Is The YouTube Algorithm Dumb? (A Myth That's Killing Your Channel)

That might seem like a silly question, but many people act as if the algorithm is dumb. And if the algorithm is the audience, they act as if the audience is dumb.

I want to dive into this topic because I think the algorithm is quite smart. It has a way of knowing what someone wants to see and matchmaking that user with the content they desire.

Is the YouTube Algorithm Dumb?

So, why do people think YouTube's algorithm isn't smart enough to understand a video's content and its intended audience?

The Myth of the 'Dumb' Algorithm

This belief is based on the idea that the algorithm heavily operates from a channel's niche history. In other words, if you produce a bunch of content about a particular topic, YouTube will display your next video to that same audience, anticipating it will be just like your last one.

But the system is far more complex and sophisticated than that. While channel history is a factor, this belief overestimates its importance and underestimates the content of the video itself. The idea that the algorithm is dumb seems to be based on a collective, yet mistaken, agreement.

A Real-World Example

Let's test the hypothesis: if you "train" the algorithm by creating content in a specific niche, it will show more of that content to more people.

I recently did a video about getting the new iPhone 16. My channel has never featured any product or technology reviews. I was producing a video on a topic I had never touched before.

That video is now one of the most successful on my channel. 

This success proves that the premise that the YouTube algorithm is dumb is false. The algorithm knew the content I was producing and knew the people who would want to see it, and it made the match.

This is also why we see smaller channels blowing up more frequently; YouTube is weighing the content itself more heavily.

Excuses and False Narratives

While picking a niche and having channel history play a role in how YouTube delivers content, we overestimate their impact and underestimate how much the video's idea matters. I think a lot of this mythology has to do with people telling themselves stories to feel better when their videos don't do well.

If my video only gets 20 views, I can tell myself a story that I'm "training the algorithm" to learn about me and my content. It might make me feel better about underperforming, but it doesn't help me succeed. Buying into these false narratives isn't helpful.

This is also why I see people starting new channels for different topics. They think starting a new channel will prevent negative effects on their main channel.

But I think the algorithm is smart enough to keep different pieces of content separate, whether they are on one channel or two. The algorithm will show viewers the content they want to see and hide what they don't. The premise that it can't tell the difference is a false one.

A Tale of Two Channels

Think about YouTube's goal: to keep people satisfied and watching videos for as long as possible. To accomplish this, the algorithm must continuously improve. So, regardless of how smart it is now, we can anticipate it's only going to get smarter. We should operate as if the algorithm is as smart as it can be.

Imagine two channels.

One channel consistently delivers videos about YouTube growth. Suddenly, it publishes a lifestyle vlog.

A second channel, which has made jewelry videos for years, suddenly posts about getting monetized as a YouTuber. If the audience wants to see a YouTube growth video, which video will the algorithm show them?

If it were based on channel history, it would show the lifestyle vlog from the YouTube growth channel. If it's based on the video's context and the viewer's interest, it will show the video about YouTube growth from the jewelry-making channel.

I give these two examples to show that channel history doesn't have as much weight as many people claim. What has more weight is whether that specific video is something a viewer wants to watch right now.

The Algorithm's Key Factors

My experience, both as a viewer and a creator, confirms this. For months, I've observed that the algorithm recommends videos heavily based on the video's content, not the historical niche of the channel. In some cases, I've been surprised by a channel's niche because it changed so dramatically from the videos I was shown.

We can safely say YouTube considers both channel history and the individual video, but the assumption that the algorithm gets confused is based on an old way of thinking—a channel-heavy algorithm instead of a content-centric one. Everything in the last several years indicates a move toward an algorithm based on individual video content.

This is why the title, thumbnail, and description matter. I suspect that the title and the transcript (or visual descriptions) are two of the top factors for the algorithm. The content itself and people's behavior toward that content are what ultimately determine its reach.

Conclusion

It's not as encouraging to know that my content just isn't good enough to go viral or get extensive reach, but I'm working my way toward that. That brutal truth, as much as I don't like it, is what I need to get better at YouTube.

I think the YouTube algorithm is smart, and I'm going to create content based on that belief. What about you? Do you think the algorithm is dumb or smart? Have I missed something?