The Internet works, in large part, thanks to algorithms, especially when it comes to offering personalized content such as social networks or YouTube without further ado. The algorithms take into account a series of factors to decide what may be interesting and what is not for each user who uses the platform.
While social networks usually offer much broader content to expand the amount of information that can be shown to us, YouTube reduces the possibilities to offer the content that, surely, we should like. However, this is not always the case and on many occasions, the recommendations that it shows us have nothing to do with our tastes.
How the YouTube algorithm works
The YouTube algorithm shows us video suggestions both on the main access screen to the platform and on the right side of the video we are playing and at the end of the videos. This algorithm, like many others, makes use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, based on our activity on the platform.
This algorithm delivers content that is supposedly relevant to us based on the following factors:
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Interaction with the videos. If we like to click on the Like button on the videos and make a comment, YouTube understands that we liked both the theme and the content of the video, so it will start recommending videos from the same creator or similar content.
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Video viewing history. The history of videos that we have seen on the platform is an important source of information for the YouTube algorithm since it is a clear indication of what we like and what we don’t. This algorithm takes into account if we have seen the entire video or have removed it quickly.
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Our location. Just like when we do a search on Google, it uses our location to offer us nearby results, the YouTube algorithm also makes use of it to offer a much more personalized experience in recommendations.
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Search history. If we search for something on YouTube, it means that we are curious or interested, the latter being what the YouTube algorithm interprets.
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Display time. If we do a search, start playing a video, but move on to the next one, the YouTube algorithm understands that we don’t like that video for something specific, either because it doesn’t offer the solution we’re looking for, we don’t like the creator, or because for any other reason and omits it from the results of future recommendations.
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Channels we are subscribed to. Another factor that YouTube also takes into account to recommend content is based on the channels to which we are subscribed, channels that generally focus on a certain topic.
Change the recommendations that YouTube shows
If the recommendations that YouTube makes have very little to do with our tastes and hobbies, we can change its operation in a very simple way, carrying out the two steps that we show below.
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Clear search history. In this way, the YouTube algorithm will not be able to rely on our search history. YouTube allows us to delete all the history or only certain videos, this being the best option for a certain type of video to stop being shown.
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Review the channels to which we are subscribed. If our tastes have changed and we are no longer interested in certain topics, it is advisable to review the channels to which we are subscribed and eliminate all those that do not interest us.
These are the factors that most factor into YouTube recommendations and are very easy to review to change YouTube recommendations.
