
My viral YouTube Video got Ruined by Google YouTube and VidIQ. Algorithm Horror Story In May 2020, I started my YouTube Channel, and oh boy, this was quite an experience (more on that later). My channel had over 2 million views in the past months and almost 10 thousand subscribers. Finally, I had a viral video (I made 30 videos so far, and one got over 200.000 views going to 50.000 views per day). This latest and first viral Video was a product of my membership of VidIQ, and Google taught me how to edit videos, use hashtags, and promote the Video, so far, so good. The Video I uploaded about 20 days ago got almost 200.000 views, and YouTube was sending me e-mail messages – I have a hit. The Video does very well, and Google AdSense (I promoted the Video for 100 bucks over the last three weeks) asked me to double down on the content and pay more money for an advertisement to get even better results.
Here is where it all went wrong!
My Video was funny, and it included pigs breeding, so VidIQ came with the advice (after three weeks) to use the hashtag/word swine and testicles in the title. The second thing which ruined the viral Video momentum was I made two more advanced advertisements with specific targeting groups. As a result, my new ad got flagged as it would need a certificate in Russia’s country. This action was weird as the country Russia got included in the first advertisement of 100 $ for three weeks, and I never had a problem then. The word “testicles” started to give the issues, and I am sure AI used the word “testicles” to put my Video in private mode. I was the only one who could see the Video and all happening just before the weekend ( so nobody could do anything till Monday). It said YouTube put the Video in the following category: for members only from 18 years or older and had to log in to see the content, later this was also undone and is only to be seen by me (put in private mode) I advertised more with the YouTube link of the viral video on social media, made short trailers, and promoted it as well as I could. Now people would click and see videos not available. When I upload all my content, I always say not for children and 18 years and older (which I only do to avoid headaches).
Copyrights
First of all, almost 70% of my videos got flagged because of Music Rights Copyright claims. I bought all this music, and I had the license agreement certificates, and sure enough, when YouTube would ask me for this, I would copy-paste and sign my protest, and after a few days, I would get the message the rights got cleared. However, with the viral Video the music claim took three weeks to be re-activated (three weeks, google would use advertisement with this Video). I got excited when the Video did well and got pushed by Google / YouTube to spend more money and make more advertisements just so the AI could ruin my first viral video, which was on its way to the first million views. Question? Why can’t you upload the certificate of purchased music rights when you upload the Video to avoid claims and this due process? Another promoted video of mine contained the word blood in the title, but the context was not about horror or violence. Still, the word blood has a specific meaning: “genes or athleticism run in the blood” that was the context of talent run in the family).
The whole Video is fun with kids, and not one drop of blood got spilled, but the Ai flags it as shocking content. The same happened with my pig video. The title contained the word wrestle, but no pigs were harmed or wrestled (used as a metaphor). In three weeks, it became a viral video. The VidIQ suggested using ” hashtags words” and making extra advertisements, but that killed the momentum. I just used the word “killed the momentum in my writing,” which, when used in any title now on YouTube, AI would flag it, same as I put on purpose the word horror in this title, you know the context). Ok, so what if the problem gets solved today?

Before I answer this question, I would like people to know what happened to me as a content maker for YouTube. When I started my channel, my channel got removed, spam according to the AI, later my channel was restored the AI made a mistake. Many videos got flagged as shocking content, but after a few days, the AI (google employee) admitted it made a mistake. With the rendering of some of the videos, things got terrible, and I had to re-upload. I made the mistake of using some videos send to me by WhatsUp and Messenger (It’s compromised and not 4K).
Thumbnails had the wrong letter type. I changed the thumbnails for my videos, but now Facebook would keep using the wrong thumbnail. It took one week to sort out the headache. My website www.katoboonfamily.com could also not see the new link with the correct thumbnail somehow; the old one got stuck in the cache. The debugger from Facebook did not work. To make things more exciting,” Facebook decided to force me to work with a new page outlet, which resulted in me not finding any buttons. The new Facebook page design resulted in me pushing some wrong buttons, and now my whole Facebook was in Chinese. Two days later, still no change for my post on Facebook with the correct YouTube link and thumbnails. I used “Google translate” with my phone to scan my laptop to solve the Chinese settings and get to the settings to change my Facebook page in the English language.
I re-edited some of the newly uploaded version for YouTube while fixing the thumbnail mistakes (I edit on my iPhone. Indeed, my iPhone storage was full, and the video editor started to delete random files on my phone. I bought a new mac computer to have more options to edit when I synchronized the mac with my cloud; for some reason, the latest version also deletes files from the cloud when you delete files from pictures on your iPhone. I had to re-edit the whole Video and re-shoot some of the deleted content. I mostly blame myself for all the above, it’s a learning process, and you are dealing with AI and computer software, not some random guy who checks every 5000 per sec uploads on YouTube. It can be very frustrating and energy-draining; however, I am busy creating content, and several videos have over a hundred thousand thousand views in a few months. When the original Video (now put on private) will be re-activated again, it will go to a million views+. I re-uploaded the Video, which AI put on private, and it runs normal, but I can’t promote it as I assume AI still sees the word wrestling in a shocking context. I am waiting for a Google employee to tell me some good news.
The sad story could be that despite the original link will be restored, the momentum has gone, and AI will not put the viral Video at the correct spot. My viewers could be turned off by links not working, and the whole Ai problem is slowing my channel as a content maker. For now, I pretty much stopped my advertisements and uploads and hoped for a quick solution. So far, it has been five days, and nothing has happened.
The Video KatoBoonFamily Papa Boon Wrestles a Funny Pig is made 18+ by YouTube. I still don’t know where I can find the shocking content in this Video? If YouTube would indicate like with music (copyright) which scene is not suitable for all ages. Shocking content: why don’t they do the same with a music copyright claim? YouTube shows you the place in the video where you can find the music with a copyright claim. This way, I could re-edit the Video and edit out the scene, which according to their team, should be 18+, and I could do this in the future and save both time and money. The YouTube help came fasted and direct through Twitter. Thanks for that. Still waiting for a reply on the indicated content and putting the video at least from private back to 18+ for now, I will keep you updated.
Bas Boon