SEO for YouTube: algorithm evolution and ranking factors
In 2020, the Cisco Annual Report estimated that by 2022 video would account for more than 82% of global Internet traffic. This prediction has not only been confirmed, but even exceeded: video currently covers 86 percent of global Internet traffic. This increase reflects users’ growing interest in video content, a format that is proving increasingly engaging and versatile. Considering that YouTube is the second most used search engine in the world, an effective SEO strategy can significantly increase organic traffic and engagement.
How much time do we spend watching videos?
Time spent on online videos continues to increase. In 2020, users watched an average of 16 hours of video per week. Today, we are up to as many as 20 hours per week, marking a 25 percent increase!
This statistic highlights how video is now an essential element in our daily lives, thanks in part to the availability of on-demand content and platforms accessible from any device.
The evolution of YouTube’s algorithm
In the past, YouTube’s recommendation algorithm focused on standard metrics such as clicks, viewing time, interactions (“likes/dislikes,” comments) and upload frequency. However, many uncertainties remained about the influence of factors such as traffic from external sources, the performance of lower-performing videos, and the presence of inactive subscribers. Today, however, the algorithm has evolved significantly, becoming much more advanced and able to analyze data and behaviors in a more in-depth and personalized manner.
With the introduction of YouTube Shorts, YouTube has implemented a dedicated system for short videos, focusing on specific metrics such as views in full and immediate interactions. In addition, the personalization of recommendations has been refined, allowing for more detailed analysis of user preferences. At the same time, YouTube has strengthened policies on sensitive content, limiting the dissemination of misleading or dangerous videos to ensure a safer environment.
Another relevant aspect among the changes is the increasing importance of external traffic: promoting videos on social media and other external platforms can significantly contribute to improved YouTube rankings. In addition, the presence of inactive subscribers no longer directly penalizes ranking, except in cases where there is a significant drop in overall engagement, which remains a determining factor for the algorithm.
YouTube’s discovery and ranking systems
YouTube uses several systems to connect users to content, each with specific features designed to optimize the user experience and maximize engagement. These include the Search System, Shorts, and the Trends System, each with a different focus:
1. Search System: works similarly to Google Search, analyzing users’ search terms to provide relevant results. It does not prioritize personal history, but responds directly to the query. It uses three key metrics:
- Relevance: when the title, description and content of the video match the query.
- Engagement: measured by viewing time and interactions.
- Quality: based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthyness) signals.
2. Shorts system: dedicated to short videos, has an independent rating system compared to long-form videos.
- Independent chronologies: the personalization signals of Shorts do not influence those of other content.
- Accessible through a dedicated tab, but also integrated into other sections such as the homepage and search.
3. Trends system: unlike other systems, the Trends feed is not personalized. It shows the same videos to all users in a given country.
Main guidelines:
- Broad appeal to a wide range of viewers.
- Avoid sensationalist or misleading content.
- Promote a balance of creators, topics and news.
Factors considered:
- Number and speed of views.
- Origin of views (including traffic external to YouTube).
- Age of the video and comparison with other recent content on the channel.
Ranking of search results on YouTube
YouTube strives to provide users with the most relevant results for their searches, using a ranking system based on several key factors. Here is how the algorithm decides which videos to show:
- Relevance: YouTube evaluates how well the title, description, and content of the video are related to the query entered by the user. Choosing the right keywords and integrating them into the metadata are key to ensuring relevance.
- Performance: The algorithm considers the performance of videos that other users have chosen to watch after searching for similar queries. Videos that prove popular and liked for specific searches are more likely to be suggested.
- Engagement: metrics such as viewing duration (how long users watch the video) and the number of additional videos they choose to watch after the first one signal a strong level of engagement, an aspect rewarded by the algorithm.
Importantly, the search results are not simply a list of the most viewed videos overall. Instead, YouTube selects the content most likely to meet the user’s needs based on the query, balancing relevance and quality of viewing experience.
