YouTube can be a great option for finding new and exciting videos, but there can also be times when the service promotes old or even irrelevant videos. In some cases, this could simply be the result of YouTube mistaking the interests of the user, while in other cases, it could actually be in line with YouTube’s general approach of delivering videos specifically targeting the user’s interests and prior watch history.

With YouTube being a Google service, it is one that has access to a wide variety of information about the user. Although this has raised concerns for some, it can also be highly beneficial. Whenever a user click through and watches a video, YouTube will take that as a signal to suggest a recommended video. Watch it all the way through to the end and YouTube may take that as an even stronger signal that the user really liked the video, resulting in similar videos surfacing in the future.

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Generally, YouTube will look to promote new content that’s in line with the user’s interests. However, YouTube’s algorithm uses many signals to determine the likelihood of a video being watched. One of them is also going to be popularity in general. Although it is common for videos to be released and instantly gain millions of views pushing YouTube to promote them as a trending video to other users, there are videos that can generate substantial views more slowly over time. These evergreen types of videos can mean an older video suddenly becomes popular in YouTube’s eyes, resulting in it surfacing higher in a user’s recommendations. This is especially true if the video also happens to highly match the interests of the user.

YouTube Watch History Matters

Just like Netflix and many other services, the more a user views content on YouTube, the more the video service tends to learn about their viewing habits and interests. A lot of  the time this results in self-fulfilling outcomes. For example, if YouTube recommends an older video and it is viewed by the user, YouTube may take that as an indication that the user likes older videos. Or, at the very least, is open to watching them, raising the chances of more older videos being recommended in the future. The more often this cycle continues, the more often users should expect to see similar videos, regardless of their age.

Of course, there is always the possibility that YouTube’s special recommendation sauce is simply making a mistake, whether the result of a bug or just misjudging the interests of the user. Regardless, YouTube users can further help to fine-tune their watch experience and recommendations by providing more feedback to the service. One option is to simply click or tap on the “not interested” option available with all videos. Whether it is an older or irrelevant video, this additional signal can further help to tell YouTube what a user wants to see by telling the service what they don’t want to see. Likewise, users can also clear watch and search history, or even turn off personalized recommendations altogether, although the latter option is unlikely to solve the older videos issue.

Source: YouTube

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John Finn
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John Finn is a technology editor and writer for Screen Rant. John has been covering technology since 2014 and focuses on where tech meets the movie and TV industry. A Psychology graduate from England who now lives in the US, John previously worked in the aviation industry as an airline reviewer. You can find John on Twitter @J_Finns or email at john [at] screenrant [dot] com.

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