November 12, 2012 by Shane Jones

New YouTube Ranking System

YouTube is taking a stand against videos that scam into popularity. For years, the site has depended on popularity rankings that consider how many clicks a video gets. This made it easy for people to boost a video’s popularity by repeatedly clicking on it without watching it. However, that free for all came to a clear halt in mid-October.

The new YouTube algorithm ranks a video’s popularity based on the length of time viewers spend on the video. According to CNET, this increases fairness in the rankings. Changes have also been made to YouTube analytics so that video creators can see just how long people are spending watching their videos. Of course, this raises some big questions.

Quantity, Not Quality

If you type in keywords like “flex banner,” or “Movement Marketing” into YouTube you’ll get a slew of results. Some of these videos might be an hour long, while others are less than two minutes. Of course, in order to get a viewer to watch the entire video, it needs to be high quality (or insanely entertaining). Some critics are wondering how a short video can compete against a long one.

YouTube has thought of that. The real way the system works is by percentage of the video watched. For example, 98 percent of a one minute video is equal to 98 percent of a 45-minute video. The purpose is to lower rankings of videos that are almost instantly clicked off.

The Scramble to the Top

YouTube’s new ranking system is brand new and so far there hasn’t been a way around it. The benefits of the new system are created both for the viewers and for Google (the company behind YouTube). Google no longer has to pay for scammed-up poor videos, and viewers are encouraged to make the most of their time.

If you’re a YouTube fan, you’ll no longer have to dig through pages of fluff to find the best videos. The new ranking system will have them right at the top. More efficient use of your time is finally here and you’re a part of it. Many YouTube fans say it’s about time.

The Victims in the Change

There are plenty of useless videos on YouTube that were shot to the top needlessly. However, there are bound to be a few YouTube video creators who will suffer. Some videos, like cooking tutorials, are naturally not always watched completely. If you provide tips and someone only needs to see a portion of your video, you’ll be booted to the bottom of YouTube.

There is often at least one loser when a massive change is made. The pros of the ranking system far outweighs the cons. Users are overall very happy with the change and confident of YouTube’s future.

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Shane Jones

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Shane Jones is a Senior Social Outreach Specialist with management roots in online PR. A strong proponent for the power of personal, "humanized," digital collaboration, Shane shares his opinions and knowledge on Social Outreach and Digital Marketing. Additionally he blogs about his life's adventures, as he continues to "Empty his Bucket." He's always on the lookout for more bucket list ideas. Follow me on Twitter @ShaneJones15, Google +, and LinkedIn.