the channel had posted the stream announcement in advance they had lost me from that stream. It happened a few more times after that so channel, same mistake. Then I lost that channel as a suggestion on my home/feed page because they had put up a stream announcement for a stream in a few hours+ of when I wanted to consume content. They didn’t differentiate the thumbnail so unless I read the title and video details that are under the thumbnail (which I never do) and so it cost them metrics. Creators need to up their game if they want to integrate streams into their channel. Common sense tips to consider: 1. This isn’t Twitch, doing it how you did it there isn’t going to work. Your not competing for my attention vs a bunch of other streamers. Advertising your streams in advance on twitch is fine as I am specifically visiting that platform to catch live content and be part of the show. So knowing when my favourite streamers are live in advance allows me to add that to my day. That doesn’t work on YT. 2. If you want to stream on YT, take time to understand YT consumer behaviour and take advantage of it, make it work for you rather than against you. YT is my day in and day out constant buddy, I watch on my iPad and that sucker goes everywhere with me, making breakfast and my kids school lunches I do it to the sounds of YT videos from my feed. Working and not in a meeting or on the phone then I have my YT feed playing. I want content now and I watch what’s suggested in my feed. The only time I use YT differently is when I discover a new YT channel, I like them and I watch their entire back catalogue in one sitting if possible. My point here is that my YT consumption is all about the here and now. It starts and usually ends with my feed, if your content is suggested to me but your a new channel, if I like it I’ll sub and either watch everything you post that makes it onto my feed or I will make your channel my background music/occasional diversion from work for my day. All you have to do is make a good initial first impression so I sub and then I’m sucking the figurative marrow from your channels bones, posting a stream 5 hours from now is not the way to do it. 3. Assume that YT and your viewers are not going to lift a finger to adapt to you wanting to stream. Twitch is shooting itself in the foot right now and YT is happy to offer you a fair deal to stream with them but it’s really all a gimme freebie bonus. They might give you a few new bells and whistles but dramatically changing their UI or worse creating a new Pavlovian response in their audience will likely never happen. I’ve heard reports that YT streams might have their own category on your channel and other adjust,ents that will help might be in the works, but don’t craft your content and your strategy assuming that. Instead create content and strategies that don’t need that assistance. Not only will your metrics improve because your strat and content work with YT and your viewers habits than against it, but it will also put you miles ahead of other creators further boosting your metrics as they bash their brains out on the wall of “coming over from twitch inflexibility”.
The sad part is that it'll keep changing so the whole, "don't upload in x frequency" or "don't use premiers," and especially "don't stream and upload." do not apply now compared to then.
The best thought process I've found is to think about what videos you should be creating for your average, or ideal, viewer. It's simple, but so many people get caught up in creating videos for an algorithm and it can just feel robotic
Just like the music industry, there's only two real algorithms. 1. You make content good enough and consistent enough to keep peoples attention and it's worthwhile sharing. (Independent Artist) 2. You sell your soul and the industry turns you into a superstar because you're their guinea pig for whatever agenda they have. (360 Deals)
This was killer... I am an avid Colin and Samir listener, and I found this video because of their reddit sream... I will be subscribing, and look forward to seeing more of your content.
I had a video flop this morning and I immediately said to myself "what do I need to do differently". Made some adjustments and now I'm waiting to see what happens!🎃🎃🎃
So then my only question I am left asking relates to the ending of this video where you discuss how having poorly performing live streams on your channel can negatively affect the performance of your future videos because the algorithm assumes that your audience that it can recommend your videos to isn’t going to like them because they haven’t liked your previous live streams. My question is is that also the case with UA-cam shorts where if you’re uploading two or three shorts and one of them blows up and gets 1000 views but the other two don’t go anywhere and only get 10 views are those dead UA-cam shorts going to then negatively impact the performance of your following videos
My question would be about shorts. I was getting THOUSANDS of views, until they announced monetization, then literally nothing sense. So how would I as a small streamer ever get pushed to anyone, if i dont have a base to initially watch the videos?
