View count and authority are the subject of this video for anyone choosing whose content to learn from and share. The full transcription and questions and answers follow the video.
This video first went up on YouTube on March 25, 2025. The written post was added on October 23, 2026.
What Is the Difference Between View Count and Authority?
View count and authority can be two different things, since a view count may show popularity rather than authority, and in Loren Weisman’s view popularity does not make something true. A video can reach big numbers through careful optimization, audience targeting or even fake views and bots, while authority can show up in a trail to the creator’s experience, expertise and knowledge.
- Many creators may make videos to get as many views and ads as possible, with little accountability for what they put out.
- A large view count can come from optimization, audience targeting, or fake views, followers and bots.
- Looking beyond a single video for a trail to the creator’s experience, expertise and how they gather their sources can tell you more.
- AI may not be a bad thing, though it can be overused and abused when it is used to make someone appear as an expert.
- Before applying someone’s ideas to your business, career or creative work, looking at their patterns can help.
View Count and Authority: The Full Transcription
Views, Likes and Popularity
Be careful on justifying the view count or the like count with actual authority and not seeing it that it just might be popularity. Excuse me, my name is Loren Weisman. I’m a brand communications and optics strategist and looking at how we see so much information on YouTube, from the shorts to the long term for that matter, this video.
We see people out there making claims or claiming to educate, and yet many of them, they’re looking to monetize. They’re creating videos specifically to get as many views as possible, to push as many ads as possible, to push as much monetization as possible, and not taking any consideration or accountability for what they’re putting out there.
AI Tools That Write the Script for You
Many of these AI ads you can see them will not only help you optimize your video, but you can click here and we’ll give you ideas about what to talk about. Don’t know about that?
Here’s what to say. Don’t have a script? We can write you a script. So in a sense, there are many.
Looking for Views With No Accountability
And I don’t mean to sound harsh sheep out there looking for views, looking for ways to make money, looking to embed ads so they can put out whatever with no accountability, no liability, absolutely no transparency. And all of it is about money.
Now to each their own. They’re going to do what they’re going to do. However, when you’re looking for genuine, authentic authority wisdom, knowledge, look a little bit deeper. Don’t just look.
What a Big View Count Can Hide
Oh gosh. Oh this has 446,000 views. This must be true. Maybe it has 446,000 views because it was perfectly optimized set to audiences, even maybe some fake views and fake followers and bots and whatnot have come in there, and now it’s pushed it up.
Just because something is popular does not make it does not make it authoritative, and it doesn’t make it true. So again, this comes back to a little bit of the vetting that I’ve talked about a bit.
Looking Beyond the Video at the Source
However, at the same time, look to the sources when someone is becoming a source or a resource for you, look beyond that video. See what else they’re putting out beyond videos. See if you can find a footprint, a trail to their experience, to their expertise, to their authority, their ability, their knowledge, and in turn, from their and how they gather their sources.
When AI Is Used to Appear as an Expert
You may have better information. It’s not just this craziness of AI. AI again, I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Is it overly used by many?
Is it abused by many? Absolutely. However, when AI is taken to this different level to make someone appear as an expert, that’s not. And even though they’re being given certain expert quotes or certain expert information as they compile it, and they adjust titles and keywords and hashtags and scripts because they want that viewership and they want that monetization.
I’m not saying that’s all all of them, but because they’re doing that, they’re not holding themselves accountable for anything more than the action of trying to make some money. They don’t care if they’re putting out something that’s absolutely false as long as their views can go up.
Digging Deeper Than the Top Result
So again, dig a little deeper. Look at the patterns. Look to those that you want to listen to that you want to apply for your business, for your career, for what you’re creating, whether it be an artistic endeavor, a business endeavor, any kind of endeavor.
Look deeper to see the validity and the authority beyond the popularity. And from there you may gain better insights, better information, better intelligence to work from than just grabbing the top frame. The first video that came up and the information that just claims they have the answer for everyone when in the end, right now their answer is just to cash in.
Choosing Who to Listen To in My Talks
Choosing what to listen to, how it applies to you, where it relates to and when to change.
Questions and Answers
Does a high view count mean a video is true?
A high view count may mean a video is popular, not that it is true or authoritative. Views can be pushed up by optimization, audience targeting and even fake views, followers and bots, so a popular video can still call for a deeper look before it becomes a source.
How can you tell if a YouTube creator knows what they are talking about?
Looking beyond the one video, at what else the creator puts out, can help you tell. Searching for a footprint, a trail to the person’s experience, expertise, ability and knowledge, and looking at how they gather their sources and the patterns in their work may show more.
Is using AI in content creation a bad thing?
Using AI in content creation may not be a bad thing, though it can be overused and abused by many. The concern, in Loren Weisman’s view, is AI taken to a different level to make someone appear as an expert, which can come with compiled expert quotes and adjusted titles, keywords, hashtags and scripts aimed at views and monetization.
Why do some YouTube creators put out false information?
Some creators may chase views and monetization, holding themselves accountable for little more than trying to make some money. Some may not care if what they put out is false as long as their views go up, and that may not be all of them.
Is the top search result the most reliable source?
Not always, since the top result can come from someone who claims to have the answer for everyone when their answer is to cash in. Looking at the validity and authority beyond the popularity may give you better insights and information to work from.
More Videos and the Podcast
- Brand Comms and Ops: All Things Considered Shorts on YouTube
- Loren Weisman Video Shorts on YouTube: 20 More
- Wait What Really OK podcast
Loren Weisman is a Brand Communications and Optics Strategist who specializes in illuminating authoritative intelligence and amplifying authentic experts.
Weisman is the host of the brand communications and optics podcast Wait What Really OK.
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View Count and Authority: Look Beyond Popularity