A Filmmaker’s Approach to YouTube Splitscreen Videos

How to Make a Creative Split-screen Video for YouTube?

Liza Brown

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

If we talk about post-production techniques and visual effects, then Split Screen has to be one of the smartest picks. After all, it lets us narrate our story via two (or more) screens and gives our audience a superior viewing experience. Though, a lot of users find it hard to implement the split-screen effect on YouTube videos. Here, I will let you know how to come up with all kinds of YouTube split-screen videos by using a professional video editor.

Part 1: The Diverse Applications of Split-screen Videos

Before we discuss how to work on YouTube split-screen videos, let’s quickly consider some major applications of this video effect.

• To draw a direct comparison

One of the most popular applications of split-screen videos is for comparing two or more instances or perspectives in the same frame. For example, you might wish to depict the lifestyle of two people from different parts of the world or simply compare the effect of various seasons in a single video.

• To provide two or more perspectives

Videos are the best visual storytelling tools and just like any story, they can also have different perspectives. Ideally, the split-screen effect would be one of the best ways to show your audience all kinds of perspectives that can take place in your story.

One of the best examples was depicted in the movie “500 Days of Summer” in which we got several Expectations vs. Reality shots. These split-screen shots depicted the two major perspectives of the story in a single frame.

• To implement the cloning effect

Have you ever wondered how filmmakers create a clone of a person in movies? To do that, we make the protagonist record both the scenes in front of the same background. Later, we implement a split-screen effect in which both the clips are combined in such a way that it makes the audience believe as if the scene has both, the character and their clone placed flawlessly.

Watch Video! Use Split-Screen for Your YouTube Videos

Part 2: How to Make Creative YouTube Split-screen Videos with Wondershare Filmora ?

If you want to come up with professional YouTube split-screen videos, then consider using a resourceful tool like Wondershare Filmora. Recently, the company has launched Wondershare Filmora for Mac V10.2 with an upgraded set of newly-added split-screen templates . Therefore, you can simply use the wide range of split-screen templates in Filmora and drag-and-drop your videos to implement the effect.

• Wondershare Filmora has recently added an extensive range of split-screen templates that you can instantly use and customize to meet your requirements.
• Apart from YouTube split-screen templates, you can also find options for other social platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc.
• Without undergoing any technical hassle, you can just drag and drop your videos to the split-screen template and further make the needed changes.
• There are also dedicated options to edit the split-screen video, apply color correction, and even implement different stunning animated effects.
• Besides that, you can use Filmora to access numerous other editing options like motion tracking, keyframing, audio ducking, auto reframing, action cam editing, and more.

Creating or editing YouTube split-screen videos in Wondershare Filmora is extremely easy and can be done in the following way:

Step 1: Import the Videos You Want to Edit to Wondershare Filmora

Before you edit your YouTube split-screen video, you need to import clips to the application. To do this, just launch Wondershare Filmora on your system and click on the “Import” button to load your videos. You can also go to its Menu > File > Import Media to do the same.

Step 2: Select the Split-screen Template and Add Your Videos

Great! Once you have loaded the interface of Filmora, you can locate a “Split Screen” section from the top. Just click on it to browse a wide range of split-screen video templates for YouTube to include two, three, or more clips. You can just double-click any template to get its preview and drag-and-drop it to the timeline to start working on it.

If you want, you can take the playhead and drag the pointer to adjust the length of the split-screen template on the timeline. To add your clips, just double-click on the split-screen template and click on the drop icon from the preview window. Now, click on the source clip to add it to the template and adjust its position to get the desired effects.

Step 3: Edit Your YouTube Split-screen Video

Following the same drill, you can include multiple clips to the YouTube split-screen template. You can further go to its editing features and explore the “Video” tab to scale, reposition, or rotate your clips. There are also options to add borders in the split-screen effect to separate the clips distinctively in the video.

Apart from that, you can also go to the “Color” section to access various color correction features. From here, you can adjust the brightness, temperature, saturation, tint, and other effects in the video.

If you want to make your YouTube split-screen video more appealing, then go to the “Motion” feature. Here, you can easily implement any existing animated template for transitions and other effects.

Besides that, you can also click on the edit icon from the bottom panel of the Preview section to edit your videos separately.

