Stop Blaming the Algorithm: What Really Drives Views (ft. YouTube’s Rene Ritchie)

What really drives views on YouTube in 2026 — and why it’s not the algorithm. I sat down at YouTube HQ with Rene Ritchie, Head of Editorial & Creator Liaison, to talk about the habits, tools, and mindset of creators who are actually growing right now. @ReneRitchie @youtubecreators @YouTubeInsider We dive into: 🧠 The truth about the algorithm and audience behavior 🎬 How to turn Shorts → long-form → podcasts 💬 Building real community that comments back 🌍 Autodubbing and global growth 💸 New monetization tools — shopping, memberships 🔄 Retention, curiosity loops & the “consistency = vibe” philosophy 🎧 Listen to this episode on Future Obsession Podcast ☕ Guest: Rene Ritchie on IG / YouTube / Timestamps 👇 00:00 Intro at YouTube HQ 00:40 Who Rene Ritchie is & what he does 02:55 Shorts → Long → Podcasts funnel 04:10 New features: 3-min Shorts & Shows for TV 06:30 Clips + related links that convert 08:02 Editing in the YouTube app & Effect Maker 11:25 Autodubbing = reach new languages 13:05 Community tab & “Communities” feature 15:05 Consistency as a vibe 17:20 Prompts that spark comments 19:15 Constructive feedback & iteration 21:10 Retention through curiosity loops 24:25 Monetization tools creators miss 27:40 Short-to-Long transition examples 30:10 Future of YouTube innovation 32:30 Creator mindset & ownership 34:10 Rapid fire + wrap ☺ s o c i a l m e d i a ☺ SUBSCRIBE! / @katamogz instagram: / enfliquecreative tiktok: / katamogz snapchat: / katamogus pinterest: / enfliquecreative my email: [email protected] my website: https://katarinamogus.com etsy shop! https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/EnFliqueCreative my amazon storefront Canada!🇨🇦 https://www.amazon.ca/shop/enfliquecreative my amazon storefront USA! 🇺🇸 https://www.amazon.com/shop/katarinamogus?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_aipsfkatarinamogus_9GR8Z3WE5AFG94T0CQ3W BUSINESS INQUIRIES: ⇢ If you are a company interested in working with me or want me to promote your product, feel free to email [email protected] My Spotify Playlists ➽ https://open.spotify.com/user/katastrofaa?si=MQNurzSNQdK89LsZtyme4g