1. Quality Watch Time: YouTube shifted its focus from merely measuring views to prioritizing “quality watch time.” This update aimed to reward videos that keep viewers engaged for longer durations, rather than just short click-through views.
2. Viewer Satisfaction: YouTube started incorporating “viewer satisfaction” as a factor in the algorithm. This means that videos that receive positive feedback (likes, comments, and shares) are more likely to be recommended to other users.
3. Video Recommendations: YouTube introduced personalized video recommendations based on users’ viewing history and preferences. This led to more customized and relevant content being suggested to viewers.
4. Subscriber Notification Bell: The algorithm started considering whether viewers have their notification bell enabled for a channel when deciding whether to push new video notifications to subscribers.
5. Session Time: YouTube began emphasizing “session time,” rewarding creators whose content encourages viewers to watch multiple videos in one session.
6. Engagement Triggers: The algorithm began recognizing and rewarding certain engagement triggers, such as video likes, comments, and sharing, as signals of viewer interest and satisfaction.
7. Keyword Stuffing Penalty: To combat spammy practices, YouTube penalized videos that engaged in excessive keyword stuffing in titles, descriptions, and tags.
8. Misinformation and Harmful Content: YouTube took stricter measures to combat the spread of misinformation and harmful content on the platform, demoting such videos in recommendations and search results.
9. Short Video Impact: The algorithm adjusted to account for the popularity of short-form content, especially with the introduction of Shorts, a feature similar to TikTok.
10. Monetization Criteria: YouTube refined its monetization criteria to ensure that only channels adhering to its community guidelines and policies can monetize their content through the YouTube Partner Program.