For more information, watch the video below:
Key factors for visibility of videos on YouTube
Keyword Research
Choosing keywords accurately is the first step toward a winning SEO strategy on YouTube. Try using tools such as Google Keyword Planner or SEOZoom to find keywords that have a good number of searches but little competition. A particularly useful tool in this regard is SEOZoom’s Opportunity Finder, designed to identify new opportunities for growth and optimization. In particular, this tool helps uncover untapped or underserved topic areas, offering insights for creating content that will appeal to a wider audience.
Integrating this tool into your SEO strategies allows you to address the competition in a more targeted way, exploiting gaps in the market to gain a competitive advantage over YouTube and other platforms.
Analyzing YouTube’s autocomplete suggestions, can provide additional insights into users’ most frequent queries.
Metadata optimization
Well-structured metadata helps the algorithm better understand the content and deliver it to a wider audience, increasing the chances of reaching the desired target audience. Here are some practical tips for maximizing the effectiveness of metadata:
- Title: make sure to include the main keyword at the beginning of the title, keeping it short, clear and catchy to attract users’ attention and improve ranking.
- Description: Write a detailed description that incorporates relevant keywords. Provide context about the content of the video and use a tone that invites viewers to watch it, highlighting benefits or unique aspects.
Important note on tags: Until a few years ago, tags were considered useful to help YouTube categorize videos. However, according to official YouTube documentation (September 2024), tags no longer have any significant impact on the ranking algorithm or recommendations. As a result, their use has become irrelevant for video ranking. It is more important to focus on other aspects such as titles, descriptions, thumbnails, and quality content.
Custom Thumbnail
Create an eye-catching and professional thumbnail that accurately represents the content of the video. An effective thumbnail can increase the Click-Through Rate (CTR), positively affecting placement. In the case of videos with a lower click-through rate and fewer views/impressions, YouTube recommends changing the title or thumbnail. These changes could positively influence user behavior by increasing views. However, the algorithm responds to the change in user behavior toward the changes, not to the act of changing the title or thumbnail itself.
User engagement and retention
YouTube’s algorithm analyzes several key metrics to determine a video’s ranking and viewability. Prominent among these are view time (Watch Time), view rate (Audience Retention) and interactions such as likes, comments and shares. To improve these metrics, it is critical to encourage viewers to interact with the content and subscribe to the channel.
There is no precise threshold of view time that a video must reach to be recommended by the algorithm. In fact, it is common for some videos to gain views even months after publication. This happens because users’ interest in content does not necessarily follow a chronological order. In fact, YouTube’s home page may suggest videos that were published weeks, months, or even years ago, based on users’ preferences and viewing habits, rather than the date of publication.
Analytics tools
Leverage YouTube Analytics to analyze the performance of your videos and identify areas for improvement. This tool allows you to track key metrics such as viewing time, thumbnail click-through rate, and viewer engagement. To drill down further, external tools such as TubeBuddy and VidIQ can provide advanced insights and targeted suggestions to optimize content, improve SEO strategies, and maximize channel visibility.
Promotion, distribution and interaction
To expand the reach of your videos and increase views, it is critical to integrate them into a multi-platform distribution strategy. Share them on other social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to reach a wider audience. In addition, you can embed videos in relevant blog articles and send them via newsletters, attracting the attention of readers and subscribers already interested in your content.
An invaluable ally at this stage is SEOZoom’s Social Opportunity tool, which allows you to identify social platforms and channels where your content can gain maximum exposure. This tool offers useful data to optimize distribution and identify trends or gaps that you can use to your advantage.
Another essential aspect is interaction with your audience. Responding to comments and fostering an active community around your channel not only improves engagement, but also contributes to the ranking of videos on YouTube’s algorithm, which rewards content that generates genuine conversations and connections among users.
The adoption of video in marketing
Companies have fully grasped the potential of video as a marketing tool. While 85 percent of companies used video in their strategies in 2020, today that percentage has risen to 91 percent. Not only YouTube, but also platforms such as YouTube Shorts and TikTok have played a key role in this growth, offering new formats and ways to engage with audiences.
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