YouTube’s home feed quietly kills long-form video discovery

YouTube applied vital consumer interface modifications all through 2025 that dramatically diminished long-form video suggestions on the platform’s dwelling feed, according to data shared by Mario Joos, a retention director working with channels exceeding 100 million subscribers together with MrBeast. The modifications, which seem to have rolled out steadily over the 12 months, altered the ratio of long-form to short-form content material exhibited to customers on desktop and different gadgets.

The platform beforehand displayed upwards of six long-form video suggestions per row throughout two rows on the house web page. Present implementations present solely two long-form suggestions in lots of instances, with the second row already allocating slots for short-form content material. “Which means we’re seeing a selection discount of as much as 80% long-form suggestion in comparison with earlier dwelling feeds,” Joos wrote in a December 21, 2025 put up documenting the modifications.

The house feed changes create a ratio skewing towards two long-form movies towards 5 short-form suggestions on PC, in keeping with Joos. Variations exist between non-premium and premium accounts, variations between gadget varieties, and between accounts that predominantly devour long-form versus short-form content material. Sponsored posts that seem as the primary suggestion do not qualify as natural long-form options, additional limiting precise suggestion availability.

Information collected from over 1,000 channels revealed that site visitors for Shorts surged aggressively by browse options following the interface modifications. “These views, and that point spent, have to come back from someplace,” Joos famous. Whereas YouTube does not function as a zero-sum recreation, the info suggests browse UI modifications influence long-form efficiency for creators, although drops may not seem noticeable over shorter durations.

The data got here from shut associates of Joos who requested anonymity. Probably the most excessive instance demonstrated a creator experiencing noticeable Shorts views will increase from Browse with out making vital content material modifications. “We do imagine this sign signifies that the browse UI modifications are having an influence elsewhere,” Joos defined. The info factors to UI modifications slowly affecting long-form efficiency even when creators keep constant content material methods.

YouTube has engaged with creator considerations about these modifications. Joos confirmed discussions with the YouTube staff, stating they have been open to dialog. “That stated, I imagine within the significance of public consciousness round these modifications,” he wrote. The platform has not publicly disclosed the complete roll-out timeline for browse feed changes, although creators imagine implementation occurred steadily all year long.

The house feed modifications arrive amid YouTube’s documented push towards short-form content material prioritization. Shorts achieved revenue parity with conventional long-form video on a per-watch-hour foundation in the US throughout Q3 2025, in keeping with Alphabet earnings statements. Platform executives emphasised AI-powered suggestion techniques driving “sturdy watch time progress” in key monetization areas together with Shorts and lounge viewing.

Creator sustainability considerations emerge prominently in discussions in regards to the interface modifications. “Creator sustainability typically depends on assets created by content material (revenue) and Quick typically doesn’t generate sufficient assets to proceed to create high-quality content material,” Joos wrote. Income fashions between codecs differ considerably, with long-form movies working on a 55% creator income share whereas Shorts keep a forty five% share after accounting for music licensing prices.

Many Shorts creators search pathways to long-form content material particularly for sustainability and useful resource technology to provide higher content material. “That is why loads of Shorts creators attempt to get into long-form. They’re searching for that pathway to sustainability and assets to create higher content material,” Joos defined. Updates lowering long-form discovery alternatives shut that possibility for a lot of creators, probably impacting general creator economic system well being.

The December revelations observe documented algorithm modifications all through 2025. YouTube creators reported significant Shorts viewership declines starting September 7, 2025, with seven main channels experiencing sustained efficiency degradation by late November. Earlier in 2025, creators documented approximately 30% viewership drops and dramatic site visitors shifts from desktop to cell consumption beginning August 13.

The desktop-to-mobile ratio shifted from 56% desktop desire in July to 39.3% after August 13, representing a 16.7% swing towards cell consumption. These modifications occurred with out content material modifications, suggesting platform-level algorithmic changes fairly than creator habits modifications. A number of creators throughout totally different niches reported equivalent timing and patterns throughout this era.

Advertising and marketing professionals using YouTube for marketing campaign planning face rising complexity round content material format technique. The platform’s push towards Shorts by interface modifications impacts how manufacturers allocate manufacturing assets and partnership investments. Lengthy-form content material historically provided stronger model integration alternatives by sustained storytelling codecs, whereas Shorts prioritize speedy consumption patterns.

Programmatic promoting methods should account for shifting content material discovery mechanisms. The diminished prominence of long-form suggestions in browse feeds impacts media planning assumptions about content material visibility and viewers attain. Advertisers creating YouTube-specific inventive want readability on format efficiency implications as platform interface modifications redistribute viewer consideration.

