The YouTube Algorithm Doesn’t Hate You, You Just Need a Better Strategy

Date
May 7, 2025
READ TIME
4 Minutes

Start your career as color grading editor

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Choosing the right color software

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Choosing the best computer monitor

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Creating your viewing environment

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Conclusion

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Let’s demystify the YouTube algorithm. Many creators pour their hearts and souls into videos, only for them to flounder in the digital wilderness. And it can be all too easy to blame the rubbish algorithm – AKA the system YouTube uses to recommend your videos to users.

But the harsh truth is that the YouTube algorithm doesn't hate you; you just need a better strategy. Luckily, you've landed upon Trendy Grandad. We're a YouTube video production company – so it's safe to say we know a thing or two about speaking the algorithm's language.

We're pulling the curtain back, showing you the inner workings of YouTube and how you can use the algorithm to your advantage. Stick around to discover exactly how to please the algorithm (and save your videos from 0-view jail).

What Does the YouTube Algorithm Actually Want?

The YouTube algorithm wants to show viewers content they'll find engaging and relevant. When viewers are happy, they watch more videos, spend more time on the platform, and ultimately, YouTube benefits.

To truly find success on YouTube, you need a clear understanding of who you're making content for. It's not just about chucking stuff out there; it's about attracting a dedicated audience that gets your vibe and keeps coming back for more.

Ask yourself:

  • Who are your ideal viewers? Go beyond basic demographics. What are their interests, pain points, and aspirations?
  • What specific problems do you solve for them? What unique value do you offer? Are you educating, entertaining, inspiring, or providing practical solutions?

The Importance of Audience Retention

Videos with high audience retention suggest that they are delivering on their promise and keeping viewers engaged – a massive thumbs-up. While the exact inner workings are a closely guarded secret (and constantly evolving!), here are some of the key metrics to keep in mind:

  • Watch Time: This is arguably the king of metrics. It measures how much of your video viewers actually watch.
  • Average Percentage Viewed: What percentage of your video, on average, do viewers stick around for? A higher percentage signals that your content is holding their attention.
  • Likes and Dislikes: While not as influential as watch time, a high like-to-dislike ratio can signal that people are enjoying your content.
  • Comments: Comments show that viewers are invested enough to share their thoughts, fostering a sense of community and indicating engagement. The algorithm sees active comment sections as a sign of interesting content.
  • Shares: When viewers share your video on other platforms, it lets YouTube know that it was valuable or entertaining enough to pass on, increasing its reach.
  • Subscribes: When viewers subscribe after watching your video, it's a strong signal that they enjoyed your content and want to see more from you. Videos that lead to subscriptions are highly valued.
  • Click Through Rate (CTR): A consistently high CTR tells the algorithm that your titles and thumbnails are relevant to what viewers are searching for or being shown. A high CTR gets the initial ball rolling, and then retention keeps it going.

How to Please the Algorithm

You could spend hours creating the most incredible video, but if you don’t optimise for the algorithm, it's unlikely anyone will ever see it. But fear not, there are ways to help propel your content.

Video Optimisation and SEO

First of all, consider this: what is your audience actively searching for? Don't just guess. Dive into research using the YouTube search bar autofill, Google Trends, and competitor analysis.

Using relevant keywords in titles, descriptions, and tags helps YouTube understand what your video is about and who to show it to.

An important point: the actual content of your video needs to align with the keywords you're using. Misleading viewers with clickbait can lead to poor retention and negatively impact your video's performance. It's not cool, don't do it.

Hiring a YouTube Video Production Company

High-quality thumbnails, filming and editing, closed captions and subtitles, descriptions, tags... the to-do list can feel endless when you’re trying to juggle a channel alone. 

Hiring a YouTube video production company can be a significant investment, but it can also free up your time, improve the quality of your content, and ultimately help you achieve your YouTube goals more effectively.

Before you commit, make sure you do the following: define your needs and (most importantly) budget, research potential video production companies, and ask about workflow, timelines, and processes.

Why should you trust Trendy Grandad to be your trusted Youtube video production company?

Trendy Grandad have over a decade of video production experience. Working with brands such as National Geographic, Zone 3 & Proviz Trendy Grandad have built a trustworthy and professional reputation for being a world leading London based video production company. Looking for show stopping video ? Lets chat! 

