What is an Outlier Video?

An outlier video is one that significantly outperforms the channel's typical content. These are the videos worth studying—they reveal what actually works in a niche.

The Definition#

An outlier video performs 30% to 200% above the channel's median view count.

• 30% above median (score 0.3): Minimum threshold—noticeably better than average
• 100% above median (score 1.0): Twice the typical performance
• 200% above median (score 2.0): Maximum threshold—three times normal

Videos below 0.3 are average performers. Videos above 2.0 are extreme outliers (often due to external factors like going viral or algorithm boosts).

Why Median, Not Average?#

We use the median (middle value) instead of the average because:

Average is easily skewed. If a channel has one viral hit with 10 million views and 99 videos with 10,000 views, the average is ~110,000 views. That's misleading—most videos get 10,000.

Median is stable. The median of those same 100 videos would be around 10,000 views—a much more accurate picture of typical performance.

This means outlier scores reflect true relative performance, not statistical anomalies.

Why the 0.3 to 2.0 Range?#

Below 0.3: Not Significant#

Videos performing less than 30% above median could just be normal variation. A video with 35% more views than usual might not indicate a replicable pattern.

Above 2.0: External Factors#

Extreme outliers (3x+ normal performance) often result from:

• YouTube algorithm boosts
• External press coverage
• Viral sharing outside YouTube
• Celebrity mentions

These factors are hard to replicate, so we filter them to focus on reproducible success.

The Sweet Spot: 0.3 to 2.0#

Videos in this range outperformed significantly but likely due to:

• Better topic selection
• Stronger titles/thumbnails
• Content that resonated with the audience

These patterns can be studied and applied to your own content.

Relative Performance Matters#

Outlier scoring is relative to each channel. A video with 50,000 views could be:

• An outlier on a small channel (median: 20,000 views) — score: 1.5
• Average on a larger channel (median: 50,000 views) — score: 0.0
• Underperforming on a big channel (median: 100,000 views) — score: -0.5

This is why studying outliers from channels your size is so valuable—they show what works at your scale.

What Outliers Reveal#

When you find an outlier, ask:

• What's the topic? Is this something your audience would want?
• What's the title pattern? How did they create curiosity?
• What's the thumbnail style? What made people click?
• What's the content format? Tutorial, story, comparison?

Outliers are proof that certain topics and approaches work in your niche.

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Related Articles

• Understanding Outlier Scores
• Finding Outliers From Channels Your Size
• Bookmarking and Organizing Outliers