YouTube: New Algorithm Details 2020

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YouTube algorithm

YouTube has recently revealed a handful of recommendations about how the platform’s algorithm works.

According to the team, various factors influence the algorithm of YouTube’s video recommendation.

The video recommendation section of YouTube algorithm is influenced by clicks, watch time, likes/dislikes, comments, freshness, and upload frequency.

There are certain factors like external traffic, underperforming videos, and inactive subscribers, and we do not know whether they will have any impact on video recommendations or not.

YouTube has recently uploaded a video answering many of such queries. The crux of the details are skimmed down for you.

Underperforming Videos

If one of my videos under-performs, is that going to hurt my channel? Could a few low videos pull down better videos in the future?

YouTube doesn’t make assessments about a channel as a whole based on the performance of a few videos. Instead, it focuses on how people are responding to a given video when deciding whether to recommend it to others. The pattern is always “following the audience” if you talk about the YouTube recommendation algorithm

Regardless of the fact of how the channel is performing, if your video is attracting an audience, then it will be seen in users’ recommendations list.

Performance of a particular video may fluctuate due to various factors, so YouTube ensures that those metrics drive not all of its recommendations.

Too Many Uploads Per Day

Is there a point where the number of videos per day/week on each channel is so high that the algorithm is overwhelmed and videos slip?

There isn’t any set limit. Any channel is free to upload as many videos as they please. The only fact that matters is the viewer preferences.

YouTube’s recommendation system will continue to recommend videos as long as viewers continue to watch them.

An easy way to assess the popularity of a channel is that if the videos are being uploaded more than usual and each video is getting progressively fewer views, then it can be a sign the audience is getting burned out.

There is no limit of how many videos from a single channel gets recommended, but notifications being sent out do have a limit.

YouTube only allows three notifications per channel in 24 hours.

Inactive Subscribers

My channel has been around for quite a few years, and I think I may have lots of inactive subscribers. Should I create a new channel and then re-upload the videos to appear more acceptable to the algorithm?

Inactive subscribers do not impact YouTube’s recommendation algorithm. For YouTube, the algorithm always follows the audience.

If a channel has inactive subscribers, then it can make a comeback if it manages to attract some audience.

If you attempt to create a new channel and upload the same old videos, it will do you no good.

YouTube keeps track of viewer preferences. So if the subscribers are inactive, then there is little to no chance to attract them again from the same content.

It is only recommended to begin a new channel if the creator is planning to follow a new direction with their content.

External Traffic

How important is external traffic?

External traffic is an inevitable factor that influences YouTube’s recommendation algorithm.

However, the influence is limited to a few features. With the help of external traffic, a video can be shown in the recommendations section. But once it’s there, it has to perform well with viewers. For a long term success, a video will have to perform well with the viewers.

The most vital thing YouTube cares about is how a video is engaging with the audience. What the viewers do after clicking on the video is the least concern for the platform.

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