Start your career as color grading editor

Id sit donec fermentum quis facilisis sagittis velit pulvinar sollicitudinat dolor aliquam risus ultricies cras tortor est lacus vitae scelerisque ac aliquam rutrum mattis mauris commodo invitaeleo odio amet mi pulvinar in sagittis quis auctor vestibulum quisque tristique sagittis non ullamcorper donec.

  1. Neque sodales ut etiam sit amet nisl purus non tellus orci ac auctor
  2. Adipiscing elit ut aliquam purus sit amet viverra suspendisse potenti
  3. Mauris commodo quis imperdiet massa tincidunt nunc pulvinar
  4. Adipiscing elit ut aliquam purus sit amet viverra suspendisse potenti

Choosing the right color software

Vitae congue eu consequat ac felis placerat vestibulum lectus mauris ultrices cursus sit amet dictum sit amet justo donec enim diam porttitor lacus luctus accumsan tortor posuere praesent tristique magna sit amet purus gravida quis blandit turpis dolor sit amet consectur.

At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat nisl pretium fusce id velit ut tortor sagittis orci a scelerisque purus semper eget at lectus urna duis convallis. porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget neque laoreet suspendisse interdum consectetur libero id faucibus nisl donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam nunc lobortis mattis aliquam faucibus purus in.

Choosing the best computer monitor

At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat nisl pretium fusce id velit ut tortor sagittis orci a scelerisque purus semper eget at lectus urna duis convallis. Porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget neque laoreet suspendisse interdum consectetur libero id faucibus nisl donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam nunc lobortis mattis aliquam faucibus purus in.

  • Neque sodales ut etiam sit amet nisl purus non tellus orci ac
  • Adipiscing elit ut aliquam purus sit amet viverra suspendisse
  • Mauris commodo quis imperdiet massa tincidunt nunc pulvinar
  • Adipiscing elit ut aliquam purus sit amet viverra suspendisse
Creating your viewing environment

Nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing vitae aliquet bibendum enim facilisis gravida neque. Velit euismod in pellentesque massa placerat volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida odio aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique risus. amet est placerat in egestas erat imperdiet sed euismod nisi.

Varius duis at consectetur lorem donec massa sapien faucibus etivamus arcu felis bibendum ut tristique et egestas quis ccumsan sit amet nulla facilisi morbi orci a scelerisque purus
Conclusion

Eget lorem dolor sed viverra ipsum nunc aliquet bibendum felis donec et odio pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas aliquam sem fringilla ut morbi tincidunt augue interdum velit euismod eu tincidunt tortor aliquam nulla facilisi aenean sed adipiscing diam donec

Driving Engagement

By being clear and giving viewers a reason to engage, you're making it more likely that they will. These actions send positive signals to the algorithm and help you build a more active and loyal audience.

Cards and End Screens

Do not underestimate the power of cards and end screens. These are helpful signposts within and at the end of your videos, guiding viewers to more of your content and boosting that all-important click-through rate (CTR) and overall watch time.

Call to Actions

Likewise, integrating CTAs naturally is important. "Like, subscribe, and comment" – we know, it can feel a little bit cringe. But the truth is, many viewers simply need a little nudge. They might have enjoyed your video but haven't even thought about liking or subscribing.

Consistent Publishing Schedule

Don't overcommit yourself. It's better to consistently upload once a week than to sporadically upload several times and then disappear for a month. Be honest about your production capabilities and time constraints. Quality very much trumps quantity here.

It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint

We’ll be honest, finding viral success overnight is incredibly rare (although not impossible with these tips). However, if you take the advice we've just laid out, you'll essentially be on the same wavelength as the YouTube algorithm.

To put it simply, the algorithm works like a recommendation engine, trying to guess which videos viewers will really enjoy and keep watching. By concentrating on making high-quality content that genuinely grabs your target audience and keeps them hooked, you're speaking its language.

Ready to collaborate with a YouTube production company already fluent in the algorithm’s lingo? Send us a message to get started.

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Based in the heart of London, Shoreditch, we've been lucky over the years to be trusted by world leading London based brands & Youtubers.
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