Who keeps popping up in your recommended feed that you aren't subscribed to? The world needs to know.
xqc is the one I don't sub too but keeps showing
but I don't like xqc. at all
penguinz0 and Ross Draws to name a couple.
There is one guy who plays destiny 2, he just randomly pops up in my recommend but I have never subscribed him or seen him before!
I keep getting recommended far-right extremsist because I once watched a video from a centre-right politician
Great video explained very well. I recently pivoted my channel and UA-cam tells me that around 75 percent of my viewers are choosing not to view my new content. However I'm pretty confident that my new content is as good if not better than my old stuff but I just need UA-cam to find a new audience for it. So the BIG question is, how many videos is this going to take before UA-cam realises that it shouldn't keep recommending this new content to the old viewers.
Is it even possible to have multiple audiences as one channel? Like does the algorithm account for that or are you just shooting yourself in the foot by having a vide array of content?
I can tell you how to get in-front of the audience bro I just figured it out and wish I would’ve done this before I transitioned my content 🫠
it's quite sad but i think it'd be better for you to start over. when you have a million subscribers and only average about 10k views, your channel is pretty much dead.. you can't revive it. i know a million is alot, it was probably very hard for you to get there but they don't serve much purpose anymore. start afresh with your new better content and a new set of audience will find you. i'm sure you've learned alot in your youtube journey that you can apply to your new channel which will make the growth faster this time around. do not give up!
@@self4341 Thanks Self, very true. UA-cam sent me an email last month to say that they're taking my monitization away as some of my videos break their new policy rules. They don't say which ones so I have to delete all of them to be absoultely sure I can get monitezed again. It's really sad but in a way it was probably for the best, as like you say the reality is I might as well start from scatch.
Thanks for your kind words.
Ultimately if it just comes down to making the best stuff you can and that you think will be interesting, then it’s a huge relief. The scary part is trusting your gut and just doing that 😬
Definitely, just trying to be the best version of yourself
The real scary part is doing your best to avoid a copyright strike and adhering to YT's "Community guidelines."
This proves that just a little improvement goes a long way when you're passionate with what you do!
I learned all this through trial and error, but from the viewer side, not the content creator side. I noticed that when I click on a video that was recommended, it immediately changed the videos that were recommended on the main feed. But I usually didn't like the video. Then I learned that if I popped into my History (it's in the left sidebar) and removed the video from my list, it immediately cleared the recommendations from my feed. I've been shaping "The Algorithm" to my liking ever since. I usually watch new videos incognito just to see what I think, and then if I like it I'll "watch" it again not incognito, but in a separate window with the volume turned down (so it's still in the foreground even if I'm actually working on another window), and then do the usual commenting and subscribing to boost it further.
It does really bother me that it stops recommending channels I love just because a few videos in a row didn't interest me. This is really a poor experience for viewers because it happens a lot. A channel where I watch 95% of the videos has a brief period where something is happening that needs coverage, but I'm not interested in that thing. So as a viewer I just ignore the videos and wait for that thing to be over so I can continue to watch the content I enjoy. As a quick recent example, Minecraft just had a Live event that talked about the next version coming out. I already watched the event so I know everything I need to know about it. But several channels I watch cover all that info anyway. I don't watch it because none of them is saying anything I don't already know. I just want to watch them play the game or make tutorials. But if that's all it takes then the channel isn't recommended to me anymore because I skipped a couple videos. Same thing comes up with channels that focus on one game at a time. Sometimes they play a game that doesn't interest me, so I take a break. Then a month or more passes before they start a new series that does interest me, but by then the channel is no longer in my feed, even though they've now started a series that definitely interests me. They really need to fix that experience.
Just to be clear, they may have already made adjustments for this. I'm talking from years of prior experience, nothing recent. So I don't know for sure that it's still a problem. I'm just saying that if it is, it really needs a rework because that's not how real people work. Temporary disinterest doesn't immediately mean long-term disinterest.
