Why Your Views Die After 48 Hours (and how to fix it)

Summary

In this video, the creator explains why YouTube videos often experience a sudden drop in views after an initial burst and offers five strategies to revive them. The video covers optimizing video SEO with timestamps, updating titles and thumbnails for seasonal relevance, re-editing the first 15 seconds to improve engagement, enhancing audience signals through video links, and using Shorts to drive traffic. These actionable tips aim to help creators reignite video performance and boost views, even after initial setbacks.

Takeaways

• 😀 New videos often experience a burst of views initially, but then stop gaining traction. This happens because YouTube puts them into a test phase to evaluate their performance with a small audience.
• 😀 YouTube tests a video by showing it to a small group of subscribers and some random users. It tracks their interactions (click-through rates, engagement, retention, etc.) to gauge the video's quality.
• 😀 If a video fails the test phase (e.g., low engagement), the algorithm assumes the video isn't interesting and stops promoting it, which leads to a sudden drop in views.
• 😀 Larger channels don't face this issue as much because YouTube already knows their audience's preferences. Smaller channels, however, start from scratch with each video.
• 😀 Videos that stop gaining views after 48 hours can be revived by re-triggering the testing phase through various strategies.
• 😀 Adding timestamps with relevant keywords to your video improves discoverability and SEO, which can help YouTube recommend it to more people.
• 😀 Refreshing seasonal or time-sensitive content can give old videos a second life. Updating titles or thumbnails to reflect current trends can prompt YouTube to treat the video like a fresh upload.
• 😀 If a video is dead, re-editing the first 15 seconds and re-uploading it with an improved hook can significantly increase its chances of success.
• 😀 Small adjustments like changing the thumbnail, title, and opening hook can help the video appeal to viewers who previously passed it over.
• 😀 Improving audience signals by linking your dead video to other popular videos on your channel, through pinned comments, descriptions, and end screens, can help revive the video by guiding viewers to it.

Q & A

Why do YouTube videos sometimes stop getting views after an initial burst?

This happens because YouTube places new videos in a test phase where the algorithm tests their performance with a small group of viewers. If viewers don't engage well, the video stops being recommended, leading to a drop in views.

What is the test phase on YouTube, and how does it work?

The test phase is where YouTube initially suggests your video to a small group of people, primarily your subscribers and a few other users who have watched similar content. YouTube then monitors their behavior, such as clicks, watch time, and interactions, to determine whether the video should be shown to a wider audience.

Why do smaller channels struggle with video recommendations compared to larger channels?

Smaller channels don't have enough audience data for YouTube to predict which viewers will engage with their content. This makes each new video start from scratch, with the algorithm lacking patterns to follow, unlike larger channels with established audiences.

How can I revive a video that has stopped getting views after 48 hours?

There are five strategies you can use: 1) Add timestamps with relevant keywords. 2) Refresh the video by updating it with seasonal or timely content. 3) Re-edit the first 15 seconds and re-upload it. 4) Improve audience signals by linking to other videos. 5) Use shorts to drive traffic to your long-form video.

How do timestamps help in reviving a dead video?

Timestamps provide extra metadata, which helps YouTube's algorithm understand the content better. By adding keywords related to your niche, you can improve the discoverability and re-trigger the video’s SEO rankings, which may lead to more views.

What does 'seasonal or timely refreshing' mean, and how can it help my video?

Seasonal or timely refreshing means updating your video to make it relevant to current trends or events. For example, changing the title or thumbnail to reflect the current year or season can help the video be considered fresh, prompting YouTube to retest it and potentially attract new viewers.

What is the importance of the first 15 seconds of a video?

The first 15 seconds are critical for capturing viewers' attention. If the hook or introduction isn't engaging, viewers will likely leave the video, causing a significant drop in watch time. Improving the first 15 seconds can significantly affect how the algorithm treats your video.

How can I improve audience signals to revive a video?

You can improve audience signals by manually linking your video to your best-performing ones. Pin links in the comments and description, and add cards and end screens to encourage viewers to watch your other content, creating a mini viewer journey.

What role do YouTube Shorts play in driving views to long-form videos?

YouTube Shorts can be used to drive traffic to your long-form videos by linking them directly. Every time you post a new video, link it to all relevant Shorts on your channel to increase exposure and views.

What is Nexus Clips, and how can it help with video promotion?

Nexus Clips is a tool that allows you to automatically create multiple Shorts from a single long-form video. This helps you leverage YouTube’s Shorts feature to promote your long-form content, increasing the chances of getting views across different formats.