Research Pack 2026-06-23

Curated, dated source pack for the YouTube Brain, gathered through six official-source-biased deep-research passes on 2026-06-23. Each entry is `Title

• Publisher
• type - date - url, with the key sourced claim. Structured machine copy lives in references/source-ledger.json; raw provenance in .raw/research/youtube-deep-research-2026-06-23.md`. Related hubs: YouTube Brain Home, index, Recommendation System, Click-Through Rate, YouTube Partner Program.

Coverage: discovery and recommendation, retention and average view duration, packaging (titles, thumbnails, CTR), Shorts and Shorts monetization, monetization and policy, and analytics, cadence, and community. Refresh cadence: monthly for Help Center and Studio analytics pages, on-changelog for recommendation and monetization policy, quarterly for practitioner benchmarks.

1. Recommendation system and discovery

1. How YouTube recommendations work - YouTube Help - official - 2026 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/16089387 - system uses over 80 billion signals and eight named personalization inputs.
2. YouTube’s Recommendation System - YouTube Help - official - 2026 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/16533387 - two objectives: find wanted content and maximize long-term satisfaction; automated word-of-mouth.
3. How YouTube search works - YouTube Help - official - 2026 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/16090438 - search ranks on relevance, engagement (watch time for the query), and quality; no paid placement in organic results.
4. Search and discovery tips - YouTube Help - official - 2026 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/11914225 - uses average view duration and average percentage viewed; “focus on what your audience likes and the recommendations will follow.”
5. Algorithm-Based Recommendations - How YouTube Works - official - 2024 - https://www.youtube.com/intl/ALL_en/howyoutubeworks/product-features/recommendations/
   • homepage and Up Next are the two main recommendation surfaces.
6. On YouTube’s recommendation system - YouTube Official Blog - primary - 2021-09-15 - https://blog.youtube/inside-youtube/on-youtubes-recommendation-system/ - watch time added 2012; “valued watchtime” measured via 4-5 star surveys; borderline content kept below 0.5% of views.
7. How YouTube’s Recommendation System Works In 2025 - Search Engine Journal - primary - 2025-01-27 - https://www.searchenginejournal.com/how-youtubes-recommendation-system-works-in-2025/538379/
   • Todd Beaupre: recommendation is “pulling not pushing”; weights satisfaction surveys with watch time.
8. A Change to How We Count Views on Shorts - YouTube Help (TeamYouTube) - official - 2025-03-26 - https://support.google.com/youtube/thread/333869549/a-change-to-how-we-count-views-on-shorts
   • from 2025-03-31 a Shorts view counts on every play or replay; old metric renamed engaged views.
9. 9 new features at Made on YouTube 2024 - Google / YouTube Blog - official - 2024-09-18 - https://blog.google/products/youtube/made-on-youtube-2024/ - introduced Hype, the Studio Inspiration Tab, and Communities.
10. Hype: a new way to help creators get discovered - Google / YouTube Blog - official - 2025-07-15 - https://blog.google/intl/en-in/products/platforms/hype-a-new-way-to-help-creators-get-discovered/
    • targets creators with 500-500,000 subscribers; smaller channels get bigger bonus points; hype-eligible for first 7 days.
11. Hype goes global - YouTube Official Blog - official - 2025-08-26 - https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/hype-global-expansion/ - Hype expands to 39 countries; eligibility under 500,000 subscribers; three hypes per viewer per week.
12. Leaderboard for hyped videos - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/15334500 - the fewer the subscribers, the bigger the bonus (the reported 7,500-versus-50-point figures come from launch coverage, not this Help page).
13. YouTube Algorithm 2026 - vidIQ - practitioner - 2026-06-05 - https://vidiq.com/blog/post/understanding-youtube-algorithm/ - separate models per surface; Shorts emphasizes swipe-vs-watch in the first 1-3 seconds.
14. How the YouTube algorithm works in 2025 - Hootsuite - practitioner - 2025-02-14 - https://blog.hootsuite.com/youtube-algorithm/ - five ranking systems: Home, Suggested, Search, Shorts, Trending.
15. Why New Creators are Being Pushed by YouTube in 2025 - vidIQ - practitioner
    • 2025-01-31 - https://vidiq.com/blog/post/new-creators-youtube/ - system boosts new creators producing high-retention content via niche matching.
16. We Analyzed 1.3 Million YouTube Videos - Backlinko - supporting - 2017 - https://backlinko.com/youtube-ranking-factors - average first-page video length 14 minutes 50 seconds; engagement outweighs metadata.

