Ever tried to crack the mystery that is the YouTube Trending Page? What makes those videos trendier than others? As a creator, what can you do to make it to that page and on the smartphones of every YouTube user in your country?
The vague, unknown criteria of videos on the trending page have led to some speculating how and why the list is made. Encouraging several to come up with some theories and myths. YouTube with their channel “Creator Insider” recently published a video detailing common Trending Page Myths that are absolutely not true.
What is YouTube Trending
Before getting into the myths themself, let’s first discuss, what even is the trending page? Navigable through the main menu, YouTube Trending aims to provide a set of videos that a wide range of viewers would find appealing.
The list updates itself every 15 minutes to remain current. The goal is that there is something on it for everyone. And that it:
- Showcases the platform’s diversity
- Performs exceptionally well compared to other videos on the platform (or other videos on the channel).
- Isn’t clickbait, misleading, or sensational.
- In line with the immediate culture and trends of the time.
The list is not affected by the users viewing history. All users throughout the whole country see the same list of videos in YouTube Trending. Therefore, getting a video featured on YouTube Trending is considerably a big deal.
Myth 1. There Is Favoritism on Who Shows Up on the Trending Page.
There’s a myth that, in order to show up on YouTube trending, you have to either pay someone or know someone who works for the company.
This is not true at all. YouTube does not allow payments to be placed on the trending page. Neither does the company practice any favoritism. Instead the following is considered while placing a video on YouTube Trending:
- The video’s view count
- How quickly the video gained said views
- Where the views are coming from (including off YouTube)
- How recently the video has been uploaded
- How the video is performing in comparison to recent uploads from the same channel
Videos that have higher views are not necessarily placed at the top of the page, rather videos that have the most culturally trending content of the moment will be ranked higher.
Filters weed out videos that have excessive profanity, violence, mature content or are disparaging of others. Where the views are coming from is considered to discourage creators to pay for views. A video with paid views is excluded from the eligibility criteria for YouTube Trending.
Myth 2. YouTube Trending Page is Only for Big Creators
Some creators believe that Trending only features late night talk show hosts or big YouTube channels.
This claim was denied by YouTube. In fact, the platform makes sure that a minimum of half of the videos on Trending are from homegrown YouTube creators and channels. There is no preferential treatment based on the size of the channel.
YouTube Trending also has tabs for “creator on the rise,” and “artist on the rise,” that feature up and coming channels for a whole day, as opposed to the 15 minutes of fame on YouTube Trending. This is done so that they can gain traction and viewership
Myth 3. Their’s an ideal time to publish
There is no golden hour.
There is no ideal time to publish in order to get to the Trending Page. With the page refreshed roughly every 15 minutes, you have the chance of making it to the page every 15 minutes.
However, what is more important while publishing a video is to consider when the bulk of your viewers will watch that video. Are the majority of your viewers awake, due you have a set schedule, when do they expect the video to be out. Posting at odd hours can affect the number of views on your videos.
Watch full video here:
FEATURED PHOTO CREDIT: SCREEN-GRAB FROM YOUTUBE CREATORS
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