Popularity Prediction of Sinhala YouTube Videos

YouTube, as a digital platform for sharing videos, has evolved into a powerful medium for content creators aiming to engage with a global audience. Among the Sinhala-speaking community, the platform's popularity has risen significantly, both among creators producing content in the Sinhala language and viewers consuming it. However, for content creators, the challenge of producing viral videos that resonate with their target audience persists. Identifying the factors that contribute to the popularity of a YouTube video remains complex, as several variables, such as the nature of the content, the timing of its release, and audience engagement, all play crucial roles. The objective of this project is to develop a machine learning model capable of predicting the popularity of Sinhala YouTube videos, providing valuable insights to marketers and content creators in the region. Recent studies on predicting YouTube video popularity have employed various machine learning (ML) techniques to examine temporal patterns, social interactions, and content quality as indicators of success.