2. Retention and average view duration

17. Measure key moments for audience retention - YouTube Help - official - 2024
    • https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9314415 - four key moments: Intro, Top moments, Spikes, Dips; requires 60+ second video with 100+ views.
18. Content tab analytics tips - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12942217 - a typical intro is about 30 seconds; strong videos keep 50%+ past the 30-second mark.
19. Understand audience engagement - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9313698 - average view duration is average minutes watched among those who stayed; Shorts AVD uses engaged views.
20. Get started with YouTube Analytics - YouTube Help - official - 2026 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9002587 - Analytics tabs: Overview, Content, Reach, Engagement, Audience, Revenue, Trends.
21. New Shorts Metric: Viewed vs Swiped Away - YouTube Help (Creator Community)
    • official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/community-video/273390203/new-youtube-shorts-metric-viewed-vs-swiped-away
    • measures percent who viewed a Short versus swiped away in the feed.
22. Understanding YouTube Average View Duration - vidIQ - practitioner - 2025-02-07 - https://vidiq.com/blog/post/average-view-duration/ - AVD = total watch time / views; APV = AVD / video length; 50%+ APV is good.
23. How to Get More Views on YouTube in 2026 - vidIQ - practitioner - 2026 - https://vidiq.com/how-to-get-more-views-on-youtube/ - AVD above 50% is a strong signal; Shorts target 60%+ APV.
24. Audience Retention: How to Keep Viewers Hooked - Backlinko - practitioner - 2025-03-07 - https://backlinko.com/hub/youtube/retention - first 15 seconds make or break; pattern interrupts and open loops sustain retention.
25. Beyond Views: The 2025 State of YouTube Audience Retention - Retention Rabbit - market - 2025 - https://www.retentionrabbit.com/blog/2025-youtube-audience-retention-benchmark-report
    • average retention 23.7%; 55%+ of viewers lost in the first 60 seconds; only 16.8% of videos exceed 50%.
26. YouTube’s Recommendation Algorithm: Satisfaction Signals - Marketing Agent - supporting - 2025-11-04 - https://marketingagent.blog/2025/11/04/youtubes-recommendation-algorithm-satisfaction-signals-what-you-can-control/
    • session duration matters more than single-video watch time.

