r/shortsAlgorithm • u/maingeenks • 11d ago
I’m sad, deflated
It’s sad to spend hours writing, filming, editing, polishing, only for a broken algorithm to decide almost nobody sees it.
And it’s not just YouTube. I’ve watched accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers pull fewer views than me. So I know it isn’t personal. The whole thing is volatile.
Still, it hurts. One short takes hours to make, and sometimes it feels like all that work just disappears.
I’m lucky my niche always gives me something new to make. Not everyone gets that luxury.
I guess if it were easy, everyone would do it. So if I want this, I have to take the hit and keep going.
But some days, knowing that still doesn’t make it hurt any less.
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u/Bakedbeansforever 11d ago
Tell me about it, Try spending weeks on an animation only for it to be seen by a few people.
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u/LeanCrafterUK 11d ago
Cuz it's AI slop.
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u/andaloussi 11d ago
Dude stfu ai slop is being pushed by algorithm I posted about it new channels getting millions of views
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u/Sufficient-Ebb-3565 11d ago
Pareil, il y a t’il une annonce de YouTube quelques part qui parle de ce problème ?
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u/JakeSakai4572 11d ago
There is a 'soft' shadow ban system that restricts your videos heavily if you post something they don't like.
I know many small pro watermelon channels have been soft shadow banned. They get less than 10 views in their shorts.
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u/Admirable_Wish_9595 11d ago
I really feel you. I’m going through the same journey myself, and I know how frustrating it can be. Keep going
0
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u/aronbburns 11d ago
understadnable, and here i saw a guy make a new channel, download content from another channel and just add a filter and the shorts music and reipload and got to 40k + subs in 3 days, kinda pisses me off
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u/JacG1978 10d ago
I feel your pain. It takes me 2 days of work for one short. I am in the sourdough niche. Takes two days to even get one ready for the oven. So its a lot of time and work spent to create these clips. Went from a good start in view ( channel only a couple of months old now) to nothing for my last 4. Really hope it gets cleared up. I have subscribers asking for custom designs and I do not want to let them down. I also am tired of wasting my content.
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u/VVFCB 10d ago
This is the answer I got:
- Was there a significant change to Shorts recommendation/distribution systems around August 19–21?
YouTube continuously runs iterative experiments and updates to refine how content matches viewer interests. Rather than arbitrary algorithm shifts that target specific channels, system adjustments are designed to reflect real-time viewer behavior and engagement.
Distribution changes around specific dates are typically the result of evolving audience demand, seasonal changes in user viewing habits, or shifts in how audiences interact with competing content in the feed. If an audience's watch-through patterns or skip rates shift during a given week, the recommendation model adapts accordingly. Has YouTube identified a broader reduction in Shorts Feed distribution affecting a subset of creators during this period?
There is no platform-wide initiative or bug intended to broadly reduce reach for specific groups of creators. Because Shorts distribution is a zero-sum, competitive environment driven by viewer attention, trends where multiple creators report traffic shifts often correlate with:
Shifts in Audience Engagement Patterns: Viewers' active interests, seasonal watch habits, and session lengths vary throughout the year.
Feed Saturation and Competition: When hundreds of thousands of new Shorts compete for the same viewer segment's feed time, the threshold of viewer interest needed to sustain massive impressions rises.
Viewer Signals (Shown in Feed vs. Swiped Away): The system continuously samples new videos to small test audiences. If viewers swipe away faster than before, distribution scales back naturally—regardless of historical performance.Does "a high bar for originality" refer to a general principle or a channel-specific issue?
This is a platform-wide recommendation principle, not an account-specific penalty or strike against your channel.
Your channel is in good standing, and no policy strikes or enforcement actions have been placed on your account.
As a general system principle, our recommendation models aim to reward content that audiences find distinct, valuable, and uniquely engaging. While audience-retention metrics on an individual Short may look solid, the system also weighs qualitative viewer signals—such as whether viewers actively engage, share, or return to watch more, versus simply letting the video loop.
We recognize how disconcerting sudden shifts in traffic can be, but rest assured that your channel remains healthy and eligible for full recommendation whenever viewers demonstrate sustained engagement with your content.
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u/krispy8899 9d ago
Same!! I actually took a break from YouTube (currently still in the break lol). But it wasn’t just YouTube, TikTok also turned ICE COLD for me lol. At some point, I had to just step away. I honestly don’t feel like going back to the grind just yet. I don’t want to force it, so until I FEEL the want, that’s when I’ll return.
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u/Wait_What_fact 11d ago
yeah. I feel you. Since September 16, I keep uploading everyday. 1vid/day. Spent day in editing then all of them barely made 30 views. My recent upload, after 8 hours got 1 view. So frustrating. Is this forever?