--- title: 'Why Is Success on YouTube So Hard Now?' source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=7z3B9KxuXjw' video_id: '7z3B9KxuXjw' date: 2026-08-03 duration_sec: 451 --- # Why Is Success on YouTube So Hard Now? > Source: [Why Is Success on YouTube So Hard Now?](https://youtube.com/watch?v=7z3B9KxuXjw) ## Summary The video explains why YouTube has become increasingly difficult for content creators, citing a massive rise in competition, changes to the homepage, shrinking attention spans, and burnout. The creator offers a mindset shift and practical advice for adapting to the new landscape. ### Key Points - **Explosion in Content Creators** [00:33] — The number of active YouTube channels grew from about 6 million in 2016 to over 115 million in 2026, an 1800% increase. Around 20 million videos are uploaded daily, making it extremely competitive for viewer attention. - **Reasons for Creator Surge** [01:46] — Three factors drove the surge: YouTube's global reach, AI tools that simplify content creation (scripts, ideas, thumbnails), and the accessibility of mobile phones for creating content without expensive equipment. - **YouTube Prioritizes Viewers and Advertisers** [02:26] — YouTube favors viewers and advertisers over creators because creators are replaceable. This reduces the platform's incentive to help creators grow, often at the expense of creator-friendly features. - **Homepage Changes** [02:55] — In 2016, the homepage displayed 30 videos; now it shows only 3. Despite an 1800% increase in channels, there's a 90% decrease in visible videos, intensifying competition for those few spots. - **Declining Attention Spans** [03:48] — Short-form content (Shorts, Reels, TikTok) has conditioned viewers to decide within seconds whether to watch. If a video doesn't hook them immediately, they skip, signaling weakness to the algorithm. - **Burnout and Psychological Pressure** [04:33] — High competition, limited attention, and few opportunities lead to mental exhaustion. Creators fear missing a day or losing videos, turning passion into despair. The creator advises taking breaks but not too long. - **YouTube is Now for Professionals** [05:43] — Success is no longer about luck but skill. Small channels can outperform big ones because YouTube promotes videos, not channels. The creator shares that his views at 50k subscribers exceeded those at 725k. - **Treat YouTube as a System** [06:22] — Stop treating YouTube like a lottery. Pay attention to every detail: idea, title, thumbnail, speech, scripting. Think critically and be one step ahead to succeed. ### Conclusion YouTube's difficulty stems from massive competition, homepage changes, shrinking attention spans, and burnout. However, by treating YouTube as a system and focusing on skill, small creators can still succeed. ## Transcript not a failure as long as you're striving and uploading videos. You're not a failure, and your level isn't declining. YouTube has become incredibly difficult these days, and everyone feels it; you're not alone. I know many feels it; you're not alone. I know many of you are going through a frustrating period right now, and that's why in this video, I want to reveal the four main reasons why YouTube has become so challenging recently. Don't worry, I won't leave you hanging. At the end, I'll explain how to overcome all of this and succeed, God willing. Why has YouTube become so difficult? Let's start with the first and most fundamental reason: the sheer number of content creators. The number of content creators has increased dramatically in the last five years. This increase is far greater than anyone can imagine. To be more precise, let's talk numbers. In 2016, there were around 6 million active channels competing on the YouTube platform. But if we look at our situation on the YouTube platform. But if we look at our situation now, in 2026, the number is unbelievable. More than 115 million people are creating active content on YouTube. Can you imagine? We're talking about an 1800% increase in the number of people making videos since 2016. And out of those in the number of people making videos since 2016. And out of those 115 million channels, 115 million channels, YouTube itself says that around 20 million videos are uploaded every day. Can you imagine that number? Every day, 20 million videos are uploaded to number? Every day, 20 million videos are uploaded to YouTube. So if you upload a video today, you're literally among 20 million videos. Of course, not all of them are in your field, million videos. Of course, not all of them are in your field, but every new video uploaded is a competitor for the viewer's time and attention. And ultimately, the platform has a limited ability to recommend videos to every single person. This increase happened for three main reasons. Number one, YouTube is a global platform. Anyone thinking of creating content will have YouTube as their first choice. Number two, artificial intelligence (AI) has made everything easy. It literally writes a script for you in seconds, gives you ideas literally writes a script for you in seconds, gives you ideas in seconds, creates a description, and makes thumbnails in seconds, creates a description, and makes thumbnails easy. Content creation. Number 3: Nowadays, anyone easy. Content creation. Number 3: Nowadays, anyone can create content with a simple mobile phone and still compete. They don't need a studio, expensive cameras, or anything else. This has opened up a anything else. This has opened up a sea of ​​options for viewers, and to be chosen, you have to be the best every time they open