JASON ARNOPP: AUTHOR + SCRIPTWRITER
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How the YouTube algorithm works

20/2/2020

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Hello! Here are some things I've learned about how the YouTube algorithm works, during my time as a creator there.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that YouTube is the second biggest search engine in the world. Creators should approach it accordingly.

The more niche a video, the better the algorithm likes it, so it can show your videos to people likely to be interested. YouTube will like you more if each video is about one thing and one thing only, because this makes searchable keywords easier too.  A title like How To Wrangle Geese is stronger, SEO-wise, than How To Wrangle Geese AND Make Them Sleep. (Do geese sleep? They must, surely.)

An ideal video title has a searchable keyword in its first half, perhaps then followed by an enticing non-searchable phrase if you have the stomach for that. For example: How To Wrangle Geese - EVERYTHING You Need To Know!

The algorithm looks at the title (the first half especially), then at your video description (bonus marks if the main keyword in your title, i.e. How To Wrangle Geese, is repeated here.) Then it looks at your video tags, where the main keyword should be repeated once again, among various other related keywords.

As soon as YouTube feels confident that your video is about something, it shows your video to potentially interested parties. If the click-through rate (the percentage of people who click your video thumbnail - so make it good!), watch time (percentage of video viewed before viewers switch to a cat video instead) and viewer engagement (likes and comments) are decent, it will show the video to a bigger bunch of people, and so on until virality ensues. Hopefully.


So, how are we supposed to know how to optimise our YouTube videos, to maximise views and watch time? I strongly recommend that creators use a desktop browser app called TubeBuddy - and not just because I can offer you a 20% discount.

Using TubeBuddy, you can work out what the best keyword(s) will be for any given video. Using the Keyword Explorer tool (see interface below), you type in a potential keyword phrase and TubeBuddy gives you a score out of 100, based on several factors, such as how many people search YouTube for that keyword and how much competition there is. You can do this in the free version, but a subscription gives you an added advantage, because the result is 'weighted' to your channel, i.e. specific to your own channel's strengths.

There's a free version of TubeBuddy that you can 
check out and see how you like it. If you choose to join me in subscribing, be sure to use my special coupon code ARNOPPBUDDY for a huge 20 PER CENT off! Furthermore, TubeBuddy offers a special Rising Star discount to YouTubers whose channels have fewer than 1000 subscribers. 

Full disclosure: I'm a TubeBuddy affiliate, and so if you sign up using my link, then decide to subscribe, I receive a commission at absolutely no extra cost to you.


Lastly, look out for my new goose-wrangling channel, coming soon! *

My newsletter subscribers read this article first, getting it straight to their inboxes. Consider joining them.

* Lies, obviously.
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    Hello!

    I'm a writer of stuff for the worlds of Doctor Who, Black Mirror and Friday The 13th.

    My latest novel is Ghoster. Before that was The Last Days Of Jack Sparks and the novella Beast In The Basement.

    My latest book is Taken Over By Something Evil From The TV Set: A History Of Britain's Video Nasties Controversy & Other Scary Journalism. Yeah, that's one long title. 


    Get my book American Hoarder free when you subscribe to my monthly newsletter!
    FIND ME AT...
    ​Patreon
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    I started using Publisher Rocket this summer and it's one of the coolest pieces of software for authors I've seen! Amazing for finding the best Amazon keywords, categories and ads for your books! Click the above banner for more info (affiliate).

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    If you're a fellow YouTube creator, I recommend you join me in using the very handy app TubeBuddy. Check it out for free, then use my coupon code ARNOPPBUDDY to get 20% off a subscription! (affiliate)

    MORE SOFTWARE IDEAS

    Design software 

    ClickDesigns is well worth a look, for anyone looking to easily create designs for websites and blogs.

    Handy plug-in
    DigiMember allows you to transform parts of your Word Press site into a members-only area!

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Copyright Jason Arnopp © 2015-2022
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • Ghoster
    • The Last Days Of Jack Sparks
    • Taken Over By Something Evil...
    • Beast In The Basement
    • A Sincere Warning About The Entity In Your Home
    • American Hoarder
    • Auto Rewind
    • How To Interview Doctor Who, Ozzy Osbourne And Everyone Else
    • From The Front Lines Of Rock
    • Slipknot
    • Friday The 13th
    • Doctor Who
    • Brandy In The Basement
  • Blog
  • Newsletter
  • Patreon
  • Free Stuff
  • Writing Help
    • My Etsy store for writers
    • Notes for writers. I'll assess your first three chapters.
    • Skype Coaching Sessions
    • Story Planner sheets for writers A4 printables
  • YouTube
    • My YouTube Gear
  • Classic Doctor Who
  • Films
    • Stormhouse
    • The Man Inside
    • Ghost Writer
  • Audio
    • Doctor Who
    • The Sarah Jane Adventures
    • BBC Radio 4
  • Journalism
    • Kerrang!
    • Heat
    • Doctor Who Magazine
  • Scary Letter
  • Interviews With Me
  • Wanted: VHS
  • Wanted: Mad Hatter Magic
  • Contact