3. Packaging: titles, thumbnails, CTR

27. Impressions and click-through-rate FAQs - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7628154 - half of all channels and videos have impressions CTR between 2% and 10%.
28. Decoding CTR and impressions in your Analytics - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/16767369 - a 9% to 3.5% CTR drop across 90,000 added impressions is a sign of success.
29. A/B test titles and thumbnails (Test and compare) - YouTube Help - official
    • 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/13861714 - test up to 3 titles/thumbnails; winner chosen by highest watch-time share, not CTR.
30. A/B test titles and thumbnails - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/16391400 - desktop Studio only; test completes within two weeks; excludes Shorts and kids content.
31. Thumbnail and title tips - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12340300 - 90% of best-performing videos use custom thumbnails; front-load important title words.
32. Add custom thumbnails - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72431 - recommended thumbnail 1280x720 (min width 640px), 16:9, under 2MB.
33. Spam, deceptive practices and scams policies - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2801973 - malicious clickbait (misleading titles/thumbnails) is prohibited and risks strikes.
34. New in YouTube Studio (Made On YouTube 2025) - YouTube Official Blog - official - 2025-09-16 - https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-studio-made-on-youtube-2025/ - thumbnail A/B testing used over 15 million times since 2023; title testing added.
35. YouTube Adds Video Title Testing Option in Studio - Social Media Today - practitioner - 2025-07-14 - https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-adds-title-testing-youtube-studio/753015/
    • winner chosen by most watch-time share.
36. YouTube Title A/B Testing Rolls Out Globally - Search Engine Journal - practitioner - 2025-12-04 - https://www.searchenginejournal.com/youtube-title-a-b-testing-rolls-out-globally-to-creators/562571/
    • global rollout around 2025-12; view progress under Analytics Reach.
37. YouTube Announces Rollout Plan for Thumbnail A/B Testing - Social Media Today - practitioner - 2024 - https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-announces-roll-out-plan-for-thumbnail-ab-testing/718647/
    • thumbnail testing announced June 2023; selects winner by watch-time share.
38. YouTube Thumbnails: How to Make Them Clickworthy - Backlinko - practitioner
    • 2024 - https://backlinko.com/hub/youtube/thumbnail - thumbnails with faces get better CTR; keep text near 20 characters; high contrast.
39. YouTube SEO: How to Rank Videos - Backlinko - practitioner - 2026 - https://backlinko.com/how-to-rank-youtube-videos - CTR is a significant signal; titles best at 40-60 characters with keyword near front.
40. YouTube CTR Benchmark - LenosTube - practitioner - 2025 - https://www.lenostube.com/en/youtube-ctr-benchmark-average-good-best-practices/
    • good organic CTR roughly 4-10%; smaller channels often 6-10%.
41. YouTube Test and Compare - Influencer Marketing Hub - practitioner - 2025 - https://influencermarketinghub.com/youtube-test-compare/ - native A/B optimizes for watch-time share; resolves within two weeks.
42. How to Make Thumbnails Like MrBeast - 1of10 - practitioner - 2024 - https://1of10.com/blog/how-to-make-thumbnails-like-mrbeast/ - packaging (title and thumbnail) is designed before filming; scrap unpackageable ideas.
43. AI Thumbnail Trends 2025 (citing vidIQ) - SuperAGI - supporting - 2025 - https://www.vidiq.com/blog (emotion-driven thumbnail CTR; original SuperAGI URL is dead)
    • clear emotional faces can lift CTR up to 30%.

4. Shorts strategy and Shorts monetization

44. YouTube Shorts monetization policies - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12504220 - creators keep 45% of allocated Shorts revenue; music shrinks the pool (no music 100%, one track 50%).
45. YouTube partner earnings overview - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72902 - Watch Page ads pay 55%; Shorts Feed ads 45%; fan funding 70%.
46. YouTube Partner Program overview and eligibility - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72851 - full YPP: 1,000 subscribers + 4,000 watch hours/12mo OR 10M Shorts views/90 days.
47. Overview of the expanded YouTube Partner Program - YouTube Help - official - 2023 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/13429240 - lower tier: 500 subscribers + 3 uploads/90 days + 3,000 watch hours or 3M Shorts views.
48. Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/15424877 - Shorts up to 3 minutes for uploads on or after 2024-10-15; most music usable up to 90 seconds.
49. Tall updates coming to Shorts - YouTube Official Blog - official - 2024-10-03 - https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/tall-updates-coming-to-shorts/ - Shorts length expands to 3 minutes from 2024-10-15.
50. YouTube is changing how Shorts views are counted - TechCrunch - primary - 2025-03-26 - https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/26/youtube-is-changing-how-youtube-shorts-views-are-counted/
    • from 2025-03-31 a view counts on each play; old metric becomes engaged views.
51. YouTube creators can earn Shorts ad revenue on February 1 - Tubefilter - practitioner - 2023-01-10 - https://www.tubefilter.com/2023/01/10/youtube-shorts-ad-revenue-sharing-begin-new-partner-program/
    • Shorts ad-revenue sharing launched 2023-02-01 at a 45% creator cut.
52. YouTube is closing the gap between short-form and long-form monetization - Tubefilter - practitioner - 2024-07-24 - https://www.tubefilter.com/2024/07/24/youtube-is-closing-the-gap-between-short-form-and-long-form-monetization/
    • YouTube states intent to narrow the Shorts-vs-long-form gap.
53. YouTube Shorts Monetization in 2026 - vidIQ - practitioner - 2026-05-28 - https://vidiq.com/blog/post/youtube-shorts-monetization/ - typical Shorts RPM $0.03-$0.10; long-form earns 10-100x more per view.
54. YouTube Shorts RPM Benchmarks - Influencer Marketing Hub - market - 2025 - https://influencermarketinghub.com/youtube-shorts-rpm/ - median Shorts RPM $0.05versusmedianlong-formRPM$2.50.
55. How YouTube Shorts revenue compares to long-form - Digiday - market - 2024 - https://digiday.com/media/how-youtube-shorts-revenue-compares-to-long-form-video-revenue-for-creators/
    • pooled Shorts model pays far less per view than long-form.
56. How to Turn Shorts Viewers Into Long-Form Subscribers - Subscribr - practitioner - 2025 - https://subscribr.ai/p/convert-shorts-viewers-to-subscribers - pin a comment linking to long-form; use open loops resolved in long-form.
57. YouTube Shorts RPM and Growth Strategy in 2025 - AIR Media-Tech - practitioner - 2025 - https://air.io/en/creators-spotlight/still-doubting-shorts-in-2026-were-not-heres-why
    • channels combining Shorts and long-form grow faster.
58. YouTube Extends Shorts To 3 Minutes - Search Engine Journal - practitioner - 2024-10 - https://www.searchenginejournal.com/youtube-extends-shorts-to-3-minutes-adds-new-features/529177/
    • 3-minute maximum effective 2024-10-15.