YouTube’s broader technical developments all through 2024 and 2025 exhibit systematic funding in short-form infrastructure. The platform extended Shorts maximum duration from 60 seconds to a few minutes in October 2024, introduced AI-powered editing tools changing uncooked footage into polished content material, and modified view counting methodologies beginning March 31, 2025 by eradicating minimal watch time necessities.

These technical modifications aligned with Google’s earnings disclosures about Shorts efficiency. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google, acknowledged in the course of the October 29, 2025 earnings name that “within the U.S., Shorts now earn extra income per watch hour than conventional in-stream on YouTube.” Philipp Schindler, Senior Vice President and Chief Enterprise Officer, famous that “our suggestion techniques are driving sturdy watch time progress in our key monetization areas like Shorts and Dwelling Room.”

The advice algorithm modifications prolong past dwelling feed interface modifications. YouTube closed its trending page after a decade of operation in July 2025, changing it with category-specific charts by YouTube Charts. The platform cited vital decline in trending web page utilization over 5 years and elementary modifications in content material discovery patterns towards personalised suggestions.

Content material discovery mechanisms acquired steady refinement by AI integration all year long. Enhanced viewer analytics launched in July 2025 offered creators with refined metrics distinguishing informal viewers from common engaged audiences. These measurement enhancements occurred alongside infrastructure modifications affecting how content material reaches viewers by algorithmic distribution.

Platform communication round algorithm modifications stays restricted. Joos emphasised the significance of creator suggestions regardless of ongoing dialogue with YouTube representatives. “It is necessary that we do not flip this right into a subjective ‘drama circle,’ particularly now that they are actively displaying curiosity in our considerations,” he wrote. The decision for measured response displays considerations about sustaining productive communication channels whereas elevating consciousness about impacts on creator enterprise fashions.

Creator responses to dwelling feed modifications exhibit recognition of restricted choices. “Truthfully, for you, as a creator, the one possible possibility is to know the place the platform is at and create content material accordingly,” Joos suggested. Following platform incentives turns into crucial as algorithmic modifications redistribute site visitors patterns. The sensible strategy acknowledges energy dynamics between particular person creators and platform-level technical choices.

The emphasis on public consciousness stems from considerations about creator economic system sustainability. “I do imagine that letting YouTube learn about your considerations is necessary. Writing about it issues,” Joos acknowledged. The push for visibility round browse feed modifications displays broader patterns of platform algorithm opacity affecting content material creator enterprise planning.

YouTube maintains that algorithmic enhancements serve viewer expertise optimization. Platform executives body AI-enhanced suggestion techniques as delivering related content material to applicable audiences. CEO Neal Mohan defended AI systems in December 2025, stating capabilities enhance “actually each week” to “detect and implement on violative content material higher, extra exact, in a position to deal with scale.”

The disconnect between platform optimization objectives and creator sustainability considerations illustrates tensions inherent in algorithmic content material distribution. YouTube’s enterprise mannequin is determined by maximizing viewer engagement and promoting stock throughout all content material codecs. Creators depend upon predictable discovery mechanisms supporting sustainable income technology by particular content material varieties.

Historic precedents exist for main platform interface modifications affecting content material creator enterprise fashions. Google discontinued its Search Liaison role on August 1, 2025, after serving as the first communication channel between Google and internet publishers relating to algorithm updates. That conclusion coincided with expanded AI-powered options throughout search outcomes that considerably affected writer site visitors patterns.

The browse feed modifications do not function in isolation from broader YouTube infrastructure developments. Collaboration features launched in August 2025 allow a number of creators to share credit score and viewers distribution throughout channels. These technical modifications occurred alongside algorithmic changes affecting suggestion techniques and content material discovery mechanisms all year long.

YouTube Associate Program encompasses 3 million monetized channels producing substantial financial infrastructure for content material creators globally. The platform paid $70 billion to creators, artists, and media firms over the previous three years in keeping with March 2025 disclosures. Partner Program eligibility maintains distinct pathways for long-form content material requiring 4,000 watch hours versus Shorts requiring 10 million views.

Income diversification methods acquire significance as algorithmic modifications have an effect on major revenue sources. YouTube gives ten monetization strategies together with promoting income sharing, fan funding, merchandise integration, and model partnership instruments. Nevertheless, promoting income stays the dominant revenue supply for many channels, making site visitors distribution modifications significantly consequential for creator sustainability.

The technical structure supporting browse feed modifications includes a number of interconnected techniques. Consumer interface modifications work together with suggestion algorithms, content material classification techniques, and engagement prediction fashions. These elements collectively decide which movies populate feeds and in what proportions throughout content material codecs.

