Adverturous posted: " Do you ever find yourself watching tons of videos on YouTube? Yeah, us too. We were curious to understand why we end up in this endless cycle of video after video. And video after video. And -- you get the point. Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com Th"
Do you ever find yourself watching tons of videos on YouTube? Yeah, us too. We were curious to understand why we end up in this endless cycle of video after video. And video after video. And -- you get the point.
YouTube has always had a particular method to encourage users to spend time on the website.
From 2007 - 2012, YouTube rewarded channels that had a high view count on their videos. More views meant more clicks. More clicks meant more engagement.
From 2012 onwards, YouTube was more concerned about watch time. YouTube incentivised videos that generated more view time. This meant it was more likely to become monetised with adverts and become a featured video on the site.
In 2016, YouTube used machine learning for their algorithm making it smarter. From then onwards, more dangerous content was available on site. This led to the demonetisation of the video and to help protect the brand image of YouTube.
YouTube recommends videos based on trends and watch history. This is why you usually see videos, which are 10 years old, recommended to you because of high traffic.
The extra features on the platform such as the autoplay button, suggested videos and the headline/view count all play into why we spend so much time on YouTube. These small features can make a great difference to the duration of our stay online. Not to mention the landing page, filled with trending videos. And a large banner with an ad of the latest movie streaming or sponsored brand post.
The bunch of serotonin and dopamine that release when we watch these videos is no surprise at all. Something that piques your interest releases feel-good hormones. This is the reason why high-risk activities such as gambling and dangerous substances like drugs can elicit the same response.
YouTube has used the clever AI system to generate a pattern of mass viewership. By learning how we interact online and the videos we click on, YouTube gains a tiny bit of information about our interests every time we watch something new.
So the next time you go on to YouTube, be wary of what you press. Because you could be there forever.
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