How YouTube For Kids Works With The YouTube Algorithm

YouTube Kids
YouTube Kids
  • Video View Count is not displayed
  • The subscriber count is not displayed
  • YouTube Kids has Channels but you can’t subscribe to them
    • Not good for us
  • No comments
  • Not Much information on the monetization of YouTube Kids… this page suggests that YouTube Kids is one of the lowest-paying niches on YouTube
  • Videos with Kids featured (physically) in the video rank higher in the algorithm, but videos for kids are not as impactful… this is a result of YouTube trying to make their platform more family-friendly
  • YouTube Kids doesn’t show interest-based ads
  • This vox article details YouTube Kids very well
    • Important Excerpt: As of November, video creators were asked to specify if their content was “made for kids,” which sent many creators scrambling to determine whether topics like gaming or family vlogging counted as child-directed content. Once they label a video as “made for kids,” targeted ads will no longer appear on the video, meaning the creator loses out on a lucrative and commonplace type of digital advertising. Instead, only “contextualized” ads, which are based on the content itself, will appear. In addition, “made for kids” videos will no longer include a comments section or end screens that allow viewers to subscribe to a channel, which is used to increase engagement and foster repeat viewers. The penalty for not labeling content correctly could be severe: The FTC can sue individual creators for up to $42,530 per violation.

My Recommendation: Our videos are not made with the explicit audience of children/kids in mind. Many of our topics are business-oriented. Furthermore, the inability to subscribe to the channel and YouTube’s decision to not have targeted ads on “made for kids” videos inhibits our goal of monetizing the channel. No comments decrease audience engagement. We should not categorize our videos as made for kids.

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