Step 4: Export the YouTube Split-screen Video

That’s it! Once you are done editing the split-screen video, you can export it from Filmora and save it on your Mac. Just click on the Export option and select a location to save the YouTube split-screen video. There are also additional features to save the video in different formats, video resolutions, and frame rates here that you can explore.

There you go! After following this guide, you would be able to come up with all kinds of YouTube split-screen videos on your Mac. Ideally, with the help of a resourceful tool like Wondershare Filmora, working on a split-screen video is an effortless task. Since the tool has numerous split-screen templates for YouTube, you can just select any template, and customize it to create a stunning YouTube split-screen video in minutes.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

If we talk about post-production techniques and visual effects, then Split Screen has to be one of the smartest picks. After all, it lets us narrate our story via two (or more) screens and gives our audience a superior viewing experience. Though, a lot of users find it hard to implement the split-screen effect on YouTube videos. Here, I will let you know how to come up with all kinds of YouTube split-screen videos by using a professional video editor.

Part 1: The Diverse Applications of Split-screen Videos

Before we discuss how to work on YouTube split-screen videos, let’s quickly consider some major applications of this video effect.

• To draw a direct comparison

One of the most popular applications of split-screen videos is for comparing two or more instances or perspectives in the same frame. For example, you might wish to depict the lifestyle of two people from different parts of the world or simply compare the effect of various seasons in a single video.

• To provide two or more perspectives

Videos are the best visual storytelling tools and just like any story, they can also have different perspectives. Ideally, the split-screen effect would be one of the best ways to show your audience all kinds of perspectives that can take place in your story.

One of the best examples was depicted in the movie “500 Days of Summer” in which we got several Expectations vs. Reality shots. These split-screen shots depicted the two major perspectives of the story in a single frame.

• To implement the cloning effect

Have you ever wondered how filmmakers create a clone of a person in movies? To do that, we make the protagonist record both the scenes in front of the same background. Later, we implement a split-screen effect in which both the clips are combined in such a way that it makes the audience believe as if the scene has both, the character and their clone placed flawlessly.

Watch Video! Use Split-Screen for Your YouTube Videos

Part 2: How to Make Creative YouTube Split-screen Videos with Wondershare Filmora ?

If you want to come up with professional YouTube split-screen videos, then consider using a resourceful tool like Wondershare Filmora. Recently, the company has launched Wondershare Filmora for Mac V10.2 with an upgraded set of newly-added split-screen templates . Therefore, you can simply use the wide range of split-screen templates in Filmora and drag-and-drop your videos to implement the effect.

• Wondershare Filmora has recently added an extensive range of split-screen templates that you can instantly use and customize to meet your requirements.
• Apart from YouTube split-screen templates, you can also find options for other social platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc.
• Without undergoing any technical hassle, you can just drag and drop your videos to the split-screen template and further make the needed changes.
• There are also dedicated options to edit the split-screen video, apply color correction, and even implement different stunning animated effects.
• Besides that, you can use Filmora to access numerous other editing options like motion tracking, keyframing, audio ducking, auto reframing, action cam editing, and more.

Creating or editing YouTube split-screen videos in Wondershare Filmora is extremely easy and can be done in the following way:

Step 1: Import the Videos You Want to Edit to Wondershare Filmora

Before you edit your YouTube split-screen video, you need to import clips to the application. To do this, just launch Wondershare Filmora on your system and click on the “Import” button to load your videos. You can also go to its Menu > File > Import Media to do the same.

Step 2: Select the Split-screen Template and Add Your Videos

Great! Once you have loaded the interface of Filmora, you can locate a “Split Screen” section from the top. Just click on it to browse a wide range of split-screen video templates for YouTube to include two, three, or more clips. You can just double-click any template to get its preview and drag-and-drop it to the timeline to start working on it.

If you want, you can take the playhead and drag the pointer to adjust the length of the split-screen template on the timeline. To add your clips, just double-click on the split-screen template and click on the drop icon from the preview window. Now, click on the source clip to add it to the template and adjust its position to get the desired effects.

Step 3: Edit Your YouTube Split-screen Video

Following the same drill, you can include multiple clips to the YouTube split-screen template. You can further go to its editing features and explore the “Video” tab to scale, reposition, or rotate your clips. There are also options to add borders in the split-screen effect to separate the clips distinctively in the video.

Apart from that, you can also go to the “Color” section to access various color correction features. From here, you can adjust the brightness, temperature, saturation, tint, and other effects in the video.

