YouTube Shorts Algorithm 2024 EXPLAINED (Get More Views)

DecodingYT

18 May 202412:00

Summary

TLDRThe video script delves into the intricacies of YouTube's short video algorithm, explaining why some videos receive millions of views while others falter. It discusses the initial random audience testing, known as 'seed audience,' and how engagement metrics like 'How Many Choose To View' and 'Viewed Percentage' impact a video's performance. The script also covers the importance of creating hooks in the first few seconds and maintaining audience retention for successful short videos, providing insights into optimizing content for the YouTube Shorts platform.

Takeaways

🔍 The YouTube Shorts algorithm starts by testing a new short video with a random seed audience to gauge engagement before wider promotion.
📈 If the initial seed audience engages positively with the short, the algorithm takes it as a positive signal and promotes it to more viewers, potentially leading to millions of views.
📊 'How Many Choose to View' is a key metric for shorts, indicating the percentage of viewers who watch the short and those who swipe away without watching.
📝 The study by Pat Gallagher's team found that the best-performing shorts had an average view percentage between 70% to 90%, suggesting high viewer retention is crucial for virality.
👀 View count alone isn't enough for a short to go viral; the content must also resonate well with the initial seed audience for further promotion.
🎥 The first few seconds of a short are critical, acting as a 'hook' to attract viewers, similar to the title and thumbnail in long-form videos.
📉 Shorts with a view percentage of 60% or less did not perform as well as those with higher percentages, indicating the importance of retaining viewer attention.
📝 The transcript discusses the importance of creating hooks in the first few seconds of a short to spark curiosity and engagement among viewers.
🎬 The type of hook used can vary depending on the video content, but the goal is to create interest that makes viewers want to continue watching.
🔄 The transcript mentions that while creating hooks is important, it's also necessary to maintain good audience retention throughout the short.
🤔 It's suggested that creators consider whether to have separate channels for shorts and long-form videos or to maintain a consistent feel across both formats on the same channel.

Q & A

How does YouTube's algorithm decide which short videos to promote?
-YouTube's algorithm initially selects a random seed audience to test the short video. Based on their engagement, the algorithm then decides whether to promote the video further.
What are the key metrics that influence the performance of short videos on YouTube?
-The key metrics include watch time, likes, and audience retention. For short videos, 'How Many Choose To Watch' and 'Non-engaged viewers swiped away' are also important.
Why do some short videos receive millions of views and then suddenly stop?
-This can happen if the initial seed audience engages well, but the algorithm doesn't find a larger audience that matches the initial engagement, or if the content doesn't sustain viewer interest over time.
What is the significance of the initial audience group, or 'seed audience', in the success of a short video?
-The seed audience is crucial because their engagement with the video sends a signal to the algorithm about whether the content is worth promoting to a broader audience.
How does the concept of 'How Many Choose To Watch' (HMCTW) metric affect the visibility of short videos?
-HMCTW indicates the percentage of viewers who choose to watch the short video. A higher percentage suggests better engagement and can lead to more promotion by the algorithm.
What is the role of viewer retention in determining the success of a short video on YouTube?
-Viewer retention is a significant factor. Videos with higher retention rates, indicating viewers watch the video till the end, are more likely to be promoted by YouTube's algorithm.
Should creators focus on creating short videos or long videos to grow their channel?
-It depends on the content and target audience. Some channels can benefit from a mix of short and long videos, while others might find more success focusing on one format that aligns with their audience's preferences.
What is the recommended approach for creating hooks in short videos compared to long videos?
-In short videos, the hook should be immediate and within the first few seconds to capture attention quickly, whereas long videos have more time to develop their hook over the first 30 seconds.
How can creators improve the 'How Many Choose To Watch' (HMCTW) metric for their short videos?
-Creators can improve HMCTW by creating strong video thumbnails and titles that intrigue viewers, and by ensuring the first few seconds of the video are engaging and relevant to the thumbnail and title.
What is the impact of viewer behavior on the promotion of short videos on YouTube?
-Viewer behavior, such as watching the video to completion, liking, and engaging with the content, sends positive signals to the algorithm, which can lead to increased promotion.
Why might a short video with high initial views not perform well in the long term?
-A short video might not perform well long term if it fails to maintain audience engagement, if the content does not resonate with a broader audience, or if the initial views were not indicative of a genuine interest.

Outlines

00:00

😲 Understanding YouTube's Short Video Algorithm

The script discusses the mystery behind the performance of short videos on YouTube, where they initially receive a surge in views but then plateau. It mentions an interview with YouTube's product leads, Todd Sherman and Rene Ritchie, who explain the algorithm's process of testing new short videos with a random seed audience to gauge engagement before promoting it further. The importance of metrics such as 'How Many Choose to View' is highlighted, indicating viewer retention and swiping behavior. The script also touches on the difference between short and long video algorithms, emphasizing that short videos rely on viewer intent and engagement within an initial group of random viewers.

05:01

🎥 Crafting Hooks and Viewer Retention in Short Videos

This paragraph focuses on the importance of creating compelling hooks in the first few seconds of a short video to capture viewer interest, akin to the title and thumbnail in long videos. It discusses the challenge of sparking curiosity in such a short span and provides examples of effective hooks, including speaking lines that resonate with the target audience and intriguing visuals. The paragraph also covers the significance of viewer retention and how it influences the algorithm's decision to promote a video further, with a high retention rate often indicating potential for a viral short video.