the homepage. This is a very difficult challenge for us as content creators. We also need to understand that YouTube currently prioritizes viewers and advertisers over content creators because, in their view, content creators come and go. If one or 100 come and go. If one or 100 disappear, 1000 others are waiting to take their place and compete. So, YouTube doesn't have a strong incentive to facilitate growth for us as content creators. On the contrary, it makes things easier for viewers, even if it comes at the expense of content creation. Number 2: Changes to the homepage. The homepage's appearance has changed. If we compare the YouTube logo in 2016 to today in 2026, the difference is frightening. In 2016, there were about 6 million channels, yet they were still featured on the homepage. The homepage used to display 30 videos, meaning viewers would see 30 videos at once when they opened it. But now, with 115 million YouTube channels, it only displays three videos on the homepage. Can you imagine? That's an 1800% increase in homepage. Can you imagine? That's an 1800% increase in channels, but a 90% decrease in the number of videos shown. Of course, I'm talking about longer videos. This has created fierce competition because if your videos don't appear in those spots, your chances of success are significantly reduced. The third reason isn't related to the algorithm; it's related to human behavior. The bitter truth, my friend, is that people's attention spans have decreased in the last five years. Social media, short content, shorts, reels, and TikTok have conditioned people to make decisions in a split second: Is this video worth watching, or should I skip it? He's a businessman, so he's always in a hurry. There's no patience or commitment anymore. If a viewer doesn't find what they're looking for in the first few seconds of a video, they skip it. This immediately makes YouTube understand that your video is weak, so it stops suggesting videos. That's why you now need to play psychological games and be five or six steps ahead of the viewer's thinking just to keep them watching. This creates psychological pressure that makes content creators think more about numbers than content quality. This brings us to reason number four, which is burnout, or the immense psychological pressure. When you combine high competition with combine high competition with limited attention and limited opportunities, the result is devastating mental exhaustion. Everyone is afraid of missing a day or of a video getting deleted. Passion turns to despair, and people start dropping like flies from exhaustion. If you're feeling this way, please take a from exhaustion. If you're feeling this way, please take a break. YouTube and the internet aren't real life, but don't let the break be too long. Start working with a new mindset for the viewer and a working with a new mindset for the viewer and a new mindset for the algorithm. Start adapting to the current situation. We talked in a previous video about how to adapt to the new YouTube algorithm. Please watch the video; it will be helpful. Now, I'll leave it in the description. Okay, bravo, you've really got me Now, I'll leave it in the description. Okay, bravo, you've really got me hooked, Ayman! How are we supposed to succeed with all these difficulties? Despite what you said, I don't want you to give up. On the contrary, this difficulty opens doors for those who understand the game correctly. YouTube isn't for the lucky anymore like it used to be; it's for professionals now. the lucky anymore like it used to be; it's for professionals now. Luck plays a smaller role, and skill plays a much larger one. If Luck plays a smaller role, and skill plays a much larger one. If you're a small content creator, by the way, you have a chance to outperform big channels with the right ideas because YouTube now promotes the video, not the channel. I'll speak to you personally: my views when I had 50,000 subscribers were more my views when I had 50,000 subscribers were more than my views now that I have 725,000 subscribers. And you've probably noticed this too, even with very large channels. So, small channels now have an opportunity, but stop treating YouTube like a lottery. Treat it like a system. Pay attention to every detail, whether it's the idea, the title, the thumbnail, the way you speak, or the scripting. All of this needs to be done properly. It's well-thought-out and purposeful. Those who are truly successful today are the ones who think critically about your ideas, not the ones who just upload videos haphazardly. You need to learn how to create YouTube content properly and be one step ahead. You also need to understand the viewer's mindset to be able to engage with them, whether it's the video concept, the script, the thumbnail, the title, or the editing technique. If you want real help and step-by-step instructions, I won't tell you to get a consultation or take a paid course. I'll create a playlist of the most important videos that will help you generate ideas for your videos, write effective titles, create video descriptions, develop a script that grabs viewers from the first moment, and understand and work with YouTube's algorithms. I'll leave all these videos in the description, the pinned comment, and this playlist to make things easier for you. I hope you find this video helpful. If you benefited even 1%, please like the video and leave your feedback in the comments. Peace. Peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you in the comments. Peace. Peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you .