Can anyone explain how impressions are doled out (and then dried up)?

I get it: “Make a better thumbnail, title, first 30 seconds of your video…”

On it.

But is it going to do anything?

Is it really going to matter if YouTube only shows my video in the free space they have in the “watch next” section of the latest Hot Ones video and not to users in the medium sized clearly defined niche I’ve been slowly and painstakingly building over the last few years?

How are some video essayist blowing up over night when mine do amazingly in terms of engagement for 50k impressions and then YouTube just stops showing it to my niche?

Resulting in my ctr tanking, causing my impressions to tank, causing views to tank, causing engagement to tank, causing impressions to flatline.

“You’re just competing with better videos.”

Yeah, that’s what’s I’m asking about. Better in what way? What is stopping my videos from getting the impressions that those are? Is it truly just mainstream appeal?

Why are my videos being shown 10% of the time to viewers in my niche and 90% of the time shown to people looking for the next Mr. Beast drama video, “quirky” celebrity interviews, the most generic comedy podcasts?

“Well what does it matter how it works, what else are you going to do?”

Grind a less saturated platform / enjoy some recreation / do a different type of work.