As someone who works in algorithmic programming this is a very good high level overview. Nice job!
ayyye, nice to see you still active Cereal - Captain from EU
@@SenseiRaichuss yep, still posting vids to just not as much EU content
i completely agree with everything you say other then the fact that the algorithm doesn’t look at channels. i believe, to an extent, it does. if i don’t upload for 2-3 days (i’m a shorts youtuber) my analytics will dip like crazy. how can that be explained?
0:47 Hope you managed to EQ that resonating note
Haha we got a chance to spot an ingredient of the special sauce.
Attention to Detail: GOD MODE
Great video as always! On your last point - UA-cam does not differentiate properly between livestream VODS & videos. If you stream daily it spams your subs with your VODS as if they're a proper edited video to your subscribers that don't watch your lives. Of course your lives will not match the quality of your videos, and nor with the thumbnails and so the algorithm defnitely punishes you across the board. Not only this, but it also spams people with your upcoming scheduled streams, actively annoying your subscribers to death. This ends up with you having 3+ vods/scheduled streams on viewers homepages at the same time, destroying your CTR when you actually post a video.
But again, if the video is good, it's good and will blow up regardless. However, it seems to increase the lows you get when a video tanks (as the initial burst of viewers in the testing phase is a lot smaller)
The most success I've noticed with other streamers/youtubers in this space with 100k+ subs that do well, is streaming less often, maybe once a week on a schedule - then focusing on having a killer title/thumbnail & posting the VOD. The VOD will get a great amount of views during the week and build anticipation towards the next stream! OR not posting your vods and keeping them members only. Genuinely if you want to stream daily and not spend hours focusing on a great thumbnail and title every single stream (which is exhausting) then Twitch is the best option.
Loved this video!!! Thats why i leave a link in my youtube shorts comments to my previous video. To get ppl to binge more!
anyone else see that one frame of a note at 0:48 ?
You’re seeing things
“There is a low note that is resonating here. I’ll find it and let you know how to EQ it out” unfortunately nothing fun, just looks like a note from Harris to editor.
This is exactly why I make videos for "People" and not the algorithm!! I realize it'll take a "LOT" for my channel to grow and i'm 100% ok with that, but I take comfort in knowing that I make my videos for ppl to enjoy and if they want to sub, they can..... and if not, i still had fun making every video I've decided to upload!! 400 subscribers are not easy to come by so I appreciate everyone that watches!! Also, JUST GOT THAT COMMUNITY TAAAAAAAB lol!! Love your work Harris and Streambeats is one of the best things you could've done for creators
Exactly what I’m doing! It’s rewarding to see every subscriber notification and it encourages me to make even more videos for the people that want to see my content. I’m close to 370 subs and that means the world to me! I used to have only 10 making videos😅
Just got over 500 subs and unlocked the community tab too. Congrats! How did you get it with 400 subs? Did it appear automatically or did you have to apply?
@@LucaAnamaria you know what, that's a really good question that I wish I had the answer to 🤔🤔!! I didn't apply, I actually had been waiting to get my subs to 500 which will still take longer because I haven't uploaded in a while (I am still very active & vocal on UA-cam though) I just woke up to an email and a notification on my channel that let me know I had the community tab!! I couldn't began to tell you how it happened 🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️!! Congratulations on over 500 subs, don't take those ppl for granted and when you reach 1k, be just as humble then as you are now😁 I'm genuinely excited for you 😊 👏 👏
@@Leada1ne After I posted my comment, I saw a video saying that UA-cam has started rolling out the community tab to all channels under 500 subs. Apparently, the update was announced a couple of weeks ago.
@@Leada1ne And thank you. 🤗❤️ I wish you all the best in your channel's growth too!
This was very eye opening to be honest. Thanks for making this
Hello fan 👋Thanks for watching and commenting, YOU WON A PRIZE🎖️Message me on telegram, To Acknowledge your PRIZE 🎁!!!!!!
