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futurebird ,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

This is the 3rd time I've seen someone who makes YouTube videos go mad trying to second guess "the algorithm."

YouTube provides creators with a firehose of data: How long people watch, when they stop watching, the distribution of views.

YouTube also sometimes selects videos using a secret, unknowable algorithm to be "promoted." For small and medium creators this is a huge deal and the difference between 500 views and 500,000.

For self-critical analytical minds it's a toxic combination. 1/

futurebird OP ,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Think of it this way: You have all this data to help you improve your videos, if the data meets certain criteria your video gets seen. Your video matters. For those who are trying to make a living making videos it's critical.

But, you don't know what those criteria are. Some of your videos get 100,000s of views some get only 100s. The algorithm decides.

Also, you know one of the criteria is uploading regularly, daily ideally. So you have a relentless work schedule.

2/

futurebird OP ,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

The worst kind of boss or parent is the inconsistent, unpredictable boss who inflicts punishment or anger seemingly at random-- while making you think you ought to be able to figure out why it's happening. Improve your thumbnails! (by adding exaggerated faces to them) Avoid these colors. Don't forget to ask people the like and subscribe.

Because people really are more likely to like a video if you ask. So you should ask because likes are a factor in the mysterious algorithm. 3/

futurebird OP ,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

It reminds me of standardized testing.

Why say "like and subscribe" ? Because the data from YouTube proves that when people ask they get more likes. Having a lots of likes means a video is going to be popular. If YouTube determines that a video "will" be popular then it does things... that make it popular.

(The people who do well on this test go to the best schools that's why we let them in to the best schools.)

It's enough to make a person crazy. 4/

futurebird OP ,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Once again I'm seeing a creator I like as a person, someone who cares about science get obsessed and maybe a little delusional about little blips and kinks in the watch-time graphs for his videos.

You see suddenly "the algorithm" hasn't been boosting his videos like before. He didn't change anything the views just dropped off. And so he's looking for a reason he can control for this happening.

But... it might not be anything rational. They change the algorithm all the time. 5/

futurebird OP ,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

My advice is to avoid depending on YouTube if you have the option. It's not a good work environment.

I hope that this guy comes out of it. I'm not kidding when I've said it's driven other people mad. Like they had to get therapy because of it... which sounds funny ... until you think about what it would really be like.

Thanks for letting me share about this. It's weighing on me today--

6/6

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