In a recent interview, Rene Ritchie, YouTube’s creator liaison, sat down with Todd Beaupre, YouTube’s head of growth and discovery, to discuss the future of the algorithm and its implications for creators in 2023.
Beaupre shares many insights that can help content creators understand and navigate YouTube.
This candid Q&A uncovers vital details, including:
The importance of focusing on audience satisfaction over algorithmic manipulation. The role of audience feedback and survey responses in refining YouTube’s recommendation system. Strategies for creators to build long-term relationships with their audiences for sustained success. YouTube’s dedicated efforts to support new and smaller creators. Advice on multi-format and multi-language content management and the advantages of channel experimentation. The future of content discovery on YouTube, including the potential of emerging technologies and user interface improvements.
This article reviews his enlightening talk, with all the details on how to optimize YouTube content in 2023.
From Algorithm to Audience: A New Perspective
Q: What should creators primarily focus on for YouTube’s algorithm?
Beaupre emphasizes the importance of not thinking about algorithms but about audiences. Creators are often asked about the best time or frequency to upload videos to optimize the favorable algorithm.
Beaupre encourages a change of perspective:
“Creators often ask about optimizing their load time or frequency for the algorithm. But we want creators to change their thinking. Instead of focusing on the algorithm, they should focus on the ‘audience. Replace the word ‘algorithm’ in your questions with the word ‘audience’. We design the algorithm to serve the audience, so understanding audience preferences will help the algorithm favor your content.”
The satisfaction metric: a holistic view of engagement
Q: Can you explain the importance of the satisfaction metric in the YouTube algorithm?
Beaupre addresses an essential aspect of YouTube’s algorithm: audience satisfaction.
While watch time is a commonly known factor that the algorithm considers, Beaupre says that not all watch time is created equal:
“Everyone knows that watch time is one of the factors we consider. But we’ve realized that not all watch time is created equal. We also need to understand the value an audience gets from a video. To do- ho, we conduct surveys about recommendations and specific videos, feeding those responses into the recommendation system. This helps the algorithm identify patterns of satisfying content by looking at various signals such as likes, dislikes, watch time, and responses to the surveys”.
A long-term strategy: the key to creator success
Q: What kind of strategy should creators adopt to succeed on YouTube?
Beaupre says creators who prioritize long-term audience value over immediate views will benefit more in the long run.
He explains that a video’s potential to leave a lasting impression and foster a long-term relationship with the audience would correlate well with satisfaction.
“I would advise creators to think about the long-term value for their audience. Instead of focusing on getting a lot of views in a week, think about creating a lasting impression with your audience. This could mean they want to come back to your channel in the future.”
Support for smaller channels
Q: How does YouTube support new or smaller creators who don’t have a large audience?
For creators with smaller audiences, Beaupre says YouTube has a team focused on helping them identify their audience, using various approaches such as evaluating video titles and descriptions.
“We have a team focused on this exact challenge. They use different approaches, such as evaluating video titles and descriptions, to help these creators identify their audience. We track the success of new creators on the platform and are committed to helping them succeed.”
Multi-format and multi-language content:
Q: How should creators manage their channels with the rise of multi-format and multi-language content?
Beaupre touches the evolving content landscape, including long, live, short videos and podcasts.
His advice to creators navigating this space is:
“My advice to creators is simple: ‘Same audience, same channel, different audience, different channel.’ We’re looking for ways to make it easier for creators to manage their channels in this multi-format, multi-language world. We encourage creators to experiment with different formats on the same channel and see how your audience reacts.”
The future of discovery on YouTube
Q: What is the future of discovery on YouTube?
Discussing the challenges and opportunities ahead, Beaupre highlights several areas of focus.
These include leveraging emerging technology, such as large language models, and making the discovery experience more enjoyable.
“We have several areas of focus. We are excited about emerging technology, such as large language models, that could improve the quality of recommendations. We are also working to enable seamless user journeys across multiple formats. Another challenge is to make the discovery experience more enjoyable for users. We’re exploring opportunities to make the interface more entertaining and less overwhelming.”
final words
Beaupre closes with the message that YouTube’s algorithm prioritizes that of the audience satisfaction.
By creating long-term value for your audience, understanding their needs, and experimenting with different formats, you can better align with your platform’s goals and succeed.
source: YouTube
Featured image generated by the author via Midjourney.
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