Well now I have to test this with gameplay since that’s typically the hardest thing to appease for “the algorithm” in my opinion. Interesting and solo video!
at 0:48 "There is a low note that is resonating here, Ill find it and let you know how to EQ it out"
Good stuff. Thanks for posting this video. Wrestling with this problem myself.
This is the kind of video that is really helpful for people trying to grow their channels and their communities. It dispels a lot of myths that other UA-camrs keep putting out there. Thanks Harris!
I feel like this is probably the most no-nonsense explanation as to how everything works. Had my own assumptions of it working in a similar way as to what you're describing, but I guess this confirms my hypotheses
What I really need is a very easy to reach toggle that tells YT "this is NOT something I want more of, I just need this for the moment" Like when I repair my headphones, or replace my tail light, or ask myself wtf is in that thumbail?
Man, I really needed to hear this reminder... It couldn't have come at a more appropriate time! Seriously man, I appreciate you!
since i made a longer break my videos do not get recommended anymore AT ALL even though the thumbnails and quality is better than before...WHY? i feel so demotivated , animationg is really time consuming and hard so thats even more frustrating :(
Thanks so much for this video mate! This answers the many questions that I've had about UA-cam as I make videos and livestream. Keep up the great work!
As someone who is diagnosed with DID. CPTSD ADHD AND AUTISM, following MOST Of this can get VERY difficult. We've had a music channel for at least a year now, and we'd almost PREFER THE SLOW trickle = Shorts HAS HELPED A bit, but also just having different videos every so often, weekly CAN help, but not ALL of our videos literally have done much - we're getting there, and videos like this do give us hope :#
The problem is that this approach simply forces creators to produce the same old stuff. I do international politics. I know what tends to work. I could just bang out video after video on that specific subject (as sone channels do). I could sit back and just enjoy the revenues. But I want to look at less covered areas. I know there is an audience, but it is slightly different from my usual audience. But because it doesn’t conform to the usual audience YT doesn’t push it out to them. It could. It wouldn’t be hard to do it. But it doesn’t. (Or certainly doesn’t do it well.) It’s actually really frustrating. This is a downside to the system. And I think it has got worse recently.
This makes a lot of sense but also completely explains why gaming UA-camrs have such a hard time when their game starts to dwindle or they want to switch. Your own audience that you built up works against you in a way
Hello fan 👋Thanks for watching and commenting, YOU WON A PRIZE🎖️Message me on telegram, To Acknowledge your PRIZE 🎁!!!!!
Thank you and I hope you're right! I was so afraid of uploading both long gaming playthroughs with shorts less than a minute and shorts videos over a minute but not as long as the gameplays 😩😩
Absolutely spot on. Excellent video once again 😊
Once I got my head around how audience profiles work it resulted in a very noticeable increase in growth and engagement on my channel and a much healthier work/life balance because I stopped worrying about “pleasing the algorithm” with videos just for the sake of it.
Hidden message at 0:48 says "[Harris Heller Oct 24, 18:22] There is a low note that is resonating here. I'll find it and let you know how to EQ it out."
Now it makes sense that videos that have launched to the top of UA-camrs are responsible for their channel becoming so big. Thanks for sharing this with us👍
Thank you so much for this video. This changed my whole mind set!
Great video, Harris! Also, I love the editing, Scott!
this is probably the best explanation i’ve seen so far. Thank you for the insight!
🎉🎉🎉
Thanks Harris for clearing this up, I was a bit puzzled sometimes. 😍
This video makes tons of sense! When I watch a video from you Harris, I end up seeing similar type videos in my recommended almost immediately. There are only a few UA-camrs that make videos that I watch from beginning to end. And those always end up being the theme of my recommended videos.
Awesome analysis about user profiles and their relationships. Thank you!
Thanks for this! I know I need to work on my story telling… I also know that the only thing I have for consistency is that I’m consistently inconsistent. Unfortunately I have fun making such a wide array of videos that I struggle with it all 🤷♂️
Brilliant! You just relieved alot of anxiety around the entire planet in 1 video🧚♀️💕 THANK YOU
I heard someone replace the phrase "UA-cam Algorithm" with the audience a while back. That perspective shift made the algorithm more understandable and has helped me understand why videos are/aren't doing well.
