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We're recording the aftershow for this video this Thursday (along with the aftershow for the parkour video). Leave any questions you have about the video, the process behind it, and whatever else in the comments below!

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the entire history of the youtube algorithm, i guess

Learn more about Shopify by visiting: https://shopify.com/answerinprogress BUY OUR LIMITED EDITION TEE HERE: https://answerinprogress.com/shop Thank you to Shopify for supporting the launch of our commemorative t-shirt in honour of hitting 1 million subscribers! all credit to the goat bill wurtz for the title inspo. Is the YouTube algorithm is the key to success on YouTube? Let's find out! In this video, Taha explores how we reached 1 million subscribers by taking a deep dive into the beating heart of success on YouTube, the recommendation algorithm. Along the way, he accidentally plots the entire history of the YouTube algorithm. (pls don't ask me about youtube shorts, it's a whole can of worms) SUPPORT US ON PATREON (and get 25% off the commemorative tee!) https://patreon.com/answerinprogress SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER https://www.answerinprogress.com/newsletter SOCIAL MEDIA Sabrina Twitter: https://twitter.com/nerdyandquirky Instagram: http://instagram.com/nerdyandquirky Melissa Twitter: https://twitter.com/mehlizfern Instagram: http://instagram.com/mehlizfern Taha Twitter: https://twitter.com/khanstopme Instagram: http://instagram.com/khanstopme CREDITS Produced by Taha Khan Video Editing by Joe Trickey and Taha Khan Motion Design by Joe Trickey Special Thanks to Hank Green, Rowan Ellis, Glarses and Max Fosh Hank Green: https://www.youtube.com/@vlogbrothers Rowan Ellis: https://www.youtube.com/@HeyRowanEllis Glarses: https://www.youtube.com/@Glarses Max Fosh: https://www.youtube.com/c/MaxFosh MUSIC Epidemic Sound. Get started today using our affiliate link. http://share.epidemicsound.com/answerinprogress RECOMMENDED READING An article about the people who manually curated the YouTube homepage: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2022/09/youtube-homepage-editor-google-algorithm-book-excerpt/671339/ The Vlogbrothers get onto the Homepage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC4bVW8OFtM A long article about the history of the YouTube algorithm: https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/continuing-our-work-to-improve/ A YouTube employee gives a presentation on the algorithm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Fn79qJa2Fc The Original Research Paper: https://research.google/pubs/pub37742/ The Neural Network Paper: https://research.google/pubs/pub45530/ https://research.google/pubs/pub45530/ FULL LIST OF SOURCES: https://answerinprogress.notion.site/the-entire-history-of-the-youtube-algorithm-i-guess-sources-b85323ad3f5e491d9146b070afd94039 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - we hit 1 million subs!! 00:59 - we made a commemorative tee!! 01:42 - we never experienced a single problem along the way 03:49 - the entire history of the youtube algorithm, i guess 04:38 - there's more?! 05:14 - the internet is rotting 06:50 - tell us about the past grandpa! (2005-2007) 08:46 - the problems with the handpicked homepage 10:54 - the first major change to the homepage (2008/2009) 11:30 - what the heck is a recommendation algorithm? 13:30 - the answer in progress gameshow !! 14:37 - how youtube uses metadata 17:00 - THERE'S MORE?!? 19:20 - how the youtube algorithm works 21:51 - why you keep getting recommended fishing videos (also the try guys) 22:58 - the guinea pigs become the algorithm 27:17 - how does youtube decide if a video is 'good'? 27:56 - clickbait (2010 - 2012) 29:14 - WHAT'S THAT COMING OVER THE HILL, IS IT A REPLY GIRL? 32:37 - beyond the click (2013 onwards) 33:49 - i am watch time, slayer of clickbait 34:45 - gamin gamin gamin 35:48 - pepe silvia conspiracy wall meme 36:43 - AI, neural networks and beyond (2016) 38:57 - a theory about removing dislikes 39:53 - the modern day algorithm 41:07 - the complete timeline ! (2020 and beyond!) 42:18 - how to get more views on youtube 44:10 - why 'hacking' the algorithm is a bad idea 44:22 - we got a youtube play button :) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Welcome to the joke under the fold! Why was the computer cold? It left its Windows open. Leave a comment with the word ROBOT to let me know you were here ;-)

Comments

Ariel

Is the wall okay from removing the tape?

Juan

Hey guys, great video! I wanted to know how did you come up with the gameshow analogy, I just loved what a good fit it was in order to explain the behavior of the algorithm

S•P•Q•R

I loved that you talked to Grandpa Hank, and I know you all (especially Sabrina) have been friendly with him for a while, but how did you get the courage to ask him if you could interview him about YouTube history?

pris

No question to add BUT I did want to say that this video was AMAZING, enjoyable, cracked me up, and also reminded me of the human-ness of Youtube. Also big shout out to Joe for the outstanding visual storytelling with the editing!

AJ

Was the production for these two videos (parkour + algorithm video) super long? Were there roadblocks in any part of the production?

AJ

I noticed the there were several iterations of the thumbnail for both the videos. Can you guys go through your thought process in your thumbnail selection? For Taha’s video I noticed he included his face in the earlier version of the thumbnail but later favored a different style. Would you guys be able to expand on that? Thanks!

AJ

Not related to either videos but Melissa where is your video?! Looking forward to it 🥰

Simon Law

What was the most surprising, or maybe counterintuitive, event that happened to you while growing the channel?