The YouTube algorithm in 2026 - What's actually working?

SarahCreates

8 months ago

I've been analyzing my analytics for the past 6 months and noticed some interesting patterns. Shorts seem to be getting less push than last year, while long-form content over 15 minutes is getting recommended more. Anyone else noticing this shift?

2 replies

Replies (2)

EmmaEdits·8 months ago

Definitely noticing the same thing! My 20+ minute tutorials are getting way more impressions than my 8-minute ones. YouTube seems to favor watch time over view count now.

ChrisSEO·8 months ago

I think they're trying to compete with long-form platforms. My theory is they want people to stay on YouTube longer, so longer videos = more ad slots = more revenue.