With Microsoft rolling out new features like the ‘Focus Cell,’ it’s hard not to experience a sense of déjà vu. The reality is, this feature already exists—at least in concept—and many content creators on YouTube have been explaining how to replicate this for years. So, what happens to all those videos? Are creators going to remove or update them now that there’s an official built-in feature? Most likely, no. And here’s why.
The Cascade of Content Waves
To understand this phenomenon, let’s take a trip back about three to three and a half years ago when dynamic cascading drop-down lists were the hot topic in Excel circles. One creator figured out a clever way to do it, and suddenly, YouTube was flooded with tutorials all demonstrating the same technique. Dozens of videos emerged from various influencers, each showing a slightly tweaked version of the same concept. It was a bit like a geological epoch—a ‘Jurassic period’ of Excel content. The sheer volume of material on a single subject during that time was overwhelming.
I remember this because I researched the topic myself. Among the top results were videos from Excel experts like Alan Murray and Leila Gharani. Their videos on cascading drop-down lists became part of the landscape, pillars of that time period in Excel tutorials. And yet, just a year ago, I noticed something curious—another wave of content on the very same topic had surfaced.
Same Experts, Same Content, New Era
Alan Murray himself created another video, almost three years after his original one, showing the same technique but with some minor updates. I watched both videos and couldn’t help but wonder: Why is there no indication of the earlier video in this new one? Why wasn’t there an overlay or a link to the updated method?
The answer is simple: YouTube doesn’t reward going back to update old content. Videos accrue views, likes, subscribes, and even algorithmic favor over time. Older videos with more engagement are perceived by the platform as more valuable. Removing or significantly altering an older video means risking all that built-up engagement. It’s like throwing away money.
Even though it’s technically possible to put an overlay on an older video or add a link to a newer one, it’s not common practice. Why? Because it’s extra work. The natural tendency is to ask, “Why bother?” The older video already has traction, and the algorithm favors it over the newer version.
The Focus Cell: A New Chapter in an Old Story
Now, with the introduction of the ‘Focus Cell’ feature, we are about to witness this process unfold again. There are already plenty of tutorials showing how to highlight a cell, focus on certain data, or bring attention to specific parts of an Excel sheet. So, will those older videos be removed now that there’s an official feature? Unlikely.
Take, for instance, Victor Chan, a well-known Excel content creator. How likely is he to remove his older videos now that this functionality has been added to the ribbon? Very unlikely. In fact, many content creators will likely keep their old videos online without any mention of the new feature. Why? The social media system works in a certain way, and content creators are playing by its rules. They aren’t necessarily there to educate—they are there to work the system.
Why the Algorithm Won’t Let Go of the Past
YouTube’s algorithm is designed to promote content that has already proven popular. Older videos that have garnered more views, comments, and likes tend to rank higher in search results than newer ones, regardless of whether the content is outdated. In this way, the algorithm perpetuates the existence of older material, even when new, more efficient ways of doing things are available.
So, it’s not just that creators won’t go back and update their videos—it’s that they’re incentivized not to. The older video, with its higher engagement, will often outperform newer tutorials covering the same topic, making it hard for the algorithm to recognize the relevance of the newer content.
What This Means for the Future of Excel Tutorials
We can already predict what will happen with ‘Focus Cell.’ There will be a surge of new videos explaining how to use this shiny new feature, and yes, some may even hint at its resemblance to older techniques. But the older videos showing the manual methods? They’ll stay. There’s no reason for creators to remove them, update them, or even reference them in the new content.
The system incentivizes creators to continue producing new content while leaving the old material untouched. This is why we get waves of similar content resurfacing every few years. It’s not just about the Excel community—it’s about the way social media works.
In the end, the same pattern will play out: A new feature, like ‘Focus Cell,’ will prompt a flurry of content, but the algorithm will continue to promote older videos showing more labor-intensive methods. The question remains: Is this a problem for education? Maybe, maybe not. But it’s certainly a byproduct of a system that rewards engagement over clarity.
So, don’t be surprised when you see dozens of videos popping up on ‘Focus Cell.’ And don’t expect those older tutorials to disappear anytime soon. In the world of social media-driven content, it’s not about updating the past—it’s about riding the next wave.
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