Creating for the Algorithm: What Every Independent Artist Should Know About YouTube in 2025

YouTube remains the internet’s largest video search engine and one of the most powerful platforms for full-length music discovery. While short-form platforms like TikTok or Instagram may be where listeners first hear your music, YouTube is where they go to find the full song, watch the music video, and dig deeper into your story.

Having a strong presence on YouTube ensures you’re ready to capture that interest—and convert casual listeners into long-term fans. This kind of intentional audience (those who search for you) is often more engaged than those who stumble across your music via passive recommendations. That level of engagement doesn’t just matter for community building—it directly improves how your content performs in YouTube’s algorithm.

We spoke with composer and independent artist Austin Farwell, known for his cinematic piano music and millions of YouTube views, about how he’s built a loyal audience by treating YouTube as both a creative outlet and a business tool.

“The most effective way I’ve found to grow an audience on YouTube is by first driving traffic from short-form platforms. The top 1% of engaged viewers who click through are significantly more likely to become long-form fans.”

Why the YouTube Algorithm Is Essential for Music Discovery

Music discovery today is mostly passive. Listeners hear songs while watching videos, scrolling through social feeds, or consuming content where music is secondary. Paid ads and playlist placements can help, but they often lack the context or emotional connection needed to convert a listener into a fan.

That’s where the algorithm comes in. YouTube—and platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Spotify—use behavior-based signals to surface content. The better your content performs on those signals, the more likely it is to be recommended.

According to Austin, your goal should be to meet listeners where they already are—whether they’re watching videos, browsing their feed, or listening to similar artists. Aligning your strategy with the algorithm puts your music in front of people already listening to or watching similar content—making discovery feel seamless, not forced.

What To Know About the YouTube Algorithm in 2025

YouTube’s algorithm is designed to keep viewers on the platform. That means it rewards videos that grab attention, hold it, and spark engagement.

Here’s what matters most:

• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Your title and thumbnail need to grab attention and deliver on their promise.
• Watch Time: The more of your video people watch, the better it performs.
• Engagement: Likes, comments, and channel browsing all send strong signals of interest. When people binge multiple videos from your channel, the algorithm takes notice.

To optimize for these factors:

• Use compelling thumbnails and titles that reflect the video’s actual content.
• Hook viewers in the first 10 seconds by delivering on the reason they clicked.
• Include CTAs like “comment below,” “watch next,” or “subscribe for more” to drive interaction.
• Build playlists to encourage longer watch sessions and make it easier for fans to keep listening.

A great example of this in action comes from Austin Farwell’s YouTube video for his song “Tower by the Sea”. Rather than a traditional music video, he uploaded a visualizer that functions as a piano tutorial. The format encourages viewers to pause, rewind, and rewatch as they learn to play the piece—driving up watch time and repeat engagement in the process. It’s a straightforward yet effective way to support the algorithm while providing real value to his audience.

Using YouTube Shorts to Drive Growth

YouTube has fully embraced short-form content through Shorts, and the key advantage here is discoverability. Unlike TikTok, Shorts can show up in YouTube search results. That means your titles, keywords, and metadata matter.

Shorts are a great way to hook new fans and send them to your long-form videos. For every release, consider making a Short that includes:

• Your song title
• Artist name
• A compelling visual or narrative hook in the first five seconds

Austin offers an example: A video might begin with “Watch me take you behind the scenes of my latest music video,” with the actual reveal coming 20–30 seconds in. This structure holds attention and boosts watch time. If the payoff is satisfying, viewers are more likely to like, comment, and share—amplifying reach.

End each Short with a nudge to check out your channel or a related full-length video. Done right, Shorts aren’t just discoverable—they’re powerful tools for building a deeper connection.

Crafting a Sustainable Music and Content Strategy

Algorithms reward consistency and momentum. Releasing new content every 4–6 weeks—whether it’s a new song, video, or update—signals that you’re active and worth surfacing to more viewers.

For each release:

• Publish your full-length YouTube video with SEO-friendly titles
• Post Shorts, TikToks, and Instagram Reels around the same time
• Use the same themes or visuals across platforms for recognition
• Prioritize “view velocity” by driving early traffic right when content drops

You don’t need to create completely different content for every platform—but you should adapt it. The more coordinated your release strategy, the stronger your algorithmic performance.

Turning Viewers into a Loyal Audience

It’s not just about chasing views—it’s about building an audience that sticks around.

Ask yourself: Why would someone subscribe to your channel? Maybe your content helps them study or focus. Maybe you provide inspiration, entertainment, or emotional connection. Define the value you offer, and deliver on that consistently.

One example of this kind of emotional storytelling is Austin Farwell’s “The Shared Language of Music”, a short narrative film that reflects on music as a universal form of connection. It's not a traditional promo or music video—it’s a piece of content designed to deepen the artist-viewer relationship. By making content that’s meaningful on its own, Austin builds loyalty beyond any single release.

People return to channels that serve a clear purpose and make them feel something. Whether it’s through storytelling, humor, vulnerability, or aesthetic, you’re building a world for your audience to step into—not just posting content for clicks.

Monetizing Your Music on YouTube

YouTube isn’t just for discovery—it’s also a reliable source of income for artists.

Anytime your music is used in videos (long-form, Shorts, or user-generated content), it can earn royalties through Content ID. And while some creators use free library music, many prefer well-known or trending tracks—which opens the door for real revenue.

If your song gains traction on Shorts, it could be used thousands of times, racking up millions of views. That activity adds up—if your rights are properly managed.

Platforms like Songtrust help ensure you collect your publishing royalties worldwide by tracking usage and handling your rights. For independent artists, it’s an essential step toward turning visibility into income.

To dig deeper, check out our YouTube Royalties Crash Course to understand how revenue flows and how to set yourself up to collect it all.

Final Thoughts

Promoting your music today requires more than just uploading and hoping for the best. Think of it like a system—one based on algorithmic performance, audience behavior, and emotional value. 

Each platform has its own signals:

• YouTube rewards relevance, searchability, and watch time
• Instagram favors shares and saves
• TikTok thrives on loopable content and engagement
• Spotify looks at full listens, playlist adds, and saves

Rather than paying for attention, focus on earning it—by being consistent, strategic, and intentional with your content. Once you’ve captured interest, platforms like Songtrust can help ensure you’re also capturing every royalty owed to you.

The goal isn’t just to be seen—it’s to be remembered, supported, and paid.