On one of my channels, I uploaded my first video on April 20, 2020.
Then I did… nothing.
NO uploads for 3 years…
Fast forward to April 13, 2023…I started posting 1-2 videos per week.
WITHIN 3 months, this happened 👇
300K+ views on a video posted July 12
1.2M views on a video posted July 29
From 0 to 1M+ in under 90 days.
But here’s the weird part…
Why did I blow up so fast?
Most small channels grind for years.
Here’s a theory I can’t stop thinking about…
I write “theory”, because I don’t pretend to know the algorithm.
That said…my theory is based on lots of studies & papers on recommendation algorithms, like this.
YouTube might be using something called:
Cohort-Based Trust Modeling
Here’s how it (possibly) works:
Rather than judging your channel against EVERYONE on YouTube,
The system groups you into a cohort of similar creators,
Based on:
Upload frequency
Retention and CTR
Audience engagement
Violation history (strikes, demonetizations, spam reports)
Simply said:
You DON’T compete with MrBeast.
You compete with others in your “trust bracket.”
BUT why does this matter if it were true?
Well…I only started posting in April 2023,
But my 1st video on that channel was uploaded 3 years earlier.
And YouTube likely LOGGED that.
That one video (and later random uploads) may have quietly earned me:
A history of no spam/strikes
A baseline CTR + retention model
Enough data to “trust” me faster
So when I finally started posting consistently…
…I wasn’t grouped with total beginners.
I was placed into a higher-trust cohort.
Meaning?
My videos got tested faster
With better-quality audiences
And had more potential to blow up
You SEE?
It’s like the algorithm says:
“We’ve seen enough to give you a real shot.”
Just like when my soccer coach told me I could finally play with the 1st team.
PS: my first training with them S*CKED.
BUT…I became better because they were at a HIGHER level.
The same happens in this Trust Model on YouTube 👇
YouTube gives you more impressions.
You S*CK in comparison to your NEW Cohort.
BUT you’re in a much better team.
A team that gets 1m impressions/video in its first month after upload👇
Rather than 20k impressions to test with (before DYING out).
Like my video that I uploaded just BEFORE I switched teams 👇
So, if your channel isn’t growing yet…
The problem might not be your latest video.
It might be the trust level of your entire channel.
One way to “hack” this system is to upload your 1st video EARLY.
So, just upload a video on every new channel you have on the topic you might create videos about one day.
Because WHEN you need an “aged” account with high “trust score” you have it.
If my theory holds true…
The REAL blow-up starts months, likely years before your breakout video.
Of course all of this doesn’t matter, if you don’t make highly clickable videos.
Reply “SYSTEMS” to the email you receive when you get my Free Thumbnail Pack.
And I’ll email you 2 simple systems I use to make YouTube give me search traffic 👇
PS: I’m sure you will like THIS too 😉
