YouTube Overhauls Trending System, Ushers in a New Era of Category-Specific Content Discovery

YouTube, the reigning titan of online video platforms, is transforming the way it presents trending content to its audience. The organization made known on Thursday that it is scrapping its Trending page and Trending Now list in favor of presenting popular content through category-specific charts integrated into the YouTube Charts platform. This move will modernize and better align YouTube’s trending feature with how users are actually discovering content, rather than relying on the old ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. When the Trending page was first initiated in 2015, it provided an easy way to compile all the viral videos everyone was buzzing about at the time. However, with the exponential increase in the volume of content since then, the platform’s approach also needs to evolve.

The significant shift from discovering videos via the Trending tab to receiving personalized algorithmic recommendations has led to decreased visits to the Trending page, especially in the past half-decade. This becomes the driving reason for YouTube to adapt and align with evolving viewer habits and trends. A far cry from 2015, when YouTube was primarily a platform for amateur videos, today it’s a powerhouse of professional long-form and short-form content created by both independent artists and well-known media outlets, each vying for a part of the platform’s advertising revenue. YouTube is keen about ensuring content creators can effectively discover what resonates with their audience. The Inspiration Tab in YouTube Studio aims to provide creators personalized content ideas that can potentially be the next viral sensation. Alongside, features like ‘Hype’ are being introduced to help propel new creators into the spotlight.

In coming weeks, YouTube’s audience can expect to see these changes in action. The platform is eager to get its users excited about this new way to explore trending content across categories.