YouTube creators are reporting significant drops in views and impressions, with many speculating that YouTube’s recent algorithm changes—and the increasing role of AI—are behind the sudden decline.
YouTube’s algorithm has become a source of growing frustration for content creators in 2025, and Reddit’s r/PartneredYoutube is buzzing with concern. Threads like “Impressions and views dropping like a stone” and “If you are suffering from recent drop in views” highlight the scope of the issue as creators compare analytics and seek solutions.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s happening, what might be driving it, and where the platform—and its creators—go from here.
Creators Are Sounding the Alarm
Multiple users in the r/PartneredYoutube community have described dramatic viewership losses in recent weeks. One fitness creator reports a 50% drop in impressions and a 30% subscriber loss, stating bluntly, “My channel is basically dead at this point.”
A gaming content creator saw views fall by 70%, despite producing 15–20 videos weekly. Similarly, a cooking-focused channel owner shared that daily views had plummeted from 20,000 to just 3,000. In a separate thread, another said their channel saw a 40% view decline and asked if others saw the same.
With dozens of similar experiences shared, these stories suggest a broader pattern that creators say started earlier this year.
What’s Causing the Drop? Algorithmic Shifts and Broader Trends
The most commonly cited cause of the decline is YouTube’s 2025 algorithm update, which now favors user satisfaction metrics—likes, comments, and post-view survey feedback—over legacy indicators like click-through rate (CTR) and watch time. This shift rewards creators who can maintain prolonged engagement, but others feel buried by the changes.
One Reddit user suggested that saturation is also playing a role: “There’s just too many creators now.” With over 2 billion monthly users on the platform, the competition for visibility has never been more intense. Others point to seasonal slowdowns and reduced advertiser budgets as contributing factors.
Regardless of the cause, the result for many creators has been the same: declining visibility, fewer views, and reduced revenue.
Is AI Misreading Creator Content?
The role of artificial intelligence in YouTube’s current algorithm is also drawing scrutiny. In 2025, YouTube uses AI to evaluate the tone, structure, and pacing of content, aiming to predict which videos will satisfy viewers. However, creators argue that these tools are not always accurate.
User u/Ok_Bet_2736 noted that their videos “aren’t even showing up in search results anymore,” suggesting that AI might be misjudging relevance or quality. Because the algorithm’s inner workings are opaque—often referred to as a “black box”—creators say they’re left guessing why their videos are no longer being recommended.
This lack of transparency is a challenge across many social media platforms and has become a growing concern for those who rely on algorithmic exposure to maintain their channels.
Monetization at Risk
View drops have a direct financial impact. Creators who rely on YouTube’s Partner Program (YPP) for income now face tighter eligibility requirements. YouTube’s updated monetization policies include AI-driven checks for repeated or policy-violating content. Channels that fall below performance thresholds or are flagged by the system risk demonetization.
One concern is that AI moderation can mislabel content, and creators fear losing monetization entirely. YouTube’s prior actions—such as suspending monetization for Russian creators in 2022—highlight how quickly policy changes can reshape the platform.
Faced with this uncertainty, many creators are now turning to supplemental income sources like Patreon, memberships, and merchandise.
What Can Creators Do?
Some creators are adapting by experimenting with Shorts, focusing on interaction-heavy formats, or refining metadata to improve visibility. Some users have pivoted toward Shorts in hopes of regaining traction. Others are creating longer, more immersive videos to boost engagement time.
While YouTube’s @TeamYouTube account and Creator Community sometimes address widespread issues, many creators feel the platform has left them to troubleshoot on their own. The overarching question remains: can YouTube balance its emphasis on AI-driven satisfaction metrics with the needs of the creator community?
Conclusion: A Platform at a Crossroads
YouTube’s current algorithm update is proving disruptive for a wide range of content creators, many of whom now feel uncertain about the future of their channels. Reddit’s r/PartneredYoutube is filled with concern, confusion, and calls for more clarity.
If YouTube cannot address the disconnect between algorithm design and creator needs, it risks further alienating the community that helped build the platform. For now, creators will need to stay flexible, adapt quickly—and hope YouTube makes course corrections before more channels fall through the cracks.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
Are you a creator seeing similar drops in your analytics? Or a viewer noticing changes in your recommended videos? Share your experiences in the comments or on social media—we’d like to hear your perspective.
Sources:
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Reddit, “Impressions and views dropping like a stone,” August 4, 2024
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Reddit, “If you are suffering from recent drop in views,” August 15, 2024
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Flintzy, “YouTube’s Algorithm Changes in 2025 Will Impact Channel,” February 23, 2025
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Buffer, “A 2025 Guide to the YouTube Algorithm: Everything You Need to Know to Boost Your Content,” 2025
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support.google.com, “YouTube channel monetization policies,” accessed May 13, 2025
Published: May 13, 2025
News compiled by: Derek Gibbs and Steven “Edgar” Bubbles
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