Decoding YouTube’s Trends: Unveiling Viral Content Secrets

YouTube is the largest video-sharing platform, with over two billion active users worldwide, and it is one of the most significant sources of entertainment, information, and education on the internet. This platform is used by a diverse range of content creators, from amateur filmmakers to large media corporations, and it provides an opportunity for anyone to share their ideas with a international audience. One of the most critical features of YouTube is the Trending page, which showcases the most popular videos on the platform at any given time. As such, understanding what makes a video trending on YouTube is crucial for content creators, marketers, and businesses that use the platform to reach their audiences. Data was collected on trending videos from January 2017 to December 2022 using the YouTube API. The dataset comprises 100,000 videos from diverse categories and regions globally. For each video, information such as title, description, category, view count, likes, dislikes, creator awards, location, non-reactors count, and comments count was collected, totaling 24 features. Analyses were conducted to identify common features of trending videos and understand factors influencing their popularity. Distribution of trending videos by category, country, and publication time was analyzed. Relationship between video length and popularity was examined, with videos featuring captions or subtitles showing higher engagement rates. Content analysis revealed that informative, humorous, or emotional videos tended to perform well on the trending page. The impact of capitalized words, comment count, and ratings on trends was explored. This analysis offers insights into the characteristics of YouTube trending videos and factors contributing to their popularity. Content creators and marketers aiming to trend on YouTube should prioritize creating short, informative, emotionally engaging videos, and consider collaborations or featuring influencers to enhance visibility.