Excellent explanation of the Algorithm! Amazing video! I thoroughly enjoyed your content! Keep up the great work!
If a video is "tested" by being recommended to people who have recently clicked on that UA-camr's videos, as proven by your example of Captain Disillusion, doesn't that go against the quote you begged the question with? "The algorithm doesn't look at channels. The algorithm only looks at videos." - If the videos it looks at are being tested based on channels, than it looks at channels... no?
This is insanely helpful. Thanks so much for making this content! Hoping to implement some of this stuff into my future videos and "think like a viewer". Keep the good stuff coming!!
Hello fan 👋Thanks for watching and commenting, YOU WON A PRIZE🎖️Message me on telegram, To Acknowledge your PRIZE 🎁!!!!!
Hey Harris! You’ll probably never see this but I’ll give it a shot anyways. Have you made any videos on how you make your streambeats? Or just how to make music in general? Like what software to use, how to use it, etc?
I've studied UA-cam a ton over the past 3 years and here's the question I still can't seem to crack: Does UA-cam primarily look at the channel when considering what to show viewers based on their watch history OR does it weight the TYPE of content more heavily? Of course, I mean within the same niche. An example would be posting a video about the new Zelda trailer one day, a Mario tip video the next day, and then maybe a Metroid Let's Play the next day. They're all somewhat related, but different types of content. I know it all comes back to "your audience," but audiences are complex. No 2 people are alike much less the hundreds, to thousands, to potentially millions of people who could be watching a video. I think this is what makes the "niche" question so difficult for something like gaming, especially when you cover games that aren't big enough on their own to build entire channels around - such as Fortnite, Minecraft, etc.
Thanks for sharing this with us, man. Thinking of the algorithm more as the audience helps put things into perspective a little better. Loving your videos lately!
This was a real eye-opener!!!! Thanks a bunch!
Do you ever experience desire that is so deep, so profound that you tear up from intensity? Emotions want to pour out? You've been a very helpful source of information since I've discovered you one, two months ago. Thanks Harris. 😎🙃
As always, brilliant. Thank you. You’ve helped my channel and social media so much.
I would love to see a video on what are some tips and tricks for getting everything for your stream plugged into your PC.
Great info! Your channel has been amazing for my personal projects, thanks!!!
Thank you Harris. Love this and really helps us little guys figure stuff out faster. You rock.
Your channel is SO HELPFUL for the ideas I'm working on. Thanks, Harris! 🙏
Hmmm... it makes sense when you explain how it works in this way. Thanks Harris.
Just literally took the thoughts out of my brain that I want to tell to my friends. On other platforms this concept or idea explained can be different but the reality of UA-cam is some videos, streams etc are just not as interesting to your audience sometimes. But learning to accept that and find ways to be more appealing for the future is a step we all will have to take going forward. Thanks Harris as always! … oh yeah Favorite emoji 🔱
Sooo... is this why clickbaity titles and lewd thumbnails work?
I really love these types of videos. I am in a class that focuses on different stakeholders in the digital space and this is very informative.
Hello fan 👋Thanks for watching and commenting, YOU WON A PRIZE🎖️Message me on telegram, To Acknowledge your PRIZE 🎁!!!!!!
I love this video for the information, but more because it highlights an important point for content creators: CONTENT IS KING. Spend less time thinking about pleasing the algorithm and more time into making the best content you can. 👍
Hello fan 👋Thanks for watching and commenting, YOU WON A PRIZE🎖️Message me on telegram, To Acknowledge your PRIZE 🎁!!!!!
This is legitimately the best explanation of how UA-cam works I've ever seen and I've been studying the space fro two years.
Thank You!
Did you ever find that low note that was resonating, and EQ it out? :P
Harris I’ve watched every single one of the videos on your channel all the way through. If you’ve taught me anything it’s to keep going. Thank you 🙏
0:48
[Harris Heller - Oct 24, 18:22]
There is a low note that is resonating here, I'll find it and let you know how to EQ it out.