If you want to make your YouTube split-screen video more appealing, then go to the “Motion” feature. Here, you can easily implement any existing animated template for transitions and other effects.

Besides that, you can also click on the edit icon from the bottom panel of the Preview section to edit your videos separately.

Step 4: Export the YouTube Split-screen Video

That’s it! Once you are done editing the split-screen video, you can export it from Filmora and save it on your Mac. Just click on the Export option and select a location to save the YouTube split-screen video. There are also additional features to save the video in different formats, video resolutions, and frame rates here that you can explore.

There you go! After following this guide, you would be able to come up with all kinds of YouTube split-screen videos on your Mac. Ideally, with the help of a resourceful tool like Wondershare Filmora, working on a split-screen video is an effortless task. Since the tool has numerous split-screen templates for YouTube, you can just select any template, and customize it to create a stunning YouTube split-screen video in minutes.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

If we talk about post-production techniques and visual effects, then Split Screen has to be one of the smartest picks. After all, it lets us narrate our story via two (or more) screens and gives our audience a superior viewing experience. Though, a lot of users find it hard to implement the split-screen effect on YouTube videos. Here, I will let you know how to come up with all kinds of YouTube split-screen videos by using a professional video editor.

Part 1: The Diverse Applications of Split-screen Videos

Before we discuss how to work on YouTube split-screen videos, let’s quickly consider some major applications of this video effect.

• To draw a direct comparison

One of the most popular applications of split-screen videos is for comparing two or more instances or perspectives in the same frame. For example, you might wish to depict the lifestyle of two people from different parts of the world or simply compare the effect of various seasons in a single video.

• To provide two or more perspectives

Videos are the best visual storytelling tools and just like any story, they can also have different perspectives. Ideally, the split-screen effect would be one of the best ways to show your audience all kinds of perspectives that can take place in your story.

One of the best examples was depicted in the movie “500 Days of Summer” in which we got several Expectations vs. Reality shots. These split-screen shots depicted the two major perspectives of the story in a single frame.

• To implement the cloning effect

Have you ever wondered how filmmakers create a clone of a person in movies? To do that, we make the protagonist record both the scenes in front of the same background. Later, we implement a split-screen effect in which both the clips are combined in such a way that it makes the audience believe as if the scene has both, the character and their clone placed flawlessly.

Watch Video! Use Split-Screen for Your YouTube Videos

Part 2: How to Make Creative YouTube Split-screen Videos with Wondershare Filmora ?

If you want to come up with professional YouTube split-screen videos, then consider using a resourceful tool like Wondershare Filmora. Recently, the company has launched Wondershare Filmora for Mac V10.2 with an upgraded set of newly-added split-screen templates . Therefore, you can simply use the wide range of split-screen templates in Filmora and drag-and-drop your videos to implement the effect.

• Wondershare Filmora has recently added an extensive range of split-screen templates that you can instantly use and customize to meet your requirements.
• Apart from YouTube split-screen templates, you can also find options for other social platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc.
• Without undergoing any technical hassle, you can just drag and drop your videos to the split-screen template and further make the needed changes.
• There are also dedicated options to edit the split-screen video, apply color correction, and even implement different stunning animated effects.
• Besides that, you can use Filmora to access numerous other editing options like motion tracking, keyframing, audio ducking, auto reframing, action cam editing, and more.

Creating or editing YouTube split-screen videos in Wondershare Filmora is extremely easy and can be done in the following way:

Step 1: Import the Videos You Want to Edit to Wondershare Filmora

Before you edit your YouTube split-screen video, you need to import clips to the application. To do this, just launch Wondershare Filmora on your system and click on the “Import” button to load your videos. You can also go to its Menu > File > Import Media to do the same.

Step 2: Select the Split-screen Template and Add Your Videos

Great! Once you have loaded the interface of Filmora, you can locate a “Split Screen” section from the top. Just click on it to browse a wide range of split-screen video templates for YouTube to include two, three, or more clips. You can just double-click any template to get its preview and drag-and-drop it to the timeline to start working on it.

If you want, you can take the playhead and drag the pointer to adjust the length of the split-screen template on the timeline. To add your clips, just double-click on the split-screen template and click on the drop icon from the preview window. Now, click on the source clip to add it to the template and adjust its position to get the desired effects.

