Massive drop in views on kid channels

[Redterrors]

Happy to.

That is absolutely fascinating. The algorithm is beyond messed up. We need Google to move the engineers in charge of the Sensorvault to the Youtube algorithm department.

 

[Andrewcu]

That is absolutely fascinating. The algorithm is beyond messed up. We need Google to move the engineers in charge of the Sensorvault to the Youtube algorithm department.

Lol yeah, that would have to be an improvement.

But would you believe it, my video finally got into the algorithm last night! I waited 24 hours to be sure, but it seems pretty set now. 65% of views from suggested in the last hour (and similar for the last day). Thank goodness. But hard to believe it took a fortnight when the analytics were great from the beginning. The algorithm has certainly changed recently.

Cheers for your replies and interest though.

 

[dv2000]

Youtube is owned by a US corporation and thus US law controls. Other countries are irrelevant and the majority of advertising money is designed for the US particularly with toys. Nothing will backfire because the problem is already here. Youtube has killed off the under 13 geared channels. No one is getting good views on new videos. Those old video views will eventually die off and all of the channels will be dead. Youtube is telling a massive lie to kid creators as there is some type of filter that is artificially decreasing impression click thru rate and thus resulting in fewer impressions for new videos. This can be proven by purchasing a display ad through google. You can pay to have your video thumbnail shown next to an older popular kid video still getting views. It says ad but to kids they can't really tell the difference and you see what kind of click rate you get. That same thumbnail that Youtube claims was clicked 10% of the time under organic is now up to 30-40% click rate. This is obvious proof that Youtube has an artificial impression filter designed to hurt new kid videos from being successful on the platform. Now this is something they can 100% legally do, but they need to be honest about it. If your channel relies on suggested video and home screen impression suggestion, your channel will be dead very soon. High quality nursery rhyme channels and name brand channels like PBS Kids and Disney will survive because parents manually search for those videos and then hand the device to their kids. Channels that make content geared for 8 and above might survive because those kids can manually search for your channel. If you make content for the 3-7 age range, you are absolute toast.

The only thing I can confirm if your video is not in yt kids app it won’t be suggested

 

[dv2000]

I have a 13 day old video with excellent analytics (for me anyway). 98% retention rate and 2 minutes (out of 2:02) average watch time. 25% click through rate.

It has received 30k views, most from an end screen of another video, and less than 5% from suggested. My most successful videos all have the vast majority of their views from suggested.

I can't understand why it hasn't been more successful. It has better key analytics than literally any other video of mine, tens of which have over a million views.

I thought it was a sure thing when I uploaded it but it's not to be. By the way, each individual video is a big deal to me as I only release less than one a month on average (stop motion is time consuming).

I'm just baffled as to why it isn't getting 'in the algorithm'. I've just changed the title - maybe that will help.

Too short. So overall watch time it accumulates is too low

 

[dv2000]

Lol yeah, that would have to be an improvement.

But would you believe it, my video finally got into the algorithm last night! I waited 24 hours to be sure, but it seems pretty set now. 65% of views from suggested in the last hour (and similar for the last day). Thank goodness. But hard to believe it took a fortnight when the analytics were great from the beginning. The algorithm has certainly changed recently.

Cheers for your replies and interest though.

It’s either they manually decide if it needs traffic or not and your video was queued, their algorithm takes its sweet time to process each video targeted at kids or video needs to be added to yt kids app

 

[Andrewcu]

Too short. So overall watch time it accumulates is too low

That a video needs to be long to be successful nowadays is a myth. It helps yes, but it's not necessary. I have several videos that are around 2 minutes or less which have millions of views from suggested.

I think that a 2 minute video with 2 minutes average watch time is probably going to be suggested a lot more than a 10 minute video with 3 minutes average watch time. However a 10 minute video with 6 minutes average watch time would probably beat them both. It's the combination of watch time and retention rate that matters, with watch time being more important.

 

[Redterrors]

There appears to be a lot of evidence that the algorithm is prioritizing videos that at least claim to be educational. Ellie Sparkles main channel has been hit pretty hard but she has another channel called Toy Game Show with Ellie Sparkles. She does the same videos, but gives them names like, "Benson from Toy Story 4 Teaches Educational Video for Kids" or she throws Science Experiments in the title. Almost everything recommended has science experiment, educational, learning, or some type of buzz word in the title and description. A lot of big channels are creating new channels that start new with all educational content. The algorithm may not let a big previously established channel switch titles to "learn" and get rewarded for it unless you are Ryan Toysreview. It is quite silly when you think about how pathetic Youtube engineers are. Channels are just inserting stuff like Good student vs Bad student and doing the same type of content from the days of bad baby.

 

[markkaz]

Views are back on the upswing but they have fallen so far that it Is no longer sustainable for me.

 

[Redterrors]

Quote from article interviewing the business behind Ryan Toysreview.

"Challenges rise any time YouTube or Google changes something internally, she said. But the company has a strong relationship with Google and will "always know what is happening a little bit ahead of time," which is common among big YouTube-focused companies. Managers with tight relationships with Google get word of news beforehand to prepare clients, for instance.

She said Pocket.Watch was anticipating changes to Google within the next year that could affect its kids-focused creators.

Earlier this year, one complaint was made with the FTC against Ryan ToysReview, who was accused of "deceiving" the young audience with sponsored content.

But Pocket.Watch isn't worried, Tucker said.

"Certainly anything that protects the safety and wellness for kids is good," she said. "We are all good with the regulations, we just want to make sure our creators can navigate it well, and also, it showcases how diversifying their revenue streams is important."

If a creator were solely dependent on YouTube, and something happens — from restrictions to new platform regulations — that could hurt business. YouTube creators should be moving onto new platforms and building businesses outside YouTube to protect themselves, she said.

That is also, conveniently, Pocket.Watch's specialty."

https://www.businessinsider.com/pocket-watch-built-youtube-channel-ryan-toysreview-into-business-empire-2019-10

 

[morrisoc]

Stop motion with toys? mate i respect your craft alot, but i think youtube doesn't give a f**k about the effort it takes to create animated content. I also make animated content, but in 3d, i know how much effort stop motion takes, making it myself in 3d. If they hit my channel im going to be so f*****g depressed, i even thought about ending it all at first, for now im just coping. So many years of work into the channel. So far the channel seems to be performing more or less than usual but im scared that it will get flagged as children targeted as well. I dont want to end up killing myself or something. Those guys are insane doing this to us. I hope I can survive this nonsense. I dont want to work into a s****y job I hate for the rest of my life. Finally I was doing something positive and I feel like its about to end at any minute.

Even if the algorithm by 2020 still leaves you on the safe territory, since my content is watched by plenty of kids, i will never sleep again because you have the FTC looking to ruin your life by suing creators individually.

This will make a shortage of content for kids because no one will risk producing it. This is crazy

Hey Moshi. Hope you understand that your not alone, myself like all the others here are in the same boat. Life can sometimes really feel pointless and cruel especially given your hard work and passion in creating your product however I'm sure you will rise above challenge and discover new opportunities! Stay strong mate and reach out if you need to talk We are all with you!