5. Monetization, RPM, and policy

59. YouTube channel monetization policies - YouTube Help - official - 2025-07-15
    • https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1311392 - “repetitious content” renamed “inauthentic content” on 2025-07-15.
60. Advertiser-friendly content guidelines - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6162278 - green/yellow/red monetization icons; yellow = limited or no ads.
61. YouTube Self-Certification overview - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7687980 - creators self-rate ad suitability; accuracy assessed after about 20 rated videos.
62. Manage mid-roll ad breaks in long videos - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6175006 - videos must be 8 minutes or longer to enable mid-roll ads.
63. Mid-roll ads updates explained - YouTube Blog - official - 2025-03-24 - https://blog.youtube/creator-and-artist-stories/mid-roll-ads-updates-explained/
    • hybrid auto+manual slots showed ~5% revenue lift; opt-out deadline 2025-05-12.
64. Your content and YouTube Premium - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6306276 - Premium pays creators by Premium-member watch time, paid monthly alongside ads.
65. YouTube Shopping affiliate program overview - YouTube Help - official - 2026
    • https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/13376398 - open to YPP creators with 500+ subscribers; brand-set commission rates.
66. Expanding YouTube Shopping to 500+ subscribers - YouTube Blog - official - 2026-03-25 - https://blog.youtube/creator-and-artist-stories/youtube-shopping-expansion-500-subscribers/
    • Shopping affiliate threshold dropped to 500 subscribers on 2026-03-25.
67. YouTube Updates Mid-Roll Ad Placement Process - Social Media Today - practitioner - 2025-03-01 - https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-updates-mid-roll-ad-placement-process/741331/
    • auto + manual slots averaged over 5% more ad revenue.
68. YouTube RPM Explained - vidIQ - practitioner - 2026 - https://vidiq.com/blog/post/youtube-rpm/ - RPM-by-niche: finance $4-$12, business $4-$9, entertainment $1-$2, Shorts $0.01-$0.07.
69. YouTube Mid-Roll Ads: The 8-Minute Minimum - vidIQ - practitioner - 2025 - https://vidiq.com/blog/post/youtube-8-minute-mid-roll-ads/ - videos must reach 8:00 runtime to unlock mid-rolls.
70. YouTube updates its creator partnership program - Social Media Today - practitioner - 2025 - https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-brings-updated-tools-to-its-creator-partnership-program/815494/
    • BrandConnect unified into the Gemini-powered Creator Partnerships marketplace.