Step 3: Edit Your YouTube Split-screen Video

Following the same drill, you can include multiple clips to the YouTube split-screen template. You can further go to its editing features and explore the “Video” tab to scale, reposition, or rotate your clips. There are also options to add borders in the split-screen effect to separate the clips distinctively in the video.

Apart from that, you can also go to the “Color” section to access various color correction features. From here, you can adjust the brightness, temperature, saturation, tint, and other effects in the video.

If you want to make your YouTube split-screen video more appealing, then go to the “Motion” feature. Here, you can easily implement any existing animated template for transitions and other effects.

Besides that, you can also click on the edit icon from the bottom panel of the Preview section to edit your videos separately.

Step 4: Export the YouTube Split-screen Video

That’s it! Once you are done editing the split-screen video, you can export it from Filmora and save it on your Mac. Just click on the Export option and select a location to save the YouTube split-screen video. There are also additional features to save the video in different formats, video resolutions, and frame rates here that you can explore.

There you go! After following this guide, you would be able to come up with all kinds of YouTube split-screen videos on your Mac. Ideally, with the help of a resourceful tool like Wondershare Filmora, working on a split-screen video is an effortless task. Since the tool has numerous split-screen templates for YouTube, you can just select any template, and customize it to create a stunning YouTube split-screen video in minutes.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

If we talk about post-production techniques and visual effects, then Split Screen has to be one of the smartest picks. After all, it lets us narrate our story via two (or more) screens and gives our audience a superior viewing experience. Though, a lot of users find it hard to implement the split-screen effect on YouTube videos. Here, I will let you know how to come up with all kinds of YouTube split-screen videos by using a professional video editor.

Part 1: The Diverse Applications of Split-screen Videos

Before we discuss how to work on YouTube split-screen videos, let’s quickly consider some major applications of this video effect.

• To draw a direct comparison

One of the most popular applications of split-screen videos is for comparing two or more instances or perspectives in the same frame. For example, you might wish to depict the lifestyle of two people from different parts of the world or simply compare the effect of various seasons in a single video.

• To provide two or more perspectives

Videos are the best visual storytelling tools and just like any story, they can also have different perspectives. Ideally, the split-screen effect would be one of the best ways to show your audience all kinds of perspectives that can take place in your story.

One of the best examples was depicted in the movie “500 Days of Summer” in which we got several Expectations vs. Reality shots. These split-screen shots depicted the two major perspectives of the story in a single frame.

• To implement the cloning effect

Have you ever wondered how filmmakers create a clone of a person in movies? To do that, we make the protagonist record both the scenes in front of the same background. Later, we implement a split-screen effect in which both the clips are combined in such a way that it makes the audience believe as if the scene has both, the character and their clone placed flawlessly.

Watch Video! Use Split-Screen for Your YouTube Videos

Part 2: How to Make Creative YouTube Split-screen Videos with Wondershare Filmora ?

If you want to come up with professional YouTube split-screen videos, then consider using a resourceful tool like Wondershare Filmora. Recently, the company has launched Wondershare Filmora for Mac V10.2 with an upgraded set of newly-added split-screen templates . Therefore, you can simply use the wide range of split-screen templates in Filmora and drag-and-drop your videos to implement the effect.

• Wondershare Filmora has recently added an extensive range of split-screen templates that you can instantly use and customize to meet your requirements.
• Apart from YouTube split-screen templates, you can also find options for other social platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc.
• Without undergoing any technical hassle, you can just drag and drop your videos to the split-screen template and further make the needed changes.
• There are also dedicated options to edit the split-screen video, apply color correction, and even implement different stunning animated effects.
• Besides that, you can use Filmora to access numerous other editing options like motion tracking, keyframing, audio ducking, auto reframing, action cam editing, and more.

Creating or editing YouTube split-screen videos in Wondershare Filmora is extremely easy and can be done in the following way:

Step 1: Import the Videos You Want to Edit to Wondershare Filmora

Before you edit your YouTube split-screen video, you need to import clips to the application. To do this, just launch Wondershare Filmora on your system and click on the “Import” button to load your videos. You can also go to its Menu > File > Import Media to do the same.

Step 2: Select the Split-screen Template and Add Your Videos

Great! Once you have loaded the interface of Filmora, you can locate a “Split Screen” section from the top. Just click on it to browse a wide range of split-screen video templates for YouTube to include two, three, or more clips. You can just double-click any template to get its preview and drag-and-drop it to the timeline to start working on it.

