Shorts Hit Double Digits in 5 Mins, Then Stalls? 📈 Get More Views!

Creators on YouTube are wrestling with a perplexing issue: the platform’s Shorts algorithm.

The Shorts Algorithm’s Unpredictable Nature

YouTube Shorts, a feature designed for quick, engaging video content, is leaving creators baffled. One creator reports a consistent problem where the algorithm seemingly fluctuates its recommendations. Normally, their videos garner between 1,000 to 3,000 views, with a “wiped rate” (likely referring to a swipe-away rate) of 50-70%. However, at unpredictable times, these same Shorts are not proposed to the general public, resulting in a mere 1-5 views. In these instances, if only their existing community engages, the view count hovers around 60-180.

A Pattern of Inconsistency

This inconsistency appears to be a recurring theme. The creator describes periods where the algorithm seems to enter a “depri phase,” apparently disinclining it from suggesting new videos to users. During these times, the creator notes a significant drop in their ability to gain new subscribers through Shorts, a channel that previously brought in 3-6 new subscribers and boosted regular video views. This current situation renders that strategy ineffective.

Adding to the confusion, the creator has experimented by deleting and re-uploading videos that performed poorly. The outcome is erratic: some re-uploads continue to receive minimal views (1-5), while others unexpectedly jump into the thousands. This suggests that luck, rather than the content itself, may play a significant role.

Ruling Out Common Causes

Based on these observations, the creator has managed to rule out several potential culprits:

• The quality or content of the video itself does not appear to be the deciding factor in its reach.
• The playback duration or how quickly users swipe away from a Short doesn’t seem to influence the algorithm’s decisions.

Frustration is mounting as generic advice from “YouTube experts” often falls short. These experts typically advise keeping Shorts short and exciting. However, the creator argues that for Shorts, the fundamental question is simply whether the algorithm chooses to push it. If it doesn’t, it languishes, regardless of its inherent qualities. The peculiar situation where a video is ignored, then re-uploaded to find massive viewership, implies a deeper, more opaque logic at play.

The creator is seeking to understand what is truly causing these dramatic shifts in the Shorts algorithm’s behavior.