Network Influence vs. Credibility in YouTube Sleep-Health Communication

Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder that remains widely underdiagnosed and undertreated, prompting many individuals to seek health information beyond formal healthcare systems. Social media platforms, such as YouTube, have become influential spaces for the circulation of sleep-health information; however, concerns persist regarding whether credible, expert-led content achieves sufficient visibility to support population-level health outcomes. This study analyses 98 English-language YouTube videos to examine how sleep-health information circulates within an algorithmically mediated environment, focusing on the relationship between source credibility, network visibility, audience engagement and diffusion potential. Drawing on diffusion of innovations and social cognitive theory, the study conceptualises YouTube as a sociotechnical system in which opinion leadership, social reinforcement and algorithmic amplification jointly shape influence. The findings revealed a systematic credibility-influence gap, whereby visibility and diffusion are driven more by network position, engagement dynamics and algorithmic amplification than by source credibility. The results highlight a key public health challenge in which credible sleep-health information struggles to achieve reach within platform-mediated systems. By identifying the network and engagement mechanisms that shape diffusion, this study provided evidence to inform more effective digital health communication strategies aimed at increasing the visibility of trustworthy sleep-health information and supporting healthier lifestyles.