If you want, you can take the playhead and drag the pointer to adjust the length of the split-screen template on the timeline. To add your clips, just double-click on the split-screen template and click on the drop icon from the preview window. Now, click on the source clip to add it to the template and adjust its position to get the desired effects.

Step 3: Edit Your YouTube Split-screen Video

Following the same drill, you can include multiple clips to the YouTube split-screen template. You can further go to its editing features and explore the “Video” tab to scale, reposition, or rotate your clips. There are also options to add borders in the split-screen effect to separate the clips distinctively in the video.

Apart from that, you can also go to the “Color” section to access various color correction features. From here, you can adjust the brightness, temperature, saturation, tint, and other effects in the video.

If you want to make your YouTube split-screen video more appealing, then go to the “Motion” feature. Here, you can easily implement any existing animated template for transitions and other effects.

Besides that, you can also click on the edit icon from the bottom panel of the Preview section to edit your videos separately.

Step 4: Export the YouTube Split-screen Video

That’s it! Once you are done editing the split-screen video, you can export it from Filmora and save it on your Mac. Just click on the Export option and select a location to save the YouTube split-screen video. There are also additional features to save the video in different formats, video resolutions, and frame rates here that you can explore.

There you go! After following this guide, you would be able to come up with all kinds of YouTube split-screen videos on your Mac. Ideally, with the help of a resourceful tool like Wondershare Filmora, working on a split-screen video is an effortless task. Since the tool has numerous split-screen templates for YouTube, you can just select any template, and customize it to create a stunning YouTube split-screen video in minutes.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Inhibit Surprise YouTube Recommendations

YouTube Recommended Videos - Block the Videos I Don’t Like

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube is forever recommending videos for you whether it’s in your dashboard or next to the video you’re already watching. In theory, these recommendations are based on your viewing habits and you’re only directed to videos you’re interested in.

Except we all know that’s not always what happens.

YouTube’s recommendations are based on more than just what you’ve watched and searched for, and sometimes even the data on that can get skewed over time. Not all your searches reflect your real tastes, and as your search history builds up the algorithm can start having trouble with all that data.

Here’s what you can do about it:

1. Manage Your Watch History
2. Tell YouTube You Aren’t Interested
3. But Why Does It Recommend Stuff I Don’t Like?

Manage Your Watch History

Scroll to the bottom of any page on YouTube and you will see a button marked History with an hourglass icon. To access this feature using a mobile device, go to the Account tab and tap History.

You will be able to completely clear your watch history, remove specific videos from it, or pause your history while you look at videos you don’t want a record of you visiting. By taking control of your history, you can make sure nothing you looked up on a random whim is reflected in your recommendations.

If you are being recommended more things you aren’t interested in than things you are, you might want to clear your history completely and start fresh. Maybe your tastes have changed since YouTube started keeping track of them.

Tell YouTube You Aren’t Interested

Based on your watch history, YouTube knows what you like. However, they have no way of automatically collecting data on what kinds of videos you’d rather not see.

What they do have is a system for you to flag recommendations you don’t like.

Hover over the thumbnail of a video you don’t want to be recommended to you and a small icon that looks like three stacked dots will appear next to the title. Click on that, and then click Not Interested.

When you tell YouTube you aren’t interested in certain videos they use that data to adjust what they recommend for you.

But Why Does It Recommend Stuff I Don’t Like?

Your search/watch history is not the only thing that determines what YouTube recommends for you. Nobody outside of Google knows exactly how the algorithm works, but we do know one of the major factors influencing it is to watch time.

Watch time refers to how a video effects the session time of a viewer. If a video has proven it can keep viewers on YouTube for longer it is more likely to get recommended, even if it isn’t closely related to the interests of individual viewers. The ultimate goal of the algorithm is to keep you on the site longer. Part of that is recommending things, surely, you’ll be interested in, and part of that is trying to get you interested in things that’ll keep you around.

A video that is simply watched for longer, because it is engaging and can hold viewers’ attention for a long time, will have a high watch time. So will a video that is short, but which leads into a playlist which holds peoples’ attention. If a video is a frequent session starter – people see it outside of YouTube (i.e. in a Google search) and get to the site through it – then its watch time will be high because it is given credit for all of the time viewers are spending on YouTube watching other videos after they get there.

