Time spent on Youtube has gone down by 20% day over day. What would you do?

Introduction

A 20% day-over-day decrease in time spent on YouTube is a significant issue that demands immediate attention. This analysis will systematically identify, validate, and address the root cause while considering both short-term and long-term implications for the platform.

I'll approach this problem by first clarifying the context, then ruling out external factors before diving deep into internal metrics, user behavior, and potential technical issues. My goal is to pinpoint the root cause and propose actionable solutions that align with YouTube's overall strategy.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the suddenness of the drop, I'm wondering about recent changes. Have there been any significant product updates or feature releases in the last 48 hours?

Why it matters: Recent changes could directly impact user engagement. Expected answer: Yes, a new recommendation algorithm was deployed. Impact on approach: If confirmed, I'd focus on analyzing the algorithm's performance and user response.

• Considering the scale of the decrease, I'm curious about its distribution. Is this decline uniform across all user segments and geographies?

Why it matters: Helps identify if the issue is global or localized to specific user groups. Expected answer: The decline is more pronounced in certain regions or demographics. Impact on approach: I'd prioritize investigating those specific segments for targeted solutions.

• Given the metric specificity, I'm interested in the measurement methodology. Has there been any change in how we calculate or track "time spent" on the platform?

Why it matters: Ensures we're not dealing with a data anomaly or measurement error. Expected answer: No changes in measurement methodology. Impact on approach: If confirmed, I'd focus on actual usage patterns rather than data issues.

• Thinking about external factors, I'm wondering about any major global events or competitor actions. Have there been any significant world events or competitor launches in the past 24 hours?

Why it matters: External factors could explain sudden changes in user behavior. Expected answer: No major global events, but a competitor launched a new feature. Impact on approach: I'd analyze the competitor's impact and consider our competitive positioning.