10:02

📊 Balancing Short and Long Video Content on YouTube

The script explores the strategy of uploading both short and long videos on the same YouTube channel, addressing the dilemma content creators face in choosing between the two formats. It presents examples of channels that successfully maintain a split audience interested in both content types and suggests that consistency in content theme, style, and tone can help retain viewer interest. The importance of adjusting video lengths to fit the narrative and ensuring short videos don't deter viewers from engaging with longer content are also discussed, offering insights into creating a harmonious content strategy.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Algorithm

In the context of the video, the term 'algorithm' refers to the set of rules or processes that YouTube's system uses to decide which videos to recommend to viewers. The script discusses how the algorithm initially tests a new short video with a random seed audience to gauge engagement before deciding to promote it further. This is central to understanding the video's theme of how YouTube's short video feature operates.

💡Engagement

Engagement, in this video, is the measure of how viewers interact with content, such as watching time, likes, and comments. It's a critical metric for the algorithm to determine the success of a video. The script mentions that if a video engages well with its initial audience, the algorithm takes it as a positive signal and may promote it to a larger audience.

💡Seed Audience

A 'seed audience' is a small group of viewers selected at random by YouTube's algorithm to test a new video's performance. The script explains that this group's reaction to the video is crucial as it can influence whether the video will be recommended to more viewers, illustrating the algorithm's testing phase.

💡Shorts

Shorts are YouTube's short-form video content, typically under 60 seconds, designed to compete with platforms like TikTok. The video script discusses the unique challenges and strategies for creating engaging short videos that can go viral, emphasizing the importance of capturing attention quickly.

💡Viewer Retention

Viewer retention is the percentage of a video that viewers watch before they leave. It's a key metric that the script mentions as important for both long and short videos. High retention rates can signal to the algorithm that a video is engaging, which can lead to further promotion.

💡Hook

A 'hook' in video content is an attention-grabbing element, often at the beginning, designed to entice viewers to continue watching. The script discusses the importance of creating a strong hook in the first few seconds of a short video to capture viewer interest and set the stage for the rest of the content.

💡CTAR (Content to Audience Ratio)

CTAR stands for 'Content to Audience Ratio,' a concept mentioned in the script that seems to refer to the match between the content and the intended audience. A high CTAR could mean that the content resonates well with viewers, which is a positive signal for the algorithm.

💡Completion Rate

The completion rate indicates the percentage of viewers who watch a video from start to finish. The script suggests that for short videos, a completion rate of 80% or higher is desirable, as it can indicate that the video is engaging and likely to be promoted by the algorithm.

💡Swipes

In the context of short videos, 'swipes' refer to the action viewers take when they swipe away from a video they are not interested in. The script mentions that the percentage of viewers who swipe away can affect a video's performance, with lower swipe rates being preferable.

💡Audience Targeting

Audience targeting is the process of creating content that appeals to a specific group of viewers. The script discusses the importance of understanding and targeting the right audience for short videos to increase the chances of engagement and virality.

💡Platform

In this video, 'platform' refers to YouTube, the video-sharing service where creators upload and viewers watch content. The script explores how the platform's algorithm works for short videos and the strategies creators can use to succeed on YouTube.

Highlights

YouTube Shorts Algorithm initially tests a short video with a random seed audience to gauge engagement before wider promotion.

The algorithm looks for positive engagement signals from the seed audience to decide whether to push the short video to a broader audience.

The concept of 'seed audience' is crucial as it may not always align with the target audience, affecting initial engagement.

If the content is good and the seed audience matches the target audience, the algorithm will receive positive signals to promote the video further.

The difference between YouTube Shorts and long-form videos lies in the way viewers engage with the content.

Shorts are part of a feed where the concept of a thumbnail does not apply, unlike long-form videos.

Important metrics for Shorts include 'How Many Choose To Watch' and 'Non-engaged viewers swiped away', indicating viewer retention.

A study by Padmasree Warrior's team found that Shorts with a view percentage of 60% or less did not perform as well as those with higher view percentages.

To improve the view percentage, creators should focus on creating an engaging hook within the first few seconds of the video.

The hook in Shorts is equivalent to the title and thumbnail in long-form videos, being the first thing viewers see.

Creating curiosity in the viewer's mind is key to a successful hook, which can be achieved through various creative methods.

Using intriguing lines or visuals in the first few seconds can significantly impact a viewer's decision to continue watching.

The retention of viewers is as important as the initial hook, with high retention rates being a positive signal for the algorithm.

The length of Shorts should align with the story and content delivery, with some niches benefiting from quick instant reviewing Shorts.

For channels aiming to upload both Shorts and long-form videos, consistency in content and vibe is crucial for viewer engagement.

Some channels successfully upload both Shorts and long-form videos by creating a narrative arc that hooks viewers across formats.

The decision to create separate channels for Shorts and long-form videos depends on the content strategy and target audience.

Channels with a split audience, where one part enjoys Shorts and the other long-form videos, can benefit from a dual-content strategy.