The only way to stop certain types of videos from being recommended for you is to take advantage of the ‘not interested’ feature.

Are you usually happy with YouTube’s recommended videos?

What video editing software did YouTube suggested videos are used?

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube is forever recommending videos for you whether it’s in your dashboard or next to the video you’re already watching. In theory, these recommendations are based on your viewing habits and you’re only directed to videos you’re interested in.

Except we all know that’s not always what happens.

YouTube’s recommendations are based on more than just what you’ve watched and searched for, and sometimes even the data on that can get skewed over time. Not all your searches reflect your real tastes, and as your search history builds up the algorithm can start having trouble with all that data.

Here’s what you can do about it:

1. Manage Your Watch History
2. Tell YouTube You Aren’t Interested
3. But Why Does It Recommend Stuff I Don’t Like?

Manage Your Watch History

Scroll to the bottom of any page on YouTube and you will see a button marked History with an hourglass icon. To access this feature using a mobile device, go to the Account tab and tap History.

You will be able to completely clear your watch history, remove specific videos from it, or pause your history while you look at videos you don’t want a record of you visiting. By taking control of your history, you can make sure nothing you looked up on a random whim is reflected in your recommendations.

If you are being recommended more things you aren’t interested in than things you are, you might want to clear your history completely and start fresh. Maybe your tastes have changed since YouTube started keeping track of them.

Tell YouTube You Aren’t Interested

Based on your watch history, YouTube knows what you like. However, they have no way of automatically collecting data on what kinds of videos you’d rather not see.

What they do have is a system for you to flag recommendations you don’t like.

Hover over the thumbnail of a video you don’t want to be recommended to you and a small icon that looks like three stacked dots will appear next to the title. Click on that, and then click Not Interested.

When you tell YouTube you aren’t interested in certain videos they use that data to adjust what they recommend for you.

But Why Does It Recommend Stuff I Don’t Like?

Your search/watch history is not the only thing that determines what YouTube recommends for you. Nobody outside of Google knows exactly how the algorithm works, but we do know one of the major factors influencing it is to watch time.

Watch time refers to how a video effects the session time of a viewer. If a video has proven it can keep viewers on YouTube for longer it is more likely to get recommended, even if it isn’t closely related to the interests of individual viewers. The ultimate goal of the algorithm is to keep you on the site longer. Part of that is recommending things, surely, you’ll be interested in, and part of that is trying to get you interested in things that’ll keep you around.

A video that is simply watched for longer, because it is engaging and can hold viewers’ attention for a long time, will have a high watch time. So will a video that is short, but which leads into a playlist which holds peoples’ attention. If a video is a frequent session starter – people see it outside of YouTube (i.e. in a Google search) and get to the site through it – then its watch time will be high because it is given credit for all of the time viewers are spending on YouTube watching other videos after they get there.

The only way to stop certain types of videos from being recommended for you is to take advantage of the ‘not interested’ feature.

Are you usually happy with YouTube’s recommended videos?

What video editing software did YouTube suggested videos are used?

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube is forever recommending videos for you whether it’s in your dashboard or next to the video you’re already watching. In theory, these recommendations are based on your viewing habits and you’re only directed to videos you’re interested in.

Except we all know that’s not always what happens.

YouTube’s recommendations are based on more than just what you’ve watched and searched for, and sometimes even the data on that can get skewed over time. Not all your searches reflect your real tastes, and as your search history builds up the algorithm can start having trouble with all that data.

Here’s what you can do about it:

1. Manage Your Watch History
2. Tell YouTube You Aren’t Interested
3. But Why Does It Recommend Stuff I Don’t Like?

Manage Your Watch History

Scroll to the bottom of any page on YouTube and you will see a button marked History with an hourglass icon. To access this feature using a mobile device, go to the Account tab and tap History.

You will be able to completely clear your watch history, remove specific videos from it, or pause your history while you look at videos you don’t want a record of you visiting. By taking control of your history, you can make sure nothing you looked up on a random whim is reflected in your recommendations.

If you are being recommended more things you aren’t interested in than things you are, you might want to clear your history completely and start fresh. Maybe your tastes have changed since YouTube started keeping track of them.

Tell YouTube You Aren’t Interested

Based on your watch history, YouTube knows what you like. However, they have no way of automatically collecting data on what kinds of videos you’d rather not see.