6. Analytics, cadence, and community

71. Understand your YouTube content performance - YouTube Help - official - 2026
    • https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12220281 - official funnel: impressions to CTR to views to watch time; “subscribers driven” is the endpoint.
72. Understand your YouTube video reach - YouTube Help - official - 2026 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9314355 - traffic-source types: Browse, Suggested, Search, Channel pages, External, Notifications, Playlists, Direct.
73. Check your YouTube impressions and watch time - YouTube Help - official - 2026 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6299733 - a registered impression counts only when a thumbnail shows over 1 second and at least 50% visible.
74. Understand your YouTube audience - YouTube Help - official - 2026 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9314416 - returning vs new viewers; rolling 28-day monthly audience; “when your viewers are on YouTube.”
75. Good to know about recommendations - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/16559651 - no universal ideal length; one underperforming video does not penalize a channel.
76. Upload schedule tips - YouTube Help - official - 2026 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/13616979 - a consistent, sustainable schedule builds audience expectations; batch filming helps.
77. A new YouTube Communities experience - YouTube Official Blog - official - 2024-09-18 - https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/a-new-youtube-communities-experience-for-fans-by-fans/
    • fan-driven Communities space; initially only subscribers can post.
78. Learn about posts - YouTube Help - official - 2026 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9409631 - posts support polls, quizzes, images, video; may surface on home and Subscriptions feed.
79. YouTube Expands Community Posts to All Users - Social Media Today - practitioner - 2024-06-04 - https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-expands-community-posts-users/718023/
    • community posts opened to all channel managers on 2024-06-04.
80. Memberships levels and perks - YouTube Help - official - 2026 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7544492 - up to 6 membership levels; 70% creator share on memberships.
81. Manage Super Chat and Super Stickers - YouTube Help - official - 2026 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7288782 - higher spend keeps a Super Chat pinned longer; creators receive 70%.
82. Premiere a new video - YouTube Help - official - 2026 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9080341 - Premieres add a countdown and live chat; after ending become a regular video.
83. How Often to Post on YouTube (5M channels) - vidIQ - practitioner - 2025-07-31 - https://vidiq.com/blog/post/How-Often-Post-on-Youtube/ - 12+ uploads/month yields 53% more views and 66% more subscribers than 1-3.
84. What Is a Good YouTube CTR - vidIQ - practitioner - 2026 - https://vidiq.com/blog/post/6-tips-good-CTR-youtube/ - Search CTR ~8-15%, Browse/Suggested ~3-7%; target above your 28-day average.

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7. Developer API (added 2026-06-24)

85. YouTube Data API Overview - Google for Developers - api-docs - 2026-06-01 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/getting-started - default quota 10,000 units/day plus 100 search.list and 100 videos.insert calls/day; API key for public reads, OAuth for writes.
86. Quota Calculator - Google for Developers - api-docs - 2026-06-01 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/determine_quota_cost - list reads 1 unit, writes 50 units, captions.insert 400 units, captions.update 450 units.

87. Quota and Compliance Audits - Google for Developers - official - 2026-06-01

    https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/guides/quota_and_compliance_audits
    • exceeding default quota requires passing a compliance audit.
88. Implementing OAuth 2.0 Authorization - Google for Developers - api-docs - 2026-06-01 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/guides/authentication
    • scopes define which resources an app may read or write as the user.
89. Obtaining authorization credentials - Google for Developers - api-docs - 2026 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/registering_an_application - every request needs an API key or OAuth token from a Google Cloud project.
90. API Reference - Google for Developers - api-docs - 2026-06-01 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/docs - resources: activities, captions, channels, comments, playlists, search, subscriptions, thumbnails, videos, watermarks.
91. Search: list - Google for Developers - api-docs - 2026-06-01 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/docs/search/list - returns IDs and snippets only; maxResults 0-50; 1 unit but capped at 100 calls/day.
92. Videos: list - Google for Developers - api-docs - 2026-06-01 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/docs/videos/list - parts include snippet, contentDetails, statistics (viewCount, likeCount, commentCount).
93. Videos: insert - Google for Developers - api-docs - 2026-06-01 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/docs/videos/insert - OAuth-only; resumable upload up to 256 GB.
94. Channels: list - Google for Developers - api-docs - 2026-06-01 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/docs/channels/list - filters mine, id, forHandle; statistics include subscriberCount, viewCount, videoCount.
95. Introduction (Analytics and Reporting APIs) - Google for Developers - api-docs - 2026-05-28 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/reporting - Analytics API for targeted queries, Reporting API for bulk daily reports.
96. Channel Reports (Analytics API) - Google for Developers - api-docs - 2026 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/analytics/channel_reports - scopes yt-analytics.readonly and yt-analytics-monetary.readonly.
97. Get Bulk Data Reports (Reporting API) - Google for Developers - api-docs - 2026-05-11 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/reporting/v1/reports - jobs.create then download daily CSVs; reports available within 48 hours.
98. YouTube Live Streaming API Overview - Google for Developers - api-docs - 2026-06-01 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/live/getting-started - liveBroadcasts, liveStreams, cuepoint; bind and transition.
99. YouTube API Services Developer Policies - Google for Developers - primary - 2026-05-04 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/terms/developer-policies
    • authorized data deleted or refreshed within 30 days; deletions within 7 days; no scraping or fake engagement.
100. Revision History - Google for Developers - primary - 2026-06-03 - https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/revision_history - 2026-06-01 granular quota buckets; 2025-12-04 upload cost cut to ~100 units; 2025-03-26 Shorts view counting change.

