Keep Working on Your Old YouTube Videos or Devote All Time to New Ones.
- Thread starter Mateoia
- Start date
- Jun 25, 2015
- 4,371
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i will try both If an old video still gets impressions, I’d test a better thumbnail and title first, while continuing to upload new videos. Sometimes a small update can bring an old video back to life.
ryanmcarter
Registered Member
- Aug 17, 2026
- 81
- 12
Depends on why the old videos aren't getting views. If they're still getting impressions but hardly any clicks, testing the thumbnails makes sense. But if people click and leave early, changing the title probably won't fix much. YouTube Analytics should help you decide which videos are worth revisiting.
AdventureSeeker
Registered Member
- Nov 6, 2024
- 92
- 151
i'd test a new thumbnail first lol, it's like 10 minutes of work and sometimes that's all a video needs to wake up again. new uploads can wait, the old ones already have impressions to work with
- Sep 22, 2021
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fwiw youtube has test & compare built into studio now, you upload up to 3 thumbnails (titles too iirc) and it splits the impressions and picks the winner by watch time share. so you can test the old videos without guessing and keep uploading new ones at the same time
I will keep trying the old thumbnail while uploading the new videos there is no need to throw away any of them since both of them work well. which one works better usually thumbnail or titles?
Mateoia
Newbie
- Aug 17, 2026
- 18
- 2
good advice. Also, one could track audience retention of previous videos to see where people stop watching and then use that information to better subsequent videos.
Mateoia
Newbie
- Aug 17, 2026
- 18
- 2
I would try both of those things, but I would focus more on uploading new content, while simultaneously improving titles and thumbnails of the videos that are not popular anymore. There's no point in spending time on videos that have lost their relevance already.
both could continue, but first I'd check out which old videos are still receiving impressions and have gud retention rates. old video sometimes pick up views through new thumbnails, but if the content isn't relevant anymore, then it would be better to make new videos.
Posedoin Agency
Newbie
- Aug 3, 2026
- 8
- 1
YouTube Analytics should help you decide which videos are worth revisiting.
I would not usually bother updating my older videos, but if the video is still receiving impressions, I would try using a new thumbnail or title. there are some people who do not even click on the video despite them being shown to them. I would keep uploading my video nd not stop anything. have you noticed any change in views by updating the thumbnail of your older videos?
Posedoin Agency
Newbie
- Aug 3, 2026
- 8
- 1
It also depends on the content being distributed; sometimes, those views may simply fail to reach the specific audiences you have targeted.
Change one at a time so you know which did it. I'd suggest doing thumbnail first since that’s what gets the click and then I'd change the title if clicks stay low. Before any of that check the traffic source on the old videos if it’s mostly search a better title can keep paying off for a long time. If it’s browse or suggested they’ve probably aged out.
either way point the old ones at the new uploads with an end screen or a pinned comment
It is important to do both instead of just doing one of the two. there might be some old videos that only require a good thumbnail or title to get views. First of all, I would identify the videos that are already creating impresions and then work on those. simultaneously, new videos should also be uploaded since it is never sure which one will be popular next.