“Why did my video only get 12 views when I spent 8 hours making it?”
“The algorithm hates me!” Stop.
The algorithm doesn’t hate you.
You just don’t understand how it actually works.
The Algorithm Isn’t Magic – It’s Math
Here’s what really happens when you hit “publish”:
YouTube gives your video a small test batch of impressions.
Think of it like a job interview.
You get 5 minutes to prove you’re worth hiring.
Except instead of 5 minutes, you get your first 100-500 impressions.
The 3-Pillar Performance Test
Pillar 1: Initial Discovery (SEO Foundation)
- Your title searchability
- Keyword optimization
- Tag relevance
- Description quality
This gets you in the door.
Pillar 2: Click-Through Rate (CTR)
- Thumbnail quality
- Title hook strength
- Topic relevance to the audience
This determines if people actually want to watch.
Pillar 3: Watch Time/Retention
- How long do people stay
- Where they drop off
- If they watch till the end
This decides if YouTube shows it to more people.
The Domino Effect (Why One Bad Metric Kills Everything)
Let’s say you nail your SEO.
You get 1000 initial impressions.
But your thumbnail sucks.
Only 2% click (should be 5-10% minimum).
YouTube thinks: “People don’t want this content.”
Result: Impressions drop to 200 next hour.
Now, even fewer people see it.
CTR stays low because the few who see it still don’t click.
The death spiral begins.
The Success Spiral (When All 3 Pillars Work)
Good SEO → 1000 impressions Great thumbnail/title → 8% CTR
Engaging content → 60% retention
YouTube thinks: “This is gold!”
Result: 5000 impressions next hour.
Higher CTR from a more targeted audience.
Even better retention from engaged viewers.
The success spiral launches.
Real Numbers That Matter
CTR Benchmarks:
- New channels: 2-4% is decent
- Established channels: 4-6% is good
- Viral potential: 8%+
Retention Benchmarks:
- 10+ minute videos: 40%+ is good
- Under 5 minutes: 60%+ is good
- Shorts: 80%+ retention needed
Watch Time Reality:
- Total minutes watched matters more than percentage
- 1000 people watching 2 minutes = 2000 minutes
- 500 people watching 5 minutes = 2500 minutes
- The second video wins
The Algorithm’s Dirty Secret
It doesn’t care about subscriber count.
It doesn’t care about your upload schedule.
It doesn’t care about your feelings.
It only cares about one thing:
Keeping people on YouTube as long as possible.
Your video either helps that mission or hurts it.
How I Game The System (Legally)
For Initial Discovery:
- Research what people are actually searching for
- Use those exact phrases in titles
- Don’t get cute with wordplay nobody searches for
For CTR:
- Test thumbnails before uploading
- Ask friends which they’d click
- Study what’s working in your niche right now
For Retention:
- Hook them in the first 15 seconds
- Promise a specific value upfront
- Deliver on that promise quickly
The Biggest Algorithm Myth
“You need to upload daily to please the algorithm.”
Bullshit.
I’ve seen channels upload once a month and dominate.
I’ve seen daily uploaders get 200 views per video.
Quality beats quantity every single time.
Reading Your Analytics Like a Detective
CTR dropping? Your thumbnails/titles are getting stale.
Good CTR, bad retention? Your content doesn’t match your hook.
Good retention, low impressions? Your SEO needs work.
Everything is good, but no growth? You’re in the wrong niche or targeting the wrong audience.
The Bottom Line
The algorithm is your business partner, not your enemy.
It wants to promote good content.
Your job is to make content so good that promoting it makes YouTube more money.
Give it what it wants:
- Videos people click on
- Videos people actually watch
- Videos that keep people on the platform
Do that consistently, and the algorithm becomes your best friend.
Next up: We’re setting up your channel the right way – because first impressions matter, and most people’s channels look like amateur hour.