content Factor

Topic

The primary subject the video covers, identified by analyzing the transcript. Some topics inherently attract more attention than others on YouTube, independent of how well the video is produced or titled.

Topic selection is the single most actionable strategic lever for a channel. Spending two weeks making a beautiful video about infrastructure will still underperform a five-minute video on a trending corruption story. This factor quantifies which topics are worth the effort and which are uphill battles.

Each value below shows two numbers when available: Regular/Shorts is the effect on a typical video, and Top 10% is the effect on the videos that broke out (top decile of views). Use the Top 10% column to see what disproportionately helps videos that go big.

Judiciary Courts

Regular +115% Shorts +220% Top 10% +302% SOLID · vs. average

Coverage of court rulings, judicial appointments, or legal proceedings.

Real examples from the dataset

Religion Faith

Regular +131% Shorts +24% Top 10% +273% SOLID · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Technology Ai

Regular +43% Shorts +94% Top 10% +41% SOLID · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Corruption Ethics

Regular +46% Shorts +71% Top 10% +96% SOLID · vs. average

Coverage of corruption, ethics violations, or government accountability stories.

Real examples from the dataset

Science Space

Regular +34% Shorts +114% Top 10% +94% SOLID · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Social Security Medicare

Regular +73% Shorts -14% Top 10% +72% trend only · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Military Defense

Regular +19% Shorts +22% Top 10% +2% trend only · vs. average

Military spending, veterans, or defense policy.

Real examples from the dataset

Voting Rights Democracy

Regular +8% Shorts +32% Top 10% +31% trend only · vs. average

Election integrity, voting access, or democratic institutions.

Real examples from the dataset

Criminal Justice

Regular +7% Shorts -6% Top 10% +10% trend only · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Economy Jobs

Regular -13% Top 10% -8% trend only · vs. average

Jobs, wages, inflation, or general economic policy.

Real examples from the dataset

Environment Climate

Regular +5% Shorts +26% Top 10% -3% trend only · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Foreign Policy

Shorts +39% trend only · vs. average

International relations, treaties, or responses to foreign events.

Real examples from the dataset

Civil Rights Equality

Regular +17% Shorts -12% Top 10% -29% trend only · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Campaign Politics

Shorts -11% Top 10% +19% trend only · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Disaster Emergency

Regular -17% Top 10% -4% trend only · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Other

Regular -30% Shorts -27% Top 10% +17% trend only · vs. average

Videos on topics outside the main classified categories.

Real examples from the dataset

Labor Unions

Regular -25% Shorts -20% Top 10% -52% trend only · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Taxes Budget

Regular -25% Shorts -6% Top 10% -22% trend only · vs. average

Tax policy, federal budget, or deficit concerns.

Real examples from the dataset

Constituent Recognition

Regular -3% Shorts -13% Top 10% -25% trend only · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Veterans

Regular -16% Top 10% -30% trend only · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Lgbtq Rights

Regular +68% Shorts -46% Top 10% +25% trend only · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Arts Culture

Regular -21% Shorts -17% Top 10% -32% trend only · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Education

Regular -19% Shorts -22% Top 10% -37% SOLID · vs. average

Public schools, higher education, student loans, or curriculum.

Real examples from the dataset

Housing

Regular -32% Shorts +7% Top 10% -8% trend only · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Immigration

Regular -15% Shorts -7% Top 10% -32% SOLID · vs. average

Border security, asylum, visas, or deportation policy.

Real examples from the dataset

Abortion Reproductive

Shorts -53% Top 10% -31% trend only · vs. average

Reproductive rights, abortion access, or related legislation.

Real examples from the dataset

Infrastructure

Regular -11% Shorts -38% Top 10% -35% SOLID · vs. average

Roads, bridges, public transit, broadband, or the built environment.

Real examples from the dataset

Healthcare

Regular -36% Top 10% -32% SOLID · vs. average

Healthcare policy, Medicare, Medicaid, or access to care.

Real examples from the dataset

Agriculture

Regular -28% Shorts -22% Top 10% -35% SOLID · vs. average

Real examples from the dataset

Energy

Regular -38% Shorts -19% Top 10% -36% SOLID · vs. average

Energy policy, oil and gas, renewables, or grid infrastructure.

Real examples from the dataset

Gun Policy

Regular -38% Shorts -22% Top 10% -44% SOLID · vs. average

Firearms regulation, Second Amendment, or mass shooting response.

Real examples from the dataset