Joos known as for creator responses amplifying consciousness about browse feed impacts. “My solely ask is that this: do not be silent if this considerations you,” he wrote. The enchantment for measured engagement fairly than dramatic responses displays understanding that productive platform dialogue requires balancing concern communication with sustaining communication channels.

The December 21 put up generated 145,400 views inside hours, demonstrating vital creator neighborhood curiosity in algorithmic transparency. Responses can deal with whether or not modifications profit or hurt creators, doc particular efficiency impacts, or just share content material to extend visibility. The engagement technique emphasizes elevating consciousness with out creating antagonistic dynamics with platform representatives.

YouTube’s willingness to interact with creator considerations represents a departure from historic platform communication patterns. Earlier algorithm modifications occurred with restricted advance discover or complete rationalization. The present dialogue, whereas imperfect, gives creators with extra direct entry to platform decision-makers than typical in main social media environments.

The broader implications prolong to digital promoting ecosystem dynamics. As YouTube redistributes viewer consideration by interface modifications, manufacturers should reassess content material format methods and partnership buildings. Lengthy-form content material integration historically provided deeper model storytelling alternatives in comparison with transient Shorts codecs optimized for speedy consumption.

Related TV consumption patterns add complexity to content material discovery dynamics. Nielsen information confirms YouTube maintained place because the primary streaming platform by watch time on TV screens for 17 consecutive months by Q2 2024. Related TV viewership elevated greater than 130% over three years, basically altering how audiences devour video content material and work together with suggestion techniques.

The house feed modifications mirror platform-level strategic choices about content material format prioritization. Quick-form video consumption patterns align with mobile-first viewing behaviors and a spotlight economic system dynamics favoring transient, serialized content material over sustained engagement codecs. YouTube’s technical infrastructure more and more helps these consumption preferences by interface design and algorithmic distribution.

Creator adaptation methods require understanding platform incentive buildings. Following advisable content material codecs turns into crucial for sustaining visibility inside algorithmic distribution techniques. This dynamic creates suggestions loops the place creator habits responds to platform incentives, probably accelerating shifts away from codecs receiving diminished algorithmic assist.

The documentation of dwelling feed modifications by creator information assortment demonstrates community-driven transparency efforts. With out official platform disclosure of interface modification timelines or rationale, creators develop their very own measurement methodologies and data sharing networks. This grassroots strategy to platform accountability displays restricted formal transparency mechanisms.

Lengthy-term implications for content material range stay unsure. Diminished long-form suggestions in browse feeds might diminish format selection out there to viewers if creator manufacturing shifts observe algorithmic incentives. Conversely, sturdy creator desire for long-form sustainability would possibly keep manufacturing ranges regardless of discovery challenges.

YouTube’s place as dominant video platform creates substantial market energy in content material distribution choices. Interface modifications affecting a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of customers worldwide happen with out exterior oversight or accountability mechanisms past creator advocacy and public consideration. This centralized management over content material discovery mechanisms influences total sectors of digital media economic system.

The December revelations about browse feed modifications contribute to ongoing discussions about platform transparency and creator rights. As algorithmic techniques turn into extra refined and influential in content material distribution, questions on disclosure necessities and creator enter into platform choices acquire prominence throughout digital media coverage discussions.

Timeline

Abstract

Who: Mario Joos, retention director for channels exceeding 100 million subscribers together with MrBeast, documented dwelling feed modifications affecting long-form content material creators throughout YouTube’s platform.

What: YouTube applied consumer interface modifications lowering long-form video suggestions from roughly six per row to only two in lots of instances, creating as much as 80% discount in long-form suggestion slots whereas redirecting out there positions towards Shorts content material. Information from over 1,000 channels confirmed corresponding aggressive Shorts site visitors will increase by browse options.

When: The modifications seem to have rolled out steadily all through 2025, with Joos publishing documentation on December 21, 2025. YouTube has not disclosed particular implementation dates, although creators imagine modifications occurred incrementally throughout the 12 months alongside different algorithmic changes documented in August and September.

The place: Adjustments have an effect on YouTube’s dwelling feed throughout desktop and cell gadgets, with variations between non-premium and premium accounts and between customers who predominantly watch long-form versus short-form content material. The modifications happen inside browse options that function major content material discovery mechanisms for platform customers globally.

Why: Creator sustainability considerations drive documentation efforts, as Shorts typically fail to generate adequate assets for high-quality content material manufacturing in comparison with long-form codecs. The interface modifications shut pathways for Shorts creators searching for transitions to sustainable long-form content material creation, probably impacting general creator economic system well being. YouTube’s enterprise priorities favor Shorts efficiency following income parity achievement with long-form content material on per-watch-hour foundation in United States market.