You're welcome
[Harris Heller - Oct 24, 18:22]
There is a low note that is resonating here. I'll find it and let you know how to EQ it out
This was very insightful, thank you as someone trying to get back into content creation, self-critiquing is essential
Thanks so much for helping people understand the algorithm follows the audience!
I feel like UA-cam needs to make a whole page called "UA-cam Live" or something to make it easier to find live channels, i find it difficult to find live channels currently so maybe a change to that will help the live streaming on youtube? Just an idea! :) A lot of people from Twitch are transitioning to UA-cam livestreaming and they are finding it so much better but also so much more difficult as well. If UA-cam upgraded their livestreaming i think there would be a lotttt more people interacting with youtube especially from the gaming/twitch communities that want to transition. I hope this makes some sense to someone LMAO
Awesome video, Harris! Hope you got to sort out the low note thing, too ;)
The part that I have trouble with is how UA-cam decides that a video is 'good'. This will generally be by engagement, so it makes sense that larger youtubers will see more engagement on their videos than smaller channels - due to them already having a substantial fan base. Given two similar videos, the one from the larger creator will generally get offered in preference to the smaller creator (especially when hitting search terms).
You are correct but it is much less a factor than you might think. There are channels with over a million subs that get less traffic than my 70k sub channel. There are channels a quarter my size in the same niche who outperform me. These are exceptions to the general rule but it does show how the little guy can take advantage. The size-beats-all problem is IMO way less of a problem on YT than anywhere, though it does exist.
For sure. We’ve all seen the channels that have several thousand views on each video and they’re fantastic. Then the big channels have the same video topic and it ain’t good. But that channel has the 400 K views or some bs.
I got recommended this video, watched the whole video. And I disagree. Completely. I mean I understand the concept of "testing" the audience, but I feel like UA-cam is lying to you - and is employing (or shall I say, deploying) an algorithm to peek on what you're doing. I uploaded a video, made it private, waited weeks, "PUBLISHED" the video, ONLY... ONLY to find out days later... its age-restricted. When you comment on videos, the algorithm removes comments that are not conducive to the platform it gets removed.
This is why people call it the algorithm; a robot removing things at their own volition.
Your point of view is very unique, no matter how perfect they are, the way you say it keeps us motivated!
I’ve been trying to push for 1K subs (I’m so close!) and the MAIN THING I’ve learned is that between UA-cam, Twitch, Tiktok, Instagram and more… YT is the only one that feels like it WANTS me to succeed. It tries to push my content and it WANTS to find the right people to watch it. My job is to make something worth watching. The other platforms feel like I’m fighting the algorithm, UA-cam feels like I’m working with it.
Based video. I just started streaming and am really happy with the impressions. UA-cam definitely pushes properly uploaded videos out to a lot of people. It’s just up to you to capture your audience. This is the basics of marketing
Hello fan 👋Thanks for watching and commenting, YOU WON A PRIZE🎖️Message me on telegram, To Acknowledge your PRIZE 🎁!!!!!!
what confuses me, why does one of my shorts get 2k views and then another one with an identical format get 0, 20, maybe 50 views tops. And why do my videos with a very high like-view ratio, still cap out at 2k views max?
I honestly think that this is one of your best advice videos on growth due to its simplicity and clarity, or rather, a bit more directly saying that it's about the audience~
Here’s a weird one. Sometimes my UA-cam short doesn’t pick up. I remove it, reupload at a different time and it gets tens of thousands of engagement. Is it still “not the algorithm”? UA-cam claims “time of upload” doesn’t matter, but I have had four videos where it seemed to matter.
I think that’s just the nature of short form. Super volatile. People have seen the exact same thing happen on TikTok.
Harris Heller Oct 24 18:22
We need to know what's that low note that was resonating here!
