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What does it mean to be shadow banned on YouTube and how can it affect your channel?

I've recently experienced what I believe to be a shadow ban on my YouTube channel. After consistently getting around 300 views per hour, my views plummeted to under 10 almost overnight. This drastic drop has lasted for several days, and I can't find my videos in the feeds of my subscribers or in the recommended sections. I'm part of a community where others are successfully posting similar content, so it feels like something specific is happening to my channel. What does it mean to be shadow banned, and how can this situation impact a YouTuber's growth?
johnchenjohnchen

Answers (4)

I've noticed that when my views dipped, it was a completely different situation than what I had experienced before. Previously, if I had a lower performance, it would stabilize after a few days. This time, the views fell to almost zero, which is a stark contrast to my usual engagement. It feels almost like my content isn't being shown to anyone at all.
ryan33ryan33
I can relate to the frustration of feeling ignored by the algorithm. When I was struggling with visibility, I considered whether my editing style could be a factor. The content is similar across my community, but we each present it in unique ways. This variability might make the algorithm favor some over others.
amorganamorgan
In my experience, shadow banning feels like being pushed aside by the algorithm. YouTube might initially test your content to see if it resonates with viewers, and if it doesn’t perform as expected, it could stop promoting it altogether. This could explain why my views dropped significantly despite being part of a community where others are thriving.
calderonsamuelcalderonsamuel
Some people argue that shadow banning is a myth and that changes in views are just part of the YouTube landscape. However, when you see a drastic drop in performance—like getting only a handful of views from your subscribers—it’s hard not to feel like something is going wrong with how your content is being distributed.
zleonardzleonard

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