Robert Benjamin: "…trick the YouTube algorithm…" How to trick the algorithm & boost views.

Robert Benjamin posted this video to help content creators understand how crucial video editing is, even after uploading, for boosting views and potentially going viral on YouTube. He emphasizes that editing isn't just about aesthetics; it's a powerful tool for engaging viewers and manipulating the algorithm in your favor, which is vital for any creator aiming for success on the platform.

Robert starts by highlighting the importance of post-upload editing: "Did you know that you can edit your YouTube videos after they’ve been uploaded, and it actually increases your odds of going viral?" He then introduces AI tools that can expedite the editing process, promising viewers, "by the end of this video, you’re going to know a bunch of editing hacks that you can implement right now in 2025 in order to increase your views on YouTube and increase the odds you go viral."

Robert builds up to his main message by emphasizing how these hacks have helped other creators achieve substantial growth: "These hacks I’m about to share with you helped this creator gain over 100,000 subscribers and this creator over 300,000, and the same exact thing can happen to you so long as you start to do these." He stresses the significance of analyzing audience retention graphs and cutting out parts of the video where viewers drop off: "Now, what that means is that viewers didnâ’t like that part of the video." He suggests, "So what I want you to do is, one, I want you to take note of all the different times that something happened right here. I want you to watch it and you will be able to see exactly what you did wrong."

The core message revolves around leveraging post-upload editing to improve average view duration and re-engage the algorithm. Robert explains, "And when you do this, this is going to help flatten out that average view duration for future viewers, which is going to trick the YouTube algorithm into thinking you made a better video than you did." He reinforces this by saying, "It's going to kick the video back into the algorithm. It's going to give it a new shot, and guess what? This could increase your reach."

Many creators echo Robert's sentiment regarding the importance of audience retention and its impact on the algorithm. For example, vidIQ states that "YouTube favors videos with high audience retention" and advises creators to "focus on creating engaging content that keeps viewers hooked from beginning to end." Similarly, Hootsuite mentions that "watch time is arguably the most important ranking factor on YouTube," emphasizing the need to "create videos that people actually want to watch." Backlinko agrees, adding that "high audience retention tells YouTube that your videos are engaging," which can lead to higher rankings and more views.

Beyond post-upload editing, Robert discusses several other editing hacks, including creating an "information gap" at the beginning of videos to hook viewers, letting AI handle tedious editing tasks, looping YouTube Shorts for increased views, and using sound effects and music to enhance emotional connection. He illustrates each hack with specific examples and explains how they can be applied across different content types.

He encourages viewers to actively analyze other creators' content to learn new techniques and refine their own editing skills. He emphasizes the importance of hooking viewers in the first few seconds: "if somebody doesn’t get hooked in the beginning of your video, they are never going to get to the middle of your video, and they’re definitely not going to get to the end of your video." He advocates for utilizing AI tools like Gling AI to streamline the editing workflow and free up time: "If you are still spending hours every single day editing your content, not only are you completely wasting your time, it’s why you’re not getting the views that you want." Lastly, he stresses the importance of sound design: "You need to make sure that you are adding sound effects into your content, You need to make sure that you are adding music into your content, and you need to make sure that the music and sounds that you’re using are going to help create an emotional connection and an emotional appeal with your viewer."

Key takeaways

• Edit videos even after uploading to improve average view duration and boost reach.
• Utilize AI tools to automate editing processes and save time.
• Create an information gap at the beginning of videos to hook viewers instantly.

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