I think "the algorithm" is the only reason Youtube is popular at all. It's also the reason Tiktok became popular. "The algorithm" more than anything else explai

I think "the algorithm" is the only reason Youtube is popular at all. It's also the reason Tiktok became popular. "The algorithm" more than anything else explains both Youtube's popularity for long form content and its failure for short form vertical video content as well as livestreaming. "The algorithm" recommends new videos based on what you previously watched and that depends on creators emulating others and creating content in similar areas. "The algorithm" dictates not only what the viewer can find but also what creators will spend time making and what areas new creators will try out. It's hard to predict what new thing will become popular on Youtube but it is easy to predict when the performance of similar videos is so readily accessible. View count is the first thing anyone reads after the title and creator of a video by design.