The new YouTube function is beneficial to consumers, but it is not so beneficial to content providers.

The new YouTube graph is a two-edged sword.

Rhys Wood wrote this article.

Updated at 10:07 a.m. on May 19, 2022

Paraphrased by Quilbot

YouTube has introduced a new feature that allows users to see the most popular portions of any video, which is shown by a semi-translucent graph above the video's progress bar.

The functionality, which was announced on the official YouTube community (opens in new tab) site, is now available on Android and iOS devices, as well as on desktop. The automatic graph, which is totally driven by community involvement, joins a slew of other new YouTube features, such as a dedicated video loop function and auto-generated video chapters.

So, what's the deal with this new graph? When you use the progress bar to navigate through a video, the graph will show directly above it, prolonging the length of the video display. The graph's higher bumps represent the areas of the video that people watch the most. This, in theory, emphasises the most interesting or best sections of any given video.

The function might be beneficial to regular viewers, especially those who are short on time. It may be used to detect and jump right to a YouTuber's early response to a significant announcement, or even the greatest bits of a football highlights video, for example.

Viewers who return to a video numerous times should be able to rapidly identify and watch the sections that stood out to them the most if the graph performs as planned. This might be especially beneficial if a video doesn't include chapter selection, which is another important feature that YouTube introduced in 2020.

YouTube's analysis: a double-edged sword?

For ordinary viewers, YouTube's new in-built video graph appears to be a terrific tool and time-saving measure, but we're not sure content creators will love it as much.

Because viewer retention (the total amount of time spent watching a video) is an important indicator for YouTube's algorithm, this is the case. In other words, the longer a person watches a video, the more valuable it seems to YouTube's artificial eyes.

A graph that offers viewers a visual indicator of the most fascinating parts of a video might have a significant impact on how consumers consume that content for small- to medium-sized content creators on the platform. Not in a nice way, either.

The innovation could lead to a more straightforward viewing experience. This is useful for viewers with limited time, but extensive use of the function when watching a video for the first time could have a direct impact on its ranking in the algorithm by lowering viewer retention.

There's also the risk that these most-watched moments, as determined by the community, will be stripped of crucial context, such as essential pieces of information that give the moment meaning or the build-up that makes it genuinely exceptional.

As a result, we're cautious about using this new functionality. The benefits to viewers are obvious, but they may be outweighed by the possible negative impact a highlights graph might have on video creators, particularly those who rely on YouTube for a living.