Went to UA-cam asked em what the algorithm is and expected an honest answer? Large corporations never have a reason to lie my bad
My mind is going to explode like a grenade. I watch this video, everything sounds super reasonable and makes sense... go look at my analytics to see what videos have the most retention and... and... it's literally our advertising videos. 77% retention rate, streams and uploads not great. But we kill it on UA-cam with ads. Man I'm super glad I found this channel... seriously. Helpful to know where to look for clues.
finally a realistic look at what matters on this topic!! love your content but i REALLY love your editor! forget his name but he is epic btw... incase you forgot for 22 seconds.
Now that you say it, that makes a LOT of sense, actually! It makes me think the UA-cam web developers didn't want to go through all that trouble of making the algorithm complex.
I've noticed similar videos pop up when I click on them.
Great video Harris. I love all your content. Plus you got my attention for this video with the algorithm of the catch rates for Silver and gold. Good hook right there.
In your discussion with YT folks about the "algorithm, what's the story on dislikes on videos? Do they also push a video into suggestions just because they get lumped with likes for a total number of interactions or are they seperate and can negatively affect a video being pushed?
Does UA-cam just look at active click throughs or do they also take into consideration auto continue (i.e. when a viewer allows the recommended feed to continue playing without actively clicking on it)?
Finally, one video on a whole utube which tell exact things and straight to the point.
I've noticed trends more than individual channels, ei subjects or hobbies. First it was sewing, then dog grooming, then landscaping (its all about the transformation for me, so I guess I can see the link). Most recently that I can think of is puzzles. Sprinkled in throughout there is Japanese culture videos, like a couple where one is white, the other is Japanese and they have cats, or white people born and raised in Japan. Don't get me wrong, its fascinating, but I wish I could tweak it just a little. Like my boss is Chinese, I'd like to learn more about Chinese culture.
low key this is the best explamation of the algorithm I've seen.
Love the video as always, though 48 seconds in you left 1 frame with Production Notes "[Harris Heller OCT 34, 18:22] There is a low note that is resonating here. I'll find it an dlet you know how to EQ it out" That might be an interesting video idea...how you produce your video's from idea to final product. I know I would watch it.
I mentioned part of this to a YT channel I watch, who started doing Streams in addition to the standard YT videos. They would post the stream a few hours, many hours, to even a day ahead of going live.
I’m not sure if I am a typical consumer but I would check my YT feed for stuff I want to watch NOW, not in an hour from now, that evening or in a couple of days, but right then, that’s when I have the time and desire to watch some YT. It’s a very right now and not planned interaction and I have a lot of channels I’m subbed too so if this channel is not giving me the content I want there are a TON of others that are.
Anyway, I see this channel I follow with a super familiar and insta recognizable thumbnail slip into my feed and I make a beeline to watching their video as I enjoy their content. I get the “stream starting soon” splash page but it’s actually in X number of days. I click off and find other content to watch.
Now I am not sure if you have to be in a video/stream for a certain amount of time but I found that Stream wasn’t suggested to me again. So because the channel had posted the stream announcement in advance they had lost me from that stream. It happened a few more times after that so channel, same mistake. Then I lost that channel as a suggestion on my home/feed page because they had put up a stream announcement for a stream in a few hours+ of when I wanted to consume content. They didn’t differentiate the thumbnail so unless I read the title and video details that are under the thumbnail (which I never do) and so it cost them metrics.
Creators need to up their game if they want to integrate streams into their channel. Common sense tips to consider:
1. This isn’t Twitch, doing it how you did it there isn’t going to work. Your not competing for my attention vs a bunch of other streamers. Advertising your streams in advance on twitch is fine as I am specifically visiting that platform to catch live content and be part of the show. So knowing when my favourite streamers are live in advance allows me to add that to my day. That doesn’t work on YT.