8. Advertising (added 2026-06-24)

101. About video ad formats - Google Ads Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2375464 - skippable in-stream skips after 5s; bumper 6s; non-skippable up to 60s; in-feed in search and related; Masthead reservation-only.
102. About cost-per-view (CPV) bidding - Google Ads Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2472735 - in-stream view = 30s or full or interaction; in-feed = click or 10s autoplay; Shorts = 10s, full, or CTA.
103. Video Action Campaigns upgraded to Demand Gen - Google Ads Help - official
     • 2025 - https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/15110871 - new VACs blocked from April 2025; auto-upgrades from July 2025; final upgrades by April 2026.
104. Upgrading Video Action Campaigns to Demand Gen - blog.google - official - 2024-09-04 - https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/video-action-campaigns-demand-gen-upgrade/
     • video plus image assets drove 20% more conversions at the same CPA; Demand Gen reaches 3 billion monthly users.
105. About Demand Gen campaigns - Google Ads Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/13695777 - serves across YouTube, Shorts, Discover, Gmail, Maps, Display; bids Maximize Conversions, Target CPA, Target ROAS, Maximize Clicks.
106. Video reach campaigns - Google Ads Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/10581234 - efficient reach, non-skippable reach, and target frequency subtypes.
107. About Target frequency - Google Ads Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/12400225 - multi-format 2-7 weekly / 4-12 monthly; an average target, not a cap.
108. About Video views - Google Ads Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/13982458 - multi-format ads on Target CPV; up to 40% more views for the budget.
109. Non-skippable in-stream ads - Google Ads Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/11462260 - bumper up to 6s, standard 7-15s, 30s CTV-only horizontal; Target CPM.
110. About YouTube ads and view metrics - Google Ads Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2375431 - TrueView views vs view-through conversions; earned actions within 7 days; Unique Reach and frequency.
111. About audience segments - Google Ads Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2497941 - affinity, in-market, life events, detailed demographics, custom, your-data; no sensitive-data targeting.
112. Restricted targeting in Personalized advertising - Google Advertising Policies Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/143465 - sensitive categories restricted; DSA bans sensitive-data targeting in the EU.
113. Update to the Personalized ads policy - Google Advertising Policies Help - official - 2025-12-12 - https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/16758212 - expanded Custom Segments for Display from 2025-12-12.
114. Brandcast 2025 - YouTube Blog - official - 2025-05-14 - https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/brandcast-2025/ - immersive CTV Masthead and Shoppable CTV announced.
115. Google launches non-skippable Video Reach for CTV - Search Engine Land - practitioner - 2026-03-03 - https://searchengineland.com/google-launches-vrc-non-skip-ads-globally-470623
     • VRC non-skip launched globally 2026-03-03 (6s, 15s, 30s CTV).
116. More Shoppable CTV Ads On YouTube Now - AdExchanger - practitioner - 2026-01 - https://www.adexchanger.com/tv/youre-not-imagining-it-there-are-more-shoppable-ctv-ads-on-youtube-now/
     • shoppable CTV rolled out 2026-01-23; QR codes lifted conversions 100%+.
117. YouTube CTV Ads Enable Viewers To Purchase - MediaPost - practitioner - 2026-01-23 - https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/412238/ - shoppable CTV carousels from Merchant Center via Demand Gen.

