The Beginning of the End For YouTube?

I know it’s been forever since I’ve written for our website. I think it’s something that takes a lot of emotion and passion for me to get up and do, so hopefully the momentum sticks! As I’d like to write at least once per month. That said, what has brought me back is a rant. It is a rant from an extra heavy YouTube consumer about some trends I’m seeing on the service that I dislike. On a personal, if not an entertainment level.

What bugs me really revolves around one issue: chasing the algorithms. The core of this isn’t necessarily anything you can blame the content creators for – especially if they’re trying to do YouTube as a job – to get more subscribers, clicks, and views is literally what pays their bills. The issue for me is that the algorithm hunting I feel is distilling YouTube channels to similar, almost “cookie cutter” behaviors because to chase the algorithms is to chase the same prize.

What are algorithms? Algorithms are essentially programmed code into YouTube that helps it find “good” content worth promoting, and then promote it to the right potential viewers. The essence of this is that more viewers will click on stuff they’re interested in, leading to more views that benefits YouTube in ad revenue. Of course, this also benefits the content creators. Beyond channels I like starting to feel similar at least in content release, I find some of the algorithm hunting behaviors somewhat annoying.

The most annoying behavior for me is the concept of the “remaster”. In this case, a content creator releases a slightly adjusted video they’ve already released with ostensibly better video or audio (I’ve never noticed a change in any of them). I found myself clicking on them only to realize that this wasn’t like an expanded cut of a movie. The “remasters” I’ve see are just quick and easy reposts for this creator to get more views

Secondly, are livestreams. Now, I like a good livestream now and then but many content creators I watch run weekly, bi-daily, or even daily streams and it’s too much. Even though I want to be a fan, I just don’t have the time to devote to watch so many streams, and my YouTube dashboard is starting to be filled with schedules for upcoming streams. All of which take 1-3 hours to view. I want to support these content creators but it’s all too much. However, a good stream can get a content creator several subscribers, “members” (fans that pay an additional fee), and “Super Stickers” which are statements or questions that can be addressed by the content creator.

Third most annoying is YouTube shorts. YouTube algorithms reward a channel releasing 1-2 minute content in quickly shot cell phone type videos and this benefits the main channel. Thus my YouTube is filled with 1-2 minute videos and to be honest they don’t contribute much. There’s one psychologist I watch who really tries, but I know him having watched him for many years and I can tell he’s doing it solely to “tickle the algorithms”.

Where does this all lead? Well, I’m just worried that many passionate new YouTube content creators will fall down the rabbit hole of chasing algorithms vs. chasing content created that they want to. 100%, without deference to what will gain the most clicks. I like when YouTubers say “this won’t help with the algorithms but I really wanted to make it” because that shows passion for the original content and that squeezing every last dime out of the content is not the primary goal.

Agree or disagree, that is your question 🙂

Thanks for reading!

-Moby