Views are the name of the game on YouTube. They’re the ultimate metric for determining a video's success by showing how much people are watching your content. And the more views you have, the more money your videos can make too. The thing is, what counts as a view on YouTube isn't as simple as you might think.
Many factors go into how YouTube counts a view. After all, YouTube's algorithm wants to make sure it only registers the times people legitimately watch your content. Once you crack the code, you can confidently create videos that keep viewers coming back for more. This guide covers everything you need to know about what counts as a view on YouTube, including whether your own views contribute to the count and four tips for getting more!
- How does YouTube count views?
- What exactly counts as a YouTube view?
- Why accurate view counts matter for Creators
- YouTube views: Your FAQs answered
- 4 tips to increase your view count
How does YouTube count views?
You might think that you get a view every time someone clicks on your YouTube video, but it isn't that simple. In a nutshell, someone needs to intentionally watch your video for a set amount of time to count as a view.
YouTube doesn't say how long a viewer needs to stick around before a view is counted. That’s because they want you to focus on content your audience wants to watch, rather than trying to hack the system. What we do know is that there are different elements the algorithm takes into account when calculating your view count. Let’s jump into what these are.
So what exactly counts as a YouTube view?
Although view count isn’t an exact science, there are many factors YouTube’s algorithm takes into consideration when adding up your views. We’ve done the hard work and researched what these are to give you a clearer picture of where your view count comes from:
1. If people click on your video 🤳
It might sound obvious, but clicking on a video is one of the biggest indicators to YouTube that a view is intentional. However, once a viewer has clicked, they will still need to meet a minimum watch time to be counted.
2. Whether your video is autoplayed ▶️
Sometimes your video might start playing without being clicked, when it’s autoplayed. It might be that a viewer has hovered over it in their YouTube feed. They could have autoplay switched on and your video appears next in their recommended list. Or it can happen when your video is embedded in a website.
Whether autoplay views count is heavily debated. YouTube hasn’t confirmed for sure either way, but in most cases they’ll count if a viewer watches for long enough. The main exception is when your video autoplays in the background of a website, which is unlikely to register as a view.
2. How long people watch your content ⏱️
For most videos, people need to stick around for a short period of time before they’re counted as a view. This filters out any accidental clicks of your content from your overall view count.
As for the length of time your viewer needs to watch for, it’s thought to be between a few seconds and 30 seconds - but no one knows for sure! And if a viewer skips part of your video, but reaches the minimum watch time overall, the view will still count.
3. Whether you’ve paid to promote your video 💵
If you’ve paid to promote your YouTube video (for example, as an advert), your views will only count if a viewer actively engages with the content. This could mean watching a specific portion of that video, or liking and commenting.
4. If the viewer is a human or a bot 🤖
YouTube is an expert at sniffing out robots and will filter out any suspected non-human views from your view count. Usually these are easy to spot as they’ll show odd patterns in the devices they use and the locations they come from.
How does YouTube count a view on Shorts?
YouTube counts views a little differently for short-form content which is designed to be quick and engaging. If someone stumbles upon your Short while scrolling through the Shorts feed, they may need to watch for only a few seconds for the view to register. But if they find your Short through your other videos or channel page, their view will count faster. This is because they’ve deliberately chosen to watch your content.
Why accurate view counts matter for creators
YouTube’s view counting algorithm is the ultimate spam trap. As well as filtering out accidental clicks from your view count, YouTube will spot and remove suspected bots. VEED CREATORS experimented with buying fake views. The result? Poor retention stats, non-existent reach and a dead channel!
Accuracy is always important when it comes to view count, but why? Views are key to the algorithm, showing YouTube that your videos are popular and relevant. It uses these signals to recommend your video to audiences it thinks will enjoy them. So if your view count was inaccurate, your videos are far less likely to get shared with people who want to watch them.
View count is also essential for a precise picture of how well your content is performing. Once you know which of your videos people are watching more, you can refine your strategy to capture more views.
Looking to monetize your channel? You’ll need to hit a certain number of watch time (or views). Check out our article on how to join the YouTube Partner Program which includes tips for making more money!
How does YouTube count a view: Your FAQs answered
4 tips to increase your view count
Now you know how YouTube counts a view, you’re in a position to make small changes to your content that'll rack up more of them.
1) Hook your viewers to keep them watching 🎣
An easy way to up your view count is to craft an engaging ‘hook’ at the start of your video. If you can hold viewers’ attention through the beginning, they’re more likely to watch past 30 seconds and be counted as a view.
Yes Theory are an expert at intros that hook their audience from the very first word. Like when they opened their video saying they were going to say yes to everything for 24 hours - who wouldn’t want to stick around to find out what happened?
2) Draw viewers in with the perfect title and thumbnail 🤩
Your title and thumbnail are the giftwrap for your video. Eye-catching visuals and clear, compelling titles can encourage viewers to click to find out what’s inside. But make sure they match what your content is about. If viewers think your video is ‘clickbait’ they’re likely to leave early and not be counted in your overall views.
Comedian Max Fosh is a master at crafting clickable content. Intriguing titles like Professional Eater vs Grizzly Bear pique people's curiosity and regularly end up on the trending page as a result!
Misleading titles can also lead to early drop-offs. These negatively impact your video’s retention stats, meaning you’re less likely to appear in recommendations.
3) Get the algorithm onside with likes, shares and comments ❤️
It sounds simple, but if you create good content your view count will get better too. Videos which encourage people to comment (such as FAQs) or formats that are easily shareable (like Shorts) will result in higher engagement. Get your audience to engage with your videos and you’re more likely to be featured in other people’s feeds, which means even more views!
4) Focus on growing your subscribers 🪴
Although subscriber views are treated the same as others, subscribers are likely more invested in your content. That means they’ll watch your videos for longer and engage with comments and likes more often. So, if you want to boost your video’s ranking and reach, it’s worth encouraging viewers to subscribe to your channel and turn their notifications on.
Crack the YouTube views code to boost your video’s reach
Your YouTube view count isn’t as simple as a click on a video - it’s about real engagement with your content. The more people you get to click and watch your videos, the more your view count will keep on growing. And once you’ve signaled to YouTube’s algorithm that viewers can’t get enough, you’ll find your videos pushed further onto people’s feeds - which means even more views!
As you start to get views on your videos, the next step is to turn those views into a dedicated following that’ll keep coming back for more. Check out our article on how to get more subscribers in 2024 and set your channel up for even growth and engagement!