What they do have is a system for you to flag recommendations you don’t like.

Hover over the thumbnail of a video you don’t want to be recommended to you and a small icon that looks like three stacked dots will appear next to the title. Click on that, and then click Not Interested.

When you tell YouTube you aren’t interested in certain videos they use that data to adjust what they recommend for you.

But Why Does It Recommend Stuff I Don’t Like?

Your search/watch history is not the only thing that determines what YouTube recommends for you. Nobody outside of Google knows exactly how the algorithm works, but we do know one of the major factors influencing it is to watch time.

Watch time refers to how a video effects the session time of a viewer. If a video has proven it can keep viewers on YouTube for longer it is more likely to get recommended, even if it isn’t closely related to the interests of individual viewers. The ultimate goal of the algorithm is to keep you on the site longer. Part of that is recommending things, surely, you’ll be interested in, and part of that is trying to get you interested in things that’ll keep you around.

A video that is simply watched for longer, because it is engaging and can hold viewers’ attention for a long time, will have a high watch time. So will a video that is short, but which leads into a playlist which holds peoples’ attention. If a video is a frequent session starter – people see it outside of YouTube (i.e. in a Google search) and get to the site through it – then its watch time will be high because it is given credit for all of the time viewers are spending on YouTube watching other videos after they get there.

The only way to stop certain types of videos from being recommended for you is to take advantage of the ‘not interested’ feature.

Are you usually happy with YouTube’s recommended videos?

What video editing software did YouTube suggested videos are used?

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube is forever recommending videos for you whether it’s in your dashboard or next to the video you’re already watching. In theory, these recommendations are based on your viewing habits and you’re only directed to videos you’re interested in.

Except we all know that’s not always what happens.

YouTube’s recommendations are based on more than just what you’ve watched and searched for, and sometimes even the data on that can get skewed over time. Not all your searches reflect your real tastes, and as your search history builds up the algorithm can start having trouble with all that data.

Here’s what you can do about it:

1. Manage Your Watch History
2. Tell YouTube You Aren’t Interested
3. But Why Does It Recommend Stuff I Don’t Like?

Manage Your Watch History

Scroll to the bottom of any page on YouTube and you will see a button marked History with an hourglass icon. To access this feature using a mobile device, go to the Account tab and tap History.

You will be able to completely clear your watch history, remove specific videos from it, or pause your history while you look at videos you don’t want a record of you visiting. By taking control of your history, you can make sure nothing you looked up on a random whim is reflected in your recommendations.

If you are being recommended more things you aren’t interested in than things you are, you might want to clear your history completely and start fresh. Maybe your tastes have changed since YouTube started keeping track of them.

Tell YouTube You Aren’t Interested

Based on your watch history, YouTube knows what you like. However, they have no way of automatically collecting data on what kinds of videos you’d rather not see.

What they do have is a system for you to flag recommendations you don’t like.

Hover over the thumbnail of a video you don’t want to be recommended to you and a small icon that looks like three stacked dots will appear next to the title. Click on that, and then click Not Interested.

When you tell YouTube you aren’t interested in certain videos they use that data to adjust what they recommend for you.

But Why Does It Recommend Stuff I Don’t Like?

Your search/watch history is not the only thing that determines what YouTube recommends for you. Nobody outside of Google knows exactly how the algorithm works, but we do know one of the major factors influencing it is to watch time.

Watch time refers to how a video effects the session time of a viewer. If a video has proven it can keep viewers on YouTube for longer it is more likely to get recommended, even if it isn’t closely related to the interests of individual viewers. The ultimate goal of the algorithm is to keep you on the site longer. Part of that is recommending things, surely, you’ll be interested in, and part of that is trying to get you interested in things that’ll keep you around.

A video that is simply watched for longer, because it is engaging and can hold viewers’ attention for a long time, will have a high watch time. So will a video that is short, but which leads into a playlist which holds peoples’ attention. If a video is a frequent session starter – people see it outside of YouTube (i.e. in a Google search) and get to the site through it – then its watch time will be high because it is given credit for all of the time viewers are spending on YouTube watching other videos after they get there.

The only way to stop certain types of videos from being recommended for you is to take advantage of the ‘not interested’ feature.

Are you usually happy with YouTube’s recommended videos?

What video editing software did YouTube suggested videos are used?

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

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