YouTube is setting new standards for content, changing the way we experience and consume video. But standing out among billions of videos is no easy task. If you’re wondering how to get into YouTube recommendations and make your content visible to a wider audience, let’s take a closer look at the processes associated with the platform’s algorithms.
Where and in what formats recommendations appear
YouTube recommendations appear in various places on the platform, creating opportunities for content to be noticed and viewed. On the user’s homepage, the algorithm takes into account viewing history, previous preferences, and subscriptions to offer personalized recommendations – this applies to all places where recommendations can appear.
Below the video playback section, you can see YouTube recommendations, which are aimed at the viewer’s current interests, taking into account the context of the video being played. The Recommendations section is also available in the side menu, where users can find content that the platform thinks is interesting based on their interests and previous views.
General principles of YouTube recommendations
To understand how to get into YouTube recommendations, you need to understand how the algorithm works. It is a complex mechanism based on more than 4000 factors, but these are the main ones:
- History. The system analyzes past views, taking into account the preferences and topics of videos that the user liked.
- Subscriptions and previous preferences. Activity in these categories is monitored to tailor to individual tastes.
- Duration (hours of viewing) and depth of viewing. It measures the extent to which viewers actively interact with the content.
- CTR and interaction. The percentage of clicks on video covers and other elements is analyzed to determine their effectiveness and appeal to the audience.
- Social signals. Likes, shares, and comments send a signal to the system that people really like the content and therefore find it worthy of attention.
So, how do YouTube algorithms work? They try to understand the individual interests of each viewer and recommend videos that best match their preferences. That’s why even the time of day you turn on YouTube affects its recommendations.
How does CTR work and what is it?
CTR, or Click-Through Rate, is the percentage of users who click on your cover image relative to the total number of views. This metric determines the effectiveness of the video wrapper in attracting the attention and interest of the audience.
The higher the score, the more users decide to watch your content. YouTube’s recommendation algorithm takes it as a signal that the video may be of interest to viewers. This can help boost your content’s rankings and get it recommended to a larger audience.
While it’s important to grab attention, using clickbait titles and covers can lead to viewer frustration and damage your channel’s reputation. Simply put, when a person clicks on your video, and the cover promises to tell them how to set up YouTube recommendations, but you’re talking about Siamese cats, they’re not going to be happy. Algorithms take into account viewing time and interaction, so high-quality content is the best way to maintain a high CTR.
For your covers to be effective, you need to follow three rules:
- Clarity and specificity: viewers should clearly understand what they will get by watching your video.
- Relevance to the content: the cover should reflect the topic of the video and not contain empty promises.
- Creativity without exaggeration: quirkiness can attract attention, but it’s important not to go overboard.
By following these guidelines, you will not only be able to get into the YouTube recommendations, but also retain audience loyalty and increase the overall effectiveness of your channel.
5-second rule: what does it mean?
The first 5 seconds of a video is a critical moment when the viewer decides whether to continue watching. What they see on the cover and read in the title should be reflected at the very beginning of the video.
The title should be interesting and attractive. The more specific it is and indicates what the user will receive, the better. At the same time, the cover should contain an element of intrigue and have an aesthetic look to attract attention. It is important that it reflects the topic of the video and echoes the title, but does not duplicate it completely.
In the first 5 seconds, you should reassure the user. Show them exactly what they will get during the viewing. You can provide a summary or immediately answer the main question and then tell the full story. However, the first seconds are only the beginning of the intrigue. You need to make the person interested so that they want to learn more.
Myths about getting YouTube videos into recommendations
Myth 1 – Cheats improve recommendations
While it may seem like an attractive idea to get a lot of views, YouTube’s algorithm distinguishes between organic traffic and fake traffic. If real viewers are not interested in the content, such actions can even make the situation worse, as the platform takes into account real engagement rates.
Myth 2 – Paid traffic guarantees access to recommendations
Are you wondering how to get your video into YouTube recommendations? The decision to buy paid advertising is not always a good one, because the platform does not consider such traffic to be organic. The platform provides separate statistics for it. Therefore, this does not automatically guarantee that the video will be included in the recommendations. The key factors are the quality and attractiveness of the content.
Myth 3 – Buying views increases popularity
Buying views can increase numerical indicators, but it does not determine popularity in the context of real audience interest. If the views don’t give your channel active user engagement and depth of views, the effect will be temporary.
Myth 4 – A large number of subscribers automatically leads to recommendations
A large following is only one aspect of success. Quality, which affects viewer depth, and regularity of content remain the main factors for getting into YouTube’s recommended videos.
As you can see, not all myths are real. Therefore, to achieve success for your YouTube channel, work on the packaging (cover, title, description, tags) and content, and sooner or later YouTube will see you and give you a lot of views. If you have any questions or want to promote your channel on YouTube, please contact the professionals with experience and real cases in our team – we are always happy to help.