9. Creator-growth additions (added 2026-06-24)

118. Add end screens to videos - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6388789 - video must be 25+ seconds; last 5-20 seconds; up to four elements on 16:9.
119. Add info cards to videos - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6140493 - up to five cards; Video, Playlist, Channel, Link types; blocked on made-for-kids.
120. Series playlists - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6084043 - an official series cross-features its videos; a video appears in only one series.
121. Autoplay videos - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6327615 - a related video plays automatically after one ends.
122. Add tags to your YouTube videos - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/146402 - tags play a minimal role in discovery.
123. Video Chapters - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9884579 - first timestamp 00:00, at least three timestamps, minimum 10-second chapters.
124. Find playlists and videos using hashtags - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6390658 - up to three hashtags show above the title; over 60 are all ignored.
125. Tips for video descriptions - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12948449 - front-load the description; feature one to two main keywords.
126. Add subtitles and captions - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2734796 - captions widen reach for deaf, non-native, and sound-off viewers.
127. Add Multi-language features to your videos - YouTube Help - official - 2025
     • https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/13338784 - creators saw over 25% of watch time from non-primary-language views.
128. Use automatic dubbing - YouTube Help - official - 2026 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/15569972 - dubs into English from 29 languages and out of English into 20; skips 120+ minute or Content-ID-claimed videos.
129. Unlocking a global audience with auto dubbing - YouTube Blog - official - 2026-02-04 - https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-auto-dubbing-expressive-speech/
     • auto dubbing in 27 languages; 6M+ daily viewers of dubbed content in December.
130. Customize your YouTube channel layout - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/3219384 - channel trailer for non-subscribers, spotlight for returning subscribers; up to 12 sections.
131. Channel banner and profile picture tips - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12950272 - banner min 2048x1152, safe area 1235x338, recommended 2560x1440.
132. Understand your YouTube audience - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9314416 - other channels your audience watches (28 days) and other videos (7 days).
133. Explore Inspiration tab - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/15575509 - AI ideas, titles, thumbnails, outlines; prompts deleted after 45 days; desktop and English only.
134. Understand copyright strikes - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2814000 - three copyright strikes in 90 days can terminate a channel; a strike expires in 90 days after Copyright School.
135. Learn about Content ID claims - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6013276 - a Content ID claim is not a strike and usually does not impact the channel.
136. Community Guidelines strike basics - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2802032 - first strike one-week freeze, second two weeks, three strikes in 90 days can terminate.
137. Set your channel or video’s audience - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9527654 - made-for-kids disables comments, cards, end screens, personalized ads, memberships, and more.
138. How ads work on made-for-kids content - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9713557 - no personalized ads on made-for-kids content; contextual ads only.
139. Collaboration tips - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12340107 - a collab can be recommended to both audiences; choose partners by audience compatibility.
140. Invite collaborators to your video - YouTube Help - official - 2025 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/16554898 - up to five collaborators per video, on long-form and Shorts.
141. Monetize your live stream - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7385599 - live automated mid-rolls averaged over 20% uplift in in-stream ad revenue per hour.
142. Create a live stream on mobile - YouTube Help - official - 2024 - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9228390 - mobile live needs at least 50 subscribers; limits lift at 1,000.
143. Highest-Paying YouTube Niches - vidIQ - practitioner - 2026 - https://vidiq.com/blog/post/most-profitable-youtube-niches/ - finance, insurance, legal command the highest CPMs (~$15-$50); RPM runs 30-50% below CPM.

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Total: 143 dated citations across nine pillars (creator growth, developer API, and advertising), the majority official YouTube Help, YouTube Official Blog, How YouTube Works, and developers.google.com pages. Original 84 retrieved 2026-06-23; API, Ads, and creator-growth additions retrieved 2026-06-24. See overview and index.