Why Google Pushes YouTube Videos Above Text Results

Search for how to tie a tie, fix a leaking tap or play a song, and Google often shows a block of videos before any web pages. Many of them are from YouTube, which Google owns. Here's why, and what you can do when you'd rather read.

Why Google shows videos first

• The search looks visual. "How to", repairs, recipes, exercises and music searches often get video results, because people click and watch them.
• Clicks shape results. When searchers keep choosing videos for a type of query, Google shows more of them.
• Google can read videos. It uses titles, descriptions, captions and chapters to match videos to searches, and can link straight to the right moment.
• YouTube has the most videos. Google also shows videos from TikTok, Instagram and other sites, but YouTube's size means it fills most video blocks.

Whether Google favors its own services has been a long-running question for regulators in Europe and the US. Google says it ranks by usefulness.

When video really is better

• Physical tasks, where seeing the movement matters.
• Learning an instrument, a sport or a craft.
• Reviews of products you want to see in use.

When text is better

• Quick facts or a single step.
• Code, commands and settings you need to copy.
• Comparisons you want to skim.
• Anywhere you can't play sound.

How to get text results back

• Use the Web filter under the search box for a plain list of links.
• Exclude YouTube: add -site:youtube.com to your search.
• Change your wording: words like "guide", "article", "steps" or "pdf" lean toward pages.
• Hide video blocks: Search Cleaner can hide the Videos, Short videos and other sections you choose on Google's results pages.

More search tips: Google search operators and searching without AI answers.

For site owners

If videos fill the top of the results for your topic, a short video with clear chapters and captions can earn a place there, linking back to your full written guide. For pages that compete with videos, put the answer at the top and use clear steps with images.

Watching more efficiently

When you do watch, use chapters, playback speed and the transcript (under the description) to jump to the part you need.