Using Pandas to optimize YouTube Channel Growth


What makes a successful coding channel on YouTube? Let’s analyze the data from some of the most successful programming channels to find out. We examine metrics like views per like and engagement patterns to identify what works best.

Data Analysis Process

Initial Data Preparation:
– Collected channel data including video titles, views, likes, and comments
– Cleaned the data by removing irrelevant columns
– Converted metrics (like “1.5K” to 1500) to numerical values
– Filtered out videos with zero likes or comments

Key Performance Metrics

Two main metrics were analyzed:
– Views per like: How many views it takes to get one like
– Views per comment: How many views it takes to get one comment

These metrics help identify truly engaging content versus videos that might get views but don’t inspire interaction.

Key Findings

1. Channel Comparisons:
– Free Code Camp: 400,000 average views
– Programming with Mosh: 900,000 average views
– NeuralNine: 36,000 average views

2. Content Insights:
– Beginner content dominates views (top 3 videos: 44M, 39M, 17M views)
– Long-format videos (1+ hours) perform surprisingly well
– Intermediate content gets significantly fewer views (around 3M)

3. Engagement Patterns:
– Smaller channels often have better engagement ratios
– Views don’t always correlate with likes and comments
– Some videos with fewer views have higher engagement rates

Surprising Discoveries

Long vs Short Format:
– Top-performing videos are mostly long-format (1-15 hours)
– Short-form videos (< 60 seconds) didn't make the top rankings when filtered by views
– This is unexpected given decreasing attention spans (reportedly lower than a goldfish’s as of 2015)

Practical Takeaways

For Content Creators:
– Beginner content has the largest potential audience
– Long-format comprehensive tutorials can perform well
– Focus on engagement, not just views
– Consider the drop-off between beginner and intermediate content

Download the Analysis Scripts:
Want to perform your own analysis? Download the Python scripts here: YouTube Data Analysis Scripts


Want to improve your Python data analysis skills? Check out our courses at Training Scientists for in-depth tutorials on scientific computing and data analysis.

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