Content creators, influencers, and marketers are eager to discover YouTube algorithm tricks. If your business relies on video content on YouTube or you’re looking to expand your audience, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we tell you how the YouTube algorithm works in 2025 and we give you 7 tips to get the YouTube algorithm to share your content.
How does YouTube’s algorithm work now?
There are two main ways YouTube users can discover your videos on the platform:
- Recommended content, which includes videos on the user’s homepage and the suggested videos section.
- Trending Videos, which highlights the most popular videos of the moment.
- YouTube Search, which displays results when a user enters a query into the YouTube or Google search bar.
These algorithms are influenced by various signals that indicate how valuable a video is and what type of content users want to see more of.
Let’s see how algorithms work in these key areas:
Recommended content
Recommended videos on the homepage and in the suggested videos section are primarily determined by user behavior. YouTube tracks what viewers watch, how long they watch it, which videos they skip, and more, allowing it to determine what type of content they prefer and what to recommend to them next.
Some of the most important factors influencing these recommendations include:
- What videos users watch.
- What videos they ignore or don’t watch.
- What they are looking for on the platform.
- Your interactions with “Likes” and “Dislikes”.
- “I’m not interested” comments.
YouTube Homepage Algorithm
The homepage is the first screen users see when they open the YouTube app or visit YouTube.com. YouTube’s goal in this section is to provide the most relevant and personalized recommendations for each viewer. When a user lands on the homepage, YouTube shows them videos from their subscriptions, videos watched by people with similar interests, and new videos that might interest them.
To select these videos, the algorithm takes into account two key factors:
- Video performance, which measures how well you’ve captured and satisfied the interest of similar viewers.
- View and search history, which analyzes how often a user views a channel or topic and how many times YouTube has already shown a specific video.
YouTube suggested video algorithm
Suggested videos appear next to the video the user is watching and are organized to show content they are likely to watch next. While these videos are often related to the content the user is watching, they can also be personalized based on their viewing history.
YouTube now allows users to further customize these suggestions with filter buttons, including options like:
- Videos from the creator you are currently watching.
- Videos related to current content.
- Content from similar artists.
- Recently uploaded videos.
- Videos you’ve already seen.
User behavior on the platform generates thousands of signals that help determine whether a video will be recommended. Among the most relevant are:
1. Interaction
Engagement metrics are essential for social media algorithms. On YouTube, factors such as watch time, number of views, likes, dislikes, and shares can influence how much similar content a user is shown.
2. Direct feedback
YouTube also lets users adjust their recommendations manually. By clicking on the three dots below a video, they can choose options like “Add to Queue,” “Save for Later,” or “Share,” signaling to the algorithm that they want to see more similar content.
On the other hand, selecting the “Not interested” option is a very strong negative signal. If a user chooses it, they are unlikely to see content from that creator or on similar topics for a long time.
3. Feedback surveys
YouTube occasionally asks users to share their opinions about a video via a short survey. These responses can influence a video’s individual performance and appearance in other sections of the platform.
YouTube trending video algorithm
YouTube’s trending videos section is not personalized based on user behavior, but instead displays the most popular videos and Shorts in the user’s country. This list is updated every 15 minutes.
The trend algorithm takes into account factors such as:
- The number of views of a video.
- The rate at which the video is generating views.
- Where your views come from, including sources outside of YouTube.
- The age of the video.
- How the video’s performance compares to other recent uploads from the same channel.
YouTube combines these factors to generate a list of videos that reflect what’s happening on the platform and are relevant to viewers. This means that the video with the most views on a given day won’t necessarily be the number one trending video, and some videos with more views may appear below others with fewer views.
To maintain a safe environment, YouTube automatically excludes videos with excessively offensive language, adult content or violence, as well as those that attack other members of the community.
YouTube search algorithm
YouTube works as a video search engine, similar to Google. In this case, creators have more control over how their videos are ranked in search results.
