My Journey to Crafting a Custom YouTube Algorithm: 5 Enhancements Beyond the Default

YouTube has long been my favorite platform for entertainment, education, and following my interests. However, the recommendation algorithm often misses the mark. While the homepage offers new content, it frequently overflows with suggestions that don’t align with my tastes. Even the categorized feed tabs can feel restrictive, making it tough to find exactly what I want without navigating through endless unrelated suggestions.

Fortunately, YouTube’s new custom feed features allow me to tailor my viewing experience significantly. Rather than depending solely on the platform’s judgment of what I should see, I can now create personalized feeds that accurately showcase my interests and preferences. From relevant news updates to educational content, here are five adjustments I’ve made to enhance my YouTube experience.

I crafted a news tab tailored to my interests

No need for news on everything happening globally

The current feed tabs force me to select specific topics like ‘gaming’ or ‘mobile’ and scroll tirelessly to find engaging news articles. Choosing the ‘news tab’ often results in videos about subjects I don’t care about, rendering it ineffective.

For my customized news feed, I instructed YouTube to recommend recent and informative videos about mobile devices, gaming tech, and automotive advances while avoiding repetitive reaction videos and sensationalized content. I also ensured to exclude anything involving generative AI.

An educational tab for skills I genuinely want to learn

Learn something new instead of mindlessly scrolling

YouTube’s educational recommendations were not cutting it either. They often covered topics I wasn’t interested in or consisted of clickbait. For example, while a video about constructing the widest street-legal car might be amusing, it isn’t what I wanted under an ‘automotive repair’ tab.

I decided to build a specific educational tab focused on vehicle maintenance and modifications. I asked YouTube to suggest educational content specifically related to automotive repairs and engineering while filtering out exaggerated claims, hype-driven videos, and anything trying to sell products.

An entertainment tab that filters out specific creators

I don’t want to see the same people repeatedly

Much of my entertainment content revolves around gaming. However, my gaming feed was cluttered with titles I wasn’t interested in due to a few creators I find toxic. Simply selecting a more specific gaming tab didn’t improve the situation.

So, I created a gaming tab that focuses on the genres I’m interested in and excludes toxic creators I prefer to avoid. I instructed YouTube to present content related to my favorite games while avoiding specific creators, as well as to recommend new creators that are similar to those I enjoy.

A single tab for all my long-form ambient music needs

Lo-fi beats for work and relaxation

I frequently use YouTube to play long playlists of background music while working. A unique preference of mine is ambient music from games and films. Despite listening to a variety of music styles, I found myself lacking a dedicated tab for the two-hour ambiances I loved.

I enjoy the ambient soundtracks from games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and movies such as Lord of the Rings when I work. Creating a custom feed was straightforward; I asked YouTube to suggest long-form music and ambiance videos while avoiding anything too energetic or lyric-heavy.

Focus on a single creator

This month’s obsession

Occasionally, I become fixated on a specific creator and want to consume as much of their content as possible. While it’s easy if they stick to one channel, often they appear in various places. This made changing my feed a necessity when my interests shift.

Currently, I find myself watching an abundance of content from James May, known for his work on Top Gear and The Grand Tour. He appears across multiple channels, from his own to others like Drive Tribe. Creating a custom feed solely for his content has been immensely helpful, allowing me to include any appearances he makes, even brief ones.

The return of wired earpods isn’t just a trend

Personalizing my YouTube feeds has transformed the platform into something much more engaging and functional. Whether I’m catching up on tech news, honing automotive skills, or enjoying ambient music, I spend less time searching and more time enjoying content I truly care about. Ultimately, the best algorithm is the one I design myself.