Hi!
Can you expand on your answer?
People, (myself included), tend to get these types of replies which still leave us in the dark. I understand ranking depends on different factors . What are the factors? Can you enlighten us with examples of what you mean by solid content and a solid understanding of the algorithm? What are the steps we need to understand? Thank you.
Unfortunately I can't. Not because I don't want to but because the algorithm isn't this one constant thing that works the same way for every channel.
People have the misconception that the algorithm is this one unchangeable thing that all the channels have to adhere to or die, but in reality, that isn't quite so.
The algorithm is actually your channel's personal algorithm. Of course YouTube has an algorithm of it's own to--in a way--shepherd the channels and find content that matches what the viewer is looking for.
But as a channel that's putting out content there is no real rulebook with firm steps in place. The algorithm is more fluid, as you should be.
So ranking works the same way. What may have worked for one channel, may not work on the next.
This is why I always encourage content creators that want to take their channel to the next level to seek out consultation from experts. That way you can have a personal channel strategy laid out for your certain use case.
And to be honest, this is why my channel and the channels of my clients are successful. It's because of a well crafted strategy that catered specifically for them.
--
Having said that, while there are no fixed factors that can guarantee ranking for your use-case, these are still some of the metrics used.
Engagement, Watch Time, CTR, Impressions, Traffic Sources, Content release time, Posting schedule/frequency, and others..