YouTube’s search algorithm doesn’t simply show the most viewed videos, but rather prioritizes the results that are most relevant to the user’s query. To determine which videos appear first, YouTube evaluates:
- How well the video title, description, and content match the viewer’s search.
- Which videos generate the most engagement for a given search.
These factors allow the most relevant and engaging videos to appear at the top positions, regardless of the total number of views. Here we tell you How to write YouTube descriptions that attract clicks.
1. Keep your audience watching longer
One of the most important factors YouTube considers when ranking videos is watch time. If someone enjoys your content enough to watch it all the way to the end, YouTube will value it more than a video that people skip after a few seconds.
If a viewer gets bored, they’ll likely click on another video right away. So remove everything that’s not essential. Grab attention with a compelling intro, deliver on what you promise in your title, and edit your video dynamically to keep the interest going from the first second to the last.
This is a good approach for any video on YouTube. If you manage to retain your audience, the algorithm will favor your content.
2. Attract viewers with your title and thumbnail
Standing out from the crowd is key on YouTube, where you’re competing with millions of creators for users’ attention. A catchy title and an engaging thumbnail can significantly increase your click-through rate.
A high click-through rate indicates that your video is engaging. If it also achieves a long watch time, YouTube will notice this and boost it even further. In other words, your video is capturing attention and keeping viewers entertained, which is exactly what the algorithm is looking for.
You can have the best content, but if the title is unattractive and the thumbnail is inconspicuous, no one will click on it. And if there are no clicks, there are no views.
3. Use keywords to improve your positioning
Helping YouTube understand what your video is about will make the algorithm recommend it to people interested in that content. Take advantage of SEO on YouTube and include relevant keywords that make it easier for users to find your videos.
The algorithm analyzes everything: the title, the video description, the chapters, the tags, and the content of the video itself. Provide it with as much information as possible so it can show your content to the right audience.
If you properly optimize a video about how to care for a poodle, YouTube will show it to people interested in the world of dogs and pet care.
4. Create consistent and relevant content
When a user watches a video, YouTube seeks to recommend similar content to keep them on the platform. Following this logic, it makes sense for your channel to have a coherent theme.
For example, if you’ve built a loyal audience that loves your surfing content, they probably won’t be interested in a video about baking cupcakes. What’s more, the algorithm will detect that your regular followers aren’t watching your new video, which will reduce its visibility.
If YouTube notices a drop in watch time, it will stop recommending your content to other viewers. Make the algorithm’s job easier by keeping your content within the same topic.
5. Direct viewers to your other videos
You and YouTube both want the same thing: to keep people watching more videos on the platform. Use all the tools available to prolong the viewers’ experience on your channel. Here are two key strategies:
- Group similar videos into playlists so users can binge-watch them.
- Use end cards to suggest more videos and increase your view count.
Also, don’t hesitate to tell them directly what video to watch next. It’s a natural way to recommend content that they’re sure to be interested in. If they enjoy the recommendation, they might even subscribe to your channel.
If you get people to spend more time watching your content, YouTube will recognize that your channel is keeping viewers engaged and will reward your content by showing it to more users.
6. Build your audience
There are no shortcuts to building a strong audience, but the more you grow your viewer base, the better YouTube will be able to identify people interested in your content.
It’s not just about numbers, though. It’s better to have a small but engaged community that watches your videos all the way through than millions of subscribers who barely interact with your content.
The behavior of your current audience influences how YouTube determines who might be your next viewer or subscriber. The stronger your fan base, the easier it will be for the algorithm to find new people interested in your channel.
7. Keep going
YouTube’s algorithm is complex, but you don’t have to guess how to keep it happy. The platform is constantly learning about its audience and what users are searching for.
Even if you don’t see immediate results, keep applying these tips to improve your chances of having your content boosted by the algorithm. If you create quality videos that connect with your audience, sooner or later the algorithm will notice and favor your channel.
