YouTube Shorts Algorithm May Now Favor Fresh Over Evergreen via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern
YouTube appears to have changed how it recommends Shorts, according to analysts who work with some of the platform’s largest channels. The shift reportedly began in mid-September and deprioritizes videos older than roughly 30 days, favoring more recent uploads.
Mario Joos, a retention strategist who works with MrBeast, Stokes Twins, and Alan’s Universe, first identified the pattern after weeks of trying to explain a broad dip in performance across his clients. Dot Esports reports that Joos analyzed data across channels with 100 million to one billion monthly views and found a consistent drop in impressions for older Shorts.
What The Data Shows
Joos says YouTube has “changed the short-form content algorithm for the worse.” His analysis identified a threshold around 28-30 days. Shorts older than that window now receive far fewer impressions than they did before mid-September.
The pattern wasn’t immediately obvious in channel-wide analytics because newer content masked the decline. Only after filtering specifically for Shorts posted before the 30-day cutoff did the picture become clear.
Joos posted a graph detailing the drop-off for seven major Shorts channels, though he withheld their names for client sensitivity. Every chart showed the same moment: around September, older Shorts’ view counts dropped sharply and stayed far lower than before.
🚨Important thread: The YouTube algorithm actually changed, for the worse. (+Data)
I’ve been thinking a lot about whether I should or shouldn’t address this publicly. I’ve already talked to some people within YouTube, but I don’t believe the word of a single person, meaning me,… pic.twitter.com/6RAz0u0A1d
— Mario Joos (@MarioJoos) November 30, 2025
He described the change as “the flattening.” In his view, YouTube is pushing creators toward high-volume uploads at the expense of quality. Joos says he understands this approach from a corporate standpoint as a competitive response to TikTok, but warns it disproportionately affects creators who depend on their Shorts income.
Joos is explicit about his uncertainty. He calls this “a carefully constructed working theory and not a confirmed fact.” Some commenters on his analysis note they have not experienced similar drops on their channels. Others corroborate his findings.
Creators Confirm The Pattern
Tim Chesney, a creator with two billion lifetime views across his channels, confirmed the pattern on X. He wrote:
“Can confirm this is true. 2B views on this chart, and in September all of the evergreen videos simply tanked. I think pushing fresh content makes sense, but when you think about it, it makes investing into your content and spending time improving it, irrelevant.”
Chesney argues that the shift pushes creators to “produce more instead of better.” He warned that if the trend continues, YouTube will become a “trash bin” of low-effort content similar to what he sees on TikTok.
This echoes concerns from earlier in the year. In August, multiple creators documented synchronized view drops that appeared related to separate platform modifications. Gaming channel Bellular News documented precipitous declines in desktop viewership starting August 13, though that change appeared related to how YouTube counted views from browsers with ad-blocking software.
The September Shorts shift appears to be a distinct change affecting the recommendation algorithm rather than view counting methodology.
The Evergreen Value Proposition
For years, the case for video content has rested on compounding value. Unlike trend-dependent posts that fade quickly, evergreen videos continue generating views and revenue long after publication. One production investment pays off across months or years.
This model has been central to how creators and businesses justify video investment. A tutorial published today should still attract viewers next year. A how-to guide should compound views as search demand persists.
A recency-focused algorithm undermines that math. If older Shorts stop generating impressions after 30 days, the value equation changes. Creators would need to publish continuously to maintain visibility, shifting resources from quality to quantity.
The economics become punishing. Instead of building a library that works while you sleep, creators face a treadmill where last month’s content stops contributing. Revenue becomes dependent on constant production rather than accumulated assets.
The Broader Context
The reported Shorts change follows a familiar pattern for anyone who has watched Google Search evolve. Freshness signals have long played a role in ranking, sometimes appearing to override comprehensive, well-researched content.
For SEO professionals, this matters beyond YouTube. Video strategy has often been pitched as a hedge against organic search volatility. As AI Overviews and zero-click results reduce traffic from traditional search, YouTube has represented an alternative channel with different dynamics.
If YouTube is applying similar freshness-over-quality logic, that changes the risk calculus. Practitioners evaluating where to invest their content resources may find the same frustrations emerging across both platforms.
This also reflects a broader pattern in how Google communicates with creators. YouTube’s Creator Liaison position exists to bridge the gap between platform and creators, but analysts and creators consistently report limited transparency about algorithm changes. The company rarely confirms or explains modifications until long after creators have identified them through their own data analysis.
Why This Matters
The value proposition of evergreen Shorts depends on long-tail performance. A shift toward recency-based ranking would require higher publishing frequency to maintain the same visibility.
Practitioners frustrated with Google Search volatility may find similar dynamics emerging on YouTube. The promise of a stable alternative channel looks less reliable if algorithm changes can abruptly devalue your content library.
This also affects how you advise clients considering video investment. The traditional pitch of “build once, earn forever” requires qualification if evergreen content has an effective shelf life of 30 days.
What To Do Now
If you publish Shorts, check your analytics for view declines on content older than 30 days. Compare September 2025 performance against earlier months. Look specifically at videos that previously showed steady long-tail performance.
The pattern Joos identified spans channels of very different sizes and categories. That breadth suggests a platform-level change rather than isolated performance issues. Whether YouTube acknowledges it or not, the data these analysts are reporting points to a shift worth monitoring closely.
Looking Ahead
YouTube hasn’t confirmed any changes to Shorts ranking. Without official documentation, these remain analyst observations and creator reports.
During Google’s Q3 earnings call, Philipp Schindler noted that recommendation systems are “driving robust watch time growth” and that Gemini models are enabling “further discovery improvement.” The company didn’t specify how these improvements affect content distribution or whether recency now plays a larger role in recommendations.
Featured Image: Mijansk786/Shutterstock
