How Algorithms Respond To Video Content

We have all created or shared a video or two in our lives, whether on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, or Instagram. Naturally, people want to share or even recreate the attention-grabbing, trending, or just downright entertaining content. The content we make can reach millions of people and go viral, be ignored, or land somewhere in between. 

So why is your content’s engagement plateauing? How do you get more viewer ratings? 

I think we all know the answer is algorithms, but the term, while common, is still pretty mysterious. We know that algorithms rule social media, but what does that mean, exactly? 

The content we upload must meet certain criteria to be prioritized for certain people. The algorithms on different social platforms rank your content and recommend it to users across the board if it’s something the algorithm thinks that users actually want to see. If you plan to make content or improve how your existing content ranks on different platforms, you need to understand how different algorithms respond to the content you make. 

Across the board, one thing is pretty certain: video is a king. According to WordStream, video content generates 1200% more shares than text and image content combined.

According to Kyle Evora, a video content specialist at TechnologyAdvice, videos that focus on highly searched topics pop up in search results more often  than other formats. That’s why TechnologyAdvice produces detailed, yet concise, videos of key competitors in each software category.

"Videos based on software topics and reviews are found primarily through search functions on social media like YouTube and Facebook. The primary metrics that work well with the current algorithms are views and watch time.” 

How An Algorithm Works And How To Work It

Algorithms are often seen as roadblocks, but if you understand them, you can use them to your advantage. The key is to understand how to craft content that algorithms want to see rather than try to fight them.

Algorithms are programmed to favor videos with the best viewer satisfaction. Whether it’s a boomerang-style looping video or a mini-commercial for your business, any type of video is fair game as long as it can garner positive reactions. 

In other words: if you make videos that viewers enjoy, the algorithm will pick up your content and show it to others because that is what it reacts to. Content that’s relevant and has an experience that feels unique and personal is a good way to get you in the algorithm’s good graces. 

Switcher Studio, for example, offers a unique experience by allowing brands to share their products with consumers in real-time, which is as relevant as it gets. Its built-in Live Selling templates make it easy to create live selling videos on the fly, all branded with your logos, fonts, imagery, and colors for a signature streaming look. Using a tool that helps jazz up your videos with customized imagery or that gives you an edge, like going live, helps increase the odds of viewer engagement and, as a result, algorithmic favoring. 

Simply put, algorithms determine which content to deliver to you based on your behaviour . For example, when YouTube recommends videos to you, it’s because the algorithm is basing your preferences off of what you’ve watched in the past and what similar viewers are watching as well. 

Why does the algorithm do this, you may ask? 

Because the higher the viewer satisfaction is, the more likely viewers will stay on the platform, which means they will watch more ads. This exchange between making relevant and relatable content and YouTube recommending your videos to users who will watch them is how YouTube makes money. 

The timing and consistency also play significant roles in your content’s engagement rate and ranking with the algorithm. The more engagement your content gets, the more likely it will be rewarded by the algorithm. Having topics in your content like pros and cons, product alternatives, and question-based posts are the easiest ways to encourage viewers to engage with your content and catch the algorithm’s attention. 

Algorithms are not as mysterious as you might initially think. Creating content topics that are strategic and intentional, and using formats that rank better, like video, go a long way in increasing your viewership, engagement, and the likelihood of being recommended by the algorithm.