YouTube Video Category: What Reddit Creators Actually Think

Reddit's creator communities — particularly r/NewTubers, r/youtube, and r/PartneredYoutube — have discussed video categories extensively. The consensus is more nuanced than the typical "category doesn't matter" or "category is everything" extremes you will find in YouTube tip videos.

Here is what experienced creators on Reddit actually say about YouTube category, RPM, and the algorithm — along with the verification tools to test the advice yourself.

The Reddit Creator Consensus on YouTube Category

The majority view across Reddit creator threads is that category has a real but secondary effect on performance. The most-upvoted positions consistently include:

Category matters more for monetization than for views. Multiple creators with mid-size channels have posted A/B-style observations showing that changing from People & Blogs to a more specific category (Finance, Howto & Style) improved their RPM without meaningfully changing view count. The views come from the same audience; the ad revenue changes because a different advertiser pool becomes eligible.

Category is overlooked compared to title and tags. The dominant thread position is that creators obsess over thumbnails and titles while ignoring category, even though category has a direct and auditable impact on CPM. Many creators who posted "why is my RPM so low" threads discovered after discussion that their finance or tech content was filed under Entertainment or People & Blogs.

The algorithm learns regardless of category. For channels with strong engagement history, the algorithm compensates for category mismatches over time. Behavioral signals (who watches, for how long, what they watch next) train the recommendation system independently of category. This is why the mismatch hurts newer channels more than established ones.

The "Does Category Actually Matter" Debate on Reddit

The most common counterpoint on Reddit is that the YouTube algorithm is sophisticated enough to override category based on behavioral data. A finance video filed under Entertainment will still eventually reach finance-interested viewers because the algorithm infers content type from watch history patterns.

The rebuttal from monetization-focused creators is that "eventually" is the key word. During the critical early distribution window — the first 24 to 72 hours after upload when YouTube is deciding how broadly to push a video — category is one of the signals that informs initial audience matching. A correct category gives the algorithm a more accurate starting hypothesis. The behavioral data then confirms or corrects that hypothesis over time.

The practical bottom line from creator discussions: picking the right category costs ten seconds and has measurable upside. Picking the wrong one has no upside and a defined downside (lower initial RPM, slightly less precise early distribution). The debate is largely resolved by cost-benefit analysis — correct categorization is trivially easy and concretely beneficial.

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The Most Common Category Mistakes Reddit Creators Report

The most frequently reported category mistake across Reddit threads is leaving the default "People & Blogs" category on content that belongs somewhere more specific. This happens when creators rush through the upload process and skip the category selection step.

Finance and business content filed under People & Blogs is the highest-cost version of this mistake — the RPM difference between the two categories can be substantial, and the error compounds with every view the video accumulates.

The second most common mistake is using Entertainment as a catch-all for niche-specific content. A cooking tutorial filed under Entertainment is not competing in the Howto & Style recommendation pool, where food and recipe advertisers concentrate their spend.

Use the YouTube Category Checker above to audit your existing uploads. Paste your video URLs one at a time to see which categories were actually saved — you may find that several uploads defaulted to People & Blogs without your realizing it.

How to Verify Your Category and Fix It If Needed

The YouTube Category Checker above lets you confirm the live category on any video in seconds — including your own. Paste the URL, see the result, and compare it to what the category should be for that content type.

To change the category, open YouTube Studio, click the video, go to Details, scroll down to More Options, and update the Category dropdown. Save. The change takes effect immediately in the API and within the algorithm within hours.

If you have a large catalog, prioritize auditing your highest-viewed videos first — that is where a category correction produces the most immediate revenue impact. A single high-traffic video moved from People & Blogs to the correct category can generate a visible RPM improvement on the next payout cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is category or tags more important on YouTube?

Tags are generally more impactful for search discoverability. Category has more direct impact on CPM and ad monetization. Both matter — prioritize title and thumbnail first, then optimize both tags and category, which together take under two minutes.

Reddit says category doesn't matter — should I believe it?

The nuanced Reddit position is that category matters less than many creators think for views but more than most realize for RPM. The practical takeaway: always pick the accurate category — it costs nothing and has measurable monetization upside.

Where do creators discuss YouTube categories on Reddit?

The most active discussions appear in r/NewTubers, r/PartneredYoutube, and r/youtube. Search "video category" or "RPM category" in those communities to find threads with creator reports and data.