How to clean up / restart my channel. Does deleting video help?

[CriticalMax]

Ok I will try to make it short.

Basically, was a Youtuber before I started streaming on Twitch.
I thought it would be good to cut and post my playthrough on Youtube.
Clearly, it did not work and most of these videos, after more than a year, stay there with 10 views or less.

Thing is, I do have more popular video. I mean real good, editing, special effect stuff that has views and are liked.
Thoses videos and playlist are on the same Page.

Now here's the thing, I may have about 20 quality content video, but about 700 let's plays that aren't popular.
Do they injure my channel? Since they are considered ''unpopular''?
Does this somehow affect Youtubes algorithm by thinking my content ain't good?

If so, will removing those videos help my channel, or will it be ''tainted'' still?

I know this is a complex issue, so do not hesitate responding complex answers!
What's the best way to FIX my channel and get back some friction?

Thanks!

 

[Dutchie Abroad]

Now here's the thing, I may have about 20 quality content video, but about 700 let's plays that aren't popular.
Do they injure my channel? Since they are considered ''unpopular''?
Does this somehow affect Youtubes algorithm by thinking my content ain't good?

This depends on how it is affecting your watch time and retention time. Consider how many subs you have and how many views you get on a video. If you have a 100 subs and you get 10 views, that tells YT that 10% of your audience watches your videos (given that these watches are from subscribers). If you have a 1000 subs and 10 views, that's only 1%. So the amount of 'damage' that it does is relative to your subscriber count and the views from subscribers (there are also unsubscribed views to be taken into account though). 700 videos is a lot and will definitively affect your overall watch time and retention time.

But here is the thing I cannot help you with. In theory it makes sense that if you put those 700 videos to private or delete them, that their views and watch time will no longer be counted for your channel. But I do not know if this would actually work in practice. Best way to test this is to look at your current overall watch time (the watch hours) and then private about 50 videos. This should make a big enough impact to effect your watch time. If it does not, try deleting them. If this still not changes anything, it means that you cannot effect your watch time this way.

So is this beneficial? I'd say yes. Watch time and retention time are really important to the algorithm and the higher they are, the higher your changes are to be recommended. By deleting videos you will hurt your overall watch time, but greatly improve your retention time. So it is a decision you have to weigh in yourself. Hope this was helpful!