2. If you want to stream on YT, take time to understand YT consumer behaviour and take advantage of it, make it work for you rather than against you. YT is my day in and day out constant buddy, I watch on my iPad and that sucker goes everywhere with me, making breakfast and my kids school lunches I do it to the sounds of YT videos from my feed. Working and not in a meeting or on the phone then I have my YT feed playing. I want content now and I watch what’s suggested in my feed. The only time I use YT differently is when I discover a new YT channel, I like them and I watch their entire back catalogue in one sitting if possible. My point here is that my YT consumption is all about the here and now. It starts and usually ends with my feed, if your content is suggested to me but your a new channel, if I like it I’ll sub and either watch everything you post that makes it onto my feed or I will make your channel my background music/occasional diversion from work for my day. All you have to do is make a good initial first impression so I sub and then I’m sucking the figurative marrow from your channels bones, posting a stream 5 hours from now is not the way to do it.
3. Assume that YT and your viewers are not going to lift a finger to adapt to you wanting to stream. Twitch is shooting itself in the foot right now and YT is happy to offer you a fair deal to stream with them but it’s really all a gimme freebie bonus. They might give you a few new bells and whistles but dramatically changing their UI or worse creating a new Pavlovian response in their audience will likely never happen. I’ve heard reports that YT streams might have their own category on your channel and other adjust,ents that will help might be in the works, but don’t craft your content and your strategy assuming that. Instead create content and strategies that don’t need that assistance. Not only will your metrics improve because your strat and content work with YT and your viewers habits than against it, but it will also put you miles ahead of other creators further boosting your metrics as they bash their brains out on the wall of “coming over from twitch inflexibility”.
Read through your comment and honestly there’s some really insightful stuff here that I noted down. Thank you 🙏
The sad part is that it'll keep changing so the whole, "don't upload in x frequency" or "don't use premiers," and especially "don't stream and upload." do not apply now compared to then.
Awesome video. Agree 100%. Algo triggering comment in appreciation! 👍
Oh and of course I subscribed. 👍😁
Can you talk about the changes UA-cam is making in the UI, and how they are testing them?
love what you did with whatever room this is
The best thought process I've found is to think about what videos you should be creating for your average, or ideal, viewer. It's simple, but so many people get caught up in creating videos for an algorithm and it can just feel robotic
I love Harris telling creators to git gud. My favorite part of my day :)
Informative video!
Hello fan 👋Thanks for watching and commenting, YOU WON A PRIZE🎖️Message me on telegram, To Acknowledge your PRIZE 🎁!!!!!
Just like the music industry, there's only two real algorithms.
1. You make content good enough and consistent enough to keep peoples attention and it's worthwhile sharing. (Independent Artist)
2. You sell your soul and the industry turns you into a superstar because you're their guinea pig for whatever agenda they have. (360 Deals)
If I could upvote this more than once, I would. Because that is exactly the truth.
This was killer... I am an avid Colin and Samir listener, and I found this video because of their reddit sream... I will be subscribing, and look forward to seeing more of your content.
this had to be the best explanation i’ve heard. and it makes the most sense. yt makes money off viewers, not creators
I had a video flop this morning and I immediately said to myself "what do I need to do differently". Made some adjustments and now I'm waiting to see what happens!🎃🎃🎃
So then my only question I am left asking relates to the ending of this video where you discuss how having poorly performing live streams on your channel can negatively affect the performance of your future videos because the algorithm assumes that your audience that it can recommend your videos to isn’t going to like them because they haven’t liked your previous live streams.
My question is is that also the case with UA-cam shorts where if you’re uploading two or three shorts and one of them blows up and gets 1000 views but the other two don’t go anywhere and only get 10 views are those dead UA-cam shorts going to then negatively impact the performance of your following videos
My question would be about shorts. I was getting THOUSANDS of views, until they announced monetization, then literally nothing sense. So how would I as a small streamer ever get pushed to anyone, if i dont have a base to initially watch the videos?
"There is a low note that is resonating here. I'll find it and let you know how to EQ it out" - Harris Heller, Oct 24 2022, 18:22
Very helpful, thanks for correcting this popular myth! 👏
Could you explain why a lot of my time recently on UA-cam is telling Google that I am not interested in the content that UA-cam is providing?
0:48 There is a low note that is resonating here. I'll find it and let you know how to EQ it out